DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum NBA Offseason/Cavaliers Celebration

Oh I get it, sorry for lumping you in with bird there. Thought you finished it at a later time too.

Bird! Shame on you!

I wish Kyrie would pass on the Olympics. He has missed a ton of time due to injuries. I'd rather have a rested, healthy Kyrie heading into next season.

And LeBron should definitely not play.

That is an excellent point, didn't think of it, still relishing in the face WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

I just about hid my eyes on those Lebron free throws at the end. But still, I've watched the end of that game probably every day since it happened.

I wish I DVR'd the thing but I didn't. Thank God for youtube!

Replay on NBATV right now. Just started

I had the Cleveland nightmare scenario of Lebron bricking both free throws and Curry hitting a 3.


Kylie's handles >>>>>

https://mobile.twitter.com/NBA_Dreee/status/745442334574206977/video/1

Like Ytown said repeatedly, when we win-it will be done in dramatic fashion, and it was.

No, couldn't just get the dunk to put it two points out of reach of a tie, had to get hard fouled, fall on your shooting arm, miss a free throw and just make it 1 point out of reach of a tie.

It took me two days to recover from that drama.

I've said it since he came back, but it's really, really, really hard trying to beat Lebron in the playoffs. If you're not championship contender quality you have zero chance of beating him. After the finals, it's just going to further add to his aura of invincibility. The Eastern conference is terrified of him and whoever comes out of the west knows it will be a brutal fight. What makes him what he is not just his talent and God gifted athleticism, but his motor and relentless attacking every game. Iguodola suffered the physical punishment of trying to defend him in a 7 game series.

That's the difference 1 guy can make.

jc...

So I was just watching the last 6 minutes of the game again. I don't think people are talking enough about how big the three point foul LeBron had gotten on Ezeli was. GS had just gone up by 4 and you are starting to feel the momentum shift and GS about to take this thing home. LeBron basically wasn't going to let that happen. It was a total superstar cerebral play. A "I will put this team on my back" play. It reminded me of what Mike Miller said after game 6. LeBrons not losing game 7. It changed the game to a 1 pt game and GS kind of fell apart after that. Total game changing play.

I also noticed that while LeBron was at the free throw line he has a ton of grey in his beard. LOL.

Also Love had two huge close outs on threes. One on Iguodola at the three minute mark and one on Green at the two minute mark. You can tell Love wanted this bad.

And his defense on Curry in the closing moments of the game. She stayed low and stayed in front of him and contested as best he could.

The Cavs this year were truly a team of destiny....

Another thing I noticed is when LeBron walked up on the podium after the game and held up the three sign for three championships there was a GS fan in the stands clapping for him and the Cavs. Nice gesture by the fan. Especially after GS got their glory last year to be happy for LeBron and the city of Cleveland. Even GS fans have to recognize they witnessed something historical.

Lebron with the Cavs is 15-4 in games where he can end your season. The crazy thing is that he was 5-4 in those games to start. He had a few times with the Heat where he had trouble closing out Indiana, but man, once that dude gets a hold of you, you're finished.



Not sure if it was mentioned in the crazy amount of posts since the win, but Love was +19 in game 7. I thought he played a really really good all around game. I hope they don't trade him because I think he figured out some things about himself in that series.

I brought that up earlier in this thread after I rewatched the game. It really did feel like GS were making a run at that point. Terrible foul by Ezeli and Lebron made GS pay dearly.

He hit a crucial 3-pointer after that play too I think.

He sure did. I just wish he would have hit that monster nail in the coffin dunk at the end. To have that as the defining moment when Cleveland turned things around would have been phenomenal.

Yeah it put the Cavs up 89-87. Gave up a quick two to Thompson next but GS didn't score again after that. I think the fact that they couldn't pull away was more adversity they just weren't ready for. LeBron made sure they didn't pull away.

Sportscenter has a top ten show on espn2 right now. It's the top 10 "plays" from the month of May. #1? The Golden State Warriors comeback against OKC after being down 3-1.

They are talking about Steph and his 2x MVP status nad his sustained excellence...

Well for May, that would make sense.

Dont worry, ESPN is the same channel who said Curry choked in the Finals.

It would of been the dunk of the Century. A game clinching, monster slam, winning Game 7, ending Cleveland's drought, and in the grille of Draymond Green no less. Draymond would of been immortalized on the biggest selling peice of sports memorabilia ever!

