Young Forward Gives Cavaliers New Bounce

In a game against Atlanta in Cleveland last week, Hickson erupted for 31 points amid boisterous chants of “M.V.P.,” a serenade formerly reserved for a captivating young forward who answered to the name Chosen One.

Either the locals were having a group flashback, or they are desperate to find an idol to replace LeBron James.

It has been four months since James broke hearts in Cleveland by fleeing to Miami. The quest to move on has been hastened by the Cavaliers’ surprisingly competitive start (4-4) and the thrill of watching Hickson, 22, blossom in real time.

Through the season’s first seven games, the 6-foot-9 Hickson averaged a team-high 16.7 points and shot nearly 52 percent from the field, while showing off an improved jump shot. On Tuesday, Hickson had his first double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds, in a 93-91 victory over the Nets. He led the Cavaliers with 15 points in their 95-87 loss at home to the Nets on Wednesday.

If Hickson played 36 minutes a game like most starters, he would be averaging 21.6 points and 7.9 rebounds, which are borderline All-Star numbers. But Hickson is not yet ready for the label or the minutes, and his coach is proceeding with caution.

“He still has a long way to go,” said Byron Scott, the Cavaliers’ new coach.

Scott repeats the phrase often, whether the subject is offense, defense or Hickson’s ability to focus on the task at hand. Scott has been harder than anyone on Hickson, perhaps because in the post-LeBron era, no player holds as much promise for the Cavaliers’ future.

Cleveland has a one-time All-Star at point guard (Mo Williams), an aging former star on the bench (Antawn Jamison) and a collection of role players who were assembled solely for their ability to complement James. Because they won a lot and drafted low, the Cavaliers had few chances to obtain high-ceiling prospects.

Hickson, the 19th pick of the 2008 draft, is the exception. The Cavaliers took him because of his athleticism and his seemingly boundless potential, although his game was raw after just one season at North Carolina State.

He played sparingly as a rookie but assumed a greater role last season, starting 73 games. He averaged 8.5 points and nearly 21 minutes a game while deferring to James, Williams, Jamison and Shaquille O’Neal. His go-to move was flying in for putback dunks.

Hickson dedicated the summer to expanding his game. He spent weeks refining his jump shot with Chris Jent, a Cavaliers assistant. The results are evident. Hickson is shooting twice as many jumpers as last season, and through Tuesday he was 9 of 19 (47 percent) from between 16 and 23 feet.

“He’s growing up, and he understands the importance of getting better in the off-season,” Jent said. “With his quickness, people have to play off of him. And he knows that if he’s able to make that shot, it will just make him quicker.”

Against the Nets on Tuesday, Hickson showed his full range. He scored in the post and from 20 feet and glided baseline for back-door dunks. At times, he showed great poise and patience. Other times, he overdribbled and lost the ball.

Hickson’s evolution mirrors that of many other rangy big men, including one of his idols, Amar’e Stoudemire. Interestingly, the two could have been traded for one another last season.

The Cavaliers were searching for a certified star to complement and appease James. The Suns, who were hesitant to give Stoudemire another long-term contract, were entertaining trade possibilities and wanted Hickson.

“Hickson was the key guy,” said Steve Kerr, the former Suns president who is now working as an analyst for TNT. “If we were going to do anything, we had to get him. Otherwise, there was no discussions.”

According to Kerr, the talks dissolved before either team made a formal offer. The Suns needed Stoudemire to make a run in the playoffs, and the Cavaliers traded for Jamison without giving up their best prospect.

“He’s their most talented player, for sure,” Kerr said of Hickson. “And they knew that he represented a big part of their future, whether LeBron stayed or left.”

James took an interest in Hickson’s development, inviting him to off-season workouts and his summer basketball camp. Hickson did not share many details, but said James taught him “how to be a professional, on and off the court.”

“It meant a lot,” Hickson said. “I was like a sponge. I just soaked everything up.”

The summer lesson plans changed when James left town and the Cavaliers plunged into an unplanned rebuilding effort. Scott became the coach, bringing his tough-love style and a demand to quicken the pace.

“When in doubt, run,” Hickson said with a chuckle. “As fast as you can.”

Most of Scott’s instructions to Hickson involve the word focus, and Hickson is working diligently to comply.

The Cavaliers have an abundance of hope but a deficit of star power. They are fashioning victories from group efforts, from Williams’s playmaking and Daniel Gibson’s 3-point shooting. Hickson provides the highlights, and might eventually provide them a new identity. Just not yet.

“He’s trying to find his own identity as a player,” Scott said.

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