Around the NBA - August 2017 Edition (1 Viewer)

[Blazinaway]

IMO Cavs killed this trade and got a great deal and flexibility assuming Bron leaves as expected after this yr. After passing on many other top players this is what Ainge spends a lot of his chips on? Cavs compete this yr and god a great return IMO for a guy who wanted out

 

[riverman]

Cavs got better..way better in my view...and Lebron is going to love playing with Thomas and Crowder.....big upgrade plus a great pick..that's going to be a tough team in Cleveland...they're much deeper now and upgraded the starting lineup. I don't think Lebron leaves Cleveland at all even though the Laker media wants to project that.

 

[Cippy91]

This basically

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I see why both teams made the deal, but I think the Cavs got the better of it.

 

[theprunetang]

Let's also not forget that IT is still having issues with his hip and likely won't be ready by the Start of the season.

 

[riverman]

Let's also not forget that IT is still having issues with his hip and likely won't be ready by the Start of the season.

Thomas will gladly defer to Lebron as a pt guard...perfect fit...and they have Rose as well....Thomas will fill up the bucket when shots aren't falling for Lebron or Love....Crowder will defend the perimeter better against Klay Thompson .....the Cavs made out....

 

[theprunetang]

Thomas will gladly defer to Lebron as a pt guard...perfect fit...and they have Rose as well....Thomas will fill up the bucket when shots aren't falling for Lebron or Love....Crowder will defend the perimeter better against Klay Thompson .....the Cavs made out....

Oh, I agree. This is the best possible trade return for a disgruntled Kyrie. I'm just pointing out that the trade value for IT is hurt by him being 5'9", the worst defender in the league, currently injured, and expecting a max contract.

 

[Minstrel]

If I were Boston, I'd be very leery of the prospect giving Thomas a 5 year, ~$200M max at age 29 (next off-season), currently coming off a season far better than any season before that. Cleveland is taking on considerable risk, which is why they were able to leverage the Nets pick. I think it's a fine trade for Cleveland in a vacuum, but it's pretty meh to me because it's neither here nor there. It's not an ideal rebuilding move (though the Nets pick is obviously nice for that) nor does it really max out their potential for next year, as they traded their second-best player for slightly better depth. They may or may not win the East again (though even if they do, I think it'll be a much tougher battle against Boston) and then they'll get dusted by Golden State again. James may or may not leave and Cleveland will be handed the decision as to whether to give Thomas that gigantic max deal as he's closing in on 30.

 

[Blazers Roy]

It's really happening !!:MARIS61::MARIS61::MARIS61:

I don't remember a year in which so many stars switched places! now we have two stars from ECF teams switching sides, how crazy is that?!

Gotta say i'm disappointed with Danny Ainge... Hayward and Morris instead of Bradley and Crowder , Kyrie instead of Thomas and a future star... what did he do really? are they 5% better now? 10% ?

Now he still can't beat the Cavs because he made them as good or even better and his chances of beating GS are still ZERO.
What's the point?

 

[Blazers Roy]

Suns could probably land Kyrie but wouldn't give Bledsoe and Jackson for him... shieeet i'd give Bledsoe for an expiring contract.
What a weird team.

 

[riverman]

If I were Boston, I'd be very leery of the prospect giving Thomas a 5 year, ~$200M max at age 29 (next off-season), currently coming off a season far better than any season before that. Cleveland is taking on considerable risk, which is why they were able to leverage the Nets pick. I think it's a fine trade for Cleveland in a vacuum, but it's pretty meh to me because it's neither here nor there. It's not an ideal rebuilding move (though the Nets pick is obviously nice for that) nor does it really max out their potential for next year, as they traded their second-best player for slightly better depth. They may or may not win the East again (though even if they do, I think it'll be a much tougher battle against Boston) and then they'll get dusted by Golden State again. James may or may not leave and Cleveland will be handed the decision as to whether to give Thomas that gigantic max deal as he's closing in on 30.

To me Crowder allows Kevin Love to be a shooter and not a poor defender with limited touches...between Lebron, IT and Love there's a lot of points without sacrificing defense going the other way..Crowder is the X factor in this one...and Thomas will make teams pay for doubling either Lebron or Love...I think it's a pretty strong unit....they're in win now mode....not rebuild...this keeps Lebron interested

 

[Minstrel]

To me Crowder allows Kevin Love to be a shooter and not a poor defender with limited touches...

