Paul Pierce just said Portland Trail Blazers dark horse to land LeBron

[RR7]

I'd like someone to say it who can also explain HOW IT'S REMOTELY POSSIBLE. If LeBron is prepared to sign for the MLE then he has his pick of 30 teams, and I just don't see us being THE ONE.

It's not gonna happen.
But, to play devil's advocate, it goes down the way the chris Paul trade went down this past summer. Lebron says I'm leaving, or, I want to opt in and go to portland.
He opts in, we send McCollum, layman, swanigan for lebron.

 

[Scalma]

Playing with Lillard is probably one of the better options out there for Lebron. Everyone says Philly but the fit with Simmons isn’t great since he’s a shit shooter.

 

[TBpup]

Is the fact that we have no cap space not a little bit of a problem in signing a free agent?

If LeBron only goes to a team with cap space for his type of contract, the list will be quite short. Of course it is extremely unlikely that he would come here especially for the Lux Exception which is about $3M less than the MLE.

But if it is truly about 'legacy', perhaps he does something out of the box. Like going to New Orleans and with AD/Holiday/Rondo, getting them their first every title? Something outside of the box that builds his legacy and gives him a legit shot to win more titles.

Philly - talented but very young
Lakers - not as talented and very young
Celtics - young and loaded going forward
Rockets - prime contender but Paul is ageing fast.
Warriors - would be a bit tainted since they have already won 3 titles without him.
Pelicans - talented, prime, what to do with DMC?
Blazers - talented, prime, owner who will spend into the Lux Tax if LeBron came.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Explain to me why Portland is a better option than New Orleans, especially if it really is possible to sign-and-trade Cousins for LeBron. Then LeBron would be paid max money and playing on the team that swept us and took a game from Golden State. And their strengths complement his perfectly.

The only possibly better places (assuming we rule out Golden State):
Rockets (but THREE ball-dominant stars? Isn't that why OKC traded Harden in the first place?)
Celtics (awk-ward - unless they move Kyrie first. Plus LeBron might not want to be in the shadow of all the Celtic greats)
Lakers (assuming they pull a Miami and land at least one other superstar. But same as the Celtics - what happens if LeBron doesn't bring them a championship? Suddenly everyone's saying Kobe is better. But also, what other star could the Lakers land who's as good as Anthony Davis?)

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I actually don't WANT Philly to get LeBron because I want Simmons to have free rein and I think it would stunt his development. But maybe LeBron can make it work...

 

[julius]

Explain to me why Portland is a better option than New Orleans, especially if it really is possible to sign-and-trade Cousins for LeBron. Then LeBron would be paid max money and playing on the team that swept us and took a game from Golden State. And their strengths complement his perfectly.

The only possibly better places (assuming we rule out Golden State):
Rockets (but THREE ball-dominant stars? Isn't that why OKC traded Harden in the first place?)
Celtics (awk-ward - unless they move Kyrie first. Plus LeBron might not want to be in the shadow of all the Celtic greats)
Lakers (assuming they pull a Miami and land at least one other superstar. But same as the Celtics - what happens if LeBron doesn't bring them a championship? Suddenly everyone's saying Kobe is better. But also, what other star could the Lakers land who's as good as Anthony Davis?)

It's a guard driven league, thats why.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

It's a guard driven league, thats why.

Finals MVP: Kevin Durant. In fact, I can't remember the last finals MVP who was a guard.

But anyway: Holiday outplayed our guards fairly substantially.

 

[BBert]

I don't care what any fan or reporter says. Neil and Paul need to take this very seriously. Before Scottie Pippen came to Portland the Blazers where considered a dark horse as well.

"Came to Portland"?? Didn't the Blazers trade like 5 players for Pippen?

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I thought they traded Houston for Pippen, maybe I’m wrong.

 

[TBpup]

Explain to me why Portland is a better option than New Orleans, especially if it really is possible to sign-and-trade Cousins for LeBron. Then LeBron would be paid max money and playing on the team that swept us and took a game from Golden State. And their strengths complement his perfectly.

The only possibly better places (assuming we rule out Golden State):
Rockets (but THREE ball-dominant stars? Isn't that why OKC traded Harden in the first place?)
Celtics (awk-ward - unless they move Kyrie first. Plus LeBron might not want to be in the shadow of all the Celtic greats)
Lakers (assuming they pull a Miami and land at least one other superstar. But same as the Celtics - what happens if LeBron doesn't bring them a championship? Suddenly everyone's saying Kobe is better. But also, what other star could the Lakers land who's as good as Anthony Davis?)

I don't think anyone is saying Portland is better than New Orleans. The teams finished with a similar record but obviously the Pels swept the Blazers. New Orleans is probably the better fit from a roster standpoint.

