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It makes no sense for Cavaliers to trade Kevin Love for Carmelo Anthony.

(Joshua Gunter / cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to life after a title.

That's what I've been thinking lately when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They remain a team with the best record in the Eastern Conference, yet they are a team with problems.

They don't have huge problems, but there are problems. At the heart of it was a comment by LeBron James about the organization being complacent after winning the 2016 NBA title.

"I just hope we're not satisfied as an organization," James told the media Monday. "I just hope we're not satisfied."

As I wrote earlier, many of the problems are self-inflicted and they need to shut up and play ball.

Let's look at some of the other issues:

ABOUT THE ROSTER

James is correct when he says the Cavs have not replaced backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who signed with Milwaukee.

I think Kay Felder has a chance to be an effective NBA player. But they are not about to be patient with a 5-foot-9 rookie drafted late in the second round. Not when they are trying to repeat.

In my book, The Comeback, I had an entire chapter about how owner Dan Gilbert promised to make the financial commitment to deliver a title. It was a major reason James returned -- he knew Gilbert would spend.

Gilbert has spent. A title was delivered. But James is right when he said, "We're not better than last year from a personnel standpoint." Free agents Timofey Mozgov and Dellavedova were replaced by Chris Andersen (done for the season with knee surgery) and Kyle Korver.

They have young players in Jordan McRae, DeAndre Liggins and Felder, who James obviously doesn't believe are ready for prime time.

At this point last season, the Cavs had a lot of depth at point guard. Mo Williams was still healthy. Kyrie Irving had recovered from surgery to repair a fractured kneecap. They also had Dellavedova.

Williams suffered a knee injury late last season and his career appears over after his contract was dealt to Atlanta in the Korver deal. He is now a free agent. Dellavedova starts for Milwaukee.

ABOUT THE PAYROLL

It's $127 million, the highest in NBA history. They paid another $54 million in luxury tax in 2016. Kevin Love, James and Irving are signed to maximum contracts. They have signed Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith to huge deals.

From their perspective, they have spent a lot of money just trying to keep the team together. This is not a repeat of the Miami Heat, who won the 2013 title with James then cut their $82 million payroll to $80 million the following season.

Mozgov and Dellavedova signed four-year contracts worth a combined $104 million.

The Cavs worked out a $47 million extension to keep J.R. Smith. As for the open roster spot, they don't want to sign someone else unless they believe the new player can actually see court time.

ABOUT THE PRESSURE

Gilbert and James are not extremely close. They had issues with each other when James left in 2010, but put those aside when James returned in 2014.

At that point, the two men needed each other. James wanted to return home to Northeast Ohio and win. Gilbert had the money to make that happen, and he needed James, who signed short-term contracts to not only maximize his earnings, but also give him the option of leaving if Gilbert failed to deliver.

I sense James' public comments are designed to pressure Gilbert and Griffin to upgrade the roster. James is one of the few NBA players with the clout to influence ownership. He signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year -- so he can't (nor does he want to) leave this summer.

James and his business associates have made lots of high-stakes, mega-million dollar deals in the area of business and entertainment. They understand leverage and are not afraid to use it.

Turning the temperature higher is Golden State's addition of Kevin Durant. The Cavs beat the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, but Golden State is the clear favorite this season.

But it's not as if James is delivering new news to the Cavs. Griffin has been searching for a point guard since the summer. Gilbert has never been an owner who is content to sit back and not make moves.

ABOUT POSSIBLE TRADES

The NBA trading deadline is Feb. 23. Griffin makes bold mid-season deals, and I expect him to do it again.

He doesn't have much left to trade. He has the rights to Turkish prospect Cedi Osman. The forward is well-regarded, and several teams have already tried to obtain him. He has a first-round pick in 2021.

So Griffin has to make sure his next move is the right move -- because he doesn't have many moves left.

1. Veterans Jarrett Jack (coming off knee surgery) and Mario Chalmers (Achilles surgery) are available, but are they healthy? The Cavs aren't the only team looking for a backup point guard. No one has signed them. Atlanta cut Jack in October.

2. Norris Cole is back from playing in China and available. But what is going on with him? He couldn't get a decent NBA offer and went to China. He either was cut or came back with a hamstring injury.

3. As for the D-League, Felder has played two games and averaged 30 points. He dominated. He probably is the best point guard in the D-League. It's doubtful anyone in the D-League is ready for what the Cavs have in mind.

Rarely do you find a solid, experienced, healthy backup point guard unemployed in January.

The probable answer is someone on another roster.

1. I've always liked Jameer Nelson, who is averaging 8.7 points and 4.5 assists for Denver. He is on a two-year deal, paying him $4.5 million this season and $4.7 million in 2017-18. And he'll be 35 on Feb. 9. Working a trade for him won't be easy. But he's the kind of player the Cavs need.

2. Deron Williams is on a one-year, $10 million deal with Dallas. Sounds hard to figure out a deal.

3. Another player I've liked is Jose Calderon, who is making $7.7 million and playing very little with the Lakers. He's 35 and playing only 12 minutes a night.

4. Rajon Rondo can't shoot at all, so it's hard to see him as a fit. The same with Ricky Rubio. They also have major contracts.

5. The Cavs have trade exceptions of $4.8 million, $4.4 million and $2.2 million to use to acquire players.

ABOUT CARMELO ANTHONY

I'll never say never when it comes to Anthony coming to the Cavs -- but it's very doubtful right now. Love is a much better fit at power forward. James and Anthony both have played power forward, and neither likes the position.

Anthony can still score, averaging 22.7 points and shooting 44 percent. But he's not a good rebounder (6.0), at least if you want him as a power forward. Nor is he a decent defender.

He's 32. He had major knee surgery in 2015.

His contract:

$24.6 million in 2016-17.

$26.2 million in 2017-18.

$28 million in 2018-19, and he can opt out.

He has a no-trade clause.

The only way a deal would work would be for Love, who just made the All-Star team. I have a hard time with this deal. It's why the Cavs rejected it. The Knicks are desperate to trade Anthony somewhere.