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Pretty much agree with what you're saying there.

Kyrie was sort of the same thing as IT. If he was having an off-night, you're were getting nothing out of him, because he didn't play defense and he really wasn't one to help move the ball around.

I think IT is just a worse version of that because his height makes him even more of a defensive liability and his hip/out-of-shapeness means you know you're not getting much offensively either.

I agree about Lue starting him too. It shouldn't be happening. Yeah, he was in the MVP conversation last year, but he also hasn't played with this team before, he's not in game shape, and the rest of his game (defense) doesn't make up for the rest of it. He should be getting bench minutes until he shows he can produce as a starter.

The problem is, he's seems to think he's entitled to start.

IT had his legs from camp forward last year. You can tell, just by watching him this year, that his legs are nowhere near NBA ready. That affects his shot badly.

Given, also, that he is a ball dominant player, and it's difficult to get his game into shape. Last year he could dominate the ball, because he was the focal point of their offense. He is not, and cannot, be that here. He needs a ton of shots, or else his game suffers. When he is not hitting his shots, he buries his own team. That's exactly what he's doing here.

If we could find a taker for him, I would trade him today. I have my doubts as to whether or not he will be ready by the time the playoffs come around.

Well now there's this:
Lebron open to meeting with Warriors in Free Agency

I honestly wouldn't blame him if he did it. I'd be much more upset with him if he ditched us for one of the LA teams. The media has shown us time and time again, that it doesn't matter HOW you win a Championship, as long as you do it, you're among the best ever. He might as well join them if he can't beat them, because he somehow gets "penalized" for losing to a team with 4 all-stars in the Finals, despite obviously being the best guy on the floor. Meanwhile, they start talking up Kevin Durant, despite him winning a Championship that's probably more hollow then the basketball he dribbles for a living.

Lebron gets so much flak for losing 5 despite actually getting to 8. It's not like he's ever had his team miss the playoffs completely, like say, Kobe Bryant did in 2005 (when he was in his prime no less). Oh wait, Lebron's never lost in the first round either.

So yeah, I wouldn't really blame him. Golden State is the only chance he has at adding to his legacy and the media doesn't seem to care.

I wonder who leaked this story. . .

i don't think that will happen unless lebron wants to chase rings in lieu of money. The NBA would self destruct if that was allowed to happen. Lebron to SA i could see, or maybe even houston. But the backlash he would get for going to GS would really damage his legacy

The union insisted that Lebron take max deals in Cleveland, after taking below max deals in Miami.

I doubt that they are going to be just fine with him taking a veteran minimum, or even a mid level type contract elsewhere.

If you really want to know, then you should pm me.

I think the story behind it is that he would do a sign and trade and then the Cavs would get Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala. Never going to happen.

We should see if we can snatch brook lopez from the lakers.

Didn't hurt KD too badly, and that's sort of my point. He should be getting called out by everybody in the media for winning the hollowest championship in history. Instead, they say he's finally vindicated as a top player because he won one.

When Durant announced the move, many called him out on it. When he won the title and got FMVP, there were still a few that called it hollow, as you said. But to your point, the longer you get away from the free agent decision, the less people remember and only count rings.

So yeah, if Lebron joined a super team or built another, at the end of the day many years from now, nobody will really care where he won his rings, just how many.

Heck, even ring total is a bad metric for determining the GOAT. If it was, Bill Russell would have that title, not MJ.

They obviously don't need him to be a great team... But still, LBJ on the Warriors? It's like too much.

We win and you still whine. Dude, your takes are so freaking lame and it amazes me more people don't see it.

Frye over TT? LMAO.

Looks like Love won't have surgery, still out 8 weeks, which would only give him a couple weeks to get back into it, luckily its on left hand so he shouldn't miss any practice or conditioning. He can still do just about everything except probably rebound.

LeBron James calls Golden State rumor 'nonsense'

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2018/02/lebron_james_calls_golden_stat.html#incart_big-photo

Updated 2:54 PM; Posted 1:09 PM

By Joe Vardon, Cleveland.com jvardon@cleveland.com

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James called the entirety of an ESPN report that he would meet with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent this summer "nonsense," adding that any quote about his future that doesn't come from him is "not true."

"It's nonsense, and it's a non story," James said Friday after the Cavaliers' practice. "I think it's a discredit to what I'm trying to do here. It's a discredit to my teammates and the coaching staff here.

"My only focus right now is trying to figure out how we can become a championship-caliber team in these next few months."

Cleveland hosts the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC.

James, 33, can be a free agent this summer, should he decline his $35.6 million option in his contract. James has never exercised a player's option in his contract, so he will likely be a free agent, though he could choose to re-sign with the Cavs.

