Most teams in the Cavaliers’ situation would do all they can to improve this year’s roster in an effort to make a deep playoff run and convince their free-agent-to-be star to stick around, even if that means putting the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick on the table in trade talks, Sam Amick of USA Today writes.
However, there’s a growing narrative that owner Dan Gilbert – perhaps due to emotional baggage related to LeBron James‘ 2010 departure – is prepared to keep that pick even if it means losing James this summer, according to Amick, who suggests that Gilbert “wants his team back.”
Within his USA Today report, Amick provides a few more Cavs-related tidbits, writing that the team is trying to shed the Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith contracts. The Cavs have also not offered more than their own 2018 first-round pick and unwanted salary to the Clippers for DeAndre Jordan, says Amick. That’s not surprising, as we heard earlier today that Jordan isn’t the type of player for whom the Cavs would surrender the Nets’ pick.
Here’s more out of Cleveland:
- The Cavs currently sit just five games ahead of the ninth-seeded Pistons in the East, closer to missing the playoffs than they are to the No. 1 seed. Still, the idea of somehow falling out of the playoff picture isn’t one head coach Tyronn Lue is willing to entertain — Lue says there’s “no doubt” the Cavs will make the postseason, as Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com relays.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks takes a closer look at the Cavaliers’ trade deadline options, noting that adding salary will be tricky due to repeater tax concerns.
- At Cleveland.com, Vardon also discusses the Cavs’ luxury tax problems, suggesting that if LeBron James leaves as a free agent this summer, Dan Gilbert will want to make sure that team salary gets out of tax territory. According to Vardon, league sources also believe that Cleveland would try to trade Kevin Love if James leaves, though no team sources confirmed that.
- Seth Walder of ESPN.com makes the case that the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick is actually a little more valuable than people think, even though it probably won’t land as high as Brooklyn’s last couple first-rounders have.
- Appearing recently on NBA TV’s The Starters, former Cavs GM David Griffin dismissed the notion that LeBron James wants to be heavily involved in personnel decisions for the franchise, as Dane Carbaugh of NBC Sports writes.
A narrative growing out of your diseased mind.
The shocking yet prudent thing to do is trade him now to a team that can get out of the weak Eastern Conference. If LBJ and Paul George decide to go to Philadelphia, no one can stop them. It’s LBJ only chance to beat Golden State over the next four years.
Ben Simmons, Paul George, Robert Covington, Lebron James, Joel Embiid.
Lebron has a no trade clause so the cavs do anything about trading him.
That’s correct. However, Gilbert can still ask him to waive the no trade clause. It seems to happen every year for some player and owner.
There are only 3 players in the nba that have no trade clauses so it defiantly doesn’t happen every year.
Zero reports about LeBron or Paul George going to Philly. These are video game scenarios. PG has not been shy about the fact that he wants to go home to LA. I still think LeBron joins him there. This “trust the process” garbage is only stuff Philly and their fans believe in.
Also, even if Bron waived his no trade clause, Gilbert would never have the stones to trade him. Only a contender would trade for him as a rental anyway and the only contender with a 1st round lottery pick is MAYBE the Celtics, if the Laker pick falls between 2-5. Even that would never happen because LeBron is the main reason Kyrie wanted out of Cleveland to begin with.
Westbrook and PG have gotten close. Westbrook went to bat for him when he wasn’t named to all star game. I think he stays.
To get LeBron the Lakers would have to let Kentavious-Pope and Brooke Lopez go. No way in world does he go to team where the oldest player is in his 4th year. LeBron really is afraid to play in the Western Conference. He’ll stay in the East.
Couldn’t happen anyway since Philly will have only $30M to play with next offseason.
LA18, Dario Saric, Amir Johnson, JJ Redick and Trevor Booker ($43M) for Carmelo Anthony and Paul George.
PHI18, Markelle Fultz, Carmelo Anthony ($35M) for Lebron James.
Ben Simmons, Paul George, Robert Covington, Lebron James, Joel Embiid.
If Lebron and Paul George decide they want to go to Philly, neither OKC nor Cleveland can find a better deal elsewhere.
Probably won’t happen. But it is definitely possible.
