We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
Did the Warriors’ level of concern in defending their title go up significantly with the Dwyane Wade signing? — Philip Malan, via Twitter
It’s hard to say if the Warriors are concerned about anything with so much talent on their roster, but Cleveland has been able to put together a very good offseason after a disastrous start. Wade adds more championship experience and figures to be energized after a wasted year in Chicago. It hasn’t been that long since he and LeBron James dominated the league in Miami, and their chemistry should redevelop quickly. The Cavaliers now have ridiculous depth on the wing that will be needed if they get into another Finals battle with Golden State. If Derrick Rose is playing as well as reports out of Cleveland indicate, the Cavs’ chances are as good as anyone’s to dethrone the champs.
Do you think LeBron will stay put next season now that his best buddy Dwayne Wade has joined the Cavs? — Greg Dizon
LeBron’s intentions will likely remain a mystery until he announces them next July. Having Wade on board can only help Cleveland’s chances, but he will be a free agent in nine months as well, so he and James could leave in a package deal. Or they could stay in Cleveland and try to recruit Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony to form the “Banana Boat” squad that James talked about two years ago. The future remains unpredictable in Cleveland, and Wade’s presence doesn’t change that equation.
Do my Spurs have a chance to compete with the power teams that are now in the Western Conference? Do we need another superstar looking into free agency next year? — greecosuave1
San Antonio seemed to stand still this summer as the rest of the West got better — Rudy Gay was their only significant addition — so it’s easy to forget how good this team is. The Spurs won 61 games last season and extended their playoff streak to 20 years. Kawhi Leonard will still be an elite two-way player when he returns from a quadriceps injury, and there’s a very good supporting cast around him. By spring, San Antonio will be in its usual spot as a top contender and a threat to the NBA title. Looking ahead, Tony Parker‘s $15.45MM contract will come off the books after this season, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green, Joffrey Lauvergne and Gay all have player options, which could free up close to $43MM. So expect the Spurs to be aggressive on the free agent market in a year where there will be plenty of big names to chase.
Consider me skeptical that Wade and Rose will even be healthy in June. They both have had too many knee injuries to count on staying healthy.
Absolutely. And whether Wade can still compete at the same level as James (and how this might test their relationship) remains to be seen.
The Cavs apparently had a chance at Melo this year and did not seem interested; and, Chris Paul is going to be super-expensive next year, so the banana boat 4 doesn’t seem likely.
The Cavs could have offered more than what OKC did, and gotten rid of 2 big contracts in the process. Then Melo could do a redeal that would make room for Paul on the Cavs next year. But that’s not what happened.