NBA 2017-18

[Kirby Jackson]

Kyrie is gone imo. I don't blame him either. This team is built around lebron's skill set, not his. He's a ball dominant PG who has been asked to play off the ball. There is no guarantee Lebron is back next year and lived through the non-Lebron years in Cleveland once already. He's smart. Taking charge of his career. He believes in the category of harden/Westbrook. Whether anyone agrees or not, he wants to go prove that somewhere.

I agree with all of this. The Cavs are in a really weird spot here. They have to trade him at this point. There are some moves out there that actually close the gap with Golden State. The Cavs, as presently constructed cannot beat the Warriors.

 

With that being said, if they make a move like that and LeBron leaves next year anyways those moves won't matter. Do they play for this year and hope that LeBron stays? Do they use Kyrie to return young talent? I have no idea what I would do in their situation. Is it better for the franchise to get Melo & Bledsoe or something like Murray, Harris and Lyles? I've been playing on the trade machine for like 15 straight hours.

[YoloinOhio]

I agree with all of this. The Cavs are in a really weird spot here. They have to trade him at this point. There are some moves out there that actually close the gap with Golden State. The Cavs, as presently constructed cannot beat the Warriors.

 

With that being said, if they make a move like that and LeBron leaves next year anyways those moves won't matter. Do they play for this year and hope that LeBron stays? Do they use Kyrie to return young talent? I have no idea what I would do in their situation. Is it better for the franchise to get Melo & Bledsoe or something like Murray, Harris and Lyles? I've been playing on the trade machine for like 15 straight hours.

Kyrie for Mike Conley Jr. straight up? Not sure if money would work but Dan already pays the luxury tax.

[Kirby Jackson]

Kyrie for Mike Conley Jr. straight up? Not sure if money would work but Dan already pays the luxury tax.

I'm not sure I would want that Conley contract (although I've seen it mentioned). Should the Pelicans offer Boogie? The Heat, Whiteside? What about the Sixers using Fultz or Simmons? If I had to guess I would think that Bledsoe & Melo is what they end up doing.

[CommonCents]

Without Kyrie the Cavs aren't very good, period. Bunch of softies.

[YoloinOhio]

Without Kyrie the Cavs aren't very good, period. Bunch of softies.

and old guys.

[BringBackOrton]

I'm not sure I would want that Conley contract (although I've seen it mentioned). Should the Pelicans offer Boogie? The Heat, Whiteside? What about the Sixers using Fultz or Simmons? If I had to guess I would think that Bledsoe & Melo is what they end up doing.

Why would the Suns give up Bledsoe?

[Kirby Jackson]

Without Kyrie the Cavs aren't very good, period. Bunch of softies.

He's a phenomenal offensive talent and has a killer mentality. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league. He's a ball dominant guard that hasn't been able to lead when LeBeon leaves the floor. The Cavs have no shot against Golden State at the moment. They stupidly tried to build a team to try to trade buckets with them. Kyrie is a huge part of that offensive firepower.

 

The teams that have given GS trouble (if you can call it that) have been able to switch all over the court. The Celtics may be the best example. If they could turn Kyrie & Frye into something like Middleton, Parker and Maker they may be better for it (assuming Middleton is healthy). Kyrie is a better player than all of those guys individually but they may match up better. The Cavs should use this as a chance to remake their roster (including signing Rose).

 

If they make the deal that I suggested above they can look something like this:

1st unit:

- LeBron, Middleton, Parker, Love, Thompson

Bench

- Rose, JR, Shumpert, Jefferson, Maker, Calderon, Korver, Osman, Derrick Williams (or something like that). Maybe they try to turn Shumpert into a big but you get the point.

 

Kyrie is certainly better than any of those guys but I'm not sure that isn't a better Cavs roster. From the Bucks standpoint they are trying to keep Giannis and adding a 2nd star may do that.

Why would the Suns give up Bledsoe?

He's been on the block for about a year. They'd prefer to deal Knight but they are probably stuck with him. Edited July 22, 2017 by Kirby Jackson

[BringBackOrton]

He's a phenomenal offensive talent and has a killer mentality. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league. He's a ball dominant guard that hasn't been able to lead when LeBeon leaves the floor. The Cavs have no shot against Golden State at the moment. They stupidly tried to build a team to try to trade buckets with them. Kyrie is a huge part of that offensive firepower.

 

The teams that have given GS trouble (if you can call it that) have been able to switch all over the court. The Celtics may be the best example. If they could turn Kyrie & Frye into something like Middleton, Parker and Maker they may be better for it (assuming Middleton is healthy). Kyrie is a better player than all of those guys individually but they may match up better. The Cavs should use this as a chance to remake their roster (including signing Rose).

 

If they make the deal that I suggested above they can look something like this:

1st unit:

- LeBron, Middleton, Parker, Love, Thompson

Bench

- Rose, JR, Shumpert, Jefferson, Maker, Calderon, Korver, Osman, Derrick Williams (or something like that). Maybe they try to turn Shumpert into a big but you get the point.

 

Kyrie is certainly better than any of those guys but I'm not sure that isn't a better Cavs roster. From the Bucks standpoint they are trying to keep Giannis and adding a 2nd star may do that.

