2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[shopson67]

I think this is a fair point, but not sure how much extra credit I want to give for staying in the league and stealing money longer.

But, sure, if you want to call him a disaster and the other 2 double secret super disasters I wouldn't disagree.

If he was stealing money, would that many different teams continue to sign him? The most he ever made annually was $6.75M in 2011 for Golden State (traded to the Bucks at the deadline during that 1 year contract), 10 years into his career. Any money wasted was not stolen, it was given freely.

 

[flyerhawk]

The Cavs fans here are extremely chatty LOL

Sure but we don't have to take the bait every time.

 

[LAD]

1. OK, but you asked what he has done without him and so far the answer is they tanked and built the team back up to a title team.

yeah.....that sucked.

Let's keep things 1-hunid here. The only reason they were contending for a title was because LBJ went back & in the process he asked them to go after Love. We don't know why he chose to go back - maybe Gilbert begged him, maybe not. But to say Gilbert built the team back up is a bit of a stretch.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Well, we're in the 5th year, bud and he still hasn't done jack shit. And probably won't next year either.

In terms of best owner, you were in here jizzing yourself about Dan Gilbert spent so much money while Lebron was here and that Arison of the Heat was a cheap ass.

But in the end, Arison still got 2 titles out of Lebron to Gilbert's 1. Congrats!

I mean this is common sense.

After LeBron left the first time the cupboard was beyond bare. The Cavs had no 1st round pick, and had a bunch of aging win-now vets like Jamison and Shaq.

In 4 years they went from having, probably the least assets in the league and zero cap space, to having a ton of assets and having a good enough roster to lure LeBron back to Cleveland.

I am sure if Gilbert really wanted to he could have tried to "win now"- but all that would have accomplished is get the Cavs to where the Heat currently are--- something like the 3 year stretch where they went from the 6th seed, to 9th in the East to this year likely finishing 8th or 9th in the East---a team going nowhere in NBA purgatory with no cap space, the least draft capital in the NBA and no route to acquiring any kind of elite player.

Already this post-LeBron era, the Cavs are developing future roster mainstays like Sexton, and Osman. They have already traded for 2 extra first round picks and 6 extra 2nd round picks. They will likely have a top 3 pick in this draft.

I will take that kind of forward momentum any day over being a capped out mess that is fighting tooth and nail to hang onto the 8th seed with the least future draft assets in the league like the Heat.

If Gilbert wanted to- i am sure he could have thrown a bunch of money at some mediocre vets and went the route of being a 1st round punching bag (the Heat Way)- but that just seems awful.

Instead he faced the hard truth that the best way to actually become good again was to rebuild, absobred tons of extra money with guys like Baron Davis, Luke Walton, MAurice Speights, WAyne Ellington the first time around, and thus far, absorbed the contractsof guys like Dellavadova, Henson, Knight the second time around in order to jump-start the rebuild.


I would love to know which route you favor---- signing a bunch of mediocre players like Kelly Onlyk, Dion Waiters, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Hassan Whiteside- to poor contracts in order to fight to be a road playoff team that loses in the first round----- or to tank, take on other teams problems for draft picks, commit to playing the kids, and acquire high lotto picks, in order to actually be something that is challenging for more than being the Bucks first round bitch (at best), or at worst, getting the 13th/14th pick in the lotto to take a player that will have just about zero effect on your franchise like a Bam?

 

[shopson67]

You, too, can ask if you aren't able to read and comprehend my friend. Yes, they contended for a top pick during their tank that worked and helped them win....say it with me.....A TITLE.

That isn't what made them contend; that was Lebron returning to his home town out of guilt.

 

[dtgold88]

If he was stealing money, would that many different teams continue to sign him? The most he ever made annually was $6.75M in 2011 for Golden State (traded to the Bucks at the deadline during that 1 year contract), 10 years into his career. Any money wasted was not stolen, it was given freely.

well all contracts are "given freely" Are you saying no player has ever stolen money (and, yes, I get they haven't in the literal sense)?

 

[Wamu]

The Cavs fans here are extremely chatty LOL

Can you blame them though? They've had a helluva season & are preparing for a playoff run. Wait a minute that ain't right, they suck. My bad.

 

[flyerhawk]

Well not really. IF it happens it should only be 2-3 years (guess technically that is yearS, but thinking not what you meant). Will only happen if they can get the right guy in THIS draft. If not I agree it will be a long time if ever.

If the Cavs get Zion and he is the real deal in the pros then the Cavs could perhaps be a title contender in 3-4 years. Maybe. But it is far from certain that will happen. But the same is true of ANY team that wins the Zion sweepstakes. Even the perpetually inept Knicks could become title contenders. But just looked what happened with the Pelicans and Anthony Davis as a cautionary tale.

But they won a title I never thought they'd win and are my 4th favorite team so I can live with it.

