1:10pm: Gilbert’s meeting with Griffin could happen as soon as Wednesday, sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. Amico also writes that the Cavs are expected to offer Griffin a “significant” pay raise and possibly a loftier title too.
9:38am: Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert confirmed to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com following the the club’s Game 5 loss that he intends to meet with general manager David Griffin within the next few days to discuss his future with the franchise. Griffin’s contract with the Cavs is set to expire at the end of the month.
Despite the fact that his Cavs lost to the Warriors in five games, Gilbert didn’t sound like someone looking to make major changes, telling Vardon that he feels good about “our talent, our personnel, coaching staff, everything.” However, the Cavs owner declined to say whether he’s confident that Griffin would return: “It’s not fair to him for me to discuss that.”
Griffin has been mentioned as a potential candidate in every GM search that has taken place so far this offseason, though clubs like the Magic and Hawks filled their openings without getting a chance to speak to the Cavs GM. The Bucks were also said to have interest in Griffin and haven’t yet made a hire, but they’re reportedly down to two finalists, and there’s no guarantee the Cavs would grant Milwaukee permission to speak to Griffin before his contract is up.
Although the Cavs have yet to extend Griffin, there is reportedly a sense within the organization that the GM is expected to be back. If Cleveland intends to retain the veteran exec, the team will likely need to offer him a substantial raise. As Vardon notes, Griffin is currently earning less than $2MM annually.
A title change could also be a possibility if Griffin sticks with the Cavs — he holds the general manager position, so a promotion to president of basketball operations would make some sense. Vardon reports that Griffin is seeking “some structural changes to the organization,” so perhaps he’d like the Cavs to add a GM for day-to-day duties while he retains final say on basketball decisions as president of basketball ops. That’s just my speculation though.
Gilbert: So I’d like you to shed salary and I want us back in the Finals next season.
Griffin: Hold my beer.
*boards flight to Milwaukee*
I seriously doubt Gilbert is going to draw the financial line at paying Griffin a few million more.
If I’m Griffin, I’m jumping off the ship now. The Cavs roster is a mess financially speaking. Due to president LeBron demanding that guys like Tristan and JR get overpaid, they don’t have any cap space to improve their team without trading Kyrie or Kevin Love. He got the Cavs to 3 straight finals. Like the early commenter said Milwaukee would probably be my choice now. Young team filled with studs: Greek Freak, Middleton, hopefully eventually Jabari
Also guys like Brogdon, Maker
There’s zero guarantee that the Bucks management will make the commitments that Dan Gilbert made to build a champion and that is the reason why Gilbert stays. Let’s not act like the Cavs are not set to contend for the next 3 years with the nucleus they have.
Thompson and JR Smith are hardly overpaid when you consider the contracts other similarily skilled players signed for last offseason. As long as Gilbert is willing to pay the bill/signs off on the large cap, what benefit is there for Griffin to jump ship to a less established team? Why jump to the Bucks when they’re going to be playing in the Cavs and Celtics shadows for the next couple of years when he can stay in Cleveland and get a shot at another ring in the near future?
They are overpaid when you consider that now the Cavs have no financial flexibility. Think about it. They won the title last year….and lost money as a franchise.
On that theory, then everyone on the team is overpaid. Thompson and Smith (and let’s even throw Shumpert into this conversation) are hardly worth their contracts, I totally agree. But outside of getting lucky with a draft pick or a young and relatively unproven player to suddenly develop into a rotation-caliber player, there are no other players out there who would be available and provide a cheaper and comparable skillset to the three I listed above. Other athletic rim protectors/rebounding bigs are getting paid around the same level that Thompson is. 3-and-D wings are in extremely high demand and are getting paid more than what Smith and Shumpert are. Cleveland is paying market price, or just slightly above it, for those three. I’m sure the Warriors would be in the same boat if they didn’t have the luxury of Curry and Thompson being signed to bargain deals.
