Series Thread: 5) Indiana Pacers vs. 4) Cleveland Cavaliers

[flyerhawk]

Look all this hemming and hawing about putting together a Laker superteam reminds me so much of when the DUbs got Durant. Then it was all 'oh noes, without Bogut who will defend the paint? And they will decimate their bench'

It's silly.

Ummm, the Warriors won 73 games before they got Durant. While I'm sure some people were trying to rationalize that losing Bogut was going to hurt the Warriors most people were wondering if the Warriors were going to exceed their 73 win total, which they didn't.

I most certainly do not think that the Lakers become a super team simply by adding Lebron and Paul George.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Good, the Cavs are going to need that lottery pick if LeBron leaves.

They will need him even if he doesn’t leave, look at this roster

 

[Black Adam]

Ummm, the Warriors won 73 games before they got Durant. While I'm sure some people were trying to rationalize that losing Bogut was going to hurt the Warriors most people were wondering if the Warriors were going to exceed their 73 win total, which they didn't.

I most certainly do not think that the Lakers become a super team simply by adding Lebron and Paul George.

agreed...

 

[WiggyRuss]

This has been fun.

The one thing that takes a little joy out of having LeBron is that a lot of times you are expected to win rather than just having the pure joy of winning. I dont know if Heat fans can relate to this--- but after some LeBron wins there is more of a feeling of relief that the team didnt lose - more so than the joy of just winning the game.

Right now it does feel different though- winning like that, against a tough Pacers team, was just fun and joyful. Lets hope the Cavaliers can keep it up--- finish off the Pacers and move on.

Its fun right now.

 

[trojanfan12]

True. I don't mean to slag on Kuzma. He's a solid player. But I think you would agree that bringing in PG and Lebron would make the Lakers a pretty thin squad, barring some pretty massive shakeup.

I don't think it would make them all that thin. Even if Kuzma never gets any better than he is right now, that's a darn good bench player. They would also still have Josh Hart, who would be a nice player off the bench, even if he never gets better than he is now. The rest of the bench would be filled with solid vet type role players looking to get a ring.

I see it as similar to the Warriors. When KD went there everyone, myself included, said they would have zero depth. Yet their bench actually improved.

I'm not saying that would necessarily be the case for the Lakers, just that I don't think it would necessarily kill their depth.

 

[flyerhawk]

I don't think it would make them all that thin. Even if Kuzma never gets any better than he is right now, that's a darn good bench player. They would also still have Josh Hart, who would be a nice player off the bench, even if he never gets better than he is now. The rest of the bench would be filled with solid vet type role players looking to get a ring.

I see it as similar to the Warriors. When KD went there everyone, myself included, said they would have zero depth. Yet their bench actually improved.

I'm not saying that would necessarily be the case for the Lakers, just that I don't think it would necessarily kill their depth.

So you think that a roster of.

Lebron
PG
Ball
Ingram
Kuzma
Zubac
Hart
Deng
Eniis
A. Ingram

would not be a thin roster?

The Lakers don't have depth as it is. Bringing in James and PG would tap out their available salary cap. The Lakers almost certainly would not be bringing back Lopez, Randle or Thomas.

The Warriors team had 2 of the best 7 players in basketball and 4 of the top 20. They also had guys on the bench like Livingston and Iggy.

Of course the Lakers could just blow throw the cap and just take a huge tax for the year. Or they could move Deng along with whatever assets it would require to move him and free up cash to sign some quality role players. So those are possible options. But they both come with costs.

 

[trojanfan12]

So you think that a roster of.

Lebron
PG
Ball
Ingram
Kuzma
Zubac
Hart
Deng
Eniis
A. Ingram

would not be a thin roster?

The Lakers don't have depth as it is. Bringing in James and PG would tap out their available salary cap. The Lakers almost certainly would not be bringing back Lopez, Randle or Thomas.

The Warriors team had 2 of the best 7 players in basketball and 4 of the top 20. They also had guys on the bench like Livingston and Iggy.

Of course the Lakers could just blow throw the cap and just take a huge tax for the year. Or they could move Deng along with whatever assets it would require to move him and free up cash to sign some quality role players. So those are possible options. But they both come with costs.

At what point did I mention who the other bench players would be besides Kuzma and Hart? I said solid vet type role players. That specifically excludes pretty much everyone you listed except Kuzma and Hart. Zubac is the only other player on your list that would likely still be on the team.

And lol @mentioning Deng.

 

[WiggyRuss]

So you think that a roster of.

Lebron
PG
Ball
Ingram
Kuzma
Zubac
Hart
Deng
Eniis
A. Ingram

would not be a thin roster?

The Lakers don't have depth as it is. Bringing in James and PG would tap out their available salary cap. The Lakers almost certainly would not be bringing back Lopez, Randle or Thomas.