It was a great title and they can never take that away from the Cavs. But that was 3 years ago. Let's talk about this season for a while.

 

[Wamu]

That isn't what made them contend; that was Lebron returning to his home town out of guilt.

It's really bizarre how many people think that since LeBron played for the Cavs he's from Cleveland.

 

[dtgold88]

That isn't what made them contend; that was Lebron returning to his home town out of guilt.

Oh my.....and without all the top picks and cap space used to use on him and bring in more talent, guess who is not coming back. Hint - name rhymes with Schlebron.

 

[LAD]

I love these replies. When folks tell me not to carry on a debate while extending the debate.

How is it still considered a debate when both sides agree?? She was trying to help you see that it has turned into a one sided argument. SMH

 

[dtgold88]

If the Cavs get Zion and he is the real deal in the pros then the Cavs could perhaps be a title contender in 3-4 years. Maybe. But it is far from certain that will happen. But the same is true of ANY team that wins the Zion sweepstakes. Even the perpetually inept Knicks could become title contenders. But just looked what happened with the Pelicans and Anthony Davis as a cautionary tale.



It was a great title and they can never take that away from the Cavs. But that was 3 years ago. Let's talk about this season for a while.

Cavs also are accruing picks again and look like they can have cap room in a couple years if they choose. Along with some young players and talented vets (if they choose to keep them).

If you want to talk about this season if we are talking titles I think everyone but GS will be a failure.

 

[LAD]

LeBron never missed that many games with Cleveland. They too were awful without him.

If LeBron doesn't get hurt maybe they don't push the AD button until the off-season. Those two events killed their season .

I agree. I think they could've withstood his injury & there was a chance for them to crawl back in the standings when he returned - had he & Rich Paul not tried to strong arm a trade. Maybe they did it because they had fallen out of contention while he was hurt. Who knows. What we do know is that both of those events combined was what killed this season.

 

[dtgold88]

It's really bizarre how many people think that since LeBron played for the Cavs he's from Cleveland.

Agree, though many call both Akron and Cleveland Northeast Ohio.

 

[WiggyRuss]

It is incredible how much talk there is about a team whose only relevance will be on lottery day.

The Cavs are going to stink for the foreseeable future. Maybe they once again get ANOTHER No. 1 pick and get Zion and that can begin a turnaround but it will still take years for that to happen.

ehhh......if they are lucky enough to get Zion, they will have a ton of cap space in the summer of 2020.

Sexton, Osman, Zion, Love, Nance and a ton of cap space, Houston 1st round pick, their own 2020 lotto pick, ---

if they get zion they will be a playoff team in 2020/2021- thats for sure.

The Cavs will be bad again next year- but after that it is a function of who they get in the draft and how they choose to rebuild.

If they re-flip all of these expirings for more bad money for another boatload of picks (except next trade deadline they will have even better expiring contracts with more valuable players to work with), then itll take a longer time--- but if they get Zion and preserve their cap space for 2020 and Osman and Sexton keep advancing then they could without a doubt be a playoff team the year after next.

 

[dtgold88]

How is it still considered a debate when both sides agree?? She was trying to help you see that it has turned into a one sided argument. SMH

you can SYH, LOL, post an irrelevant GIF, go into another Yosemite Sam-like namecalling meltdown. Doesn't really matter.

It was someone crying about a conversation being extended by extending it.

 

[WiggyRuss]

It's really bizarre how many people think that since LeBron played for the Cavs he's from Cleveland.

esp. because LeBron goes out of his way to say he is NOT from Cleveland just about every time anyone says it to him.

 

[dtgold88]

ehhh......if they are lucky enough to get Zion, they will have a ton of cap space in the summer of 2020.

Sexton, Osman, Zion, Love, Nance and a ton of cap space, Houston 1st round pick, their own 2020 lotto pick, ---

if they get zion they will be a playoff team in 2020/2021- thats for sure.

The Cavs will be bad again next year- but after that it is a function of who they get in the draft and how they choose to rebuild.

If they re-flip all of these expirings for more bad money for another boatload of picks (except next trade deadline they will have even better expiring contracts with more valuable players to work with), then itll take a longer time--- but if they get Zion and preserve their cap space for 2020 and Osman and Sexton keep advancing then they could without a doubt be a playoff team the year after next.

Agree, though if they want to next year I think a team with Zion, Love, Osman, TT, Nance, Sexton, Clarkson could be a playoff team in the East. For sure if Zion is the real deal.......but not sure that's best in the long run.

 

[Wamu]

Agree, though many call both Akron and Cleveland Northeast Ohio.

Then whoever says that has no idea what they're talking about. You know this but the cities of Akron & Cleveland are both located in NE Ohio.

 

[Wamu]

esp. because LeBron goes out of his way to say he is NOT from Cleveland just about every time anyone says it to him.

Exactly.