In a way, it's probably better that he missed. We can now remember The Shot, The Block and The Stop on their own merits. The Dunk would of overshadowed all that.

It just keeps me thinking, how big is the gap between Lebron and everyone else?

And then

How big was the gap between prime Lebron and everyone else?

Not worried. It seems inappropriate for multiple reasons though.

1st, they were going off on how great the Warriors are as a team for so long. 2 very good seasons and one championship last year is not sustained excellence in my opinion.

2nd, coming back from a 31-1 deficit is not a play.

No Cleveland team has lost since June 16th

Browns confirmed to go undefeated.

Also, it's easy to say this now, but Dan Gilbert has to be one the best Cleveland sports franchise owners in city history right? Dude is the perfect example of going all in.

I think Love realized how he can contribuate in Game 7. Get down in the paint, fight for rebounds, try for a three but abandon it if it isn't falling, and tough it out to help your team. Gone are the days of KLove=automatic corner three, but he adds value to our group.

Plus he rocks two WWE championship belts; who can hate on a guy like him?

i think many of us have been of that opinion since he came to town, even when we sucked, he still spent money, in doing so allowed us to build the team we have now..Dan knows it takes money to make money. I don't think haslam is a cheapskate, i just think he sucks as an owner, though the jury is out so far, it looks promising on paper with this staff, hopefully it translates to the field. Dolan is cheap and theres no two ways about it, the best thing he ever did was hire Tito. Tito always gets the best out of his guys, if a guy like Dan owned the tribe you would see a very dominant team like the 90's i believe, that being said, because of the FO/Tito, the indians are winning impressively despite Dolan's cheapness. Imagine what they could do if they could get more. Indians winning 9 in a row is pretty damn impressive. I love this team right now.. Here's something that feels funny coming off the tongue, it's great to be a cleveland fan right now.

Winning changes a lot.

I remember a little over two years ago, people were starting to think Gilbert was the guy who didn't do enough to keep Lebron in town. He was the moron who wrote a comic sans letter that scared away other potential free agents. He was the guy who hired Mike Brown twice. The guy that put together a Front Office who botched three drafts in a row. And the guy that couldn't get the team back into the playoffs despite several top picks in the first round.

Honestly he was the guy that did all that. He's fortunate that lebron came back and gave him an opportunity to learn from his mistakes. But if LeBron doesn't come back the narrative on Gilbert might be different.

It sucks in the NBA because you can't win it all without a top 5 player. Toronto is going to give derozan a max contract and they're never going to make the finals. It's not Toronto's fault. It's just the way the NBA is. If you're fortunate enough to get a top 5 player you're the best owner, GM, and coach.

I had to tape every game of the playoffs other than game 7. I avoided finding out what happened each game but I will admit preferring to be able to fast forward through commercials. LOL

I couldn't not watch game 7 live though. Win or lose it was going to be an epic game.

Instead of pasting every player from the list, I'm going to only paste in current Cavs and free agents that the writer said would be a good fit with us.

Top 80 NBA Free Agents and where they should sign

2. LeBron James SF / Cleveland Cavaliers
AGE: 31
STATUS: Player option
ANALYSIS: He's LeBron James. The only reason he's behind KD is a. mileage and age and b. availability. He's already said he's going to return to Cleveland, likely on another one-and-one year deal to secure his ability to re-sign for a max when the cap again rises in 2017. He is not available, but is every bit equal to Durant.
GOOD FIT WITH: Any team on Earth

10. Dwyane Wade SG / Miami Heat
AGE: 34
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Wade showed he can still be a No. 1 option. Posted a career-low in True Shooting percentages and his lowest points and assists figures since his rookie season, but still delivered in leading the Heat to the second round. At 34, you're not getting the best of Wade and his drop-off should be considered imminent. He's also looking for as much money as he can make after taking pay cuts to help the Heat make space to add players. However, if he were to take a lesser deal to join a championship contender, his value shoots through the roof. His likelihood in pursuing a multiyear, high-money deal is why he's so low.
GOOD FIT WITH: Miami, Cleveland, Oklahoma City

