[ClutchFans] Podcast: LeBron James pursuit looms over Rockets as trade deadline nears

Nice
Always love the Podcast

Rocket River

 

what the intro sounds like on these podcasts:

 

Timely.

1. If Cleveland is faced with the choice to trade Lebron for Gordon and expiring contracts versus trading for Anderson and Gordon and two picks......they're gonna take the two picks and Anderson. So the idea of sending Anderson tusk a third team with two picks and then trading Gordon and whatever you get out of that for LeBron isn't very viable in my opinion.

2. We need picks. So, if we can pick up a second rounder for Troy or Onuaku I would expect that to happen if nothing else.

3. Shelvin Mack is a player and contract that fits several needs and is acquirable for us if everything else falls through.

4. If we're gonna talk about lebron and his acquisition this summer we really should talk about the Cavs and what they are going to do over the next couple days. (Wished you'd addressed this in the podcast. Would really like to hear your take on what happens in Cleveland's end to help arrive at the point of a trade after the season even though we've already heard from guys like Woj and Lowe on it.)

Here's my thoughts on that.

Obviously Cleveland and Lebron aren't on the same page. So when you look at the Lebron situation from their angle they have to consider the possibility of Lebron walking on them after the season and leaving them in cap hell with a losing team. That's why they have to make major moves over the next couple days to prepare to either lose Lebron or keep him.

How? Well, shed salary (long term contracts) and align contracts with Lebron's while attempting to gain Lebron's approval, make a run for a championship, and then after the season if he wants to leave, accommodate him with a trade that yields them back usable contracts and assets.

So, unless Cleveland is completely stooooopid (and I wouldn't put it past them, they've been this way in the past) they are going to attempt to get Lebron to opt in to his contract for next season NOW with an agreement to move Lebron to the team of his choosing after the season if Lebron wants out. It's the only logical way for them to play this out.

To get to that point....they've got to make deals (plural) now. What deals? Deals that Lebron would see as an opportunity to go win a championship right now. But also deals dumping bad contracts for contracts they can easily move later.

That means.....major upheaval. And that means they probably have to use that Nets pick. They've got to get quality defenders (specifically rim protection), shooters, and finishers. So Kevin Love should be gone. Because he's a defensive liability. And TT should be gone if at all possible because he's a bad contract.

Kevin Love for DJ straight up? Would the Clips do that? Cavs need what DJ brings much more than what Love gives them. And from the Cavs standpoint.....if Lebron leaves they've cleared out Love's salary ahead of time. DJ's deal aligns with Lebron's.

Another possibility.....Love to Utah for Favors and Joe Johnson. Maybe the Cavs squeeze a pick out of Utah in that deal (doubt it). Favors, although not as good as DJ defensively, is a significant defensive and offensive upgrade to TT. Joe Johnson at the 4 is a better fit than Love. Once again, contracts align. Cavs are getting off money. And if they have to trade Lebron they can immediately be out of the luxury tax by letting those guys walk.

The second move needs to be to find a deal to get off Tristan's contract. He's a role player and arguably the worst starting center in the NBA. (And his contract is Lebron's doings.) Cavs need to find a team that's bowing out and rebuilding and cannibalize them using TT and the Nets pick.

IT was supposed to replace Kyrie. Fail. Cavs need to offer up the Nets pick with TT, Shumpert, and Crowder or IT and see if the Hornets would give up Kemba and Batum in a rebuild. Or rearrange the deal with TT the pick and other pieces for Kemba and possibly Marvin. Or find another team to cannibalize that will want the pick in exchange for taking on less long term money in TT and get off longer term money themselves.

We could come up with any number of scenarios. I mentioned the Hornets specifically because they could rebuild and I have a little info that there have been discussions. In whatever case the Cavs need to rearrange their roster and cap significantly to both compete for a championship this season and prepare for Lebron leaving. And also to do all they can to secure an opt in NOW. Because if they get Lebron to opt in it frees them to trade the Nets pick for a really good player and possibly get off Tristan. Because they can then get a couple picks in trade for Lebron, plus they can then can in the incoming talent from the trade of the Nets pick, get under the tax, and go tick the lottery in 2019. They can't trade the Nets pick and move out salary for a quality player without knowing they will be able to trade lebron and get back those picks.

From Lebron's perspective this will make sense. Because he will still basically be a free agent after the season, able to go to any team of his choosing. And it will avoid the complications of free agency in a tight free agent market where most teams have limited cap space after signing him to acquire other championship pieces. He can avoid the previous Miami big 3 scenario where it took them another year to effectively build a championship roster after totally gutting the team to get all 3 guys on board. That way if he wants to move to Houston his buds don't have to take paycuts and the team doesn't have to go through all sorts of cap gymnastics to make it happen.

Where does this leave us with Ryan Anderson?

I actually believe we're gonna get Ryan Anderson moved this week. For two reasons.

The first one being we're not good enough as is. We need to add things to this team. The second one being Capela's pending free agency. In the unlikely event that the Mavs or some other team busts our chops with a huge offer sheet for CC, that prevents us from doing free agent/trade business which forces us to go with leftovers in the middle because we are over the cap and also to have the ability to sign and trade Capela ourselves in a deal for another player we could very well trade Anderson for a center on a long term contract that fits our system and could effectively replace what Capel gives us along with perhaps another contract that's a year longer than Anderson's.

Think about it. If we could have moved Anderson last summer when he had three years left along with two first round picks to dump him.....then most likely we'll be able to move $20-22 million of salary out this summer even if one of the deals has three years left.

So we could conceivably take on longer term salary in the form of two contracts if we are able to help another team decree their current and future salary obligations.

