Which team has a better future......New York or Cleveland?

[DJ Fieri]

Randle has always been really skilled and now seems to have taken it to another level, I guess it’s Thibs because he has just been a beast

Thibs is a really good coach with youngsters, vets not so much.

 

[DJ Fieri]

My brother is out in Santa Barbara, I get their pretty often

I’ll end up out there eventually

Love CA but not sure I'll ever end up living there again.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Love CA but not sure I'll ever end up living there again.

Where you at now?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Santa Barbara is damn near like Beverly Hills......expensive as fuck.

LOL.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Santa Barbara is damn near like Beverly Hills......expensive as fuck.

LOL.

Certain spots, he has a great little set up but nothing crazy

 

[DJ Fieri]

That’s it, it really is a basketball town first and Knicks fans are so loyal and are just starving

I'd like to see them keep Randle and see him and Barrett become a nice duo but I can see them making a trade with Randle....they need some help and a draft pick in the 2021 draft would be huge with how much talent is in it.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

I'd like to see them keep Randle and see him and Barrett become a nice duo but I can see them making a trade with Randle....they need some help and a draft pick in the 2021 draft would be huge with how much talent is in it.

I just hate draft picks in the NBA, once you get out of the lottery, you really need to get lucky to hit on an impact player

 

[trojanfan12]

Agree with @bksballer89

I'd go with the Knicks because they're in New York. They haven't signed a free agent in a long time, but they've also sucked for a long time.

If Thibs can keep them competitive and the owner can manage to stay the fuck out of the way, they'll start to look more attractive to FA's and that should help them start landing better guys.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Players-wise...The Cavs because while the Knicks might be better in the short term, Thibbs will eventually run all his players into the ground.

Thibs played RJ Barrett nearly 44 minutes yesterday in a regulation game. LOL.

Randle played over 43 minutes yesterday and over 44 in another game already this season. Both regulation games.

yah i saw Randle and Barrett are #1 and #2 in the league in minutes played so far this year.

 

[dtgold88]

The knicks because they play in ny. If the cavs played in a attractive free agency destination then it is probably them

If not for the Dolan factor I'd agree, but cannot think of an elite FA they have attracted there.

Close call....but he forgot Porter who I think will be a big piece for the Cavs. comes down for them what they do with Drummond. Either keep or need to find a suitable replacement, If not it's probably NY

 

[dtgold88]

Agree with @bksballer89

I'd go with the Knicks because they're in New York. They haven't signed a free agent in a long time, but they've also sucked for a long time.

If Thibs can keep them competitive and the owner can manage to stay the fuck out of the way, they'll start to look more attractive to FA's and that should help them start landing better guys.

I mean, they have had some good seasons and not attracted FAs. Not sure that Dolan factor ever changes as long as he is there.

 

[DJ Fieri]

If not for the Dolan factor I'd agree, but cannot think of an elite FA they have attracted there.

Close call....but he forgot Porter who I think will be a big piece for the Cavs. comes down for them what they do with Drummond. Either keep or need to find a suitable replacement, If not it's probably NY

Yeah, I forgot Porter.....

 

[bksballer89]

If not for the Dolan factor I'd agree, but cannot think of an elite FA they have attracted there.

Close call....but he forgot Porter who I think will be a big piece for the Cavs. comes down for them what they do with Drummond. Either keep or need to find a suitable replacement, If not it's probably NY

Winning and/or culture can change everything along with solid draft picks. If they can have 2 solid seasons with Thibs and the young players look decent, I can see them becoming a free agency destination before year 3 under thibs

 

[Shanemansj13]

If you look at young core it’s without a doubt CLE and really not even close. No guarantee they sign Randle back in a couple years. They will have plenty of cap space but like Sushi mentioned you just can’t play these guys that many minutes and honestly I really am not a huge fan of their young core. Barrett’s numbers look good bc of his huge minutes, he is still a very inconsistent shooter—extremely young but you never know how quickly a kids’ growth will develop. Knox seems to be a dud. Toppin, I mean I think he is a hit or miss. Playing good early but running those young guys into the ground with little depth could be a backbreaker. We will see.

Cavs have Garland and Sexton. Then other young pieces like Osman, Windler, Nance, Okoro...and Porter Jr when he comes back. They have a lot of depth.

Surprised to hear people say NY’s market being the difference bc NY hasn’t attracted a big FA in a very long time. So they might be in a great destination/market but it honestly doesn’t matter...I mean if a young team develops and makes a rising team, a player (maybe not a star) will be intriguing...that’s why young core and buildinf through the draft is the most important factor and why I lean CLE.

 

[dtgold88]

Winning and/or culture can change everything along with solid draft picks. If they can have 2 solid seasons with Thibs and the young players look decent, I can see them becoming a free agency destination before year 3 under thibs

do vets really want to play for Thibs?