15. J.R. Smith SG / Cleveland Cavaliers
AGE: 30
STATUS: Player option
ANALYSIS: Lights-out shooter who finally learned to stay within his role offensively. Has gone from decent-but-inconsistent defender to a major deterrent. Not going to lock up Steph Curry or Russell Westbrook, but attacks the dribble, contains and closes out hard. His effort issues have vanished on good teams. Able to completely turn a game with his offensive outbursts. Has not had a playoff off-court incident since 2013. Will recklessly pursue heat checks. Beloved by teammates. Smith signed with Klutch Sports this year and is likely to re-sign with the Cavaliers as such, likely on a big-money deal. Is probably not wearing a shirt right now.
GOOD FIT WITH: Cleveland, Memphis, New Orleans

23. Evan Turner SG / Boston Celtics
AGE: 27
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: The Villain! He became a Sixth Man of the Year candidate last season and has developed a real home in Boston, which might re-sign him at a discount. Turner can play three positions, is a pesky defender who knows how to create and slip to the rim. His overall inefficiency is mitigated by how he can fill out a stat sheet, and his versatility is crucial in today's game. You can do worse than Turner, but the idea of a team that isn't the Celtics giving him big money seems far-fetched. It's the only place where he has been successful.
Good fits with: New York, Orlando, Memphis, Denver, Cleveland, Boston

25. Courtney Lee SG / Memphis Grizzlies
AGE: 30
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Turns 31 in October, but his contract value vs. on-court impact differential is resoundingly positive. A plus-defender who can disrupt handles and passing lanes, Lee is capable of guarding point guards, shooting guards and the occasional spot-up small forward. He's 6-foot-5 with great length to contest shots. Offensively, Lee is versatile as all get out, and efficient to boot. He has shot 37 percent or better from 3-point range for the past six years. He's a wonderful and smart cutter. A good teammate who plays heads-up at all times, always willing to fit into whatever role he is prescribed and doesn't complain about coming off the bench. Lee is going to be tremendous value for whoever picks him up ... for the first two years. If Lee is searching for a four-year deal, there's good chance by the end of his contract, at age 35, he will be a drain. But his health, toughness, attitude and skill set, make him well worth the investment near the projected league average of roughly $14 million to $15 million. Going as high as $18M per over a three-year deal is not a ludicrous number.
GOOD FIT WITH: Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit

27. Matthew Dellavedova PG / Cleveland Cavaliers
AGE: 25
STATUS: Restricted free agent
ANALYSIS: People are going to throw up a little at this ranking. I get that. Go ahead, get it out of your system, I'll wait. We good? OK. Matthew Dellavedova's per-36 numbers: 11 points and 6.4 assists while shooting a terrific 41 percent from 3-point range. He's only 25, so you're getting him in his prime over the course of this next contract. Dellavedova suffers most from the slings and arrows of the modern media machine. The problem is his value is significantly greater for the Cavs than for, say, the Mavericks. He's just not as likely to succeed without the kind of firepower which surrounds him in Cleveland. And that's OK! Delly fits as a key player on this team. But with the money they've given Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert and with Smith up for a deal plus the fact James himself is going to want at least a one-year max, there might not be any room. Dellavedova deserves a good deal, and his value is likely to exceed the dollar amount.
GOOD FIT WITH: Cleveland, Dallas, Chicago, Memphis

31. Gerald Henderson SG / Portland Trail Blazers
AGE: 28
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Hendo is getting up there in years but remains a competent veteran on the wing. A great defender with underrated athleticism, he can finish on cutbacks or inbound lobs. His shot has always been and likely will be too inconsistent to trust (I'm not sure I've ever seen him get hot), but his experience, savvy, work ethic and length make him a starter-level wing or a terrific seventh man. A smaller Luol Deng is a good comp.
GOOD FIT WITH: Cleveland, Portland, Orlando, Atlanta, Minnesota

35. Boban Marjanovic C / San Antonio Spurs
AGE: 27
STATUS: Restricted free agent
ANALYSIS: A big human being. He has everyone interested in what's going to happen with his free agency. You can neither teach nor build in a lab with mad science that kind of size, and though Spurs fans and the internet came to treat him as a novelty or some sort of mascot, he can actually play. He's got good touch around the rim and can make passes when called upon. He's already 27, though, and there's no telling how he would perform if tasked with longer minutes. Boban is a restricted free agent, so the Spurs can match, but given their long-term plans they likely won't if the offer is big enough. Have I mentioned he's large?
GOOD FIT WITH: San Antonio, Houston, Chicago, Cleveland, Portland

