Why is Greg Hardy still suiting up?

Cowboys' defensive end Greg Hardy has been a controversial figure in the NFL.

The Dallas Cowboys' controversial defensive end, Greg Hardy, has continued his NFL playing career after a minor, slap-on-the-wrist, four-game suspension to begin the 2015 season. The domestic violence offender has been labeled "a leader" by long-time Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones, who has also  said Hardy "deserves a second chance." Well, I'm glad you think so Jerry. After disturbing police photos of Hardy's ex-girlfriend recently surfaced, Hardy proclaimed on Twitter that he is "innocent until proven guilty." It's pretty clear from the multitude of photos that Hardy is indeed guilty, and most likely offered up a chunk of his nice contract for his ex's silence. Yet, Hardy continues to line up  against opposing NFL offensive linemen as if nothing had happened. His battered and bruised girlfriend is, most likely, paid off, and he can return to his normal personality consisting of animalistic sideline outbursts towards his teammates and coaches. Hardy now has a target on his back because of his actions, and fellow NFL players don't seem to care for him being allowed to play football. After last Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which the Eagles won 33-27 in overtime on a Jordan Matthews catch-and-run, two members of Philadelphia's offensive line were blunt in their approach to playing against Hardy. Offensive tackle Lane Johnson admitted to "putting a little extra mustard on blocks" when he had the opportunity, and noted that Hardy "seemed out of it a little bit." Eagles' center Jason Kelce also added, "I'm glad he didn't have a good day. It's a joke a guy like that is able to play this quickly." This is the first time, with the recent photos being leaked, that fellow players have divulged their frank perspectives on Hardy the man and the football player. I'm sure many other players have the same view on Hardy, especially after the photos of his ex were released. With the NFL's recent issues with domestic violence, think Ray Rice, this is a very sensitive subject around the sport and beyond. So, the question is, why is Hardy still being allowed to play as if nothing had happened? He recently declared on Twitter, and was later told to delete the Tweet by head coach Jason Garrett, that he is innocent until proven guilty. That doesn't hold a lot of value after his ex's account of the events combined with the visual proof of her beating. Yes, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did the bare minimum in suspending Hardy for the first four games of the season. But this man should not be allowed to suit up and get handsomely paid to play professional football. He is a ruthless thug who has not truly paid for his reckless, violent actions. Commissioner Goodell will continue to sit back and allow him to play, because he has not definitively been proven guilty. However, he would cause a real stir and show he's got some muscle by suspending Hardy indefinitely, which is what he ultimately deserves. Unfortunately for domestic violence victims who want justice, the NFL and Jerry Jones will choose football productivity over what's right in this case.

Here is the link to the leaked photographs: Greg Hardy's ex-girlfriend's bruises

U.S. Open Preview: Novak reaches double digits

Top seed Novak Djokovic will look to capture his second U.S. Open championship.

The year's final Grand Slam is set to get underway and there is no shortage of compelling story lines heading into New York. With Australia's Nick Kyrgios making recent headlines for the wrong reasons, Switzerland's Roger Federer's impressive statement in Cincinnati, Spain's Rafael Nadal's struggles, American Mardy Fish's upcoming retirement and Serbia's Novak Djokovic chance to reach ten major championships, the 2015 edition of the U.S. Open will surely provide two weeks of high intensity entertainment. The 34-year old Federer is continuing to impress in the latter stages of his career, with a great showing in Cincinnati by beating two of his main rivals Murray and Djokovic back-to-back in straight sets. He employed a new tactic he had been working on in practice by taking return of serves ridiculously early and coming into the net behind the shot, putting extreme pressure on his opponents early in the point. In addition, Federer did not have his serve broken the entire tournament and was able to use his attacking style to perfection on the quicker courts in Cincinnati. The two men Federer defeated in the semifinal and final of that event clashed in the Rogers Cup final the week before with Murray finally getting the better of Djokovic after losing eight consecutive meetings. Murray won the U.S. Open series and is heading into New York with a great deal of confidence. His victory over Djokovic in the Montreal final should help his confidence heading into the U.S. Open, being that that was his first victory over either him or Federer this year. Murray hasn't hoisted a Grand Slam trophy since his 2013 triumph at Wimbledon, but seems to be building himself back up to that level of play. Djokovic is also coming in with a ton of confidence despite losing in the final of both Montreal and Cincinnati to Murray and Federer. His 56-5 record and two Grand Slam titles this season give him a firm grip on the number one ranking and he has a real chance to reach double digit majors in two weeks time. Djokovic's style of play over the course of best of five sets is very tough to deal with, which is what makes him so successful in Grand Slam play. His consistency and movement are what separates him from the field, and the hard courts suit his balanced, solid game style perfectly. The Serb will most likely face long-time rival Nadal in the quarterfinals as Nadal's ranking has slipped to No. 8 based on his average (by his standards) results this season. Nadal will not be a favorite heading into New York and many expect him to bow out to Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The normal solid baseline play we are accustomed to seeing from Nadal has not been as crisp this season, and he has admitted he has lacked confidence and belief all year long. While returning to a place where he's won two titles may make it easier for Nadal to regain his typical high level of play, I don't see him getting past the quarterfinals.

