OT: What happens now to LeBron?

[Wheels]

I'm not that taken by his surrounding cast in Cleveland, and Z is close to done. If Portland didn't totally gut their roster to attain him, I'd think there would be a better chance of winning titles as a Blazer then as a Cav.

STOMP

well yeah that was the point I was trying to make, to get him we gut our team.. then we are in the same position as Cleveland (minus the loyalty)

 

[Wheels]

this current group didn't get exposed at all. they played the one team in the league they didn't matchup well with in the eastern conference finals and lost in 6 games when 3 of the games(and two losses) were determined on last second shots.

there's no reason for the cavs to panic, but like any other team they should be looking to make improvements. and it isn't all or nothing next season. the cavs not winning the championship next year doesn't mean that lebron is going to leave. it's very much in doubt whether there will be any team with a chance at getting him that would also be able to offer him as good of an opportunity to win.

why do they need to break up the core? there aren't any star free agents out there for them this year, but there are plenty of guys who could come in and help the team. and when you're in the cavs situation all it takes is a little improvement(or really they don't even have to improve at all) to win a championship. the MLE, 30th pick in the draft(if they use it wisely), and improvement from hickson should already have the cavs on the right track. and yet again they have big expirings to play with if deals present themselves.

I agree to that as well. Kinda like your Rockets with us.. we played one of the few teams that we dont match up well with. The Rockets could use a consistent 2nd fiddle for Lebron though, if they can get anything remotely like that for Wallace's expiring contract.. look out.

 

[alex42083]

this current group didn't get exposed at all. they played the one team in the league they didn't matchup well with in the eastern conference finals and lost in 6 games when 3 of the games(and two losses) were determined on last second shots.

there's no reason for the cavs to panic, but like any other team they should be looking to make improvements. and it isn't all or nothing next season. the cavs not winning the championship next year doesn't mean that lebron is going to leave. it's very much in doubt whether there will be any team with a chance at getting him that would also be able to offer him as good of an opportunity to win.

why do they need to break up the core? there aren't any star free agents out there for them this year, but there are plenty of guys who could come in and help the team. and when you're in the cavs situation all it takes is a little improvement(or really they don't even have to improve at all) to win a championship. the MLE, 30th pick in the draft(if they use it wisely), and improvement from hickson should already have the cavs on the right track. and yet again they have big expirings to play with if deals present themselves.

Cleveland has a bunch of one-dimensional players surrounding LeBron. If they're not doing that one thing well, then they're not going to win in the playoffs.
They can beat up on the scrub teams and good teams, but were only 3-6 against the elite like Boston, Orlando and LA during the regular season, and now 5-10 counting the playoffs.

They don't need more role or average players. They need a legit second option and that's not going to be available this summer. As far as the expiring contracts, I think this past trade deadline proved that you're not going to get a primetime player for just cap relief.

 

[rocketeer]

Cleveland has a bunch of one-dimensional players surrounding LeBron. If they're not doing that one thing well, then they're not going to win in the playoffs.
They can beat up on the scrub teams and good teams, but were only 3-6 against the elite like Boston, Orlando and LA during the regular season, and now 5-10 counting the playoffs.

They don't need more role or average players. They need a legit second option and that's not going to be available this summer. As far as the expiring contracts, I think this past trade deadline proved that you're not going to get a primetime player for just cap relief.

the thing is, they don't need a legitimate 2nd option. it would help them immensely to have one, but it's not a necessity. all they need is to bring in a big perimeter guy(preferably who could hit open shots) and suddenly, the magic aren't such a terrible matchup for them anymore.

the cavs didn't win 66 games or play a closely contested conference finals(even if most people for some reason want to act as if that wasn't the case) or play a close 7 games with boston last year by accident. they are a legit elite team and a title contender every year with the roster as currently structured.

 

[STOMP]

well yeah that was the point I was trying to make, to get him we gut our team.. then we are in the same position as Cleveland (minus the loyalty)

I understood your point and then countered it. Either one of the scenarios I threw out still leaves Portland with more talent to surround LJ with then currently resides on the Cavs, and they will be losing Z to retirement in the not too distant future.

STOMP

 

[alex42083]

the thing is, they don't need a legitimate 2nd option. it would help them immensely to have one, but it's not a necessity. all they need is to bring in a big perimeter guy(preferably who could hit open shots) and suddenly, the magic aren't such a terrible matchup for them anymore.

the cavs didn't win 66 games or play a closely contested conference finals(even if most people for some reason want to act as if that wasn't the case) or play a close 7 games with boston last year by accident. they are a legit elite team and a title contender every year with the roster as currently structured.

