<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kyrie can agitate all he wants, but unless he's willing to take a one-year qualifying offer, it's all noise in restricted free agency.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/428973316050022401">January 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cleveland is such a joke of a franchise. They had a once in a lifetime opportunity and had Lebron for 7 or 8 years, and did absolutely nothing with it. The 2nd best player on that team was Mo freaking Williams! Then Kyrie Irving falls into their lap, and they land 3 more top 5 picks, including another #1 overall, and they blow every single pick.
Wonder if their desperation to make the playoffs could make them a possible suitor for Asik. Not sure how many impact players are going to be available at the deadline (maybe some of the Sixers vets?) and with Varejao starting to break down like he does every year maybe they'll be interested in ponying up for him.
Overrated player stuck in ****ty city, with ****ty franchise, ha! Tim (Los Angeles) How hot are the collective seats of Chris Grant and Mike Brown? And who do you think the Cavs are most likely to target at the deadline? Chad Ford (1:05 PM) Virtually every GM in the league believes that Grant will be gone this summer if things don't get turned around this season. He doesn't have much time. The thinking is that there's no way Dan Gilbert is going to let him make another lottery pick if that's the direction the Cavs end up heading. Grant's goal (via his owner) is to get this team competitive and into the playoffs. The Deng move was supposed to help. But so far ... nothing. Chemistry is a major issue there and some of that is on Mike Brown. But more of it is on the collection of players in Cleveland at the moment. Something has to happen quick. Kyrie Irving has been telling people privately he wants out. Cleveland can't afford to lose him and LeBron. They know the urgency. I expect them to be major players at the deadline.
somebody is going to trade a 1st round lottery pick for him + some...Could be the lakers or celtics sure this is the kind of deal Danny has been waiting for.
Let some other desperate team overpay to keep him.... Most likely that being the Cleveland Cavaliers (Eric Gordon situation 2.0 with his impending RFA). Irving is one of the most overrated players in the league. He basically is a poor man's version of Harden on paper, but his play doesn't necessarily translate to wins like Harden's does. However alot of teams would still love to have him. So if Cleveland wanted to, they could very well trade his butt at the deadline for a Kings' ransom. But we all know they aren't going to do that because the Cavaliers are the most desperate team of all, and they have the ability to match any offer on the table, and they will.... and Kyrie will be on one of the worst contracts in the league in 2 years.
Agree, Irving is overrated, what's him team's record? lol, even with Deng, they are still lottery team. Good move Cleveland.
Lets make a trade for him and Varejao. for Lin or Beverley, Asik, Motie, Ronnie, Garcia. + first round pick this year and 2nd round the year after.
If I was Cleveland, I'd happily trade him for Rondo and the Celtics unprotected lotto pick. No clue why Boston would do that, but maybe they overvalue Irving, so you never know. If you knew Rondo would be healthy, the Celtics have other picks they could trade, and deal could still work for Cleveland. Rondo + Celtics 2nd first rounder this year from Hawks/Nets + 2015 1st from Clippers + 2016 1st from Nets for Irving? Whatever... no sense making up random trade proposals. Surely the Irving love affair has got to be over in Cleveland... at least to the extent they might view him as any kind of "savior". He's not transformational like Lebron. He's a PG likely to be around the 5th-10th best in the league, but can slip up or down that list pretty easily. There's a whoel host of PGs out there that are similarly valuable - Goran Dragic, Jrue Holiday, Isiah Thomas, Ty Lawson, Reggie Jackson, Teague, Michael Carter Williams, Lowry, Wall, Jennings, etc.) Is Kyrie near the top of that list? Probably... but the drop-off from him to Reggie Jackson or MCW isn't that huge... Would he be a great addition to the Rockets? Sure. Would love to have him. But that's so unlikely. HOWEVER, if the Cavs would seriously entertain offers, and were serious about moving him if an offer worked, that onyl helps the Rockets, I think. The more activity tehre is, the better chance DM has to get in the middle of something.
Uh Oh. Will he be crucified and forever hated for wanting out of a crappy organization in a terrible city? Will his jersey be burned? Why is he even talking about this before his free agency begins? LeBron didn't say a word until his decision was made.