Federer and Murray, as the number 2 and 3 seeds respectively, are slated to meet in the semifinals. Murray would most likely have to get past French Open champ Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, which by no means is a guarantee. Federer has a slightly easier draw than Murray, but could still face stern tests from big serving American John Isner and big hitting Czech Tomas Berdych. Murray has a stern test in the opening round as he faces controversial 20-year old Kyrgios, but will take his unbeaten mark against him and continue the one-sided results. It seems that we always talk about Father Time catching up with Federer but he continues to ignore age and contend for Grand Slam titles with his main rivals in their twenties. The slight wrinkles he's added to his game in the last few years (bigger racquet head, attacking the net more, hitting returns off the short hop, etc.) have started to make a notable difference against players such as Djokovic and Murray. If Federer can maintain his high level this season and utilize his new tactics at the right time against his top rivals, he may very well be lifting Grand Slam trophy number eighteen on September 13th. As much as I would love to pick Federer to win the tournament, I have to go with Djokovic to lift the trophy. He has been the best player in the world over the last four years, along with being on his best surface, and I can't pick against the World No. 1 in the thick of his prime. He will have to be on his game in order to win his second U.S. Open, and he will pass each test thrown his way to get the job done.

Predictions for Notable Players:

Rafael Nadal: Quarterfinals

Stan Wawrinka: Quarterfinals

Kei Nishikori: Semifinals

Andy Murray: Semifinals

Roger Federer: Final

Novak Djokovic: Champion

See if you agree with my picks: http://bracketchallenge.usopen.org/#/men-bracket

The Djoker has the Last Laugh

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic captured his third Wimbledon crown on Sunday.

When World No. 1 Novak Djokovic made the decision to make the necessary sacrifices to elevate himself past main rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer back in 2011, I don't even know if he thought he would be capable of achieving what he has in the last four seasons. He has now managed to separate himself from his all-time great rivals Nadal, Federer and Andy Murray, who are all very capable of being ranked No. 1 in their own right. The roughly 4,000 point lead in the rankings he now holds over No. 2 Federer seems unfathomable in today's game with the amount of quality players residing at the upper echelon of the sport. Djokovic sits at 48-3 this season, with 6 titles and 2 Grand Slams, and we could be very well talking about a possible clean sweep at the majors this season coming up at the U.S. Open if it wasn't for Stan Wawrinka's superb performance in the French Open final against his in-form counterpart. In terms of career achievements, his third Wimbledon triumph gives Djokovic 9 career Grand Slams, moving him ahead of Andre Agassi, Fred Perry, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and Ken Rosewall. Being in his prime at the age of 28, a stranglehold on the world's top ranking and the seeming lack of any weakness in his game should have Djokovic winning many Grand Slams in the upcoming seasons. 

