Where do the Cavs go from here?

[DJ]

i still can't believe he's betting against his so-called "favorite player and G.O.A.T"...

so much for loyalty...

And he said he was going to be a Laker fan now because.....









LeBroin James.


#Gladhesnot

 

[WiggyRuss]

I think your top 8 looks pretty clear cut to me. The Hornets may go in tank mode and I expect the Knicks to be pretty bad with Porzingas missing most of the year.

Cavs could easily be battling the Bulls and Nets for the 9 or 10 spot, but make no mistake, those are not good basketball teams. 37 wins is probably the ceiling.

I agree and I HOPE the Cavs clean house and tank----- but they have guys that have won games before. If there is an actual system in place rather than "just play off LeBron" - they might be a little bit better than we would expect.

They definitely dont have a #1......but they have a #2 in Love, and a bunch of decent role players---- Hood, Nance Jr., Hill, Thompson, Osman, Sexton, Korver are all useful NBA players and a lot of experience.

you really think a lineup of say:

PG- Sexton
SG- Clarkson
SF- Hood
Pf- Love
C- Nance Jr.

is really that much worse than what a lot of bottom teams in the East are throwing out?

like i said- i know the Cavs are going to be bad ---- but I dont think they are going to be horrible, and i WANT them to be horrible. They have too many guys that know how to play the game and have been around nad have some talent to be just terrible.

honest to God though...i look at hte Lakers roster and wonder why LeBron did not spend just 1 more year in Cleveland. They def. could have gotten Kemba if they wanted to make a deal

even if he just came back for 1 year --- Kemba, Love, Hood, Clarkson, Nance Jr., Korver, TT, etc. is just so much better than Ingram, Ball, Rondo, Stephenson, Kuzma, KCP, McGee, Zubac etc.

 

[Black Adam]

And he said he was going to be a Laker fan now because.....









LeBroin James.


#Gladhesnot

dude swapped THAT out so fast you could hear a sonic boom...

may have to call the Guinness people...

 

[DJ]

I agree and I HOPE the Cavs clean house and tank----- but they have guys that have won games before. If there is an actual system in place rather than "just play off LeBron" - they might be a little bit better than we would expect.

They definitely dont have a #1......but they have a #2 in Love, and a bunch of decent role players---- Hood, Nance Jr., Hill, Thompson, Osman, Sexton, Korver are all useful NBA players and a lot of experience.

you really think a lineup of say:

PG- Sexton
SG- Clarkson
SF- Hood
Pf- Love
C- Nance Jr.

is really that much worse than what a lot of bottom teams in the East are throwing out?

like i said- i know the Cavs are going to be bad ---- but I dont think they are going to be horrible, and i WANT them to be horrible. They have too many guys that know how to play the game and have been around nad have some talent to be just terrible.

honest to God though...i look at hte Lakers roster and wonder why LeBron did not spend just 1 more year in Cleveland. They def. could have gotten Kemba if they wanted to make a deal

even if he just came back for 1 year --- Kemba, Love, Hood, Clarkson, Nance Jr., Korver, TT, etc. is just so much better than Ingram, Ball, Rondo, Stephenson, Kuzma, KCP, McGee, Zubac etc.

No guarantee they were getting Walker....

 

[tlance]

I agree and I HOPE the Cavs clean house and tank----- but they have guys that have won games before. If there is an actual system in place rather than "just play off LeBron" - they might be a little bit better than we would expect.

They definitely dont have a #1......but they have a #2 in Love, and a bunch of decent role players---- Hood, Nance Jr., Hill, Thompson, Osman, Sexton, Korver are all useful NBA players and a lot of experience.

you really think a lineup of say:

PG- Sexton
SG- Clarkson
SF- Hood
Pf- Love
C- Nance Jr.

is really that much worse than what a lot of bottom teams in the East are throwing out?

like i said- i know the Cavs are going to be bad ---- but I dont think they are going to be horrible, and i WANT them to be horrible. They have too many guys that know how to play the game and have been around nad have some talent to be just terrible.

honest to God though...i look at hte Lakers roster and wonder why LeBron did not spend just 1 more year in Cleveland. They def. could have gotten Kemba if they wanted to make a deal

even if he just came back for 1 year --- Kemba, Love, Hood, Clarkson, Nance Jr., Korver, TT, etc. is just so much better than Ingram, Ball, Rondo, Stephenson, Kuzma, KCP, McGee, Zubac etc.

No. It is better than the bottom teams. And almost all of the league's worst rosters are in the East. That is why I am projecting them somewhere between 9 and 11 in the East as is.

I think you hit the nail on the head a couple days ago with respect to LeBron's decision. Either choice wasn't giving him a legit chance at a ring this year. At least in LA he avoids the potential embarrassment of losing to Kyrie's team.

