The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Sanders could be a perfect fit for Cavaliers
The Cavaliers need Larry Sanders.
Larry Sanders needs the Cavaliers.
This marriage was made in of the office of Cavs general manager David Griffin. It will seem like it was made in heaven if it works out.
A little background first. Sanders was chosen by the Bucks with the 15th overall pick of the 2010 draft. He signed a four-year, $44 million contract extension in August 2013, and after that his career began a downward spiral.
Sanders was sidelined 25 games with a torn ligament in his thumb after getting into a fight in a nightclub. He suffered a fractured orbital bone March 20, 2014, that would sideline
him the rest of the season.
Fifteen days after the injury, he was suspended five games for testing positive for marijuana.
Sanders tested positive for marijuana again in the 2014-15 season and was suspended for 10 games. The Bucks bought out his contract Feb. 21, 2015, and four days later, Sanders announced he was entering a rehab clinic to be treated for anxiety and mood disorders. He walked away from millions of dollars and a game he loved to get his life in order.
It has been over two years since Sanders has played anything more competitive than recleague basketball. On March 13, the Cavs showed faith they believe Sanders has solved his personal problems.
It is a big step for Sanders, too. If the pressure he felt playing for the Bucks got to him, he will be tested even more playing for the team expected to get to the NBA Finals a third straight year.
“We talked at length about everything he had been through and what he had done over the last couple of years, how he’d identified the issues he was having in the past and what he’s done to work on them,” Griffin said before the Cavs crushed the Pistons, 128-96, on March 14. “He’s very cognizant of the mistakes he had made. He’s very aware of the things he learned about himself that he didn’t know, and he started acting on those things.
“He knew exactly what he needed to do because he sought help. We’re excited about the possibility that this could be a good fit for him.”
Sanders won’t have to shoulder the load with the Cavaliers. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have that responsibility.
Sanders will start by playing with Canton in the D-League for a couple of weeks to get his legs back. His job when he is with the Cavaliers regularly will be to back up Tristan Thompson at center and be a defensive force in the paint. The Cavs are going to need him when the playoffs begin a month from now.
“I knew I had to do my work,” Sanders said. “I had to get my body in shape. I had to get my mind in shape. I knew if I got to that level and felt confident, maybe a team would feel the same way about me.
“I knew I needed space. I knew I needed time away to focus on myself. Like I said when I left, if I felt like I was ready to come back, I would. Now is the time. It was all a process. I knew I was feeling better. I was getting better day by day. I knew when I felt that I’d built up enough within myself that I’d take that risk again and put myself out there.”
Sanders swats basketballs that get too close to the rim the way King Kong swats helicopters that get too close to him. Sanders has blocked an average of 1.8 shots a game during his career. There is no stat that reflects how many shooters took a detour to the hoop knowing Sanders was standing in the way.
“He was special as a shot blocker (with Milwaukee),” Griffin said. “What he really was, and Tristan is this as well, is he was special in the pick and roll defensively. He was defensive player of the year because of that. He can be game-changing, but, again, that was a long time ago.
“We need to just work through where we are today and what we can expect. But he’s so incredibly long, he’s going to make every catch a difficult one. It will be interesting to see how that evolves.”
The original plan was for Sanders to sit on the bench and watch the game with the Pistons, but it was such a rout Coach Tyronn Lue inserted Sanders into the game with less than two minutes to play. Fans gave him a standing ovation. He missed the only shot he took, fouled twice and defended on a shot.
Griffin hopes Sanders will be with the Cavaliers for years to come. If Sanders has cast out his personal demons for good, this will turn into the best move Griffin has made all year.
Schudel can be reached at JSchudel@News-Herald.com; on Twitter: @ jsproinsider.