If that was all that was being said I certainly wouldn't disagree. Also, the Cavs locker room was a mess when Bynum was there. It got better when he left, and better still when Grant got fired. Hopefully Lebron further stabilizes it.
Chalmers is probably getting traded to the Hornets, that's what I heard anyway. Is it possible to get Deng and Monroe? Probably not, I would rather have Monroe than Deng too.
It doesn't count as hypocrisy if it isn't the same people saying both statements, and in that case it shouldn't be an issue.
Lebron is a leader so of course it's going to get fixed, enjoy your Cavs bro, they look good right now.
I agree up until that last part. If he can win a title in Cleveland, then we can just forget about Jordan's 6 titles. That is quite the "curse" to break.
I think if Lance goes back to Indy, they could definitely be in the mix. I don't see the Gasol fit either, as I don't see him able to play defense like Tibs would want.
I'm not talking about you personally. You are always consistent with your views and I respect that even if I don't agree. However it seems to be most of the fanbase.
nope. exceeds both Exception spots. Makes you dig into cap space, and can cost you a frontline starter type. He was worth the min-mle.
Gasol also can't give you 42 minutes a night for 82 games, so Thibs isn't going to like that at all. I don't think Lance is welcome back in Indy. He looks like Dallas' consolation prize for whiffing in free agency right now.
Three years, not four, but there were good moves by management too (they weren't all good - Bynum, Jack). Including paying for a draft pick by taking in Baron Davis (which turned into Kyrie). Trading with Memphis to bring in Mo Speights and Wayne Ellington for a future draft pick. Trading Ramon Sessions to the Lakers. Trading for Spencer Hawes was a good move as well. Also, it is a new general manager so perhaps he actually is a genius (I doubt it personally, based on the 3-team Jack trade, but getting Haywood back is good). And while I wouldn't claim them to be geniuses in the past, they did know tanking was the best way to infuse talent on a team that can't really attract FAs even when the team is good.
I'm on a cavs forum every day, no one there now who wasn't sold on Bennett is suddenly sold on him. There are a few people who think Bennett can become something special still, but they thought that before Lebron signed.
Nobody has even discussed Blatt that I've noticed... he has no "Riley" to fall back on, and the NBA is no Russian/Israeli league... Inexperience all around is going to be the Cavs demise, LeBron or no LeBron... Atleast when Miami introduced Spo, the rest of the team had that veteran experience.
Not a chance in Hell. The Heat gave him a Juggernaut roster. In cleveland, he has a bunch of babies and their next best player was a whole 2 points worse than Dwyane Wade who everybody likes to rip. They are not winning anything in the next 2 years.
The writer for SI Lee Jenkins was contacted on Wednesday. So Lebron made Riley and Ellsburg fly out to Vegas for nothing.
No. They thought right up to the news breaking that he was coming back. They had NO Knowledge of him wanting to leave. They went to Vegas to share their cap situation and his financial parameters.
I doubt that seriously. They are not better than Indiana, and they are about to not be better than Miami when they round out their roster. As of now, they are a 3, 4 seed because Lebron is so good. Young doesn't win Fin-O. Never has. as in EVER. There has been ONE team in the HISTORY of the NBA to make the Finals with an average age below 26. The 2012 Thunder. ONE TEAM. These Cavs are NOWHERE near as talented as that OKC squad was.
I get that, but if Riley knew Bron was in limbo...he would've volunteered to fly to Vegas to speak with him. Your not going to let your greatest asset go away without a fight. Also, Vegas is a pretty cool place ecspecially if your rich....so worse things happened to him I'm sure.
I agree they are missing a good big, but the East is so putrid that I have to believe they can win the conference.
this cannot be stressed enough. Miami's roster last year minus Lebron was 20 win shares better than the Cavs roster. That is a MASSIVE difference in talent/production. We are talking somewhere around a 15 game difference. 15 GAMES!
When you look at college production you're basically saying future potential. That's fine, but it almost never translates to "win now". That's all I've been saying. Lebron is not in a better position to win now than he would have been with the Heat. Vegas agrees as the Cavs have worse odds than what Miami had. If that quote attributed to Lebron is real "LeBron states the Cavs aren't good enough to contend for a title right now, and banks on future growth of Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson to become contenders," then he believes it as well. The only people who are arguing are Cavs fans or anybody trying to justify the move for basketball reasons. I understand people being excited. The Cavs got a great player, but Lebron did reduce his chances of winning another championship. I agree that the Riley/Spo leadership angle will prove to be big. From the info that's come out I believe that the primary reason that Lebron left is that Riley and Spo did not allow him to have his crew around. They didn't let him bring his friends on the plane or hang out at practice or at the arena. Riley allegedly advised him to sever some ties with those hanger-ons. Stephen A said that this was one of Lebron's biggest complaints and Lebatard confirmed it. It seems like a good guess that in Cleveland Lebron will return to full entourage mode. I don't believe this will be a positive for the locker room. I also agree that Lebron basically conceded the GOAT title to MJ. Lebron would have needed at least 5 championships to be in the conversation.
they are missing experience. More important than any one position. The roster has ZERO playoff experience. ZERO. Even that young great OKC team had been tested two years in a row in hard fought playoff series.
I think the Cavs would be lucky to make the finals in June '16. There would have to be MASSIVE growth from Kyrie, Tristan, and Dion AND Andy would have to stay healthy for them to make it next year.
I don't really agree with that, Brooklyn will def take a step back...other than Cleveland what roster has improved?
How so? Gasol came over and Ariza left. Charlotte didn't get Hayward. I could be overlooking some stuff, but I don't see much uptick off the top of my head.
I agree. I've been saying that as constituted the Cavs have almost no chance to win a title these next two years. I really didn't love the Heat's chances (w/ Lebron) if they faced the Spurs again. I did believe that the Heat would be the favorite against any other team in the league. But the Cavs odds are even worse. Not only would they have no chance against the Spurs, but I don't love their odds against Indiana, Chicago, OKC, the Clippers and maybe even Houston or Golden State. And as a young team I could even see them getting knocked out of the playoffs by one of the lower seeded East teams.
Something to think about. Heat have around $20 million in cap space. You give $12 to Lance Stephenson, $8 to Deng, and you roll out the best collection of wing players in the NBA. The Heat would be the FAVORITE to win the East again. No doubt about that.
Unless he pulls a Lebron....the Heat believe that they have re-signed Birdman. Bird was offered a contract by the Clippers, Warriors..CAVS...and Knicks.
I'd be surprised to see Deng take $8M/yr. That's what I think he is worth based on last year (at best), but I just don't see him taking less than $10M.
Don't get my hopes up. Heat fans...we are an organization and a team. Not a one man show. Lebron leaving is going to hurt us no doubt, but we can still get this done. Trust in Riley to get this all done.
I thought all the reports were that Deng was going to get about $10? I guess they could go 10 each. My understanding is that's the offer Stephenson has on the table from Indiana. It'll probably take a little above that to get him. 12 is about right but I doubt we get Deng at 8 unless his other options have dried up.
I dont see Ray Allen going there either. He has no reason to want to finish his career there and he isn't winning a title.