He's been on the block for about a year. They'd prefer to deal Knight but they are probably stuck with him.

But what would they be getting?

[Kirby Jackson]

But what would they be getting?

A first (or 2 1sts) from the Knicks.

[Maury Ballstein]

I'm not sure I would want that Conley contract (although I've seen it mentioned). Should the Pelicans offer Boogie? The Heat, Whiteside? What about the Sixers using Fultz or Simmons? If I had to guess I would think that Bledsoe & Melo is what they end up doing.

Conley is a stud. I enjoy his game.

 

For me boogie for kyrie is the play. Kyrie and AD can do work and Boogie can dominate the east.

 

Just need to get Tristan Kardashian out of there

[YoloinOhio]

Conley is a stud. I enjoy his game.

 

For me boogie for kyrie is the play. Kyrie and AD can do work and Boogie can dominate the east.

 

Just need to get Tristan Kardashian out of there

for all the bashing of Dan Gilbert for getting rid of Griff, that Tristan Thompson contract was brutal. Though I'm not sure Lebron wasn't the one who was in charge there.

[Maury Ballstein]

for all the bashing of Dan Gilbert for getting rid of Griff, that Tristan Thompson contract was brutal. Though I'm not sure Lebron wasn't the one who was in charge there.

Swish and Kardashian both were lebron the Gm guys.

 

I hate hearing Gilbert get blamed (even though quicken loans is beyond shady). Lebron runs everything, hope he loses 4 more titles.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Maury Ballstein

[Kirby Jackson]

There's a rumor that my brother-in-law told me that LeBron wanted Kyrie traded for CP this offseason. When Kyrie found out he was pretty pissed and asked to be traded. Somewhere along the way this was why Griffin left as well. LeBron's people leaked Kyrie wanting to be traded to Windhorst to kind of deflect from the reason it started. At any rate it sounds like that 3 team deal is in the works with the Suns and Knicks.

 

I don't know how true it is my brother-in-law is a diehard Cleveland sports fan and is pretty much on top of what's going on. I believe this story.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Kirby Jackson

[YoloinOhio]

I believe that story as well.

[CommonCents]

Makes me love Kyrie. Lebron is a bad GM, CP3 is not a killer. Lebron needs a killer by his side. Wade was a killer, Kyrie was a killer when he was allowed to be.

 

Lebron has had some big games in the past few post seasons but I still don't see him as the guy that will battle back on his own when he is being overwhelmed by a superior team. Still a front runner to me.

[Maury Ballstein]

There's a rumor that my brother-in-law told me that LeBron wanted Kyrie traded for CP this offseason. When Kyrie found out he was pretty pissed and asked to be traded. Somewhere along the way this was why Griffin left as well. LeBron's people leaked Kyrie wanting to be traded to Windhorst to kind of deflect from the reason it started. At any rate it sounds like that 3 team deal is in the works with the Suns and Knicks.

I don't know how true it is my brother-in-law is a diehard Cleveland sports fan and is pretty much on top of what's going on. I believe this story.

What a B, Kyrie just won him a ring the year before.

[Kirby Jackson]

Makes me love Kyrie. Lebron is a bad GM, CP3 is not a killer. Lebron needs a killer by his side. Wade was a killer, Kyrie was a killer when he was allowed to be.

 

Lebron has had some big games in the past few post seasons but I still don't see him as the guy that will battle back on his own when he is being overwhelmed by a superior team. Still a front runner to me.

CP has been a killer his whole career. He has been a GREAT big game player; he just played with garbage. Griffin and Jordan may be the two most overrated players in the league. The guy that has struggled in big games, ironically enough, is his new teammate Harden.

What a B, Kyrie just won him a ring the year before.

If that story is true (and I believe it) that's bad. How could Kyrie ever trust that dude again?

 

I was just thinking about it and if I were the Cavs I'd trade Kyrie to the Lakers so that LeBron won't go there. Ha ha

[BringBackOrton]

I need the Knick to acquire Kyrie without moving Melo. They might win a ring.

[Kirby Jackson]

I need the Knick to acquire Kyrie without moving Melo. They might win a ring.

They might deal Melo without Kyrie. At this point, I can't see the Knicks getting Kyrie without Porzingis. They've supposedly already offered Melo and multiple firsts. That hasn't gained any traction.

 

This really is a fascinating move. Kyrie is a star, that's 25 and on a great contract. He wants to leave however. I would think that just about every team will pick up the phone. It's up to the Cavs then to navigate the offers and try to get the best offer.

[BringBackOrton]

They might deal Melo without Kyrie. At this point, I can't see the Knicks getting Kyrie without Porzingis. They've supposedly already offered Melo and multiple firsts. That hasn't gained any traction.

 

This really is a fascinating move. Kyrie is a star, that's 25 and on a great contract. He wants to leave however. I would think that just about every team will pick up the phone. It's up to the Cavs then to navigate the offers and try to get the best offer.

No way! You're giving the Cavs way too much leverage that they don't really have. Kyrie is demanding a trade. Look at what OKC had to give up for PG, and all he said is he wants to test FA when his contract ends.

 

The Cavs will be lucky to get 2 starters for Kyrie.