Where do the Cavs go from here?

[WiggyRuss]

Defensive signing.

the Lakers have given KCP, what? a combined like 30 million the last 2 years?

do you think if he is represented by ANYONE except Clutch sports that happens?

of course not.

 

[trojanfan12]

oh i totally agree OKC and the Thunder management team and Westbrook did a great job, but the facts are the facts

1. when George was traded to OKC practically everyone thought it was only a matter of time until he got to LA- mostly because thats what George said!

2. George is from LA

3. He could have played with LeBron in LA.

instead he decided to stay in OKC with Westbrook- and surprisngly he signed a long term deal instead of the 1 and 1 many people expected him to sign.

I have to say I did not see those series of events occuring. If someone would have told me that LeBron would go to LA, and there would be cap space for George and he would decide to spurn his hometown team and joining with LEBron to stay in OKC I would have thought they were crazy.

Just because practically everyone thought PG was going to the Lakers, doesn't mean PG did.

Also, PG was never adamant about playing for the Lakers. He said he wanted to play in LA and preferred the Lakers. The only thing he was adamant about was that he wasn't staying in Indy.

Again, there is nothing that has come from PG's mouth to indicate that Lebron had anything to do with his decision.

In fact, apparently, it has been leaked that Lebron not being willing to commit to the Cavs was part of why PG wouldn't sign an extension before being traded. That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't want to play with him to me.

 

[WiggyRuss]

LeBron James.

exactly!!!

Klutch

 

[WiggyRuss]

Just because practically everyone thought PG was going to the Lakers, doesn't mean PG did.

Also, PG was never adamant about playing for the Lakers. He said he wanted to play in LA and preferred the Lakers. The only thing he was adamant about was that he wasn't staying in Indy.

Again, there is nothing that has come from PG's mouth to indicate that Lebron had anything to do with his decision.

In fact, apparently, it has been leaked that Lebron not being willing to commit to the Cavs was part of why PG wouldn't sign an extension before being traded. That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't want to play with him to me.

you could say all those smae things about Kawhi

 

[WiggyRuss]

Just because practically everyone thought PG was going to the Lakers, doesn't mean PG did.

Also, PG was never adamant about playing for the Lakers. He said he wanted to play in LA and preferred the Lakers. The only thing he was adamant about was that he wasn't staying in Indy.

Again, there is nothing that has come from PG's mouth to indicate that Lebron had anything to do with his decision.

In fact, apparently, it has been leaked that Lebron not being willing to commit to the Cavs was part of why PG wouldn't sign an extension before being traded. That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't want to play with him to me.

George did tell the Pacers that he wanted to be traded and his preferred destination was the Lakers- his hometown team- i totally agree

 

[CitySushi]

the Lakers have given KCP, what? a combined like 30 million the last 2 years?

do you think if he is represented by ANYONE except Clutch sports that happens?

of course not.

I find the signing of KCP extremely strange, given that they were able to get Lance for 4.3M. If that were the case, they would have been better off just giving Boogie the deal and letting the season play out and hope he returns after the allstar break. Lebron is good enough to keep the team afloat at at 50% clip by himself. Boogie puts them into an easy playoff spot contention.

The only real reasoning I can think of them resigning him was because of them possibly using his expiring contract as trade bait towards the deadline. That 12M expiring will look nice to a lot of teams looking to be active next year.

But they basically spend 16.3M between him and Lance Stephenson. You're telling me they couldn't have used that money to get Trevor Ariza and Boogie instead?

 

[WiggyRuss]

I find the signing of KCP extremely strange, given that they were able to get Lance for 4.3M. If that were the case, they would have been better off just giving Boogie the deal and letting the season play out and hope he returns after the allstar break. Lebron is good enough to keep the team afloat at at 50% clip by himself. Boogie puts them into an easy playoff spot contention.

The only real reasoning I can think of them resigning him was because of them possibly using his expiring contract as trade bait towards the deadline. That 12M expiring will look nice to a lot of teams looking to be active next year.