First off: This team, as constructed, is an amazingly good team that sometimes under-performs. I had issues with how Lue used his bench in the finals. I felt he could’ve used Derrick Williams to guard some of the bigger guards (Klay and Livingston) and I would’ve put Frye in when Zaza was off the floor to guard (or bother) Durant and to space the floor more. In no way do I think Frye can shut down a guy like Durant but at least he has the height to possibly prevent Durant from shooting over him as much and maybe force him to pass or put the ball on the floor. Maybe Frye could’ve “herd” him into one side of the floor where maybe there could’ve been help? But Lue never tried anything new. That bothered me a bit. You assemble a bench for a reason.
All that being said, this race to build arms is getting problematic. I think we have a great team as it is and if we were to play like we’re capable then I think this would’ve been a better series.
Kevin Love is not the problem. And we can’t possibly think that trading him for another star would bridge the gap. If anything, it needs to be THIS team plus something more. I do feel that the “something more” can’t be another super star. There’s only so many balls on the court and I think another guy requiring 15 to 20 shots would take away from Irving and Love more and I don’t know if LBJ is at the point in his career where he would settle for being less of a scorer. Maybe so. It has to be a star caliber player that is willing to sacrifice his stats.
The core of this team is not old. LBJ is still one of the best and will be so for the next 3 years if he can avoid injury. Kyrie is 25. Thompson is 26 and Love is 28. The pieces that can be realistically moved are Shumpert and Frye. I would even move Smith but he’s a client of Rich Paul so I don’t think he (or Thompson) are going anywhere.
Thompson has GOT to learn to be more of an offensive force and a) learn to finish stronger in the post in traffic b) learn some offensive moves in the post and maybe a jump hook or facing the basket 6-8ft jumper. Cavs, especially against the Warriors, can not have a single player on the floor that is not contributing offensively.
My two cents…I would look at Wade if he’s willing to come in under a reduced salary and role. I would use him as a super 6th man similar to way Crawford is used in LA. I don’t know if he could realistically be counted on to play 35-40 minutes at this point in his career but coming off the bench should help preserve his body for 75 games and keep his energy level up. He can still be a 15-18 per game player and he would be a useful tool vs small ball teams.
If Mellow is bought out and willing to come on the cheap to get a ring then I think he would act more as a team player because LBJ can get that out of him.
The ONLY player that I think might make enough of an impact that would warrant moving Love would be DeMarcus Cousins in a sign and trade. I think it would make sense for both teams. Love is a better compliment to Davis since he has more of an outside game. DeMarcus is a young enough player and a super dominant offensive force in the paint but has a good jump shot as well. I salivate at the idea of Kyrie and Cousins on the floor with LBJ orchestrating everything. I would want LBJ to become more Magic and less Jordan. Don’t worry about scoring 25 per game. Focus on doing what he does best and make the best play. Move Shumpert as well and bring in more shooters.
Cousins brings one thing that Cavs are missing. Identity. Nastiness. And I think on a team with LBJ who’s feeding him the ball, Cousins would humble himself and maybe we don’t see as many behavioral issues as we see now. But who on the Warriors team can tame Cousins AND LBJ?
Other than, we keep Love and try and find a impact player on the downside of their career who fills that role at SG/SF position willing to sacrifice their shots. I don’t see that being Paul George. In fact, I think he would be the worst move.
My 2 cents… it’s ridiculous that Griffin is even in this position coming off back to back series finals and having just won it. Why let your GM go into the year without a new contract? You can want to blame Griffin because the Warriors have a ridiculous roster?
I don’t blame Girffin for anything. Also, the Yankees have a policy about not negotiating contracts until they expire. I think there’s a 85% chance he returns, will be promoted and paid well.
LeBron controls that team. Even who is out on the floor. Really thinking that Frye could stick with, bother, anything to Durant is foolish. LeBron for all of his talent couldn’t bother Durant. It is the same with saying Williams should have been out there. He isn’t staying with guys and then at that point you are leaving open lanes which lead to more open threes.