 

[julius]

Finals MVP: Kevin Durant. In fact, I can't remember the last finals MVP who was a guard.

But anyway: Holiday outplayed our guards fairly substantially.

ok, guard and wing. Bigger point, this isn't a PF and C driven league.

 

[THE HCP]

My neighbor just said 'Bron is coming here...... let me go start a thread about it. Cause you know its just a random thought and its the offseason

 

[LeeRC]

Here's how I see it:

• If Lebron wants to be seen as a guy who bends over for his conqueror ala KD and Dwight: Celtics or Warriors
• If Lebron wants to mentor a young star or squad: Sixers or Pelicans
• If Lebron wants to be seen as GOAT - who can win by dragging a 'struggling team' to the Finals and win: Blazers or Thunder
• If Lebron wants to create a legendary All-Time team to own the Warriors: Rockets or Spurs

Lebron has too much self-respect to do the first - so no dice. Can't see Lebron wanting to play mentor at a pivotal point such as this - so he'll let the young guys develop rather than join them. He has already somewhat done the third option in Cleveland - so it really depends if he wants to be challenged again. Otherwise, Lebron respects both Popovich and D'Antoni (they're better coaches than he's ever had and more importantly, they represent the father figure that he desires) and is good friends with CP3 while also tremendously respecting household names like Harden and Kawhi - so chances are he'll like these options the best.

Honestly, Portland represents a comfortable middle ground between option 3 and 4. If Lebron wants that, Portland would need to pull off a stellar meeting this summer. Realistically, I do foresee Lebron listing Portland as in his final 3 destinations. That all said, you should know, by now, how the story goes in Portland.

 

[julius]

My neighbor just said 'Bron is coming here...... let me go start a thread about it. Cause you know its just a random thought and its the offseason

But did he get a picture?

 

[TBpup]

@LeeRC ....I agree with that above except for mentoring the Pelicans. If the Pels need mentoring, what does a team that they just swept need?

AD is an MVP caliber player who will play his 7th season in the NBA next year.
Hollday is one of the better 2-way guards in the league and next season will be his 10th.
Rondo is a Title winning PG and when in 'Playoff Rondo' mode, is a beast. He will be 32.
Cousins...if he comes back is one of the most dominant big men in the NBA and is 27.
Mirotic is also 27 with NBA and International seasoning.

Add LeBron to that mix and that is a formidable squad that to me doesn't look anything like the Sixers in terms of experience.

 

[Blazer4ever]

They were talking about where he should go and he said Boston or Houston but then said "What about a dark horse? Like the Portland Trail Blazers." LeBron does like Dame Lillard and the entire NBPA considers Dame to be the most clutch player in the league. Why wouldn't LeBron want to play with him??

The most clutch player in the league? after getting swept to New Orleans in the 1st round? Dame needs to get his head out of his ass and start teaming up better with CJ. All this worthless propoganda to feed his ego isn't working for us

 

[Chris Craig]

Come on Lebron, Just do it!

 

[TBpup]

Come on Lebron, Just do it!

See what @Chris Craig did there....

 

[BBert]

Come on Lebron, Just do it!

Is that the new recruiting billboard?

 

[TBpup]

 

[riverman]

My neighbor just said 'Bron is coming here...... let me go start a thread about it. Cause you know its just a random thought and its the offseason

And I thought you were a Laker fan!

 

[tykendo]

It's all speculation, but LeBron knows the kind of Basketball City Portland is, and that definitely is a plus. Portland is a good place to raise kids as well, and the Northwest is a hotbed for quality youth play. Portland is in the hunt.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

More people need to be like Spencer:

 

[riverman]

More people need to be like Spencer:

In Brooklyn they are

 

[BonesJones]

If we actually are in the hunt I think we trade for Blake Griffin to try to entice him, or find a way to bring Kevin Love over.

 

[BonesJones]

I wonder if Kevin Love could come with a LeBron opt-in-and-trade if that would be enticing enough to LeBron.

First off, we'd have to find an agreement with other teams before July 1st on a hypothetical trade like this:

POR Gets: LeBron, Love, Plumlee (TPE)
CLE Gets: Harkless, Leonard, 2019, 2021, & 2023 POR 1sts
ATL Gets: Turner, Swanigan, #24 draftee?
TOR/LAC/DAL Gets: Aminu (TPE or cap space)

Assuming Cleveland wants to shed some salary, and they're likely to lose LeBron for nothing, this essentially works out to be Harkless, Leonard, and 3 future firsts for Love.
Atlanta takes on some salary, but adds Swanigan and whoever we take with #24. Since this trade happens after July 1st, we can trade whoever we picked (if they haven't been signed) and still trade our 2019 1st. Atlanta likely does it due to how much cap space they have, and Evan Turner is only making slightly more than Plumlee over the same span.
Finally, Aminu goes to a team that has a TPE or cap space that would want him. If that team has salary they don't want, we could take back up to $3.5M using the Vonleh TPE.