42. Mirza Teletovic PF / Phoenix Suns
AGE: 31
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Another Euro who hasn't been in the NBA long, but is actually older, he will turn 31 before next season starts. He's a lights-out shooter at 39 percent, played 79 games last year and was a rare bright spot on the Suns. He's a minus-defender who may not have that much left in the tank, but in a league that values shooting, he'd be a quality addition for teams in need of stretching the floor. If you strike out on Ryan Anderson, Teletovic is a cheaper alternative.
GOOD FIT WITH: Phoenix, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Orlando

48. Jared Dudley SF / Washington Wizards
AGE: 30
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: The most veteran vet that ever vetted. Terrific stretch 4 who struggles with perimeter containment and rim protection but can provide good help defense and is a locker room leader. Great outside shooter and help defender. As a sixth or seventh man, can help you win a championship. Guy you want on your side in a big game.
GOOD FIT WITH: Golden State, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Miami, Memphis

49. Joe Johnson SG / Brooklyn Nets
AGE: 34
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: ISO Joe just keeps chugging along. He averaged his fewest points per game in 13 years (man, he's been around a long time) but still managed to shoot 44 percent overall, 38 percent from 3-point range at age 34. He's as durable as they get, a good locker room guy, a total pro and can play three positions. He's still tough in the post, still a sneaky good playmaker and a guy who has absolutely zero fear of the late-game shot. Johnson likely is only available for super-contenders. He nearly signed with Cleveland, which could use him, but if the Warriors are looking to re-stock their bench, Johnson would be a prime candidate for a ring-chasing rotation guy. If Johnson is looking for one more big deal, it gets hairy. A sizable two-year deal for a mid-level playoff team might be OK.
GOOD FIT WITH: Miami, Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee, Golden State

56. Leandro Barbosa SG / Golden State Warriors
AGE: 33
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: He was crazy, almost unfairly good for the Warriors last year all the way through the Finals. Even at age 34 (next year) he is still faster than most living creatures and shot 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range. Part of his effectiveness was the vampire-like dark magic the Warriors use to make every player effective, but any contender should consider him for a fourth guard spot. The Thunder should pursue him aggressively.
GOOD FIT WITH: Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Toronto

62. Timofey Mozgov C / Cleveland Cavaliers
AGE: 29STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Mozgov went from key to the Cavaliers' chance at upsetting the Warriors to out of the rotation completely within a year. Has no place on any team looking to run small-ball. However, he's a guy who, if you can get through to him, can still be effective and productive. His size gives you natural advantages, but he's not just a body. Needs to be in the right environment, which Cleveland was not this season. San Antonio should give long consideration to adding him as a Boban Marjanovic replacement if Boban departs.
GOOD FIT WITH: San Antonio, Indiana, New York, New Orleans, Portland

65. Richard Jefferson SF / Cleveland Cavaliers
AGE: 36
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: I mean, he helped win the Cavaliers the title. Nearly retired but said he plans to return to the Cavs to try for the repeat. Made big play after big play for the Cavs. He's in the right spot. You can't get him, but he's proven his value to land this high, even at his age.
GOOD FIT WITH: Cleveland

70. Alan Anderson SG / Washington Wizards
AGE: 33
STATUS: Unrestricted free agent
ANALYSIS: He turns 34 next season and wasn't able to stay on the floor at all last season because of injury. He's still a quality defender and a terrific shooter. If he's healthy, he could make for a good value signing. Needs to be minimal investment with injury and age concerns, though.
GOOD FIT WITH: L.A. Clippers, Cleveland, Oklahoma City

78. Jamal Crawford SG / Los Angeles Clippers
AGE: 36
STATUS: Restricted free agent
ANALYSIS: Veteran shot-maker. Poor defensively, but he's going to come in and light up 5-6 teams a year and single-handedly swing a game for you. One of the most fun players to have, but a liability in crucial situations defensively due to age.
GOOD FIT WITH: New York, Cleveland, Memphis, Chicago

jc

I was just thinking about the game last Sunday. I was out and about for the game and didn't have a chance to post on here, but that was really awesome, easily the most exciting game that I've ever watched and there are some plays toward the end that I will remember forever. It's pretty cool going into the off-season as the champs.

Hopefully that will keep some of the bickering on here to a minimum at least for a little while

Time to switch over to the Browns!!!!!

Lol, that kid's facial expression is perfect.

