OT - NBA off-season thread

[MadDogRevival]

Just guessing but I think it has less to do with him not wanting to play with LeBron and more to do with him not wanting to be stuck in Cleveland post LeBron.

Good call man. No doubt.
When LeBron leaves and the team falls apart and doesn't make the playoffs, he won't look good.
I hope he and everybody else, including Love, stays at least one year after LBJ leaves. Only so that LeBron's outrageous value to his team becomes that much more obvious when they go from NBA champs/Finalists to a non playoff team.

 

[JSM1970]

IT, Jae Crowder and Memphis' 2019 #1 for Kyrie

If they trade Irving, they might as well just trade lebron because they'll have no shot at the title and he'll leave town after the season. Imagine the draft picks/young talent you could get trading both of them??

 

[kobe]

Aldridge, Green, Murray + 1st round pick. Get it done Pop.

 

[intlzncster]

Just guessing but I think it has less to do with him not wanting to play with LeBron and more to do with him not wanting to be stuck in Cleveland post LeBron.

Could be, but that's a funny rumor to throw out there. Although, I wouldn't put it past Dan Gilbert to float something like that on purpose.

 

[intlzncster]

Come on Dealin Danny, go get LeBron. Time to dangle those picks. Only if he takes some sort of extension though.

 

[intlzncster]

More like Leave-Land

Reminds me of a Robert Earl Keen song.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Come on Dealin Danny, go get LeBron. Time to dangle those picks. Only if he takes some sort of extension though.

LeBron to LA seems like a done deal, I don't think he'd consider Boston but you never know. Dealing for Kyrie more probable, not sure what I'd offer as health concerns are serious and not sure he fits into a championship team without LeBron's leadership and passing mentality.

 

[bballgrda]

I don't get why Cleveland would trade Kyrie. If it's cuz he doesn't want to play with LeBron, I don't think that will matter past this year. Is there a better option than keeping him, and being resigned to making 4 straight finals?

 

[Walker11]

Could be, but that's a funny rumor to throw out there. Although, I wouldn't put it past Dan Gilbert to float something like that on purpose.

Now that I have caught up on on my NBA twitter feed, it seems totally accurate. The agent isn't even denying it. There are reports that he wants to be traded to NY, SAS, MIA or MIN. I think some of it is because he doesn't want to get stranded in CLE, but he would be a FA in 2 years anyways. I would have thought he wanted to leave Bron's shadow and be the man (NY makes sense) but he is going to be another cog in a great system with either Pop or Thibs. Strange

 

[bballgrda]

Being the man and winning are mutually exclusive for Kyrie I believe

 

[champs99and04]

I am going to be spending all night on the trade machine.

NBA Trade Machine - ESPN

 

[NielsisGood]

Sources: Irving asking Cavaliers to trade him

Well this is certainly interesting. Not sure I'd want Kyrie to be my No. 1 on my team full time. Impact of possibly durability issues and not having James as a huge defensive focal point could be huge.

What does it say that a stud PG doesn't want to play with LeBron? Cleveland franchise is in a weird place right now.

LeBron isn't really a plus defensively anymore, nor was he ever the lockdown man defender that he should have been given his athletic talent.



Kyrie is smart for trying to get out (and kind of screw LeBron over for a year) before LBJ can do it to him.

 

[Walker11]

I am going to be spending all night on the trade machine.

NBA Trade Machine - ESPN

The one I have read that I think could make sense for all

Cavs get Melo and Bledsoe
Phoenix gets Kyrie
Knicks get Josh Jackson and JR

Apparently PHO offered the #4 pick and Bledsoe predraft for Kyrie.

I think this makes sense for both the Knicks and Suns and the Cavs will be screwed either way when Lebron leaves. I think I would prefer to unload Kyrie for picks and prospects next year and just tank. If they can't accept that they should tank, Cleveland just has to mix it up. Bledsoe is a huge upgrade defensively and they have spot shooting to surround Lebron. Melo is still a great scorer who would thrive offensively, and while he is not a good wing defender, I think he would matchup better vs the Warriors @ the 4 than Love, who could either play C in a small ball lineup, or play big minutes as the 6th man.

Knicks get a nice young asset (who I don't absolutely love) and considering the offers they have been receiving, this should be a no brainer on their part.

