The Cavaliers' near-perfect postseason -- a precision-like 12-1 romp through three Eastern Conference would-be contenders highlighted by an offensive efficiency through the opening rounds more explosive than even the best the Showtime Lakers ever mustered -- came to a crashing halt against the "juggernaut" known as the Golden State Warriors this week.
. . .
the pressing question becomes: Where do the Cavs go from here?
ESPN.com polled more than 30 executives, coaches, scouts, agents and players from around the NBA to find options to answer that query.
"Pretty darn good team they have already," one Eastern Conference executive said.
"I don't really think they should do anything," a Western Conference exec said.
Then there is the other viewpoint out there that sees the Cavs as lagging so far behind the Warriors that anything less than a dramatic makeover this offseason would already be conceding the championship next year.
The thing is, the dramatic route almost seems like such a pipe dream that some can't even take it seriously. "Hire Tonya Harding's ex-husband," one West exec joked.
"Sign Kevin Durant," said a prominent agent, poking fun at the root of the problem in the first place. Another agent simply replied with a set of praying emoji hands when asked about the Cavs' plight.
While it's easy to see why the Cavs' pursuit of the Warriors triggers this sort of gallows humor -- they are chasing a 73-win team that added Kevin freaking Durant after all -- they do have some assets to play with.
"I would start with seeing what options there are for [Kevin] Love," an Eastern Conference coach said.
What would be the ideal option?
"I'd be targeting Paul George," said a 10-plus year NBA vet. "I don't know the match but I'd give up anything but LBJ and Kyrie to get him. Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and D-Wade [Dwyane Wade] do not solve the problems that they have with GSW." And who wouldn't want the 27-year-old George, who came back from a horrific leg injury to average 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for the Indiana Pacers?
The problem with Plan A is George isn't currently available, sources tell ESPN. Indiana and Cleveland could work out an extend and trade, but George would need assurances from James that the four-time MVP would be staying in Cleveland beyond 2017-18 -- which is the only remaining guaranteed year on his contract. This is a quagmire.
But he would be valuable because as much as Love brings the Cavs -- and he is having a fine Finals with 17 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game -- George is better suited to the pace of play that a Warriors series requires and the fast-twitch transition from defense to offense and back again.
Outside of the shoot-for-the-moon scenario with George, a consensus opinion shared often by many of the sources ESPN contacted was the need for more two-way players on the Cavs roster.
"Need to upgrade their 3-and-D role guys a bit," one source said. "I feel like they are on the verge of getting really old really fast."