Should Ty be held accountable? 'Hey, Joe!'

NEW YORK -- Do you have a Cavs question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Joe? Submit it here or tweet @joevardon.

This week, fans want to know if Tyronn Lue should be held accountable for the Cavs' slow start; if the Cavs are going to move the Brooklyn pick because the Nets may not stink; and if they are getting involved with the Eric Bledsoe sweepstakes.

Joe Vardon, cleveland.com

Don't Edit

Hey, Josh: I expect the Cavs to hold onto the 2018 Brooklyn pick they acquired because it's not time for trades right now. As of this writing (Thursday), the Cavs were missing three guards (Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose). Officials say they're "heavily invested" in who they have in Cleveland now. LeBron James told me the Brooklyn pick "might not even be that good" of a pick after Wednesday's loss to the Nets, and he may be right. Brooklyn has more veteran talent than the team that posted the worst record in the NBA last season. But it's still going to be tough for the Nets to make the playoffs, and this is a deep draft. In other words, the Cavs aren't going to move that pick unless the right deal materializes. Those deals don't come along in October.

Don't Edit

Hey, Jeff: I think Derrick Rose will play Saturday against the Pelicans, which means coach Tyronn Lue has to decide who goes to the bench. It's probably not the time to introduce another new starter in Jeff Green. Also, there's value in being able to bring off the bench someone who's averaging 11.4 points and shooting .474. The Cavs need J.R. Smith to not shoot 6-of-34.

Don't Edit

Hey, Lucas: You know, my Twitter feed was pretty full with questions and comments similar to yours after the Cavs lost to the Nets. On the smallest of scales, I understand the sentiment because these NBA seasons are so long, the Cavs are so talented, and on so many nights they seem to coast. If you're a fan and you're invested now, watching games now, it's frustrating.

And in that context, it's fair to ask why this team, with LeBron and Kevin Love and so many other big names, cannot defend the 3-point line and seems to sleepwalk against bad teams. Some of the responsibility should fall on Lue. But he coached this team to a championship in 2016 and a return Finals bid a year ago. The players, most notably LeBron, love him. He wins when it matters and he gets this team playing the right way by the playoffs.

The Cavs started 10-0 in each of the last two postseasons. He understands better than most that the regular season is an 82-game tuneup. It's why he allowed Dwyane Wade to start and learn for himself his best fit on this team was coming off the bench. Lue knew he had the time to run the experiment. Unless it becomes apparent that Cleveland cannot challenge the Warriors, and the reason is Lue, it would be shocking to see anything happen to him.

Don't Edit

Hey, James: May 31...what's that? Oh, your question was rhetorical? Yes, this team has way, way too much talent not to expect them to reach its fourth consecutive Finals. It's OK, then, if fans want to let go the sloppiness we've seen from the Cavs through five games. It's also reasonable to expect a little more from such a star-studded group.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Erik, Willoughby Hills

Hey, Erik: The Cavs were 4-23 on nights when James didn't play during his three seasons with Irving, though Irving missed some of those games, too. Also, Cleveland won 88 games in Irving's first three pro seasons without James. He's going to see double teams every night with the Celtics because of Gordon Hayward's injury.

Don't Edit

Hey, @quiresultan_: As of this writing, the Cavs are not in on Bledsoe, according to sources closes to the team and to Bledsoe, and the trade you suggested doesn't make sense for the Cavs. None really do, so long as Thomas returns healthy and Rose is accountable all season.

Don't Edit

Hey, Andrius: Yeah, I like this question. I posed it to Lue a different way after Cleveland allowed 17 3-pointers to the Nets for the third time in as many games. If you preach defending the 3, Ty, and it doesn't happen, what can you do to make it so? He said: "Keep showing them, keep preaching it. Keep showing them. And if guys continue not to do it, then we've got to make some changes." Thing is, LeBron was as guilty as anyone of not getting out to the 3-point line against the Nets. If LeBron were more adamant that the Cavs play better defense now (not just in the playoffs), and if he gave more of a consistent effort there, things would indeed improve. But James knows how to make sure he has enough left in the tank to play in June. It's not by giving maximum effort on every defensive possession in October.