He'll still be a poor defender, though. Teams will put whomever he's defending into the pick and roll and force switches on the perimeter. I don't think Crowder really helps that. They had a good defender in Shumpert for the position and it didn't make Love any less of a liability. Crowder is a better player, but not game-changing better. He's a good role-player. Shumpert (or JR Smith) were average role-players.

 

[Cippy91]

same mike....same

 

[riverman]

He'll still be a poor defender, though. Teams will put whomever he's defending into the pick and roll and force switches on the perimeter. I don't think Crowder really helps that. They had a good defender in Shumpert for the position and it didn't make Love any less of a liability. Crowder is a better player, but not game-changing better. He's a good role-player. Shumpert (or JR Smith) were average role-players.

Kyrie is one of the worst clutch shooters with the game on the line according to an article I read...Thomas is fearless scoring in the clutch....personally I think the Cavs roster has more of an identity now than before.

 

[Minstrel]

Kyrie is one of the worst clutch shooters with the game on the line according to an article I read...

That's certainly not his reputation, but I'm not sure I buy into "clutch stats" anyway. They're notoriously volatile and are subject to how one defines "clutch situations." It's possible that some players shy away from the big moment, but I think it's safe to say Irving isn't one of them considering the big shots he hit in the 2016 Finals.

 

[handiman]

Will Crowder or LeBron move to the 2? They have too many quality forwards on the roster unless either Love is traded or Crowder assumes the 6th Man role.

 

[Minstrel]

Will Crowder or LeBron move to the 2? They have too many quality forwards on the roster unless either Love is traded or Crowder assumes the 6th Man role.

I'm assuming Crowder, since James, if anything, is best suited to moving up the positional spectrum (but can't due to Love's presence).

 

[Nhawz]

Kyrie is better than Thomas, but not Jae crowder and top three draft pick better. NO WAY! Not to mention zizic is no slouch either. I bet Lebron is excited, to not lose much at the pg position and add a stud wing defender.

 

[Blazers Roy]

There's an interesting take to this trade: Next summer Cavs can tell Lebron that if he stays, they will trade the BKN pick for another all-star (like they did with Wiggins).

 

[riverman]

That's certainly not his reputation, but I'm not sure I buy into "clutch stats" anyway. They're notoriously volatile and are subject to how one defines "clutch situations." It's possible that some players shy away from the big moment, but I think it's safe to say Irving isn't one of them considering the big shots he hit in the 2016 Finals.

yeah...I didn't write the article but his endgame shooting shocked me when I read it...not his strong pt...he is a great pt guard...no mistake

 

[Strenuus]

Why did Boston give so much when the Cavs had no leverage in the situation? I understand the IT situation... but damn. I wouldn't be happy if I was a boston fan on this trade. I also don't think Kyrie is all that great anyway.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Got to agree that Cleveland may have won that trade, which was not what anyone would have predicted given Kyrie's demands. Sure IT is a terrible (TERRIBLE) defender, but so is Kyrie, and Irving is also pretty injury-prone. Plus Thomas was the top "clutch scorer" in the NBA I seem to remember reading somewhere.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Ainge is kind of a dipshit sometimes. Just gonna put that out there.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Now Cleveland should try to swap Kevin Love for Marc Gasol and they'll have something.

 

[Blazinaway]

Now Cleveland should try to swap Kevin Love for Marc Gasol and they'll have something.

that or Boogie as they then can be "all in" for ONE yr then they rebuild as Bron/Boogie/IT all leave nd they get huge capspace along with the Brooklyn pick

 

[illmatic99]

Wondering if IT's hip is an issue. That's a haul they just gave up for Kyrie

 

[theprunetang]

Wondering if IT's hip is an issue. That's a haul they just gave up for Kyrie

The hip, the height, and the Brinks Truck.

 

[Minstrel]

The hip, the height, and the Brinks Truck.

And the age. 29 next off-season when he expects that Brinks truck.

 

[Chris Craig]

So does this mean melo is coming to portland...the dominoes fall