I guess we disagree. Any team with LeBron for the next 10-15 years is going to be a title contender. If he played for the Kings this season, I bet they would've won a playoff series.
The Cavs are an elite team in the NBA for sure, but their supporting cast was giving so little that they had to resort to LeBron going 1 of 5 over the last two games. Cleveland as it is will always be good enough to make the ECF, but they were obviously missing something to take that next step and just weren't good enough talent-wise to beat Boston or Orlando.

 

[PapaG]

Puppet commercials
Chalk display before every game
Goofy, staged intros with team

Then the guy loses, takes his ball, and goes home. Perhaps "King James" isn't as mature as he's made out to be. Walking off the court without congratulating the team that just kicked your ass is bush league, and leaving your teammates behind to deal with the loss is selfish.

Bad move, LeBron.

 

[rocketeer]

I guess we disagree. Any team with LeBron for the next 10-15 years is going to be a title contender. If he played for the Kings this season, I bet they would've won a playoff series.
The Cavs are an elite team in the NBA for sure, but their supporting cast was giving so little that they had to resort to LeBron going 1 of 5 over the last two games. Cleveland as it is will always be good enough to make the ECF, but they were obviously missing something to take that next step and just weren't good enough talent-wise to beat Boston or Orlando.

yes, we definitely disgree.

and i completely disagree with your assessment that the cavs were obviously missing something and weren't good enough talent wise to beat boston or orlando. if anything, the series the cavs have been eliminated in the past two years have proven that they do have enough talent wise to beat boston or orlando.

orlando won two games fairly comfortably(but still close enough) at home, the cavs won one game in that fashion as well. the other 3 games came down to the cavs taking a shot as time expired. obviously they made one and missed two and the series ended 4-2 orlando. but that series of games certainly didn't prove that the cavs simply don't have the talent to play with orlando or that adding a few better pieces off the bench couldn't swing that in the cavs favor.

same last year with boston. boston obviously won the series, but with two minutes left in game 7, it was a one point game. clearly, the cavs had the talent to be capable of beating boston(and that was before adding mo williams). they didn't, but they certainly aren't far off.

an example of the cavs clearly not having the talent to win a championship would have been their sweep at the hands of the spurs. of course, the cavs have definitely made improvements since then.

 

[LameR]

I feel like if they had enough talent to win either of those series...they would have won them? Or at least one of them. Saying "well they were in 3 tight games too" only means so much. You still have to get over the hump and win, and when it comes down to it, the Cavs haven't. They'll probably keep making ECFs if LBJ stays, but they need more help if they want to win a title. They can't win with LeBron having to go for 40+ each night.

 

[Stevenson]

Puppet commercials
Chalk display before every game
Goofy, staged intros with team

Then the guy loses, takes his ball, and goes home. Perhaps "King James" isn't as mature as he's made out to be. Walking off the court without congratulating the team that just kicked your ass is bush league, and leaving your teammates behind to deal with the loss is selfish.

Bad move, LeBron.

Good point, and well said.

 

[alex42083]

yes, we definitely disgree.

and i completely disagree with your assessment that the cavs were obviously missing something and weren't good enough talent wise to beat boston or orlando. if anything, the series the cavs have been eliminated in the past two years have proven that they do have enough talent wise to beat boston or orlando.

They certainly have the talent to reach the ECF, but they didn't beat them. They've fallen short twice and they've been beaten by arguably the better team two straight years.

orlando won two games fairly comfortably(but still close enough) at home, the cavs won one game in that fashion as well. the other 3 games came down to the cavs taking a shot as time expired. obviously they made one and missed two and the series ended 4-2 orlando. but that series of games certainly didn't prove that the cavs simply don't have the talent to play with orlando or that adding a few better pieces off the bench couldn't swing that in the cavs favor.

same last year with boston. boston obviously won the series, but with two minutes left in game 7, it was a one point game. clearly, the cavs had the talent to be capable of beating boston(and that was before adding mo williams). they didn't, but they certainly aren't far off.

an example of the cavs clearly not having the talent to win a championship would have been their sweep at the hands of the spurs. of course, the cavs have definitely made improvements since then.

They aren't far off at all. But all series long, you heard how LeBron needs help, he needs help from his teammates, he can't do it all himself. And it ended up that his teammates just weren't good enough.

They certainly wouldn't have beaten the Lakers if it got that far. There's no doubt if LeBron had a legit second scorer like a Turkoglu or Lewis, Cleveland would be breezing to the Finals.
As currently constructed, they aren't good enough. Role players don't win championships. You certainly need them but LeBron was the only indisputable All-Star on a team that won 66 games. (Mo gets an asterisk since the coaches didn't select him, and originally selected Jameer Nelson. And Mo proved not to step up his game in the big time.)