The Warriors team had 2 of the best 7 players in basketball and 4 of the top 20. They also had guys on the bench like Livingston and Iggy.

Of course the Lakers could just blow throw the cap and just take a huge tax for the year. Or they could move Deng along with whatever assets it would require to move him and free up cash to sign some quality role players. So those are possible options. But they both come with costs.

As a salary cap stickler--- you cant really just "blow through the cap".

Over time you can go over the cap- but they wont have the mid level available till the following year. They would have to renounce Randle to clear his cap hold to sign James and George theoretically. If they signed George and LeBron they would be limited to min. contracts to fill out the roster.

Warriors used Iggy's and Livingstons bird rights to resign those guys. The Lakers eventually would have to do the same with Ingram, Ball, Kuzma etc....but those guys arent up for new deals yet anyway.

 

[flyerhawk]

At what point did I mention who the other bench players would be besides Kuzma and Hart? I said solid vet type role players. That specifically excludes pretty much everyone you listed except Kuzma and Hart. Zubac is the only other player on your list that would likely still be on the team.

And lol @mentioning Deng.

The problem is the salary cap, as Wiggy points out.

Unless you can move,or stretc, Deng, you won't be able to sign solid vet role players because you will only be able to sign league minimum guys.

I'm not slagging on the Lakers here. But the cap is the cap.

 

[trojanfan12]

The one thing that takes a little joy out of having LeBron is that a lot of times you are expected to win rather than just having the pure joy of winning. I dont know if Heat fans can relate to this--- but after some LeBron wins there is more of a feeling of relief that the team didnt lose - more so than the joy of just winning the game.

I understand this. With the Lakers history, winning was expected. Now, over the last few seasons, watching the kids develop and not expecting to win...the wins they do get are more fun, especially when they are wins that show that they are learning and growing. For example, they played a lot more close games this year and from about the all star break on, they showed signs of figuring out how to win some of those games.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather get back to expecting wins asap, but this has still been fun.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The problem is the salary cap, as Wiggy points out.

Unless you can move,or stretc, Deng, you won't be able to sign solid vet role players because you will only be able to sign league minimum guys.

I'm not slagging on the Lakers here. But the cap is the cap.

stretching deng only gets them in position to sign lebron and george--- nothing on top.

they should sign Cousins this offseason--- and sign Klay next offseason---- get one more high pick next offseason.

PG- Lonzo-
SG- Klay
SF- Ingram
PF- Kuzma
C- Cousins

 

[Montalban]

It just makes me sick watching James' self-promotion. Not sure about the goal tending; maybe it was, maybe it wasn't but his behavior is just awful. The way he loves himself is creepy.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

So, here I am, tHoop's biggest Cavs fan, here to talk about the GOAT's heroics last night and throw things at @DorianRo as he tries to suck his own dick.

 

[gordontrue]

It just makes me sick watching James' self-promotion. Not sure about the goal tending; maybe it was, maybe it wasn't but his behavior is just awful. The way he loves himself is creepy.

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

 

[flyerhawk]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

It's Montalban. He's in a perpetual battle with Dorian over who can be the most ridiculous Lebron hater.

They would bash him for drinking water.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

The dude celebrated a game winning playoff shot as the clock struck 0.00 in the biggest moment of the season.

My God what a dick. How dare he openly show emotion and celebrate??
I turned the TV set off and had to explain to my kids that that type of behavior is reprehensible.

Lebron is supposed to quietly return to the bench and go shake hands with the other team.
Then LBJ is supposed to thank his teammates, trainors, coaches, and fans for the help making the shot.
And Finally, LBJ is supposed to change into a sensible suit and tie to field all those well thought out intelligent press questions.

Nobody in league history has ever celebrated a game winner except for the pure evil horrible human that is Lebron.

 

[bksballer89]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

The stupidity of this board is amazing

 

[flyerhawk]

The dude celebrated a game winning playoff shot as the clock struck 0.00 in the biggest moment of the season.

My God what a dick. How dare he openly show emotion and celebrate??
I turned the TV set off and had to explain to my kids that that type of behavior is reprehensible.

Lebron is supposed to quietly return to the bench and go shake hands with the other team.
Then LBJ is supposed to thank his teammates, trainors, coaches, and fans for the help making the shot.
And Finally, LBJ is supposed to change into a sensible suit and tie to field all those well thought out intelligent press questions.

Nobody in league history has ever celebrated a game winner except for the pure evil horrible human that is Lebron.

Lebron should supplicate himself to the other team after hitting the game winning shot.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

 

[Shanemansj13]

It just makes me sick watching James' self-promotion. Not sure about the goal tending; maybe it was, maybe it wasn't but his behavior is just awful. The way he loves himself is creepy.

His confidence is sky high, too high? Probably. Wouldn’t that say is a bad thing for a guy making an organization millions and even billions of dollars. It’s a business and he is the best businessman we have ever witnessed. Incredible game last night too