As for Free Agents. I think JR has earned a paycheck. He was pretty good last season, and nobody wanted to award him with a payday. He proved it was no fluke this year by coming back even stronger. I just hope he doesn't pull a Shump and sort of mail it in after he gets his contract.

RJ for another year should be a good deal too. He had some major playoff minutes. I just hope he has enough left in the tank for another year.

Delly would be a nice luxury to have, but I fear he won't be on the team next season. Someone will give him a nice contract, and we likely won't match anything that's too far north from what he's making now. We've also got Felder and Quinn ready to step in if needed, and Mo is coming back as well. We'll probably give him a qualifying offer, but if someone offers more, he'll be gone. He deserves a payday too.

Moz at this point is probably gone. He just fell off the map this season after his surgery. He's a big guy, so someone will give him close to 8 figures for a salary. We would not be wise to match that, and probably not even half that.

Delly and and Moz are definitely gone IMO.

Who all do we have coming back for sure contract wise.

I think for sure
LeBron (technically not for sure)
Kyrie
Love
TT
Shump
Mo
Kaun

FA's
JR Smith
Delly
Moz

Retiring
Richard Jefferson

Unknown
Frye
McRae
Damon Jones
James Jones

Just saw this

What Cleveland Cavaliers might do with their free agents

LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers will have some tough decisions regarding their free agents this summer. (Tony Dejak, Associated Press)
Print Email Chris Haynes, cleveland.com By Chris Haynes, cleveland.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on June 27, 2016 at 1:30 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio. – The Cleveland Cavaliers will have a busy offseason. From LeBron James to Jordan McRae, the organization has eight players who could potentially hit the open market.

I tried to speculate -- given my latest information -- to where I think these players will be playing when the 2016-17 campaign rolls around.

LeBron James

Player option: James, 31, has until Wednesday, June 29 to make his decision.

Will he be back? The four-time MVP told our Joe Vardon he is returning to defend the title. All signs point to James opting out of next season's salary of $24 million for a figure around $30 million with the salary cap hike.

J.R. Smith

Player option: Smith, 30, opted out on June 16 to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1. He turned down a figure of $5.4 million to seek a raise that he'll most definitely get.

Will he be back? Yes. He has become one of the cornerstones to this championship nucleus. Plus, his new agent is Rich Paul, James' representative. Expect Smith to ask for more than Iman Shumpert's $10 million annual compensation.

Mo Williams

Player option: Williams, 33, exercised his $2.2 million player option for the 2016-17 season. He elected to wait until the 2017 free-agent season due to his injury-plagued 2015-16 campaign.

James Jones

Jones, 35, provides leadership and stability in the locker room. When asked to play, he's still money from downtown. The Cavaliers will bring him back for the veteran's minimum.

Matthew Dellavedova

Qualifying offer: The team has until June 30 to extend a $1.4 million qualifying offer, making Dellavedova, 25, a restricted free agent. Cleveland will able to match any offer sheet a competitor submits.

Will he be back? If Dellavedova receives an offer of $8 million or more, I could see the Cavaliers allowing him to leave. He has worked hard to put himself in position for a handsome payday, but he might get priced out of Cleveland.

Jordan McRae

Team option: The Cavaliers have a June 29 deadline to issue or revoke a salary of $900,000. The team values the 24-year-old guard and see him as a player that could eventually become a rotation player.

Will he be back? McRae's representatives would like for the Cavaliers to decline the team option and work out a two-year deal. But it doesn't work that way. I would anticipate the champions picking up his option.

Richard Jefferson

After the title was secure, the 36-year-old Jefferson announced he was retiring. He has since backtracked. Most league executives expect him to play one more season. If he doesn't change his mind again, the Cavaliers will lock him up for the vet minimum.

Timofey Mozgov

Mozgov, 29, picked the wrong time for a major slump. In a contact year, he arguably had his worst season. There was talk before the season that he would command the max. It's highly unlikely Mozgov returns. Cleveland is transitioning into playing smaller and faster. Mozgov is looking for a starting role. I see these two parting ways.

Dahntay Jones

Jones, 35, was added to the roster at the tail end of the regular season. He has shown that he's still a productive player, but the Cavaliers have other priorities.

Will he be back? The team must decide by Aug. 1 if they want to guarantee Jones' $1.5 million salary. The chances of doing so are slim.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/...art_river_index

Sorry man... Was too stressful and I didn't have enough whiskey...