According to the ESPN report, citing league sources, James would take a meeting with the Warriors if they cleared the cap space to sign him. The Warriors couldn't create that kind of space without trading away key players like Klay Thompson and convincing Kevin Durant to accept less money.

The story says James would take this hypothetical meeting out of "respect." But in the last 24 hours James has in fact confided in people close to him that he would never join the Warriors -- knowing the impact it would have on his legacy.

"I never said I would sit down with Golden State or sit down with anybody," he said Friday.

James, the Cavs and the Warriors have competed in the last three Finals.

"I'm here, I'm right here, I'm right now and this is my present and this is where I'm at," James said, referring to Cleveland and the Cavs' organization. "If you don't hear something coming from my voice, then it's not true. I don't give a damn how close they are, I don't care if it's my kids, or my wife or whatever. If it's not from me, it's not true, so."

James said in September it was his intention to retire with the Cavs, though he said at the time he would consider his free agency and future at the appropriate time -- which is the summer of 2018.

Those words of course did little to stop the constant, rampant speculation of where James will land next season. The speculation has only increased during the Cavs' tumultuous season (they're third in the East) and James' known frustrations with the front office.

"There's 30 teams right now that at the end of the day probably want to sit down with me at the end of the season, right?" he said, listing the Lakers, 76ers, Rockets, Spurs, Kings, Magic, Heat, and Raptors. "It's so easy to make a story out of that."

James reiterated that he would wait to consider free agency until it's appropriate, and "please, for the rest of the season please don't ask me about nothing else, no other team."

"I just want you guys to know that my focus right now is on the Cavs and how we can get back to the Finals for a fourth straight year," James said. "That's my focus. And everything else is going to get talked about, but it's not a distraction. But like, I think it's just unfair to my teammates that come here everyday. I mean, I can handle it myself. But it's unfair to those guys."

James said he learned of the story upon waking up Thursday morning, through a news alert on his phone.

Coach Tyronn Lue laughed Friday when asked about the LeBron-to-Warriors story.

"Somebody told me about it -- I'm not going to say any names -- but, yeah, I heard about it," Lue said. "No comment. I don't know what I can say [to] not get in trouble so no comment."

i dont even know why i turned on the game.

the cavs start the game 2-10 from the field. we are already down 15-4.

Another stellar start, we simply don’t have enough guys that can put the ball in the basket and our schemes flat out blow

The city uniforms are trash too.

I know what you mean. When we play against good teams these days? You almost don't want to watch.

Lebron is just as bad on defense as anyone

Lebron looks so old, he looks like he don’t even care

Losses are the only time this thread comes alive though.

Yep, the best part of the Cavs winning is not seeing lead's posts.

On pace to give up another 130+ game and guys like rose, osman, and shump can’t see minutes and see if you can slow them down.

Most of us come here to express our opinions and consciously or subconsciously a lot of us also come here to complain.

Feel bad for those suckers who paid money to go to this game. Lue has to be fired. Boston making trades and we sitting on our asses still. Ainge took Altman and Gilbert behind the woodshed

the big difference between the other years and this year is that we are way older, way worse on defense, and are consistently getting blown off the floor.

there is no more "we're overreacting because its the regular season" we are a legit bad team.

We look like a JV team. I’d offer anyone available in trade, lebron included

Lebron is just trash on defense. Poor Leadership

Much love for Cavs.

But this is getting very sad.

another national tv blowout

About to turn this ish off.

The only thing we have to offer is the Nets pick, and without a commitment from James, we need to keep that.

Everyone else is overpaid for what they offer so there's no unloading that.

Yep. No NBA team wants anyone on our roster. It's weird to see people on here think that JR is a tradeable asset even though the Knicks gave him to us for free. All we have are a bunch of old people who were all various hail mary's over the years. Trading Wiggins and Kyrie killed any 3+ year plan. Just start preparing for next year and 2019 imo.

My wife and I almost went to the game tonight. Bid on some tickets on Flash Seats that weren't cheap and was outbid. Dodged a bullet.

IT, Shump, brooklyns first rounder for Kemba.

id do that yesterday

How many years left on Kemba's contract? IT and Shump can go, but that pick for a guy that might not be around for more than a year or two...?

I dunno.

lol I wait 5 months and draft Trae Young.

No longer watching this.

Watching Moby videos on youtube.

Get it together Cavs. Dig deep. Fix your problems.

Because playoffs coming soon.

Agreed...I know Shump was hurt to begin the year, I wonder why he hasn't seen any playing time with how bad JR "Miss" has been. Granted I know Shump is far from spectacular as well lol