Take Portland for instance. They're 3 million or so in the luxury tax. We could conceivable get them out of the tax by trading them Anderson, Black, and Williams (or Nanu) for Leonard, Harkless, and Ed Davis (there's your quality backup big). Portland may even owe us a second rounder or two in a deal like this since they're really getting the better players in the deal.

Another possibility could be Utah. They're not a free agent target. Favors and Joe Johnson are gonna walk. Anderson, Nanu, Williams, and a second might get it done.

Charlotte - Cody Zeller and Marvin for Anderson, Black, Williams, Nanu might be something they'd do. Zeller is a great fit here on a longer term feel that would mitigate any loss of Capela very nicely. His deal is valuable enough that it could bee moved rather easily and might be a great value tutto send to the Cavs for LeBron after the season.

There is a certain synergy at work between Cleveland , Charlotte, and us. I'll say no more.

Lakers - Deng, Clarkson, and Anderson all share the same agent. If Deng would non guarantee the final year of his deal or around $20 million of his deal over the remaining 2 seasons then there is the possibility that we could throw Anderson, Black, and the youngsters (Williams, Nanu) at the Lakers for Deng and Clarkson. This would save them roughly $10 million on next year's cap. We then pick up brook on a buyout.

Cavs - if Cavs move Love out for a great defensive 5, we could conceivable generate a trade with them using Anderson as bait and taking on salary from them to knock down their tax bill now and grease the skids for a possible lebron deal after the season. This could evolve into a 3-way with Charlotte or another team.

My feeling is we can move Anderson and will move him by the deadline to both shore up our current team at other skills of need and to prep ourselves for maximum trade flexibility in the summer. I'll be mildly surprised if Anderson is still here after Thursday.

 

LeBron comes to Houston significantly extends his career
1. He can Legit take games off
2. He can legit take plays off

LeBron will easily be good for 3 more years
here it could extend to 5 years

He would not have to work near as hard
If You can get MVP Lebron for 30 games a year and the playoffs

I'd buy that .

The other 52 games you have MVP Harden and Near-MVP Chris Paul running the show . . . .and the playoffs

Rocket River

 

Anyone can be traded.

 

lerbon for ryno, chuck hayes and filler

 

I can’t even

 

But we also need good bench to support their time off right? So if we have to gut out for LBJ then we will have a problem

 

One More Thing on WHY LeBRON

Look at basically what OUR BIG THREE would be versus other BIG THREEs

Look across the league
Has any trio . . . . .. gotten more players ridiculous contracts than James Harden, Chris Paul and LeBron James?
I don't mean to be mean but they have made so many players look so much better than they actually are

Russ, Melo and PGeorge are good or even GREAT PLAYERS - but who have they played with that they have made look better

I would even say the same for KD, Curry Klay and Green - They are GOOD and Great as a team
but I think the only example of someone cashing in from playing with them is Harrison Barnes



TRADE IDEA THIS SUMMER:
and yes this would hurt me but

LeBron (30 Mill) + TThompson (17 and 18 ) FOR - Anderson (20 and 21) and Capela (25)
Does Cleveland go for this? Would you?

LeBron (30 Mill) + TThompson (17 and 18 ) and Kyle Korver (7) FOR - Anderson (20 and 21) and Capela (25)and EGordon (13 and 14)
Does Cleveland go for this? Would you?
Switch Korver with Channing Fry

I seriously think Those are not Horrible.
I think TThompson - will not be Capela but he can be servicable HERE

Rocket River

 

I really don't think we will have to 'gut' as much as people think

I think we will have to take somethings Cleveland is trying to get rid of
The thing is. . . THOSE THINGS CAN BE USEFUL *HERE* where they suck in Cleveland

Now . .TThompson on the same team with Harden *maybe* socially awkward

Rocket River

 

I think much like the Verlander and Cole trades, a LeBron trade is a pipe dream; and only plausible with goodwill the player had developed with his prior team.

Will Cleveland do LeBron a solid favor and facilitate him moving to his preferred destination? And is Houston his preferred destination?

Another great pod cast guys!

 

well we just have to wait and see what DM has up his sleeves

 

Gordon, Anderson, and or combination of Ariza, Pj Tucker, Ariza, Draft picks, ... wow this package sucks there is no way we get lebron. .unless Cleveland does him a huge favor...

 

Will Cleveland do Cleveland a solid
If they are going to Blow it up and start over with LeBron
They will have to:
1. get something of value in return
2. get rid of something of no value

Which is why I put my trade up there
With Lebron Gone - Capela+EGO+Love+IT+I guess JR or something they could find
Could easily be a Playoff team in the East
Add the BrookLyn Pick (Which we won't ask for)

What is that kid in Oklahoma . . .. Trae Young

Say they grab him with the Brooklyn Pick
Capela + Love +JR + EGO + Young with Anderson coming off the bench
I'd say that is a 6th seed at worse in the East

I think we have to take one some bad contracts like Thompson and Shumpert

Rocket River

 

JH: Hey, your wife loved my black and hairy nuts
TT: Trade pls

 

Basically .. . . . That would be the primary concern

Rocket River

 

Tristan + Kardashian? Dude, this would NOT be good for the team.

 

My Main thing is. . . . .If we trade capela we will need a big

Honestly .. . I would shoot for the stars
and Ask for LeBron + Love for Anderson + Capela + Ego
but
I know Cavs want to be rid of Thompson . .. Maybe Shump or JR instead

Rocket River

 

I'd like to see what the roster looks like after the deadline. I can't see a S&T happening this season, so it's too speculative.

Either way, though. I do NOT want the damn Kardashian curse here again. I'd cry man.