Windhorst: What should they do with the 8th pick? This is so difficult. They have to decide between team building & LeBron building. They put themselves here. When they decided to trade Kyrie for a draft pick, it became apparent that was going to lead to this type of decision. LeBron will not talk & tell them what he prefers. They'll have to operate independent of LeBron. This will be an interesting draft night for the Cavs & their future. What would make him want to stay in Cleveland? It should be pointed out LeBron, from what people have told me, he wants to stay & is looking for reason to stay. When we get to July 6th/8th and is about to make a decision, what will the Celtics, Sixers, Lakers have done by then & how will that compare to the Cavs? They'll have a lot fewer options than those other teams & that's the real issue LeBron is looking at.
Thanks for the link, I missed that one. Interesting quote: "LeBron's my man, but he didn't know," Paul says now. "I didn't tell him initially because even though we're so close, we're also ultracompetitive." Twenty minutes later, Paul finally revealed his secret. LeBron's response? He ordered shots of Don Julio 1942 tequila and clinked glasses with his friend. "Be happy," LeBron said.
If you really want to make a power move... trade up in the draft... package the 8th pick with some pieces and get a top 3-4 pick. Ask Lebron who he prefers and make it happen. Cavs can get better if Lebron decides he wants to stay.
I really have a feeling that we will land LBJ. I know all signs point to “no”, yet I still have this eerie feeling that it’s all a facade. I guess it really is wait-and-see now.
What result outside of maybe Kawhi to LA.. new big 3 would put more fear into GS? Lebron to Houston would be like KD signing with GS again. It would send shockwaves throughout the league Getting him without giving up Tucker while retaining Paul/Capela should be a no brainer for him. Too bad he already has three titles and wants to live in LA
If we can’t add a star, and it’s appearig that we won’t, I don’t see why we should dump Ryno. I mean if we’re trading him straight up for a player that we feel may be a better fit, like the Ibaka suggestion, then maybe. But I wouldn’t want to attach picks to him just to get rid of his contract this year. He is not a bad option for a back up Power Forward. Overpaid? Yes. But he is definitely bench worthy. Also, next year his contract will be an expiring and can definitely be used to acquire a star. EDIT: I guess Tillman would disagree seeing he’s the one paying the tax but meh
I think Sergeballu LaMu Sayonga Loom Walahas Jonas Hugo Ibaka has the intangibles to be a great backup center for us. Possibly starting PF but PJ is doing a damn good job there. I didn't watch his play in Toronto, can he actually keep up with smaller guards?
Trade happened Wednesday. Was announced Saturday previously. I've still got my text messages. Edit: Apologies. It was announced Wednesday. My text messages on the possibility of Paul opting in started that previous Saturday, June 24th. When I woke up Wednesday morning my texts said it was happening. I was texting another member here about it when it was announced. They vouched for it. I am not an insider. Have never claimed that status. But I got some honey mustard, buffalo ranch, tomatillo, and srirachi sauces.
Woj: (Kawhi) 1. Is he healthy? 2. His focus is the Lakers. Boston & Philly would evaluate, if we trade for him, can we re-sign him? Boston doesn't need to take risks. He doesn't have a traditional agent. 3. Calling & dealing with San Antonio is not easy. They will not be rushed. Only deadline to them is February trade deadline. Don't think this will be quick. It'll take some time. (LeBron/Cavs) A sense he'll take his time in July. Not a quick decision. He has more to consider this year. There are more moving pieces. Philly, Los Angeles & Cleveland, he can walk into cap space. If he wanted to get to Houston, Boston or team with no salary cap space, they have to start tearing apart their roster or do a S&T. Free agency will be a standstill until he makes a decision. They'd love to package #8 & Kevin Love. Don't think that gets you a difference maker. Cavs don't want to mortgage future on the hope LeBron stays. #8 will be a building block. They will not blindly take on more money & be stuck with something they don't want long term. When LeBron didn't commit to Kyrie Irving & Paul George, Cleveland had to be prepared he could leave. (Chris Paul) His focus has been to stay in Houston all along. Unless Houston blinked & changed course on a financial commitment, length of deal that they thought all along they would do, they've shown no indication in Houston of not following through on the kind of big deal Chris Paul expected when he opted in & got traded there. Chris will return there. Right now, his focus isn't so much on his own free agency, he's trying to recruit LeBron James to Houston. Someone close him to said to me he's as focused on recruiting LeBron as anything he's done in this league. He wants to find a way. We know Daryl Morey is always big game hunting. If LeBron said he wanted to come, they can find a way to make it happen. (Trevor Ariza) Ariza is a player that Houston would love to keep. He has great value all over the league. That's a winning player, a player contenders have great interest in. Houston, part of their core has been...with Tucker, obviously adding CP3, Ariza was a really important part of the chemistry. He's a great locker room guy. Players love playing with him. He's a popular teammate. He's important to that Houston team. It's a lot easier for ownership in Houston to pay that luxury tax when they were up 3-2. You can convince yourself we were close to beating them. It's another thing for OKC who got knocked out in the first round. (Paul George) OKC made a great case to Paul George over the course of the season. When they traded for him, he didn't have any conversation with George's representatives. He rolled the dice, we'll try to sell him on our culture, on our team, on our coach and they did a tremendous job. The Lakers took for granted when they did not make a serious offer to Indiana last Spring that he'd just walk into their organization on July 1 this year. He may end up in LA but OKC is in there tooth & nail to keep him. They have a real chance to bring him back. It may not be on a 4 or 5 year deal. It may be on a shorter deal. Those things are all up for discussions. OKC is in position to be able to keep him. (DeMarcus Cousins) Draft night will be interesting based on what Dallas does at 5. If Dallas takes Mo Bamba or takes a center, they may be out in free agency. A young center or do we take a perimeter player & look in free agency at a Cousins? (Warriors) Durant will be back. Bob Myers said it'll be whatever deal he wants. There's coming a point where they'll have to make difficult choices. Not this summer but next year. They've kept it together because guys took less. Thompson has been open he wants to stay there. Will Draymond chase max money? It may be hard to keep it together if so. They have the 28th pick. Joe Lacob is not afraid to spend money on a 2nd round pick. Bob Myers has drafted as well as anyone. (Sixers) They're in no rush to fill the GM job. You're not gonna lure a rival GM. We'll go deep into July before the start interviewing people. Brett Brown will lead them into free agency. They have a qualified front office. They're big game hunting. They'd love to keep Redick & Belinelli. They'll make a run at the big stars & if not, they can hold onto their space and go at it again next year. (Celtics) They have to make a decision on Marcus Smart. Rozier & Irving are coming up. They've drafted well & have so much talent, at some point you become a victim. You can't pay everyone. They'll keep their eye on Kawhi. They called before the February trade deadline. Spurs did not engage them. If we get to a time where the Spurs are ready to move Kawhi, Boston has all the assets a team would want for a star player. I think Tatum is almost untouchable but Brown and all those first round picks will appeal to teams like San Antonio. Boston doesn't have to take risks or overpay for Kawhi. Maybe in 2019, they have stayed on Anthony Davis & if he doesn't go forward with the Pelicans & they have to trade them, Boston will be waiting. Davis has every intention of staying & if they keep winning, they have a great chance to keep him.