So we'd have this after we resign Nurkic and maybe Davis:

Lillard / Baldwin
McCollum / ?
LeBron / ?
Love / Collins
Nurkic / Davis

We could fill out the bench with our tax-payer MLE and a minimum contract player.

I think that'd have to be enticing to LeBron. That lineup is legit. Think about what he had in Cleveland and add Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic to it. I think that team is just as good as a Houston team with CP3 and Harden (they'd have to get rid of Capela, Anderson, Gordon, and Tucker to make that work).

 

[Strenuus]

I wonder if Kevin Love could come with a LeBron opt-in-and-trade if that would be enticing enough to LeBron.

First off, we'd have to find an agreement with other teams before July 1st on a hypothetical trade like this:

POR Gets: LeBron, Love, Plumlee (TPE)
CLE Gets: Harkless, Leonard, 2019, 2021, & 2023 POR 1sts
ATL Gets: Turner, Swanigan, #24 draftee?
TOR/LAC/DAL Gets: Aminu (TPE or cap space)

Assuming Cleveland wants to shed some salary, and they're likely to lose LeBron for nothing, this essentially works out to be Harkless, Leonard, and 3 future firsts for Love.
Atlanta takes on some salary, but adds Swanigan and whoever we take with #24. Since this trade happens after July 1st, we can trade whoever we picked (if they haven't been signed) and still trade our 2019 1st. Atlanta likely does it due to how much cap space they have, and Evan Turner is only making slightly more than Plumlee over the same span.
Finally, Aminu goes to a team that has a TPE or cap space that would want him. If that team has salary they don't want, we could take back up to $3.5M using the Vonleh TPE.

So we'd have this after we resign Nurkic and maybe Davis:

Lillard / Baldwin
McCollum / ?
LeBron / ?
Love / Collins
Nurkic / Davis

We could fill out the bench with our tax-payer MLE and a minimum contract player.

I think that'd have to be enticing to LeBron. That lineup is legit. This about what he had in Cleveland and add Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic to it. I think that team is just as good as a Houston team with CP3 and Harden (they'd have to get rid of Capela, Anderson, Gordon, and Tucker to make that work).

This trade actually makes sense.

I either just got instantly fat or theres another reason my pants got tight.

 

[e_blazer]

I wonder if Kevin Love could come with a LeBron opt-in-and-trade if that would be enticing enough to LeBron.

First off, we'd have to find an agreement with other teams before July 1st on a hypothetical trade like this:

POR Gets: LeBron, Love, Plumlee (TPE)
CLE Gets: Harkless, Leonard, 2019, 2021, & 2023 POR 1sts
ATL Gets: Turner, Swanigan, #24 draftee?
TOR/LAC/DAL Gets: Aminu (TPE or cap space)

Assuming Cleveland wants to shed some salary, and they're likely to lose LeBron for nothing, this essentially works out to be Harkless, Leonard, and 3 future firsts for Love.
Atlanta takes on some salary, but adds Swanigan and whoever we take with #24. Since this trade happens after July 1st, we can trade whoever we picked (if they haven't been signed) and still trade our 2019 1st. Atlanta likely does it due to how much cap space they have, and Evan Turner is only making slightly more than Plumlee over the same span.
Finally, Aminu goes to a team that has a TPE or cap space that would want him. If that team has salary they don't want, we could take back up to $3.5M using the Vonleh TPE.

So we'd have this after we resign Nurkic and maybe Davis:

Lillard / Baldwin
McCollum / ?
LeBron / ?
Love / Collins
Nurkic / Davis

We could fill out the bench with our tax-payer MLE and a minimum contract player.

I think that'd have to be enticing to LeBron. That lineup is legit. This about what he had in Cleveland and add Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic to it. I think that team is just as good as a Houston team with CP3 and Harden (they'd have to get rid of Capela, Anderson, Gordon, and Tucker to make that work).

End of year trades can’t include players with ending contracts or options that would allow them to become free agents.

 

[BonesJones]

End of year trades can’t include players with ending contracts or options that would allow them to become free agents.

So how did the Houston Rockets acquire Chris Paul? Players can opt-in and get traded. Thats what CP3 did last year.

 

[e_blazer]

So how did the Houston Rockets acquire Chris Paul? Players can opt-in and get traded. Thats what CP3 did last year.

Sure, after July. In a sign and trade.

“When the trade deadline has passed. Teams are free to make trades again once their season has ended4, but cannot trade players whose contracts are ending or could end due to an option or ETO.”

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q101