DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Cavs News: After the Draft

since he opted in, there's really only two choices: LA and CLE

so, here's what it comes down to ... if LA signs Paul George and/or acquires Kawhi Leonard, Lebron is going there.

if not, he'll stay one more season.

I don't agree w/the line of thinking by either of you. Hurt us? Four straight Finals and a Chip. That's being hurt? LOL

The Browns can't even sniff a winning record and folks are optimistic. The Cavs go to the Finals four straight years and they suck.

I also am not feeling the "rebuild" mentality. Weren't we a perennial lottery team when we were rebuilding the last couple of times?

Man, I miss the days of watching Ricky Davis, Bimbo Coles, Chris Mihm, etc.

Yeah it is, we have the worst cap situation in nba and nothing to show for it. Yeah we won it in 2016, with Kyrie. Now we have no one left besides lebron and a shell of what used to be Kevin Love. Having lebron isn’t hurting, the 1 and 1 is hurting is building something sustainable. Yeah we went to the finals 4 straight years, and won a single game the last 2. That’s not going to change unless we can upgrade. We can’t do that because no one wants to be here if lebron isn’t and no one is coming here with lebron only doing 1 and 1s

In the four years before LeBron got here the first time, the Cavs were:

17--63
27--53
30--52
32--50

In the four years after LeBron left for Miami, the Cavs were:

19--63
21--45
24--58
33--49

I don't think LeBron has "hurt" the Cavs at all. In fact, I think he is reason they have been relevant for so many years. Once he's gone, we'll be cellar dwellers once again. This building through the draft rhetoric for NBA teams such as Cleveland is not going to happen.

We as fans, are in a precarious position. Embrace greatness, while having to let go.

We have to muster what makes us Cleveland fans, we’ve been here before. Greatness tests us all, we should be so fortunate.

Don't care how we got there, just care that we did.

I do agree that Lebron doing one year deals, and having his people push contracts for certain players behind closed doors hindered this team from any real flexibility, but really, I think Lebron came back to Cleveland with the mentality that he wanted to win a championship, and would worry about the ramifications of cap hell creating a lack of flexibility, and being stuck with teammates who are one trick ponies.

I don't blame him for approaching it that way, but there's no doubt that we could have created something much more sustainable if they had done things differently.

There's also no guarantee that even if we created good cap space over the last few years, that anyone was going to play for the team. It's not a knock on Cleveland, it's just a hard sell. Chicago is a huge mega market, especially for sports, and they have struggled creating anything relevant since the Jordan days.

If Lebron leaves, we're going full tank mode, and we absolutely should. Let this era of super teams play itself out, and maybe shoot for 3-4 years from now, when Lebron is on the downside, the Warriors could potentially be broken up, and the league could possibly be a little more wide open.

I don't regret any of it as a fan of this team. I understand that my team is looking at some very thin years coming. I got to see my team win a championship.

We also got a head start on our rebuild (as I have said for a while now) with the lotto pick. I don't know what Colin Sexton is going to be, but you have already started the process.

I think the next year will also give Ty Lue a chance to actually coach, as he was thrown into an absolute inferno his first few years. It will also give the Cavs a chance to better assess Lue, and what his future with the team really is.

I do think we're stuck with some of these contracts. JR Smith has two more years, and I don't think anyone is taking him until he's in his last year. George Hill is due 19 million next year, and 18 the year after that. You are stuck with him another year.

Tristan Thompson has two years remaining, but I believe has some trade value. I could see a contender wanting him if they can make it work. Offensive rebounding is huge in the playoffs, and we all know Thompson is extremely valuable his ability to defend almost any player on the court.

Kevin Love has a year with another as a player option. I do believe he has some value on the market as well. Maybe a team looking for a 3rd option. Maybe a lower seeded team looking to make a deeper run.

I think you could deal Korver to whatever team Lebron goes to. Lebron teams are best built around good shooters.

I think the organization has learned quite a bit these last 8 years, with the early lebron years, the non lebron years, and the return years. I hope they start this process by doing things the right way, and I hope when a young nucleus is formed, that they don't start landing themselves with more bad contracts. I can't see us ever being huge FA players again, so I hope the attitude is that they will build from within, and find guys with smarter contracts who can contribute. Take care of the guys you draft, and don't break the bank for a mid level guy to be some missing link with a fat bloated contract.