 

[dtgold88]

If you look at young core it’s without a doubt CLE and really not even close. No guarantee they sign Randle back in a couple years. They will have plenty of cap space but like Sushi mentioned you just can’t play these guys that many minutes and honestly I really am not a huge fan of their young core. Barrett’s numbers look good bc of his huge minutes, he is still a very inconsistent shooter—extremely young but you never know how quickly a kids’ growth will develop. Knox seems to be a dud. Toppin, I mean I think he is a hit or miss. Playing good early but running those young guys into the ground with little depth could be a backbreaker. We will see.

Cavs have Garland and Sexton. Then other young pieces like Osman, Windler, Nance, Okoro...and Porter Jr when he comes back. They have a lot of depth.

Surprised to hear people say NY’s market being the difference bc NY hasn’t attracted a big FA in a very long time. So they might be in a great destination/market but it honestly doesn’t matter...I mean if a young team develops and makes a rising team, a player (maybe not a star) will be intriguing...that’s why young core and buildinf through the draft is the most important factor and why I lean CLE.

Throw all the young guys in a draft together from both teams and I wonder what the order would be. Only thing that could stop Sexton from being clear #1 is height....and he still might go first.

 

[flyerhawk]

Did Jimmy Dolan sell the Knicks when I wasn't looking?

 

[WiggyRuss]

i guess NYK have like 60+ million in cap space this offseason. Unfortunately for them the free agent market is kinda crappy.

They COULD spend it on RFA's and make some big offer sheets that other teams wont match or roll it over.

I do think RJ Barrett will be good.

I dont know why all these people are giving Thibs so much credit. He has had a couple stops and has always worn out his welcome fairly quickly.

I look at the Knicks. Who are their long term pieces that they plan to have around? I would say:

1. RJ Barrett
2. Obi Toppin
3. Mitchell Robinson

Obi and Randle are both pure 4's. Both are not good defenders and dont have good tools to become good defenders. Randle can do a lot of things. Randle is shooting 40% from 3 right now, but is a career 30% shooter from 3. They have an interesting choice to make with him whether they want him to be around long term with Obi on the team. Randle is playing, by far,a career high 38 minutes a night in a season that is fairly contracted time wise. His stats are pumped up by that- as well as not playing with many other scorers.

Barrett is 20 years old. its very hard to say what a guy will be at 20. Thus far he really cant shoot a 3. its so early though. He was a very good prospect. The Knicks basically have no long term money on the books. Even Robinson is only guaranteed to be on the team for one more year with a team option for next year.

 

[WiggyRuss]

So---- the truth is- its almost impossible to say where the Knicks will be at. They basically only have 2 guys they have under contract for any length of time--- Barrett and Toppin. Everyone else is basically up either this year or next year. They have no long term commitments.

It all depends what they do with their cap space. If they want to keep Mitchell Robinson for anything more than next year they are going to have to pay him a solid raise. Same with Randle- he has 20M non guaranteed next year.

The Cavs are in a different spot. They have a lot more young pieces and some vets under longer term deals.

Veteran Wise- the Cavs have:

1. Love- 2 more years after this year for about 30 a year- not so good value if he cant get healthy
2. Nance- 2 more years after this year for about 10 a year---looks like REALLY good value
3. Osman- 2 more years after this year for about 8 a year---looks like pretty good value

Young Player Wise the Cavs have a lot more talent--- not that all of them will necessarily pan out

1. Sexton
2. Garland
3. Okoro

These 3 guys are the pretty high level prospects. Sexton, Garland and Okoro is a very good young base to grow from- better than Barrett and Toppin.

Cavs other young guys that are either not as high level talents or have issues are:

4. Windler- an interesting former 1st round pick that can rebound and shoot with a good head on his shoulders- athleticism is a limiting to a certain extent
5. Porter Jr.- a very talented guy that could be as good as anyone on either team- but has his off the court issues that are very real

We can kind of see a little bit more what the Cavs are going to be in the years to come. WE really have no clue what the Knicks are going to be.

Not only that---- but if one of these teams gets lucky in the next draft- and can get a big time talent- that could change the whole conversation in a huge way. Right now it looks like Thibs is going for every win and the Knicks will probably win more games---- but we shall see.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Throw all the young guys in a draft together from both teams and I wonder what the order would be. Only thing that could stop Sexton from being clear #1 is height....and he still might go first.

1. Sexton
2. Okoro
3. Toppin
4. Barrett
5. Garland

I think the Knicks would prefer Toppin than Barrett at this point. And Okoro just went over Toppin the draft- though they were close. I think i take the wing that can play defense with the work ethic Okoro has.

Sexton is already a big time scorer and shooter and has proven himself. He is the clear #1. Garland's first weak year hurts him- but how he has played has really been much much better this year. Really- 2-5 could flip multiple times over the next few years. I think Sexton has done a solid enough job to be solidly #1 on this list at this point.