[ESPN] LeBron James to the Rockets? Here's how it could happen this summer

Can we just talk about how much bullshit it is that we have to jump through all these hoops just to try and make our team better? Meanwhile, out in the Bay, those Golden State ****bois sit back and laugh while they all take pay cuts.

 

Yes, but you're overlooking the fact that next year, that Ryno contract will be a massive expiring asset. They'd be able to flip that for something positive for sure. It's really just one year (a year in which they're not a major FA player anyways) we're talking about, and they'd be getting heavily compensated for that.

 

You guys crying about Tucker being moved if we get Lebron is hilarious lmao....seriously?

 

In normal circumstances I don't think they would, likewise I believe they would do whatever it takes to bring back Ariza. However, this is the weird situation where we are talking about one of the two greatest basketball players in history. If the Rockets have to move Tucker, I think they bite their lip and do it. I cannot see a situation where Cleveland agrees to take Anderson because of their tax situation. The draft picks offered by the Rockets have value but it isn't a lottery pick. What is interesting is if Cleveland finds a lukewarm market for Love because of his salary and injury history...... then perhaps, with sweetners they would agree to Anderson (who makes less) in exchange for Love. That would also allow the Cavs to rebuild faster. It is all just a long shot anyway.

 

Who's crying?

 

Good thing about this is that we will know before July 1. If it doesn't happen by then, it's over. Now, the tough part will be deciding whether it's worth it to lose BOTH Gordon AND Tucker to obtain Jame. Obviously James is worth way more than those two combined in a vacuum, but Tucker was so damn critical to changing our defensive culture which was one of two reasons why we even had a shot against the Warriors. Can the Rockets replicate last year's performance on the defensive end without Tucker? Will LeBron improve from last year on the defensive end with a considerably lightened offensive load and playing less than 38mpg? If they re-sign Ariza and Capela and Moute perhaps it's doable. It'd be a huge loss though.

Paul
Harden
Ariza
James
Capela

with

Green
Moute
Anderson

off the bench would still be a pretty crazy squad.

 

Explain to me why Cleveland would take on a 33 year old player with 3 years and $24 million remaining on his deal? Tucker is going nowhere, he isn't valuable to a rebuilding team. I think people are bringing up Tucker because they're thinking too much in terms of on court impact. Reality is Tucker isn't valuable to any team that isn't contending for a title.

 

Many ppl agree. We can probably all agree Morey *will* offer that, as a first pitch once Lebron green lights the opt-in.

I see one possible wrench in this idea: what if Cleveland also wants a first rounder on top of BimaThug's "simplest iteration" example legal trade below.



In this "simplest iteration" example, if Gordon and a $22m TPE (to be used later in possible Love trades) is not enough, and CLE pushes back for more without taking more salary, i.e., FRP as well,

• How do we reconcile offering a 3rd team two futures already?
• Do CLE and the 3rd team start fighting over who gets which ones of the three (2019, 2021, 2023).
• How much value does a 2023 even have?
• That 2019 pick is almost guaranteed to be to 29th-30th, but it is the first to arise, fwiw.

Side note: I do think that $22m TPE might have more value than the bbs considers, if CLE post-Lebron era plans include trying to get a good FRP from dumping Love, because that TPE means they can swallow tons of salary to sweeten deals for more picks.

DISCLAIMER: Bima had to keep reminding the twitter world that this "simplest iteration" is JUST the simplest he came up with. He almost regretted posting it, due to having to re-'splain that this is just for illustration.​

 

The reason (not to put words into @Nook fingers here) is that the lower salary saves Cleveland money. The belief is they will be focused on getting under the luxury tax.

 

Well, they wouldn't really be in a position to demand anything honestly because the alternative is that they get nothing and Lebron signs with a team like the Lakers.....which is why those rumors are being floated out there so heavily right now.

If Cleveland wants picks instead of players, you can easily find another team that wants Gordon for a few picks. On top of that, if Lebron leaves Cleveland goes into rebuilding which would mean a fire sale. They'll be getting plenty of picks headed back their way when they dump guys like Love.

In short, if Cleveland wants ANYTHING for Lebron, then they jump at the chance to do an opt in and trade as opposed to getting nothing when Lebron leaves for free.

 

Tucker could easily be flipped for a 1st round pick. Late first to a contender. Also the last year of Tucker's contract is not fully guaranteed.

 

Cleveland could take Gordon and flip him to Indiana for a couple of non-guaranteed contracts in Al Jefferson and Lance Stephenson.

 

Losing Pat and P.J. in back to back years would be gut-wrenching. But if it means getting Chris Paul and LeBron James, you do it and don't think twice.

 

Remember, this a a fan base with some odd folks who have created obsessions with players like Lowry, Beverly, Landry, and Scola. It's not surprising.


Edit: With that said, id take Tucker over any of those guys lol!

 

I think it is a real possibility they want zero luxury tax in a post-Lebron world and will let him walk. Surely they've been preparing for such an outcome. And this team is not shy about tanking.

So, I don't think it's much of a threat by Morey to make any take-it-or-leave-it demands, if CLE insists on a good pick and as little salary as legally possible

I do agree that maybe Morey can work out things whereby he can get them a pick another way, but my intent was saying each new demand complicates the deal...and when you are already needing to promise a 3rd team two FRPs for Ryan ...

 

Don't forget Morey can also go around the league and buy out non guaranteed contracts to trade to Cleveland again? That was brilliant.

 

LeBron James rumored to be recruiting Russell Westbrook

https://thunderousintentions.com/2018/06/11/lebron-james-rumored-recruiting-russell-westbrook/

 

You'd think there will be a bigger market for 3nD players after what the Rockets did against GS.

Problem is that we want them too.

 

No way in hell. We can all dog on Melo, but i am sure he has relayed how much it sucked playing with Westbrook in those games he decided he wanted a triple double more than a win.

 

They can easily get no luxury tax AND get something in return for Lebron walking. It's not a one or the other situation. If Lebron decides to leave that causes a fire sale in Cleveland which will easily get them under the luxury.

Again, it's do they want something for Lebron, or do they want nothing for Lebron. Picking nothing would just be foolish. If they want picks instead of Gordon, that's probably the easiest part of the deal to get done. Trade Gordon to a 4th team (there will be plenty of suitors) and give the Cavs back the picks and as many non guaranteed and expiring contracts as possible.

The hard part is having Lebron decide he wants it to happen. Making the trade happen is in many ways the easy part.