 

[Wheels]

I understood your point and then countered it. Either one of the scenarios I threw out still leaves Portland with more talent to surround LJ with then currently resides on the Cavs, and they will be losing Z to retirement in the not too distant future.

STOMP

Trading for Lebron leaves us with talent? So what do you think they will accept for Lebron? Rudy + TO and Picks?

 

[LameR]

On kind of a side note, does anyone else think if this was Kobe, or a few other stars who have not quite as outgoing of an image as LeBron, they'd just be getting absolutely hammered for just jetting out of the arena like that? Now I understand he was pissed, but he could have at least shaken the Magic players' hands. I could care less about him skipping out on interviews with the media, but at least give D12 and company some congratulations. You could tell in the interview with ESPN that Howard was surprised that LeBron didn't talk to him after the game. Just seems to me if this was Kobe or a few others, people would be calling him a jerk and not letting him off quite this easily.

 

[STOMP]

Trading for Lebron leaves us with talent? So what do you think they will accept for Lebron? Rudy + TO and Picks?

I made a post on this page with two scenarios...

STOMP

 

[Minstrel]

On kind of a side note, does anyone else think if this was Kobe, or a few other stars who have not quite as outgoing of an image as LeBron, they'd just be getting absolutely hammered for just jetting out of the arena like that? Now I understand he was pissed, but he could have at least shaken the Magic players' hands. I could care less about him skipping out on interviews with the media, but at least give D12 and company some congratulations. You could tell in the interview with ESPN that Howard was surprised that LeBron didn't talk to him after the game. Just seems to me if this was Kobe or a few others, people would be calling him a jerk and not letting him off quite this easily.

Isiah Thomas did the same thing, when the Bulls finally beat the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. He led his whole team off the court without shaking hands. Only Joe Dumars didn't follow Thomas' lead, and went over to shake the hands of the Bulls.

I don't recall Thomas getting hammered at the time, though over the years whenever that series comes up, it's viewed as a bit of childish petulance on Thomas' part.

 

[Natebishop3]

I made a post on this page with two scenarios...

STOMP

Even if we did trade Roy and Aldridge for LeBron, I think a team that had Bayless, Rudy, Oden, and LeBron would be exceptional. We'd have to round out the bench though. Might take some more Pritchard magic. Either that, or maybe we could sign a couple guys to play backup.

The biggest question, who would play power forward?

 

[PapaG]

On kind of a side note, does anyone else think if this was Kobe, or a few other stars who have not quite as outgoing of an image as LeBron, they'd just be getting absolutely hammered for just jetting out of the arena like that? Now I understand he was pissed, but he could have at least shaken the Magic players' hands. I could care less about him skipping out on interviews with the media, but at least give D12 and company some congratulations. You could tell in the interview with ESPN that Howard was surprised that LeBron didn't talk to him after the game. Just seems to me if this was Kobe or a few others, people would be calling him a jerk and not letting him off quite this easily.

Yeah, I posted the same thing in this same thread. Bush league.

 

[PapaG]

Isiah Thomas did the same thing, when the Bulls finally beat the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. He led his whole team off the court without shaking hands. Only Joe Dumars didn't follow Thomas' lead, and went over to shake the hands of the Bulls.

I don't recall Thomas getting hammered at the time, though over the years whenever that series comes up, it's viewed as a bit of childish petulance on Thomas' part.

Thomas had won titles before that display of poor sportsmanship, and you must not recall him being hammered for walking off of the court because you were too young? My circle of hoops fans always felt that was a window to the real Isiah, and his poor decisions since only reinforce that position.

 

[Minstrel]

Thomas had won titles before that display of poor sportsmanship

I'm not sure why that's relevant, unless you mean that media excuses bad behaviour if the player has won before, which I'd agree with but I don't think that media behaviour actually makes any sense.

and you must not recall him being hammered for walking off of the court because you were too young? My circle of hoops fans always felt that was a window to the real Isiah, and his poor decisions since only reinforce that position.

I meant in the media, which I assumed was what LameR was referring to. I was 13 when it happened, and I remember the media flurry over the Bulls finally going to the Finals and the Jordan v Magic angle talked about endlessly. I didn't read anything or see anything on TV about Thomas' actions after the series.

 

[JE]

I wouldn't discount New Jersey that fast with their owner talking about breaking ground on a new arena this summer in Brooklyn in time for the 2011-12 season, and you see Jay-Z congratulating LeBron on the court after the games.
But yeah, if I had a preference, I'd like to see LeBron go to NY. That'd be one big circus.