But they basically spend 16.3M between him and Lance Stephenson. You're telling me they couldn't have used that money to get Trevor Ariza and Boogie instead?

but the thing bout an expiring contract is that you use it to bring ina player that has money left on his deal. They dont want to clog up the cap with a player that has money left on their deal do they? Say they traded for DeRozan or Beale---- doesnt that preclude them from making a big move in free agency next summer?

Its why i think the signing was so strange- especially in an environment where Stephensen is getting 4M, Randle is getting 9M, Rondo is getting 9M, JJ REdick a much better player is getting 12M, etc. etc.

Was there another team out there really bidding for a guy that spent time in betwen games in jail last year?

 

[CitySushi]

but the thing bout an expiring contract is that you use it to bring ina player that has money left on his deal. They dont want to clog up the cap with a player that has money left on their deal do they? Say they traded for DeRozan or Beale---- doesnt that preclude them from making a big move in free agency next summer?

Its why i think the signing was so strange- especially in an environment where Stephensen is getting 4M, Randle is getting 9M, Rondo is getting 9M, JJ REdick a much better player is getting 12M, etc. etc.

Was there another team out there really bidding for a guy that spent time in betwen games in jail last year?

Yeah, I'm in agreement with you. I think if the Lakers can get a player the caliber you mention with Derozan or Beale, they'd be happy to take that and forgo free agency for a big name. Just like this year, there's no guarantee you're going to hit on certain guys you're targeting. I think if given the opportunity, they'd take Derozan, Beale, Dame/CJ, etc in a heartbeat.

 

[trojanfan12]

you could say all those smae things about Kawhi

I agree. That's part of why I'm starting to think the Lakers may be better off looking in another direction. Especially if the Spurs don't lower their reported demands.

If the Lakers can get him for their reported current offer, then I think you still do the trade. But not for what the Spurs are supposedly asking.

Kawhi has reportedly been more adamant than PG was. But even at that, we now have conflicting reports re: wanting to play with Lebron.

One says he's more likely to want to play with the Lakers because he doesn't want to compete head to head with Lebron in the same city.

And another says he's less likely to want to play with the Lakers because he doesn't want to be in Lebron's shadow.

Meanwhile...nothing coming from Kawhi directly.

 

[DJ]

I agree. That's part of why I'm starting to think the Lakers may be better off looking in another direction. Especially if the Spurs don't lower their reported demands.

If the Lakers can get him for their reported current offer, then I think you still do the trade. But not for what the Spurs are supposedly asking.

Kawhi has reportedly been more adamant than PG was. But even at that, we now have conflicting reports re: wanting to play with Lebron.

One says he's more likely to want to play with the Lakers because he doesn't want to compete head to head with Lebron in the same city.

And another says he's less likely to want to play with the Lakers because he doesn't want to be in Lebron's shadow.

Meanwhile...nothing coming from Kawhi directly.

Lilliard reportedly wants to be traded and play for the Lakers......I'd offer them a trade.

Lilliard and James would be sick.

 

[tlance]

Yeah, I agree with @thunderc on this. The only reasons that I could think of would be to get rid of Dengs contract and to add a 3 point shooter so they can compete a little better this year.

You have waited this long.

Don't waste a young cheap asset to get rid of Deng's deal now. Lakers can't contend with the current roster this year, but if they can keep Ingram, Kuzma, etc. and sign Kawhi (or another star) next summer, they could get there.

Kuzma is infinitely more valuable to the Lakers long term than Love would be, because he is so cheap that they can keep him Alongside multiple max players.

Even if Deng isn't traded next summer, stretching him at that point makes his contract basically irrelevant because it will be down to 1 year. Doing the same now still creates a somewhat significant cap hit.

 

[trojanfan12]

the Lakers have given KCP, what? a combined like 30 million the last 2 years?

do you think if he is represented by ANYONE except Clutch sports that happens?

of course not.