You are a very good Hoops poster. I love reading your posts.

If he leaves it's just a sad end to a wonderful story. Legendary players are supposed to come along, be legendary in one place and then retire.

How many legendary players were 'journeymen'?

Not like I'm a basketball historian, but I can't think of one.

I get what you are saying, but I can think of a few off of the top of my head.

Wilt played for multiple teams.

Barkley was another.

Shaq played for 5 or 6 teams.

KG played for 3 teams.

Steve Nash did the same.

AI played for 3 or 4 teams.

Moses Malone played for multiple teams.

And even Jordan played for two teams.

Here's some relevant info we've been waiting for:

Lebron's plane is departing at 7am today and is going to LA

Here's the flight tracker:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/EDG50


He had been on vacation

In more Lebron news he farted at 7:42 am, again at 8:59 am, and almost farted at 10:15. Expect more updates on this shocking subject at Noon.

LMFAO...

Hahahahaha bro. Gossip was at 10:15, he wasn't sure if it would dribbled any so he held it back. We'll wait and see if his teams lets us in on the "why" and "what" hahaha!

This from Roger Brown:
"Word on the street is that one of those farts, thought to be a mere 'escapee', turned out to be a full-fledged jailbreak. Unnamed sources confirm having heard Lebron exclaim "AW JEEZ!" from inside his residence, leading this writer to wonder if he didn't soil his under-trousers, and further, what effect this traumatic event will have on his Decision."

We report, you decide.

If he leaves, put down on paper a 4-year plan because in the 5th year, Lebron will come back. I think he’ll retire as a Cavalier.

I’m not sure when he projects to break KAJ’s points record, but that would be nice to see in Cleveland.

not a good sign IMO

Why? He probably already has a good idea of what they can, and will do to improve the team. I don't think that he could have asked any more of Gilbert and company since he came back. They spent like crazy, made smart trades, and signed his buddies.

He may go elsewhere, but it won't be because the Cavaliers didn't do darn near everything they could have.

PG3 rumored to have agreed to stay in OKC

That's the problem: there's nothing we CAN do

I agree, it doesn’t say we don’t have a chance, he doesn’t want extravagant pitches from anybody.

Rumored by who though?

The Spurs are really the key. If they dont trade Kahwi by midnight, the Lakers lose a lot of options. If PG or Lebron feel like they won't be a superteam without a third star, then either could stay and take more cash,and then cause the other to stay put too.

Kevin O'Connor
‏Verified account @KevinOConnorNBA

DeMarcus Cousins sounds like an increasingly likely target for the Lakers on a short-term max contract now that it appears Los Angeles will lose out on Paul George, per league sources. In January 2017, LeBron James called Cousins "the best big man in our game."

so, paul george to OKC and demarcus cousins to LA

Adrian Wojnarowski
‏Verified account @wojespn
4m4 minutes ago

Sources: Thunder GM Sam Presti wanted to hold the Thunder's meeting with Paul George in OKC -- with a party that's one more element to the franchise's year-long recruiting effort on George. OKC officials, George and his agent are meeting tonight.

I'd be wary of any "sources" outside of Woj on Twitter. Remember, the press has had just about every free agent since 2012 signing with the Lakers. You know, until they didn't. A short term max with the Lakers doesn't sound very smart for Cousins, who just came off a season ending injury. Unless New Orleans doesn't want to offer him a max, why would he want to sign a short-term deal anywhere?

I heard Cousins probably won't be ready for the start of the season. I'm not sure if that is true, but I agree w/you that I would be cautious in believing some of these rumors.

Report: Chris Paul agrees to four-year max contract to stay with Rockets

Chris Paul has decided to stay in Houston.

The All-Star point guard will sign a four-year, $160 million contract with the Rockets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Paul announced he was staying in Houston with a tweet as soon as free agency began.