The Suns would now have an explosive and entertaining backcourt with enough high upside bigs to be intersting (and I also think Warren is underrated because he may not fit the current prototype).

 

[intlzncster]

LeBron isn't really a plus defensively anymore, nor was he ever the lockdown man defender that he should have been given his athletic talent..

No I meant other teams keying on LeBron freeing up kyrie to work. He wouldn't have that advantage anymore

 

[Huskyforlife]

The one I have read that I think could make sense for all

Cavs get Melo and Bledsoe
Phoenix gets Kyrie
Knicks get Josh Jackson and JR

Apparently PHO offered the #4 pick and Bledsoe predraft for Kyrie.

I think this makes sense for both the Knicks and Suns and the Cavs will be screwed either way when Lebron leaves. I think I would prefer to unload Kyrie for picks and prospects next year and just tank. If they can't accept that they should tank, Cleveland just has to mix it up. Bledsoe is a huge upgrade defensively and they have spot shooting to surround Lebron. Melo is still a great scorer who would thrive offensively, and while he is not a good wing defender, I think he would matchup better vs the Warriors @ the 4 than Love, who could either play C in a small ball lineup, or play big minutes as the 6th man.

Knicks get a nice young asset (who I don't absolutely love) and considering the offers they have been receiving, this should be a no brainer on their part.

The Suns would now have an explosive and entertaining backcourt with enough high upside bigs to be intersting (and I also think Warren is underrated because he may not fit the current prototype).

No way the Knicks can get Jackson and only give up Melo. Nor would cavs probably take them for a player of Kyrie's caliber.

 

[Walker11]

No way the Knicks can get Jackson and only give up Melo. Nor would cavs probably take them for a player of Kyrie's caliber.

Thats not how you should look at 3 team trades. Jackson isn't getting traded for Melo. If you think the Cavs should get more than Melo and Bledsoe, fair enough. Knicks would probably do it for Chriss and maybe Bender anyways depending how they view him.

 

[NielsisGood]

No I meant other teams keying on LeBron freeing up kyrie to work. He wouldn't have that advantage anymore

Oh guess I misunderstood what you meant. He'll probably score more at a worse % if anything, wherever he goes.

 

[champs99and04]

OK, so now that I've had a few hours to digest news, the big question to me is what incentive the Cavs have to trade a young star player with three years left on a reasonable deal. Just because he asked for one? That's not how this works. Unless I can increase my odds of keeping LeBron/winning the championship next season, he's not going anywhere.

One of my first reactions upon hearing this is that Kyrie and Love for Russ and PG makes a tiny bit of sense. It obviously doesn't make Oklahoma City better, but it extends whatever window they have of being competitive two years.

 

[nashusky109]

With Allen Crabbe being traded to the Nets I think that's gonna give Shabazz the chance to be 1st guard off the bench. Hope he's working hard!!

 

[superjohn]

OK, so now that I've had a few hours to digest news, the big question to me is what incentive the Cavs have to trade a young star player with three years left on a reasonable deal. Just because he asked for one? That's not how this works. Unless I can increase my odds of keeping LeBron/winning the championship next season, he's not going anywhere.

One of my first reactions upon hearing this is that Kyrie and Love for Russ and PG makes a tiny bit of sense. It obviously doesn't make Oklahoma City better, but it extends whatever window they have of being competitive two years.

Russ and Paul George for Kyrie and Love? Bwahahahaha.

 

[bballgrda]

Anyone have an idea why the Spurs re-upped on Gasol for 3/48? Baffling

 

[Horatio]

The one I have read that I think could make sense for all

Cavs get Melo and Bledsoe
Phoenix gets Kyrie
Knicks get Josh Jackson and JR

Apparently PHO offered the #4 pick and Bledsoe predraft for Kyrie.

I think this makes sense for both the Knicks and Suns and the Cavs will be screwed either way when Lebron leaves. I think I would prefer to unload Kyrie for picks and prospects next year and just tank. If they can't accept that they should tank, Cleveland just has to mix it up. Bledsoe is a huge upgrade defensively and they have spot shooting to surround Lebron. Melo is still a great scorer who would thrive offensively, and while he is not a good wing defender, I think he would matchup better vs the Warriors @ the 4 than Love, who could either play C in a small ball lineup, or play big minutes as the 6th man.