The Cavs have a financially strapped team. They are paying Shumpert who no team is taking on, at 12M a year. They have JR who is getting older and frankly, dumber, at almost 14M. Add in Thompson who only looked bad against the Warriors and the other three stars and they are out of cash. They have no way to improve unless they take the draft seriously from here on.
Your point about making a trade for Cousins with Love makes little sense. First, Cousins needs the ball. Not only does he need it, he demands it. This isn’t Kyrie, LeBron and another guy(like Love) willing to share. Cousins demands his touches. It is why you had a guy like Isaiah Thomas leave Sacramento. And what does it do for the Pelicans to trade for Love? They are swapping bigs that can shoot but instead of having an athletic guy, they have a slower one who cannot defend.
You are talking about who is taming James and Cousins? They wouldn’t have to. The Warriors would simply run him off the court, which he can do.
It’s hilarious because you and many “Cavs fans” think that great players are going to take the vet minimum to play in Cleveland. You will get role players and that’s midseason when teams are doing right by a vet.
If they could get George for Love, it is the smarter move. They cannot have Thompson and a guy who can’t be mobile on the floor. They have to pick between Thompson and Love to continue success. And their version of success is winning titles. Not just making it there.
Well to be fair, Isaiah Thomas left Sacramento because they are run by a bunch of morons. Let’s not act like Thomas was the star that he currently is when he left Sacramento. I’m sure if Phoenix knew he would develop to the point that he is at, they would’ve traded Bledsoe and Dragic first. But I agree with the rest of what you said here. I don’t see Cousins fitting well with the Cavs and I don’t see the Pelicans wanting Love unless they’re sure they can’t resign Cousins.
Re: Frye. I’m not saying Frye should play 40 minutes or that he can shut Durant down. However, he’s 6’11 and has length. He’s also a solid player in the post who can hit the 3. Giving them a different look for 5 minute spurts wouldn’t be a bad idea. Try and make Durant shoot over a 6’11 guy or make him put on the floor and try and herd him into another defender.
Re: Shumpert. The salary cap has gotten crazy. Shump is a physical SG who can shoot the 3 and defend on the perimiter. Last year we saw worse players such as Evan Turner a 6’7 SG/Fwd w/ a career 29% 3 pt% get 4/$70, Delly got 4/$38 mil, etc. I’m sure there will be teams that would take on Shump for 2/$20.
Re: Cousins. You don’t think that Cousins, if paid what he wants via a sign and trade, would attempt to mesh on a team with perhaps the greatest player in the NBA in LBJ on a team that has gone to the finals in 3 straight years after coming from the Sac Kings that have never even tasted the first rnd of the playoffs in 7 seasons? Look, I know that there would have to be a lot of player to player discussions and vetting out to make sure Cousins would fit it in with the team concept but understand this. LBJ is not getting younger and despite the fact that he just perhaps had the best season of his career he knows this team needs another star. I think he would be more than happy to sacrifice shots if he can be more efficient and not have to play 40 minutes a game to have a shot to win. Irving played on the USA team with Cousins. Maybe he has a relationship with him. If LBJ, by his own admission, is more of faciliatator than a scorer. He can become a better version of Magic for the next few years and probably come close to averaging a double double PTS/ASS every year with Cousins, Irving and some shooters. I think the biggest challenge is Irving learning that all that driving to the cup with an acrobatic move and hitting the floor is going to catch up to him (see Derek Rose). If he’s will to pass a little more to perhaps the most dominant big since Shaq than that save his body too.
