LABron James Discussion: The Final Year?

If Cleveland had Kyrie, George, and LeBron, they'd be ridiculous.

 

I'm not calling you out with this, but I keep seeing the "George to Cavs" talk. Where is that coming from? How in the world do the Cavs get George? They have not a single player of value on their team in a trade besides LeBron and Kyrie and I can't imagine giving up either of them in trades. So... Love? What the hell does Indiana want with Love? Tristan Thompson? I don't get it.

 

To a team that'd be rebuilding? On that contract? I don't see the attraction.

 

Three years of a prime all-star in exchange for losing a prime all-star? I don't see it as a big loss, especially in terms of fielding a team around Love. He's versatile.

 

Yeah I mean Minnesota proved you can't build around Love so... doesn't make much sense to try it again now that he's a few years older. I could see them going after Melo, but does he greatly increase their chances of winning? I'd say the only you go after Melo and it helps the Cavs is if the Knicks take back Tristan Thompson in return. Doesn't seem like a good fit. I don't know what the Cavs really have to offer at this point. They overspent to give all of LeBron's buddies big pay checks and now they're trapped.

I could maybe see Love/Thompson for Carmelo/Hernangomez/O'Quinn or something like that... Does that improve either team dramatically?

 

Tristan and JR are making a combined $30M next season. That's asinine.

 

Exactly. He's really done a number on that team... and if/when he walks in 2 years it's going to be leave that franchise in shambles.

Love- 22.6 million
Thompson- 16.4 million
Smith- 13.8 million
Shumpert- 10.3 million

Nobody else was even bidding on Shumpert or JR Smith. LeBron forced them to pay them those deals. Thompson had some suitors, but the Cavs still overpaid for a rebounder. Smith and Thompson are under contract until 2020 (although Smith's deal is non-guaranteed in the final year).

 

But this is LeBron's MO.

Well, Cleveland the first time around was pretty bad. LeBron left, Shaq left, and that team was gutted.

But Miami paid 81M LeBron's last year there. Cap was at $65M, and LeBron left that team $10M over cap after re-signing some guys, terrible draft choices, too.

Cavs now have $129M committed in salaries for next year and already $90M for 2018-19 WITHOUT LeBron. That's with only eight guys under contract. BTW, they have no first round pick this year or again in 2019. Between now and 2020, they'll receive two 2nd rounders, but they'll also be sending out FOUR second rounders.

Kobe gets a lot of s*** (rightfully so) for taking so much money late in his career, but it was easy to see with him because he stuck around. LeBron jockeys around so much, his crows don't so easily come home to roost.

 

From Woj himself

 

I think it makes NY much better. Not like title contender or even top 4 in the East, but much better. It makes the Cavs A LOT worse. Three ball dominant players, only one of which (Lebron) who has shown a propensity to pass the ball. That team would be the antitheses of the current direction of the NBA. ISO, ISO, ISO.

 

At least ESPN isn't trying too hard. ESPN home page right now.