Knicks get a nice young asset (who I don't absolutely love) and considering the offers they have been receiving, this should be a no brainer on their part.

The Suns would now have an explosive and entertaining backcourt with enough high upside bigs to be intersting (and I also think Warren is underrated because he may not fit the current prototype).

I was kinda thinking the same thing. If the Cavs trade Kyrie they gotta use it as an opportunity to get rid of JR. If not JR then
Get rid of shump or Tristan. The Cavs need depth and if they do things right , they could
Add a top player and 2-3 other decent role players that they need.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

OK, so now that I've had a few hours to digest news, the big question to me is what incentive the Cavs have to trade a young star player with three years left on a reasonable deal. Just because he asked for one? That's not how this works. Unless I can increase my odds of keeping LeBron/winning the championship next season, he's not going anywhere.

One of my first reactions upon hearing this is that Kyrie and Love for Russ and PG makes a tiny bit of sense. It obviously doesn't make Oklahoma City better, but it extends whatever window they have of being competitive two years.

Kyrie may be at peak value. His deep stats aren't overwhelming and he is an average defender, but he can still be traded on potential, which is huge.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Kyrie may be at peak value. His deep stats aren't overwhelming and he is an average defender, but he can still be traded on potential, which is huge.

Agreed. Also, the guy has been injury prone since high school, and he happens to have just come through the healthiest stretch of his career, so that works toward your conclusion.

Funny thing is, I like him as a guy supporting LBJ, but I think he's going to have a Carmelo Effect when he's the only star - guys are going to stand around watching him score, and that kills chemistry on both ends of the floor. Maybe he wants HOF stats and he knows that playing along with LBJ suppresses his numbers.

 

[tzznandrew]

Can Irving be a true PG? He suggested San Antonio as a destination, and that might really work if he got there.

As a Celtics fan, I'd hate to see Isaiah go, but you might be able to get Irving for IT and a few other pieces. Health's an issue, of course, but I'm still convinced you aren't winning a title with Thomas as your #1 or #2 option. You know you can win with Irving as your #2. Cavs won't make that trade, though, because they don't want to help the Celtics.

 

[BUConn10]

Can Irving be a true PG? He suggested San Antonio as a destination, and that might really work if he got there.

As a Celtics fan, I'd hate to see Isaiah go, but you might be able to get Irving for IT and a few other pieces. Health's an issue, of course, but I'm still convinced you aren't winning a title with Thomas as your #1 or #2 option. You know you can win with Irving as your #2. Cavs won't make that trade, though, because they don't want to help the Celtics.

Agreed. IT can not be the main guard on an NBA champion team.

 

[NielsisGood]

Can Irving be a true PG? He suggested San Antonio as a destination, and that might really work if he got there.

As a Celtics fan, I'd hate to see Isaiah go, but you might be able to get Irving for IT and a few other pieces. Health's an issue, of course, but I'm still convinced you aren't winning a title with Thomas as your #1 or #2 option. You know you can win with Irving as your #2. Cavs won't make that trade, though, because they don't want to help the Celtics.

Sadly the Celts probably won't get a real '#1 best guy on a title team' franchise type while IT is still in his prime, but Klay Thompson was the 2nd best scoring option on a team that won a title 2 years ago (and should have won last year). Is Klay really all that much better than Isaiah as a #2 scoring option?

 

[tzznandrew]

Sadly the Celts probably won't get a real '#1 best guy on a title team' franchise type while IT is still in his prime, but Klay Thompson was the 2nd best scoring option on a team that won a title 2 years ago (and should have won last year). Is Klay really all that much better than Isaiah as a #2 scoring option?

Scoring? Maybe no. He can't create on his own in the same way as IT. But he's a better shooter, and a better overall player given both sides of the ball.

 

[champs99and04]

I think Kyrie can absolutely be the #1 option on a title team. Whether he can be the best player? I doubt it. Pair him with an Anthony Davis or Giannis type and it's conceivable - likely, even - that he leads the team in shot attempts. I mean, for , the guy averages the same number of shot attempts per 36 minutes for his career as LeBron. That's insane. Wherever he goes, they're probably going to have an elite offense so long as he's paired with another star.

 

[the Q]

Boston should've traded IT but for butler.

But they wanted an insane price for Boston before sending him to minny for peanuts