Djokovic was in serious trouble in his fourth-round encounter with big-serving South African Kevin Anderson, who was playing the match of his life and served over 40 aces for the first time in his career. The Djokovic of six or seven years ago would have caved in the big moments and probably lost the match after having dropped the first two sets in close tiebreaks. The mental difference with him nowadays is his ability to not let his frustrations linger and move on to the next point. Djokovic is a supremely confident athlete and believes he is going to win every match he plays no matter the opponent, conditions or score. That is why he didn't panic and showed little emotion in his comeback until he managed to outwork Anderson and secure the fourth set to send it to a fifth the following day. Finally, and only after he managed to even up the match at two sets all did Djokovic let out a roar and get the crowd pumped up. Djokovic completed the five-set comeback the following day and called it "a very difficult match, one of the most difficult in my Wimbledon career, that's for sure." The type of fight and willingness to go the distance is something that he lacked early on in his career, when he was criticized for wilting in hot conditions and retiring in the middle of matches due to fatigue. Now, there is no one tougher physically and mentally in the world on the tennis court, and every one of his opponents, including Anderson, knows that. Once Djokovic was able to use his grit, superior movement and baseline game to get past Anderson, his next two matches against Marin Cilic and Richard Gasquet were simply a formality. The only question was who was going to be awaiting him in the final?

Federer and Murray battled it out in a blockbuster semi-final for the right to play Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. At times, the level of play was unthinkable, particularly in what seemed like a 50 deuce service game from Murray at 5-6 in the second set. Federer eventually showed why he is a 7-time Wimbledon champion with his superior grass court movement, high-level spot serving and aggressive tactics. Federer had held serve a record 116 games in a row beginning from a tune up tournament in Halle all the way through to the end of his match with Murray. Federer continued his god-like serving against Murray, racking up 20 aces and winning 84% of his first serve points against the second-best returner in the world. Murray acknowledged at the end of the match, "He served fantastic...I didn't really have any opportunities. That puts pressure on you. The pressure builds throughout the set that way." After dispatching Murray in three tight sets, Federer set up the rematch from 2014 in the final with Djokovic. 

The final was tight and tense throughout the first two sets with both men saving set points against one another. The second set tiebreaker was particularly enthralling as Federer saved seven set points in total to even up the contest at a set apiece. That is when Djokovic began to separate himself from the best grass court player of all-time. Federer had been able to keep the points relatively short and used his attacking style in order to split the first two sets, but Djokovic recognized this and was able to counter that by turning the match into a baseline war of attrition. As great as Federer defends and covers the court, no one is at Djokovic's level in this regard. He can stay in points by using his flexibility and athleticism, and does not break down off either his forehand or backhand. Couple that with his underrated serve and him being arguably the best return of server in the history of the sport, and you have a very troubling situation even for the great Roger Federer. Djokovic was able to elevate his game beyond Federer's grasp in the third and fourth sets, taking them routinely 6-4, 6-3. Federer didn't feel defeated after the match and recognized that he got beat by a younger, better player in his rival. The "Djoker" has a real chance to win a hefty number of Grand Slams in the near future and possibly put himself right alongside Nadal (14) and Federer (17) sooner rather than later. 

NBA Finals Preview: Warriors find a way past LeBron

League MVP Steph Curry will look to complete the Warriors record-setting season with an NBA championship.