Re: Love and Pelicans vs Cousins and Pelicans. Cousins is gone. That is Davis team and he’s their best interior player. While Cousin has developed as a great outside shooting big this year (36% on 6 attempts per game) his bread and butter is the post. Him and Davis together resulted in a 9/8 record. It’s not a good fit and the Pelicans, especially in the West with the Warriors, Spurs, Clippers, Houston and others probably are a long way from being contenders. What do the Pelicans need? Perimeter defending guards and 3 pt shooters. Rumors were that they were talking about Shumpert as part of a deal in Feb earlier this year. Love would easily become another great rebounder for the Pelicans and stretch the floor on offense and become one of their best 3pt shooters and open things up for Davis in the post. I think a sign and trade for Cousins for Love and Shump makes sense for both sides. But let me be clear, I’m a big Love fan and think he’s just an easy scapegoat for this team. He isn’t the problem. I think we actually need to keep Love and add another impact player if we want to beat the Warriors. Cousins imo is the ONLY player that might be on the market and makes sense to trade Love for. Guys like Blake Griffin, PG13, CP3, Butler or Mellow would be a mistake to trade for. Another player that needs to HANDLE the ball would be a mistake. However, a low post player than we can dump the ball into 15-20x a game is different. It’s more balance. And he’s mobile enough and shoot the J. He would destroy the Warriors inside.
And I hate the way you lump all fans together as if we feel entitled. I’m not expecting a player that is in his prime and can earn tens of millions on the open market to sign with us but let’s also remember that a guy like Dave West did the exact same thing to get a ring this past year. If they can move Shump then maybe Wade might come in for a chance to win another ring. If Mello is bought out (and I heard that’s a possibility) then maybe he comes in since he’s already guaranteed his money. Maybe Bosh comes in to be a role player. You have no idea how many teams, especially if they fear they won’t win with any other team as long as the Warriors are around, might do to win.
I don’t see how adding Paul George would be a bad move. Over the course of the season (and most of the playoffs) Kevin Love is the better fit next to Kyrie and LeBron but in a matchup against the Warriors, George is far and away the better fit. While you lose some rebounding when you go from Love to George, every other area is unaffected or improved with George. They both shoot at around the same efficiency but George has more big game potential, can be a playmaker/have the offense run through him, and won’t be a liability on defense. Part of Cleveland’s problem is that after LeBron, their best defenders are (in no particular order) Thompson, Smith, Shumpert, and RJ, none of which is inspiring much confidence against Curry or Durant. George would at least provide another person who actually stands a chance guarding Durant (after LeBron) and wouldn’t be at risk of being exposed defensively on a switch.
That was about a nickel ‘s worth!
Rumor is Anthony Davis and Dwade joining the Cavs for next season.
The trade that makes the most sense that no one is mentioning is to trade Love for Jimmy Butler. Get a good shooter and perimeter and post defender. Shift TT to PF and get a better option at the 5. Maybe Dwight Howard? Maybe mortgage more if the future for Boogie?
Bulls would never trade Butler in-division without acquiring much more than Love. And you can’t shift Thompson to the 4 (not that they need to anyway) since he doesn’t have enough of an offensive game to play there. And in a hypothetical Boogie acquisition, both Thompson and Love are likely gone via trade (whether in one trade or two seperate trades).
Honestly, I would love to see some type of trade for PG13. He has the perfect blend of height, length, defensive prowess, and scoring capability that would allow the Cavs to match up with GS. If the pacers are sure he won’t resign, A Love trade would be a great option, he would pair nicely with Turner.
Butler is better at the wing though defensively. And if you trade him, Wade opts out. Maybe you convince him to take a pay cut to come to Cle.
So who is playing where? You want them to trade for Butler, a 2 guard, and then sign Wade, another 2 guard. Both of whom struggle with the 3. Didn’t we just watch this problem in Chicago? Obviously having LeBron and Kyrie makes it different but they want more spacing, not less.
Plus Butler is another ball dominant player. While that worked for LeBron and Wade, there isn’t enough to go around for Kyrie, LeBron, AND Butler. Paul George, without a doubt, is the better fit next to Kyrie and LeBron because his shooting would fit better off the ball than Butler’s.
All he has to do is figure out a way to dump Shumpert/JR, Frye, and Thompson while trading Love, and bringing in a Superstar or two, with no draft trade chips. Easy.