2017/18 NBA Regular Season

[CameronCrazy06]

We shouldnt doubt that the rockets will make it happen regardless of what past history has told us. We have to give them a chance.

 

[Paulius]

But then again, not sure why the NBA favorites would need Lebron anyway

 

[bosoxlover12]

Let's first address this situation by stating the most important fact here: Lebron holds all the leverage and the Cavs have absolutely none.
 
Cleveland right now has over $98M in salary committed next year to players who aren't eligible FAs until 2020 (this coming summer is FA'18). The projected cap is at $101M for next year. They have zero cap space to work with, and those numbers don't include guys like Rodney Hood's RFA status, the Brooklyn pick's eventual salary, and Larry Nance's to-be-expiring.
 
If Lebron says he doesn't want to return to the Cavs, there is nothing they can do. He can sign outright as a UFA with the Lakers and the Cavs get nothing back in return. Cleveland is too talented of a team even without Lebron to pull a quick tank job.
 
In fact if I were Cleveland management I'd hope he wants to go to the Rockets or another contender (if he doesn't want to return)
 
• Take Anderson and Tucker's deals, since they'll expire when all your other deals expire
• Compete for the 6 seed and a first round exit -- you're likely a playoff team regardless of trading Lebron. Might as well try to contend
• Your team will be in a prime spot to rebuild in 2020 -- you have expiring deals for days that you could leverage for picks, and you'll suck then too
 
But most importantly, Lebron's teams have four/five year shelf lives consistently. Per the Stephien rules you can't get back to back picks anyways, so get picks in the future, say 2021. People thought Danny Ainge was dumb for trading away KG/Pierce in 2013 for picks three-to-five years down the road, but these picks turned into gold. Trade for the picks that when Lebron eventually opts out again at age 36, CP3 is 35, and Harden is making an absurd $40M for a team that won't be winning soon. They'll need to rebuild, and you'll be on the uprise.
 
TL;DR: Stop looking at it that the Rockets can't afford it. They can, and to get their current team + Lebron, they'll contend for a title, and they'll pay the luxury tax for it.

 

[Paulius]

Ainge got lucky that the Nets FO were pure dumbasses. Morey is much smarter

So lets assume the package includes 4 firsts. Due to the Stepien rule, thats 8 years down the line

Cp3 is old, Lebron is old. The window is very small

No doubt we can agree that the goal is to win a championship. Do whatever it takes to get one, yes. Having Warriors all in their primes during this small window makes this ‘going all in’ situation very risky tho

If Houston doesnt win, CP3 and Bron retire or get injured, Morey becomes the new joke of the decade as the guy who gave Cleveland 2 or 3 gold lotto picks/future stars a la nets/celtics situation

If there was no Stepien rule, id get it. 4 years down the line is nothing. But 8 is way too big of a window because anything can happen. Cp3 can tear an achilles the first year together and Harden/Bron get beat by Warriors in 5. And the going all in just becomes a failure year by year

Ainge fleeced the Nets and we will never see this kind of shit again. If Bron and cp3 were 28, you do that every single time. But with this short timeline, nah

 

[Pugz]

sure they can afford it but that tax bill will be insane and it'll only go up. that team and tax bill alone will be something that changes the landscape of the nba and any sport, and it'll have a huge impact on the cba.

 

[bosoxlover12]

they aren't getting 4 picks for lebron. i meant more like 2, and maybe a swap opt

 

[BNC]

Ainge got lucky that the Nets FO were pure dumbasses. Morey is much smarter

So lets assume the package includes 4 firsts. Due to the Stepien rule, thats 8 years down the line

Cp3 is old, Lebron is old. The window is very small

No doubt we can agree that the goal is to win a championship. Do whatever it takes to get one, yes. Having Warriors all in their primes during this small window makes this ‘going all in’ situation very risky tho

If Houston doesnt win, CP3 and Bron retire or get injured, Morey becomes the new joke of the decade as the guy who gave Cleveland 2 or 3 gold lotto picks/future stars a la nets/celtics situation

If there was no Stepien rule, id get it. 4 years down the line is nothing. But 8 is way too big of a window because anything can happen. Cp3 can tear an achilles the first year together and Harden/Bron get beat by Warriors in 5. And the going all in just becomes a failure year by year

Ainge fleeced the Nets and we will never see this kind of shit again. If Bron and cp3 were 28, you do that every single time. But with this short timeline, nah

Go and look at the trade grades for that Celtics nets trade, it’s bad in hindsight, no one thought the Celtics made out well in that trade. Morey won’t give up 4 first round picks for LeBron and I doubt anyone would look at him the way they look at Billy King because Morey is good enough at his job to not find themselves in that kinda position

 

[Pugz]

they aren't getting 4 picks for lebron. i meant more like 2, and maybe a swap opt

and a few seconds with a bunch of protections that end up being nothing

 

[Paulius]

they aren't getting 4 picks for lebron. i meant more like 2, and maybe a swap opt

Stay paying a big ass luxury bill as a non contender and get two picks that will be around #29, with their shitty history of drafting?

Sounds like a good time

Go and look at the trade grades for that Celtics nets trade, it’s bad in hindsight, no one thought the Celtics made out well in that trade. Morey won’t give up 4 first round picks for LeBron and I doubt anyone would look at him the way they look at Billy King because Morey is good enough at his job to not find themselves in that kinda position

Of course no one thought the Celtics made out well in that trade at the time, giving up Pierce and KG but they were old and due for a big decline and declined basically that same year. Ainge timed it perfectly

Nets had the same expectations as the Rockets. Go all in and win the ship. That obviously went south real quick and trading all those picks so far down the line was a huge mistake. A mistake that other GMs learned from. Thats why we will never see that happening again

Taking Ryan, Tucker and a pick or two is pure garbage tho when Gilbert wont even want to pay the luxury tax once Bron is gone. Once Bron is gone, cavs are done for a looong time, and Gilbert will have no interest in paying luxury tax. They will blow it up and get picks for the guys that they have left.

Wont be surprised if Gilbert actually sells the Cavs if Bron leaves

 

[bosoxlover12]

Real showdown tonight
 
"KD" versus Barry Larkin's Son!!

 

[Paulius]

Real showdown tonight
 
"KD" versus Barry Larkin's Son!!

Haha i was about to bring up this game

Bulls by 6

 

[bosoxlover12]

I'm saying that if I'm Cleveland, I'd ask for a 2020 and 2022 1st, with a 2021 swap opt. I'm not asking for a '19 pick

 

[bosoxlover12]

Haha i was about to bring up this game

Bulls by 6

T-Ro's gon' show your boi up

 

[Paulius]

T-Ro's gon' show your boi up

Watch how good Portis has gotten tho

 

[bosoxlover12]

Haha i was about to bring up this game

Bulls by 6

close so far. its only 24-5 rn

 

[Paulius]

close so far. its only 24-5 rn

Lucky Lopez and Holiday are out

 

[bosoxlover12]

Lucky Lopez and Holiday are out

...and so is kyrie...

 

[Paulius]

I love Smart Rozier and Thies

 

[Paulius]

...and so is kyrie...

He’s wouldnt make a difference. Its all Stevens

 

[Pugz]

so apparently luke hasnt been getting as much playing time because he isnt giving enough energy. svg is an idiot