The Warriors emerged out of the incredibly tough and deep Western Conference by closing out the Houston Rockets in five games in the Western Conference Finals. On the other hand, the Cavaliers, and mostly LeBron James, overwhelmed the inexperienced Atlanta Hawks in a clean sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Warriors had the slightly tougher road to get here, and are a tad healthier, the Cavaliers should present more problems than anyone they encountered in the West. This is in large part to the four-time MVP and two-time NBA champion LeBron James who has done what he has so often in the past in putting this Cavaliers team on his back and carrying them to the finals. Game three of the Eastern Conference Finals sticks out when James started 0 for 10 from the field only to go on and almost single-handedly muscle the Cavs past the Hawks to put them up 3-0 in the best of seven series. He posted a ridiculous 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists for a clutch, championship level triple-double that, he acknowledged, took its toll on his energy reserves. Performances like this are the main reason why Cleveland is in with a fighting chance to upset the favored Warriors in this year's finals. This year's league MVP Steph Curry of the Warriors and his strong supporting cast will no doubt have something to say about that, as Curry has posted 40-point nights against the Rockets and has come up with clutch shots of his own throughout the course of the playoffs (remember the corner three to force overtime against the Pelicans way back in the first round?). Each team's best player will no doubt play their part and be a huge factor in determining the outcome of this much-anticipated series, but the rest of the team on both sides will be the X-factor. The Warriors have been the 2nd most efficient offensive and defensive team thus far in this years' playoffs, averaging 107.3 points per game and allowing 98.9 points per game, while the Cavs have been the best, albeit in a weaker conference, scoring 108.6 points per game and allowing 98.5. With the clash of the two best postseason teams in terms of efficiency looming, something has got to give. When we look at the supporting cast of each squad, we tend to favor the Warriors, especially at the guard position. The Warriors sport a problematic rotation of Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. This is a great mix of young talent and veteran experience and leadership that can all have a various impact on the game offensively and defensively. In Game five of the Western Conference Finals, with Klay Thompson getting injured, Harrison Barnes stepped up with 24 points and 7 rebounds and Iguodala was assigned with defending James Harden for the majority of the night. Harden had his worst output of the series, only scoring 14 points, in the most important game in large part to the length and strong defense of Iguodala. We know what Curry and Thompson can do shooting the ball and creating off the dribble, but the plethora of guards that Golden State can rotate and throw at Cleveland will surely create matchup problems for the slightly hampered Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving missed two games of the East finals with a sore knee and is not at 100%, Iman Shumpert is a solid wing defender and will definitely challenge the Warriors' guards, J.R. Smith will most likely be his usual streaky-scoring self and can impact a game both positively and negatively and surprise back up point guard Matthew Dellavedova has shown tenacity on the defensive end and some offensive explosiveness in Irving's absence. The Cavs do not possess the same depth at this position that the Warriors do and will have a tough time containing Curry and Thompson especially with their current guard rotation. In addition to Irving being slightly banged up, Kevin Love has been sidelined and will not return for the finals. While the Cavs have been able to advance despite Love's absence, you have to think that they will miss his shooting and offensive prowess during this series. While LeBron is perfectly capable of putting in the majority of work and doing a lot of ball handling, he will need trusty shooters for drive and kick outs. Love is that guy he can rely on to create space and find the open shot when James penetrates inside. This puts a ton of pressure on guys like Smith to produce in Love's absence and not have cold shooting nights, since we know that the Warriors will not have that issue. Surprisingly  the Cavs have been the best three point defensive team in this year's playoffs, which given this particular matchup should boost their confidence heading in. If the Cavs can continue to defend the three point ball and their two superstars, James and Irving, can continue to produce and defend at a high level, Cleveland has a real chance in this series. In terms of interior play, the Warriors passed the tough test the Memphis Grizzlies presented in the second round, in dealing with big bodies Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. The Cavs would be wise to try and slow this series down and make it more of a half-court contest as opposed to a transition-based, shooting series which would play into the Warriors hands. Tristan Thompson has stepped up in the playoffs, averaging 9.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, and will need to continue to control play down low in order for Cleveland to be successful. He and Timofey Mozgov will have to be strong on the boards against the likes of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli for the Warriors, who have made their impact felt in spots during the postseason. While the intricacies of each matchup can be interesting to break down, the meat and potatoes of this series will come down to LeBron vs. Steph. The two best players in the world going toe-to-toe for the title will surely lend us an entertaining and captivating finals. You can never count out a team with LeBron James, but I like the overall depth and rotation of the Warriors more so than the Cavs. While the Cavs will try to slow this series down and break down the Warriors defense using different strategies, the Warriors free flowing pace and high level shooting will prove to be ultimate difference.

Prediction: Warriors in 7. 

Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Hawks will fly past Bolts

Blackhawks' goalie Corey Crawford will try to be the difference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Blackhawks and Lightning both managed to come up with monumental Game 7 victories to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but did so using vastly different methods. The Hawks relied on their veteran leadership and experience to get past the Anaheim Ducks, while the Lightning somehow managed to go into Madison Square Garden and do what no team had done before in beating the Rangers in a winner take all showdown in New York. Familiar faces stepped up for the Hawks when they needed them most in Captain Jonathan Toews, scoring four goals in the final five games of the series, and winger Patrick Kane, who recorded a goal and four assists in the final two games. Chicago's top four defensemen, who have basically been the only defensive players seeing big minutes of late in the postseason, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya have averaged 31:35, 26:21, 26:33 and 25:23 minutes per game in the playoffs respectively. The Hawks' defense have carried them to this point along with timely goal scoring and heady net minding from the previously benched Corey Crawford. Crawford was pulled early in Chicago's first round series against Nashville in favor of backup Scott Darling in a bold move by Head Coach Joel Quinneville. The move ended up paying off in a big way later in the postseason, even though Darling stepped in admirably, as Crawford has compiled a solid .929 save percentage. His counterpart in this series, Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, out-dueled and sometimes outplayed Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist throughout the course of the Eastern Conference Finals. Sure, he gave up 15 goals in three home playoff games, in which the Rangers looked like a completely different team, but those will be quickly overlooked as he posted back-to-back shutouts at Madison Square Garden in Games 5 and 7 to get the young Lightning group over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals. Bishop has posted a respectable .920 save percentage throughout the playoffs, and is also aided by the fact that he has the league's number one offensive team, 3.16 goals per game in the regular season, skating and flying around the ice in front of him. The Lightning's scary good top two lines have been the difference for their team thus far in the postseason. The "Triplets" line of Ondrej Palat-Nikita Kucherov-Tyler Johnson have posted ridiculous offensive numbers this postseason. Palat has registered 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points, Kucherov has posted 9 goals and 10 assists for 19 points, and the supposed Conn Smythe Trophy favorite Johnson has been arguably the most effective player in the playoffs with 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points. Their other top line of Steven Stamkos-Alex Killorn-Valtierri Filppula have combined for 44 points in the postseason to complement the "Triplets" line and have been equally tough to defend and contain as the formidable defensive depth of the Rangers found out in the previous round. While the goal-tending match-up could very well be the key and determination of who lifts Lord Stanley's Cup in a few weeks, this series has the ear markings of a shootout, high scoring tilt. There are simply too many skill players and snipers on both sides of the ice that can impact the game and make highlight-reel plays. Combined with the fact that, by Stanley Cup Finals standards, there are two average goalies in net, this will most likely come down to which forwards can ultimately take control of the series. Chicago is retaining 13 players from their recent Stanley Cup title in 2013, while the Lightning only have a few players who have reached the Stanley Cup Finals with their lone champion being Filppula with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. This series will not be as one-sided as many people think, but the Hawks experience and stout defense will be able to pressure Tampa Bay's snipers enough to limit their production. Crawford's championship pedigree speaks a little louder then Bishop's play in the playoffs thus far, and Chicago's top guns will take control and make plays when needed against a slightly weaker Bolts defense. We should be in for an entertaining, end-to-end style in this series with a lot of wide open ice, but I will lean towards the Blackhawks to take this series in a high-octane six games. 

Prediction: Blackhawks in 6.