 

[WiggyRuss]

No guarantee they were getting Walker....

they easily could ahve gotten him at the trade deadline- they just didnt want to take Batum back. if they would take back batum they could ahve gotten him. Sexton, Hill, Clarkson for Kemba and Batum is absolutely a deal they could have made. The hornets may just let Kemba walk, he is a FA. If LeBron came back Kemba would RIGHT NOW be a Cav.

 

[WiggyRuss]

No. It is better than the bottom teams. And almost all of the league's worst rosters are in the East. That is why I am projecting them somewhere between 9 and 11 in the East as is.

I think you hit the nail on the head a couple days ago with respect to LeBron's decision. Either choice wasn't giving him a legit chance at a ring this year. At least in LA he avoids the potential embarrassment of losing to Kyrie's team.

I think that is an underated part of this.

LeBron sees Kyrie debuting a movie..."Uncle Drew".......he knows neither the Celtics, or the Cavs, even if they got Kemba, were likely to win a title.

Even with a team of Lebron, Kemba nad Love- there is no guarantee the Cavs would beat the Celtics with Kyrie, Hayward, Horford, Tatum, Rozier, Brown, etc.......

I think the Cavs WOULD win that series if they had Kemba, but i also think that its pretty much a coin flip.

Instead of taking the chance of losing to the Celtics and being humiliated losing to Kyrie, he instead goes to LA, his movie, Space Jam, will be 10x bigger than Uncle Drew-- he will set himself up later in his career too.

I also think this is udnerated---- he has those movie/production aspirations. BEFORE going to LA- a ton of LA people did not like LeBron. There are a TON of people in LA loyal to Kobe that hated LeBron before he decided to go there.

Now, instead of LeBron being hated by LA post career if he wants to live there, they will love him (assuming he at least delivers 1 championship, which if yo uask me is far from guaranteed).

 

[lebron23james]

I know they won 40 games. They had a lot more talent than Cleveland and it isn't close.

Kevin Martin was a legit 20 per game scorer. Pekovic, while his career was cut short had an awesome season that year averaging something like 17.5 and 10. They also had some really good role players like Corey Brewer, JJ Barea and Ricky Rubio.

Literally not even close in terms of talent between these 2 groups.

And i never said Kyrie was a scrub. I said he was overrated. Big difference.

Lets look at some facts here

Kyrie, Love, Smith, TT where all starters on a team that beat a 73 win GS in the finals...Somebody had to play defense and score the other 75 points per game...

They still have Love, Smith, TT and added a lottery pick. Plus Boston gave them 2 young players, plus Hill and hood with clarkson and nance....If they pick up a vet or 2 they are a top 6 team in the east...easily

Now last year lebron had to play nearly every minute just to get the cavs towards the playoffs in the EAST. He is surrounded by who now? Rondo? Stevenson? Ball? Not one player even as good as Love, let alone Irving. Lebron is now on a worse team in a harder conference...I honestly don't see them making the playoffs...sorry but those are the facts kiddo

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I think that is an underated part of this.

LeBron sees Kyrie debuting a movie..."Uncle Drew".......he knows neither the Celtics, or the Cavs, even if they got Kemba, were likely to win a title.

Even with a team of Lebron, Kemba nad Love- there is no guarantee the Cavs would beat the Celtics with Kyrie, Hayward, Horford, Tatum, Rozier, Brown, etc.......

I think the Cavs WOULD win that series if they had Kemba, but i also think that its pretty much a coin flip.

Instead of taking the chance of losing to the Celtics and being humiliated losing to Kyrie, he instead goes to LA, his movie, Space Jam, will be 10x bigger than Uncle Drew-- he will set himself up later in his career too.

I also think this is udnerated---- he has those movie/production aspirations. BEFORE going to LA- a ton of LA people did not like LeBron. There are a TON of people in LA loyal to Kobe that hated LeBron before he decided to go there.

Now, instead of LeBron being hated by LA post career if he wants to live there, they will love him (assuming he at least delivers 1 championship, which if yo uask me is far from guaranteed).

I think everyone agrees that him going to L.A. wasn’t a decision made based on putting winning first.

 

[DJ]

Lets look at some facts here

Kyrie, Love, Smith, TT where all starters on a team that beat a 73 win GS in the finals...Somebody had to play defense and score the other 75 points per game...

They still have Love, Smith, TT and added a lottery pick. Plus Boston gave them 2 young players, plus Hill and hood with clarkson and nance....If they pick up a vet or 2 they are a top 6 team in the east...easily

Now last year lebron had to play nearly every minute just to get the cavs towards the playoffs in the EAST. He is surrounded by who now? Rondo? Stevenson? Ball? Not one player even as good as Love, let alone Irving. Lebron is now on a worse team in a harder conference...I honestly don't see them making the playoffs...sorry but those are the facts kiddo

Just adding James makes better than Minny, Portland, and Utah.

They are a 5-6 seed IMO.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I think everyone agrees that him going to L.A. wasn’t a decision made based on putting winning first.

isnt it surprising to you that LeBron would throw away one of the last great years of his career? Its what i still cant get over.

he has been to 8 straight finals and thats gone. he legitimately might not even make the 2nd roudn this year.

