Cleveland Cavaliers: Is this Offseason a Setup for a Let Down?

At the end of every year there is a Draft. With every draft; every team gets a new sense of purpose, a new outlook about their organization. From the fans to the front office, this is a city wide feeling.

None more so than for the city of Cleveland, every year is a new chance to change the lasts misfortune.

If you’re a Cavs fan and remember watching the NBA lottery in 2003, you know the feeling of rejuvenation. Because you all knew that LeBron James was on his way to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame city, and if he wasn’t we were no longer going to be Cavs fans.

Hahaha. Sorry, had to laugh at that for the simple fact that it’s true.

The last six years have been a joy ride for the city of Cleveland. We have watched the Cavaliers rise from the worst to the first. From the theatrics of a Game Six in the Conference Finals of the 2006 campaign, this resulted into an uneventful trip to the NBA Finals, to a 39-2 home record (which was second best All-Time) and 66-16 overall season, which resulted in a playoff number one seed and an early exit at the hands of Orlando.

With the media constantly reminding Cavs Nation that this could potentially be the last season that Cleveland can claim the King as their own, we go into this offseason again with a sense of rejuvenation, holding our breath and crossing our fingers for the heavens to shine on Cleveland.

So the questions have to begin. Are Danny Ferry moves the right ones? Does Shaq really have any diesel left? Do we have enough pieces? Are we ready for a title run? Are we being set up for a letdown?

We mustn’t forget that we aren’t the only team making moves and jockeying for a position at the top. The LA Lakers, San Antonio, Boston, and Orlando are just a few. They have all made steps toward the ultimate goal, and by examination they are all better than they were last season.

It’s not going to be a cake walk, like people claimed it would be this past season before the Orlando series.

Right now, the Cleveland roster looks solid on paper, with the additions of Shaq aka “The Big Witness”, Anthony Parker (who will add much needed shooting, which was completely absent in the Orlando series), and the resigning of Anderson Varejao (although vastly overpaid).

LeBron will improve his game; he has every year since entering the league. Hopefully, the younger players will progress and the extra forward I believe is needed to be added to fill the cracks can be addressed from within.

Rejuvenation is taking place in Cleveland, and people have been bandwagon jumping since last season. The season almost feels as if its next week the way people are excited, engaging in full-fledged arguments like LeBron and Kobe just played the night before and they disagree on who the best is.

This excitement can be labeled as two types of driving forces. The first could be the driving force that propels the Cavs over the top and across the finish line, where championship t-shirts, hats, balloons, and champagne await the victor.

Or the second driving force, which is shaped like a rocket which is in a downward spiral toward earth. The failure to complete the task, the firing of a coaching regime, and worst of all, the departure of LeBron, that would send a franchise and a city reeling.

The true nature of any organism when constantly attacked, would be to form some kind of defense. In the case of Cleveland fans this would be to become numb or form thick skin to the idea and reality of failure. In all reality the case is the exact opposite; Cavs fans wear their hearts on their sleeves. Cavs fans support the team their fathers and mothers supported, with total loyalty.

If Cavs Nation is truly being setup for a letdown, I do not know if the sports area of Northeastern Ohio would recover.

Not to say NBA Championship or Bust.

But it can be summed up into, Keep LeBron or Bust!

What are your thoughts?