Do you actually spend your time dreaming up unrealistic “I’m a fan!” ways for the 76ers to compete for the title this year? I’m sure the Thunder and Cavs are going to trade George James and Melo within the next few days and cash in their seasons (or what’s left) so the currently .500 76ers can land a video game roster and compete with Golden State in the Finals … I’m a TWolves fan so while we’re at it how about my Wolves send Dieng Teague and a first for Westbrook …. maybe my Wolves can meet your 6ers in the Finals then!! (Note sarcasm)
Unless Philly is willing to go into luxury tax like LeBron. Do like LeBron has always done and wait until last to resign Reddick, Timothy don’t know last name, Saric, and Simmons.
I like ypur phrase “video game scenario”, but there won’t be any buzz about where LJ goes because HE WON’T DECIDE UNTIL THE MEETINGS TOUR IS DONE. Until the summer as he keeps saying, not lying.
When he looks at the pros and cons, Philly has much to offer, including immense roster flexibility, no grudge with the boss, and, not having to worry about RoCo and Embiid on D!
LeBron refusing to say if he’s staying or not is going to cost LeBron. Gilbert and LeBron are fueding over it this time. Gilbert is going to tell LeBron what he’s going to do, not vice versa. Philly really is a good bet if Gilbert tells LeBron to take a hike. LeBron might not have a big tour. Houston and Philly is about it.
What a mess, a HUGE mess. Clearly the Cavs cannot compete legitimately for a ring as currently constructed, yet they also can’t trade their only legit asset, the BKN pick, to improve the team as it seems very likely that LeBron will walk. Their best case scenario is still quite ugly, they keep the BKN pick, pretty much guaranteeing that Bron walks but then they start their rebuild behind the 8 ball with a team full of over priced terrible contracts in Love, TT, Shumpert and JR. The irony is, no one will take those contracts unless they offer the BKN pick. Their own pick will be in the 20’s. It’s about to get real ugly once again in Cleveland.
Most of the Cavalier roster will turn over next year so the players you think aren’t of any use, will be gone. The ones that remain can certainly help in the rebuild, e.g. Kyle Korver and Channing Frye. Certainly I’d keep KLove unless someone really knocked my socks off to trade for.
But your point of ugly is spot on. If the Cavs trade their picks, it’s not enough for those that are available at the this point.
As Richard Jefferson said a year ago, “Every championship team goes through that time when they no longer are contenders… And it’s always ugly.”
Don’t forget if LeBron is gone, no free agent will want to come to Cleveland. gilbert is deciding between LeBron and making money.
Next season they will have 81 million tied up in TT, Love, Shumpert, JR, Korver and Crowder. The only moveable contract is Korver because the league loves shooters, K Love MAYBE but he has proven to not be worthy of his max contract. The rest are overpaid role players that LeBron forced the Cavs FO to sign. Crowder being the exception of course as he came over in the Kyrie trade, but even his value has plummeted since coming to the Cavs. That is A LOT of money to pay useless veteran role players on a team that will be rebuilding. Meanwhile, LeBron will just opt out and sign with whoever he wants leaving the Cavs to deal with the garbage in his rearview. I’m not a Cavs fan, but I feel horrible for that fan base.
Why feel bad for Cavs fans? Three straight finals and a championship. How many other teams are tanking for years for a chance at even a conference final appearance. So what if they have a couple rough year’s afterwards.
All these people acting like competing for an 8th seed every year is better than being an occasional championship contender.
I’m a Cavs fan and I’m not asking for your pity, so you don’t have to feel bad for us. But this team has been ridiculously mismanaged recently, and if/when LeBron leaves the result is going to be downright atrocious. The roster is basically going to be Kevin Love and a cavalcade of overpriced and underproducing veterans. This team, as presently constructed, would be an absolute dumpster fire without LeBron. If anything, feel bad that we’re gonna have to deal with a bleak future because of poor upper management.
Plus, we’re also Browns fans, so you can always feel bad for us about that too. It’s not much fun.
The Joe Vardon article says you will be able to tell if Gilbert believes James will stay by any trades Gilbert makes this week.
The Celtics, Clippers, Bulls, Pacers, Cavs, and Knicks got something back for Avery Johnson, IT, and Crowder, Clippers for Blake Griffin and CP3, Bulls for Jimmy Butler, Cavs for Kyrie, and Knicks for Carmelo Anthony.
LeBron literally left the Cavs with the worst roster in the NBA the first time with nothing in return. He refuses to cooperate with Gilbert. Kyrie said he didn’t want to play with LeBron anymore. It looks like Gilbert doesn’t either.