If LeBron left Cleveland, it would be for the money. The Knicks have the most money to offer (an obscene amount, I might add). This LeBron to the Nets idea is just some hopeful babble created by the legions of 11 year old Net fans who laugh at the notion that other professional basketball teams exist outside of New Jersey.

 

[PapaG]

I'm not sure why that's relevant, unless you mean that media excuses bad behaviour if the player has won before, which I'd agree with but I don't think that media behaviour actually makes any sense.



I meant in the media, which I assumed was what LameR was referring to. I was 13 when it happened, and I remember the media flurry over the Bulls finally going to the Finals and the Jordan v Magic angle talked about endlessly. I didn't read anything or see anything on TV about Thomas' actions after the series.

You remember things differently than I did. I remember Zeke being hammered for his poor sportsmanship, and frankly, it is his lasting image as a player to me, and likely added to his '92 exclusion from the "Dream Team".

 

[PapaG]

If LeBron left Cleveland, it would be for the money. The Knicks have the most money to offer (an obscene amount, I might add). This LeBron to the Nets idea is just some hopeful babble created by the legions of 11 year old Net fans who laugh at the notion that other professional basketball teams exist outside of New Jersey.

You've heard of the CBA and its impact on the restrictions on salaries, right?

 

[JE]

You've heard of the CBA and its impact on the restrictions on salaries, right?

cap space wut

 

[MAS RipCity]

The most I would offer LeBron would be
Oden, LMA, Rudy, Batum

Sign Milsap/Lee

Bayless/Roy/LeBron/(Milsap/Lee)/Joel
Over

It would never happen, but we would be plenty loaded with him

And yes, he has a lot of growing up to do.

 

[STOMP]

Even if we did trade Roy and Aldridge for LeBron, I think a team that had Bayless, Rudy, Oden, and LeBron would be exceptional. We'd have to round out the bench though. Might take some more Pritchard magic. Either that, or maybe we could sign a couple guys to play backup.

The biggest question, who would play power forward?

on the off chance that Joel Freeland isn't the next Buck Williams, I'd think that the other Joel could fetch a servicable PF.

ahhh the off season, when reality takes flight. The chances of LeBron becoming a Blazer are obviously minute, but dreaming up wild scenarios is fun and free... and I'm still pretty stoked about the team as is

STOMP

 

[MrJayremmie]

Each of the last 2 years (3 years now I guess) LeBron has left the court without congratulating anyone and then gone over to the other lockerroom later to congratulate them. He did it with the Spurs and Celtics. Probably just needed to gather himself. Leave him alone, imo.

 

[RickyRubio]

I would not ever, ever ever ever ever, trade LMA and Roy for LBJ. I would rather have Roy. LeBron is a ball hog and a poor sport.

Then ONLY thing I would consider is LA and Oden for him. Because Roy and LeBron on the same team would be deadly. Better then Jordan and Pippen.

 

[Masbee]

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/104752-lebron-im-not-leaving-cavs-yet?

The league MVP, who also did not shake hands with Olympic teammate Dwight Howard or congratulate any Orlando players as he left the floor, said yesterday that he's happy in Cleveland and feels the Cavaliers made major progress this season. "I'm great. I feel great about this situation that's going on," James said at Cleveland's training facility in Independence, Ohio, where the team gathered one last time before parting ways for the summer. "You want to continue to get better, that's all you can ask. We got better and I feel this team will be better next season. You don't want to take a step backward."

The Cavs won't trade LeBron any time soon. There is no trade they could make (that LeBron would approve) that would come close to filling those shoes. So, they would rather hold out whatever hope they may or may not have that he will resign in 2010.

The only way they do a sign-and-trade is after LeBron has already agreed to sign with another team with cap room. It would be just like the Rashard Lewis deal with Orlando. Orlando had cap room. Offer to Rashard. The whole world knows Rashard is gone from Seattle. Seattle and Orlando THEN work out a sign-and-trade.

I know the losing team doesn't get much from that trade, but I can't see Cleveland daring to make any sort of proactive trade of LeBron. They can't win with their fans if they do.

 

[JE]

Each of the last 2 years (3 years now I guess) LeBron has left the court without congratulating anyone and then gone over to the other lockerroom later to congratulate them. He did it with the Spurs and Celtics. Probably just needed to gather himself. Leave him alone, imo.

He was pissed about the loss and didn't want to do anything he might regret in public. What an arrogant doucheyhead.

 

[maxiep]

I can't see LeBron ever leaving Cleveland. He's a guy conscious of his legacy, and ditching a team for the bright lights would hurt his image. Besides, the bright lights follow him, so it doesn't matter. He could be a Buck, a Blazer or a Thunder and he'd be in the media spotlight.