Yeah, I agree to a point.

The Lakers were creating/preserving cap space for this off season and next off season. To do that, you have to sign guys willing to take 1 year "make good" type deals. So they were going to be signing guys like KCP anyway.

Having said that, I don't think there's any question that when choosing which 1 year guys to sign, the fact that he is with Klutch and they could use the signing as a way to start developing a relationship with Lebron, gave KCP the edge and a bump in pay to boot.

He played well enough last year to earn another 1 year if he was willing. But again, being part of Klutch no doubt helped the Lakers decide to offer him another 1 year deal.

 

[trojanfan12]

Lilliard reportedly wants to be traded and play for the Lakers......I'd offer them a trade.

Lilliard and James would be sick.

True.

That report came from Stephen A. though, sooooo....

 

[tlance]

As a Cavs fan, I didn't know LeBron could commit. Every offseason you were afraid you might lose him, we could of had Paul George and LeBron together for years, but LeBron didn't want to commit to the Cavs long term. Yet, days ago he has no problem committing to the Lakers.

He couldn't commit to Cleveland because Dan Gilbert is incompetent. That is the reason.

He trusts management in LA, and he trusted Riley in Miami. That is the difference.

 

[Battlelyon]

He couldn't commit to Cleveland because Dan Gilbert is incompetent. That is the reason.

He trusts management in LA, and he trusted Riley in Miami. That is the difference.

Can't disagree, when is Danny Boy leaving is what I want to know

 

[tlance]

Well in his defense he only committed ohe more year to LA than Cleveland. LA was a 4 year contract with 3 years committed. Cleveland, when he went back was w 3 year contract and 2 years committed. He staysd for 4 years.

No.

He committed 1 year at a time until Cleveland won. Then he signed for 2.

After watching all the chaos from last summer, do you understand why?

 

[tlance]

Only if they kept Kyrie.

George/Lebron isn't necessarily even better than Love/Lebron.

Even then,

They would still have been rather large underdogs. But they would have had a chance.

 

[trojanfan12]

You have waited this long.

Don't waste a young cheap asset to get rid of Deng's deal now. Lakers can't contend with the current roster this year, but if they can keep Ingram, Kuzma, etc. and sign Kawhi (or another star) next summer, they could get there.

Kuzma is infinitely more valuable to the Lakers long term than Love would be, because he is so cheap that they can keep him Alongside multiple max players.

Even if Deng isn't traded next summer, stretching him at that point makes his contract basically irrelevant because it will be down to 1 year. Doing the same now still creates a somewhat significant cap hit.

Yeah, I agree. When I posted that, I thought Love would be an FA next year. That's the only way it would make sense because they would rid themselves of the Deng contract and could let Love walk after the season.

But @flyerhawk pointed out that Love is under contract until 2020. So yeah, may as well just continue to be patient on Deng's deal. They should be able to move him to a team looking to rent cap space.

As you said, even if they still have to stretch him, the cap hit becomes fairly insignificant.

 

[Wamu]

Can't disagree, when is Danny Boy leaving is what I want to know

Danny Boy isn't even the worst owner in the city. It's a close call but that jackass Jimmy Haslam has the title right now. And he ain't letting go of it anytime soon.

 

[DJ]

Yeah, I agree to a point.

The Lakers were creating/preserving cap space for this off season and next off season. To do that, you have to sign guys willing to take 1 year "make good" type deals. So they were going to be signing guys like KCP anyway.

Having said that, I don't think there's any question that when choosing which 1 year guys to sign, the fact that he is with Klutch and they could use the signing as a way to start developing a relationship with Lebron, gave KCP the edge and a bump in pay to boot.

He played well enough last year to earn another 1 year if he was willing. But again, being part of Klutch no doubt helped the Lakers decide to offer him another 1 year deal.

My point was I really don't care since we landed James.

And acting like KCP can't play is just stupid. He plays some really good defense and 12 million isn't that crazy. It's a little above the MLE.