High Flying Hawks Poised for a Title Run

Atlanta's primary starting five have epitomized team basketball this season

How many of you hoop fans plugged the Atlanta Hawks in for the Eastern Conference's number one seed before the season began? Yeah, I thought so. The surprise team from the 'Dirty South' has exploded out to a 50-13 record, good for best in the East, and have almost guaranteed home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hawks became the first team to 50 wins this season with an impressive beat-down of the Sacramento Kings last night, which saw them break their franchise record for three point field goals made in a single game (20), notch 42 assists, and put up a whopping 76 points in the first half. They continued to do it the way they have the entire season, with impressive ball movement, great play from their All Star point guard Jeff Teague and incredible shooting from multiple players, notably sniper Kyle Korver. The Hawks came out shooting lights out from the get go and had 6 players score in double figures (their five starters and standout backup point guard Dennis Schroder), while shooting a ridiculous 60.2% from the field for the game. Sacramento posed no threat defensively and Kings' All Star center DeMarcus Cousins was never really able to dominate in the paint like he's accustomed to. Despite the lack of a stern test last night, the team basketball and outstanding shooting that Atlanta has displayed throughout this season has carried them to an impressive record and a legitimate shot at winning the Eastern Conference, possibly the NBA Championship. The obvious challenger in the East are the now-seemingly on-track Cleveland Cavaliers, with their successful pre-trade deadline acquisitions to complement the Big Three they formed in the offseason. It's hard to see the Chicago Bulls posing a serious threat moving forward without the face of their franchise in Derrick Rose, but they are also a tough challenge given the strength of their front court. The Hawks are playing arguably the best team basketball in the league this season with no true superstar, which many teams across the league lack, and are emulating the success of the San Antonio Spurs from previous seasons. If the Spurs have laid out the groundwork for winning championships, the Hawks are doing their best to follow that path. The concept of team basketball has gotten a little lost in today's NBA, but the teams that manage to keep all of their pieces involved manage to have the most success. That is no coincidence, and if the Hawks can continue this style and level of play, who's to say that any team can stand in their way of the Larry O'Brien Trophy?

Can J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert be the Missing Pieces in the Cavs' Puzzle?

J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are headed to Cleveland.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' supposed easy transition to title contender after acquiring LeBron James and Kevin Love in the offseason has not gone according to plan. Granted, a 19-15 record gets you a respectable 5th seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Cavs are after much more. Cleveland's new 'Big Three' has not exactly gelled and looked cohesive on the court, when they have all been out there, during the first half of this season. Rookie Head Coach David Blatt appears to have already lost the locker room and has been one of the more heavily scrutinized rookie head coaches in recent memory. It seems as though James has taken on more of a coaching role than Blatt, and the players are aware. A loss to the lottery bound Philadelphia 76ers several days ago prompted Cavs GM David Griffin to make some wholesale changes in the biggest trade of the NBA season, involving the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavs shipped controversial guard Dion Waiters to the Thunder to play alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and the Knicks sent Iman Shumpert and the unpredictable J.R. Smith to Cleveland. Those are the meat and potatoes of this trade, as the Cavs also received protected draft picks from OKC and the Knicks received big men Lou Amundson and Alex Kirk from Cleveland, Lance Thomas from OKC and a 2019 2nd round pick from the Cavs. This deal was a cap space clearer for New York, as they plan to waive all of the players "acquired" in this mega-deal. The larger impact for the short term lies with Cleveland and Oklahoma City, as they hope the added pieces will result in second half surges and consequent title hopes. Looking at the Cavaliers, they unloaded an expensive, roller coaster ride of a guard in Dion Waiters who hasn't shown the defensive capabilities needed to thrive in Cleveland, along with inconsistent shooting. Griffin posed the question to James about playing alongside Smith before the Cavs pulled the trigger on the trade, and James agreed it would be a good move. It will be interesting to see if Smith can reign in his shot selection and hectic play to actually be a positive offensive impact player for the Cavs, because that is exactly what they need. They are in need of a hot three point shooter who can provide a spark off the bench, and Smith, when in the right frame of mind, is exactly that. With James nursing back and knee ailments and currently in the midst of a two-week rehab process, and Shumpert needing a few more weeks to recover from his dislocated shoulder last month, the Cavs will not be able to begin this mold until the end of January. With Kyrie Irving also hampered by a back injury, Smith may be thrust into a bigger short term role then he probably anticipated. Shumpert is less of an enigma then Smith, since he is less offensively gifted, as he will provide lock down perimeter defense on the wings and be able to contend with speedy point and shooting guards. As a rotational defender who can occasionally put up 15 points on a given night, the Cavs acquired a big piece to their championship aspirations with Shumpert. Coach Blatt will have his hands full with the personalities that are sitting in his locker room, and it is his responsibility to best manage them on and off the court. He seems to already be on a short leash, so if this subpar play continues from Cleveland, he may be out of a job much sooner then anticipated. But, if he can find the right balance and floor combinations, then he may be a big key to turning the Cavs from middling in the playoff race to holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June. However this plays out, it will surely be entertaining to watch as the Cavs juggle all of these talented pieces they have in place. The only question now is will we be watching a smooth ride or a train wreck.