That just surprises the shit out of me. It really really does.

 

[lebron23james]

Just adding James makes better than Minny, Portland, and Utah.

They are a 5-6 seed IMO.

Do you truly believe that?

 

[DJ]

Do you truly believe that?

I was convinced on here by several people.....I was thinking a 6-8 seed. But James is just that good.

Ball and Ingram missed a bunch of games last season. If they had not, we would have won 40-42 games. Adding James to that.

Yes.

 

[DJ]

isnt it surprising to you that LeBron would throw away one of the last great years of his career? Its what i still cant get over.

he has been to 8 straight finals and thats gone. he legitimately might not even make the 2nd roudn this year.

That just surprises the shit out of me. It really really does.

"LeBron James + promising young roster + another max slot + Magic Johnson + allure of #Lakers + all of L.A. market opportunities = it won’t be hard to figure everything else out."

-Vincent Bonsignore before James signed

And he was right.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't get the Rondo move.

I do. Rondo played really well last year and is credited with helping Jrue Holidays improvement. The Lakers are likely hoping he can do the same with Lonzo. Plus, since we're still in the off-season, he's insurance if Lonzo ends up being part of a trade.

His 3 point shooting isn't exactly terrible anymore either.

Over the past 3 seasons he's shot .365, .372 and .333.

Not great, but it's good enough that he can't be left alone.

Hopefully for the Lakers, Magic and Pelinka learn from their mistakes and build a completely different support group next year. I love the core, especially if you add Kawhi.

Don't really see where the mistakes are. These moves are about completing a trade for Kawhi this year or, more likely, signing him or another max guy next year. I think that's why the Lakers are being patient, not improving their offer and waiting the Spurs out.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

isnt it surprising to you that LeBron would throw away one of the last great years of his career? Its what i still cant get over.

he has been to 8 straight finals and thats gone. he legitimately might not even make the 2nd roudn this year.

That just surprises the shit out of me. It really really does.

I think that he understands his chance of winning a title next year was worse then any chance since he first joined Miami.

So, why stay with the Cavs?
Why risk not even coming out of the East?

This is truly the first time I’d say he isn’t in a title or bust season since 2010.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Just adding James makes better than Minny, Portland, and Utah.

They are a 5-6 seed IMO.

maybe.....i could see them being better or worse record wise than any of those teams. Remember, in both Miami and Cleveland it took time for the teams to gel, and that was with Love/Irving and Bosh/Wade.

Now LeBron has a bunch of kids and a bunch of psychopaths and pretty much no one who can reliably drain a 3. I saw the numbers you quoted on Kuzma, KCP etc...but none of those guys is a pure volume 3 pt shooter. Ingram made less than 0.7 3-pointers a game last year. Before last year KCP's best 3pt percentage in his career was 35%--- at least he is SOMEWHAT of a volume guy with about 2 makes a game. Hart made 40% of his 3's but took less than 200 on the season.

They need a Channing Frye or Kyle Korver or something like that- a volume shooter who can reliaby hit about 40%. they actually need about 3 of those guys if you ask me.

 

[DJ]

I do. Rondo played really well last year and is credited with helping Jrue Holidays improvement. The Lakers are likely hoping he can do the same with Lonzo. Plus, since we're still in the off-season, he's insurance if Lonzo ends up being part of a trade.

His 3 point shooting isn't exactly terrible anymore either.

Over the past 3 seasons he's shot .365, .372 and .333.

Not great, but it's good enough that he can't be left alone.



Don't really see where the mistakes are. These moves are about completing a trade for Kawhi this year or, more likely, signing him or another max guy next year. I think that's why the Lakers are being patient, not improving their offer and waiting the Spurs out.

He made 42% in the postseason.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I do. Rondo played really well last year and is credited with helping Jrue Holidays improvement. The Lakers are likely hoping he can do the same with Lonzo. Plus, since we're still in the off-season, he's insurance if Lonzo ends up being part of a trade.

His 3 point shooting isn't exactly terrible anymore either.

Over the past 3 seasons he's shot .365, .372 and .333.

Not great, but it's good enough that he can't be left alone.



Don't really see where the mistakes are. These moves are about completing a trade for Kawhi this year or, more likely, signing him or another max guy next year. I think that's why the Lakers are being patient, not improving their offer and waiting the Spurs out.

you gotta look at more than just pure percentage when looking at a guy's 3 pt percentage. Rondo made less than 1 three a game last year. For all intents and purposes he is not a 3 pointer. He made 0.9 out of 2.1 attempts per game. As three point shooting goes in todays league that is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[WiggyRuss]

He made 42% in the postseason.

thats 19 attempts. lol....he made 0.8 three's per game in the postseason. He was left wide open on them because hes not a three point shooter. thats a shot teams want him to take.