Kevin Love will be a rental next season. He won’t hold the Cavs hostage like LeBron. LeBron has a house in L.A. Love lives there and has for years.
The Cavs are used to this. In Kyrie’s early years they had the worst record in NBA history and Byron Scott got fired for it. Then he did it in L.A.
Griffin has changed his tune since he was on CBS last summer. LeBron could have told his agent.
It was in most news sources LeBron wanted Jonothan Simmons, but Simmons chose the Magic. It was on CBS Sports that LeBron recruited Derek Rose and Jeff Green. Dwayne Wade is part of the Banana boat. Draymond Green and the Warriors openly recruited Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook and Paul George openly recruited Carmelo Anthony. It happens.
I see because of the friction between Gilbert and LeBron, I see LeBron sticking it to him again.
This is just me. I’d love to see a Klay Thompson
and Kevin Love to the Lakers. Because of their relationship, Love being from L.A., and the Warriors financial status. It could happen.
Kuzma,pf-Love,center- Ingram, small forward-
Thompson, shooting guard-Lonzo, point guard.
That would get them into the playoffs.
Make that Griffin on ESPN.
why would Griffin say anything negative about Bron when he wants a GM office again?
He spent an entire day on the afternoon talk shows on ESPN saying LeBron is a great player, but holds his teams hostage. The league knows about it.
Players don’t owe their teams anything, no player should feel like they have to make any decisions on their next contract until their current one is finished.
And Gilbert probably won’t resign LeBron because he got what he wanted out of him, and it’s time to move on. LeBron can play his I’m holding you hostage game. Gilbert can play I’m tired of your headaches, so I don’t want you any more games.
You are right, with Gilbert and LeBron fueding he has to watch what he says. He’s not retired yet.
I like DeAndre Jordan/Lou Williams, Kuzma, Curry/Durant,Swanigan/Lilliard/McCollum, Butler/Karl Anthony Towns, Kyrie/Tatum/Brown
Horford/Kemba Walker/ John Collins. Simmons/Embiid/Covington, Drummond, Collison/Oladipo, etc. I just don’t like Lebron.
“IF”you read those articles you had to be furious. They said the same thing I’ve been saying. I loved the Hoops Hype saying Kyrie told LeBron he didn’t want to play with him any more or to dictate his future. Kyrie is the first to stand up to LeBron. Vardon says if LeBron leaves, Love will likely be traded. That’s what I’ve been saying. It says LeBron is holding Gilbert hostage by not telling him if he’ll stay. IT SAYS IF GILBERT DOESN”T DO ANYTHING THIS WEEK, IT MEANS HE BELIEVES LEBRON IS LEAVING AND HE”LL WANT TO GET UNDER THE CAP BY GETTING RID OF LOVE, J.R., AND TRISTAN. THE EXACT SAME THING I’VE BEEN TELLING YOU. GILBERT IS GETTING READY TO TELL LEBRON LATER. I AM SOOOO HAPPY!!,
That was immature and tosses lies about, pretending I said something when I did not.
You didn’t say Love will be traded, you said the Cavs would get nothing for him. And a Love trade is an obvious move if LJ leaves; predicting that is nothing to brag about; and I never said he was a fixture, indeed, I think he should be traded now, not that he will be.
I think some posts got poofed here. This one above should have gone with them.
Not surprised that Gilbert might “want his team back” although I note that was a writer’s quote, not Gilbert’s. But I think he has already started that, by firing Griffin for one.
Also not surprised does not make actual decisions as assumed. But his influence is such that, say, if he gets along with Lue, then hire Lue. IMO post-title public pressure got JRSmith his big contract… and after all he was key once.
If LJ leaves, the Cavs will probably trade every player they can, including Love. An additional aspect of the situation is a trade deal with Atlanta where their 2019 #1 pick goes to Atlanta– 1-10 protected. It goes to 2020 1-10 protected if not conveyed in 2019, and if still not in 2020, turns to couple of 2nd rounders. Those would be valuable picks to a rebuilder, especially if high-schoolers are in.
To keep from losing a #1, the Cavs have to be crappy! So tanking should start immediately. And with the FAs gone, and Love, it sure can. If so, prediction: Shumpert puts up allstar numbers.
I’m 60 dude. And well educated. And I know a little about running a business. Bottom line is everyone appreciated LeBron getting Cleveland a championship, but it’s over now. time to move on.
Don’t worry about Love and LeBron, they will be gone. Gilbert is preparing for it.