LeBron James said he wanted a backup point guard, so the Cavs are going to get a backup point guard. ESPN reports of an upcoming workout of veteran players this week to try and find the "playmaker" they're in need of. The list has some interesting names on it.
Veteran point guards Mario Chalmers and Kirk Hinrich, along with wing Lance Stephenson are scheduled to work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in hopes of inking a deal, league sources informed ESPN.
Source: Cleveland Cavaliers to work out free agents Kirk Hinrich, Mario Chalmers and Lance Stephenson.
Jordan Farmar will reportedly also work out for the Cavs:
Jordan Farmar is the fourth free-agent point guard scheduled to join Cleveland's workout on Wednesday, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 1, 2017
Let's look at the main options of Hinrich, Chalmers and Stephenson:
Kirk Hinrich: Hinrich is 36 years old. That's a problem for a team that also gives Richard Jefferson and James Jones minutes. But Hinrich is solid. He can run an offense, won't make defensive mistakes, and shot 39 percent last year at age 35 from deep. Hinrich's not going to suddenly go off for 10 points, but he can do the job. He comes with no baggage, works hard, and is a total professional.
Mario Chalmers: Chalmers was really good last season for the Memphis Grizzlies. He's obviously got experience playing with LeBron James, and is always ready to hit the big shot. For all the talk about the Heat yelling at Chalmers, he still started two Finals series and had huge games. James at least knows Chalmers is ready for that moment. The question is whether he can contribute after suffering a torn Achilles last year.
Lance Stephenson: Whoo, boy. First off, I want to make it very clear, no matter how this workout goes, it needs to be reported that James was "blown away" by Stephenson. Because:
But beyond the jokes, Stephenson is A) the youngest, B) the most athletic, and C) the most dynamic of these three options. He can get to the rim and operate in the pick and roll. Stephenson would also be an escalation of the ongoing war between the Cavaliers and Warriors over who is the most ridiculous player the teams can add and still win a championship with. Stephenson might just top JaVale McGee as the most knuckle-headed guy to integrate into a winning culture.
Any one of these guys would actually help Cleveland. They have the skills they're looking for, and they have playoff experience. But they'll have to earn the approval of James if they want the gig. We'll see if one of them is the answer Cleveland's looking for.