Paul was traded to the Rockets from the Clippers last offseason in a blockbuster deal that sent several pieces including Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley and a first-round pick to Los Angeles, but the price was worth it as the Rockets rolled to the top seed in the Western Conference during the 2017-18 season. The team’s 65-17 record represented the best mark of any team in Paul’s career.

The Rockets reached the Western Conference finals, but had to swallow a bitter pill when Paul went down with a hamstring injury. Even though the Warriors came back from down 3-2, the Rockets showed promise as a team that came close to finally ending the Warriors’ four-year reign over the conference.

This deal will keep the Rockets’ elite backcourt of Paul and James Harden under control through the 2022-23 season. There was reportedly tension between Paul and the Rockets over the length of his next contract, with the team apparently winning out by signing the 33-year-old to one year below the maximum five years.

With Paul’s deal now out of the way, the Rockets will turn their attention to their remaining free agents, including center Clint Capela, who is set to cash in after a breakout season anchoring the Houston defense.


https://sports.yahoo.com/report-chris-paul-signs-four-year-max-contract-stay-rockets-043256519.html

What does the Chris Paul signing do to the Rockets chances of signing James? It is supposedly a 4 year max deal, does that financially eliminate the Rockets? Or can they still afford James and this makes them more attractive to James?

As soon as lebron opted out he basically took everyone except cleveland , LA and philly out of contention. Philly would still have to clear some cap

Well, I agree about sources ... but O'Connor is a very legit and trusted reporter too.

In terms of why he would sign a short term deal ... because that's the trend for the players right now: sign the 1-3 year max and leave yourself some leverage and flexibility

Source: Nuggets aggressively pursuing meeting with free agent LeBron James
Chris Mannix Yahoo SportsJul 1, 2018, 3:56 AM

The Denver Nuggets are aggressively pursuing a meeting with star free-agent forward LeBron James, a league source told Yahoo Sports, hoping to convince James that Denver’s talent makes the Nuggets an ideal short-term fit.

Denver has been in contact with James’ agent, Rich Paul, and has doggedly tried to position the team as James’ best option, the source said. Paul George’s decision to re-sign with Oklahoma City has taken a potential James teammate in Los Angeles off the board, and thus far the Lakers’ talks with San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard have gained no traction.

The Nuggets were busy on Sunday, agreeing to terms with Nikola Jokic on a five-year, $147 million deal and with Will Barton on a four-year, $53 million contract. Denver doesn’t have the cap space to sign James, but the Nuggets have several sizable expiring contracts that could be off-loaded to teams that want to clear cap space for the summer of 2019.

The Nuggets are eager for an opportunity to sell James on a frontcourt pairing with Jokic, a 23-year-old franchise center and one of the NBA’s best passing big men. A Jokic-James pairing would instantly make Denver one of the best playmaking teams in the league.

The Nuggets also have Jamal Murray, a rising star who transitioned to point guard last season and averaged 16.7 points.

https://sports.yahoo.com/source-nuggets-...-075605653.html

I don't see him choosing Denver, but you never know.

If he stays in LA as expected (current odds are at -1,500) the west is a KILLER

Yeah, no doubt.

Really surprised that PG stayed in OKC.

Philadelphia is meeting with LeBron James and his reps today in Los Angeles, league sources tell ESPN.

For today's meeting, Sixers will meet with LeBron James' reps, sources tell ESPN. James will not attend this meeting.

https://twitter.com/wojespn

I'm not sure why Lebron wouldn't attend, even if he had 1% chance to go there?

If it were me, I'd have the courtesy to meet face to face with anybody who wanted to employ me (and that I had mutual interest in)

with Jordan, George, CP3 all staying or agreeing to another team not the Lakers, I'm not sure how Lebron on the lakers gives him a better chance to win this year instead of on the Cavs..Lakers suck, adding lebron makes them suck less, but still a 6/7 seed and a first round exit in the west

a lot might now hinder on getting Cousins to sign in LA ... sign him, then get Kawhi next year

Cousins might not be ready and they still don't have enough to compete in the west.. If the plan is to play with leonard in LA, then it makes sense for lebron to play on another 1 and 1, but if i'm the cavs I don't want any part of that.