Call Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert a dreamer.
Not even one year after losing superstar LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, Gilbert believes his Cavaliers can compete in the NBA again in another two or three years, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com:
“I have no doubt that if we continue the path here that we will be competing in a shorter period of time than people think. As you build this thing for the long term, I think you are going to see something emerge here in the next couple of years that will be a core and base. So take the next two, three years, including this year, and create a core, system and organization that will sustain itself in a competitive nature for maybe six, seven, eight, nine years or whatever from that point. I believe in the mission and the plan. Think we have the right people to lead it.”
That’s all well and good, but there is nothing about Cleveland that should leave anyone to believe that this team will be competing within the next couple of years.
The only truly intriguing young piece currently on the roster is rookie point guard Collin Sexton. Maybe you can include young big man Ante Zizic, but he has shown little to nothing in his tenure with the Cavs thus far.
Dan Gilbert also feels the Cavaliers’ front office is in good shape.
“I think the front office is in the best shape it’s ever been. At least, in the 12 or 13 years I’ve been in Cleveland. You have people who are very, very smart, very dedicated. Understand metrics, understand the game, understand drafting, understand trades.”
It’s great that Dan Gilbert believes in his organization, but with the lack of young talent and the huge contract of Kevin Love, it’s going to be very difficult for the Cavaliers to contend any time soon.