2017 NBA Offseason

[FiddySicks]

3 hours ago, HedleyLamarr said:

Well, it's like that hot girlfriend that was awesome at sex.  You loved her, then you hated her because she wanted to be with someone else, then she came back to you and gave you great sex and enough money to last you forever, only to see her want somebody else again.

 

Yeah, sure, LeBron promised he'd win the city a championship they haven't had in so long, and he came through.  That championship flag flies forever.  But a lot of what he said in that Sports Illustrated article about his return to Cleveland, finishing his career there, helping out the young and inexperienced team with the new coach, etc. will be all crap.  He told Gilbert he wasn't coming back unless he was going to spend in the luxury tax and make certain moves to bring in top talent right away (going against his "having patience" mantra).  He told the GM/owner to fire the white Jewish coach because Blatt wasn't interested in being LeBron's bitch.  And now LeBron is basically telling the Cleveland fans "Enjoy me while you can, because I'll be gone after this season!".

 

The LeBron Fellators will do/say whatever and justify it with some lame-ass excuse, but he'll have torn out the sports-hearts of his home town twice because he didn't get 100% to go his way.  What a prima donna.  Some guys will stick with a woman that continually breaks his heart because she gave him the highest-of-highs and looks great in a cocktail dress, but at some point, he'll have to cut bait and realize that if he wants to be happy for the rest of his life, he may need himself an ugly wife.

It should say volumes that each time LeBron has been a real UFA (especially in the prime of his career, that he's moved to another locale and seems pretty set on picking a new team next offseason.  You just don't see one of the top 5 GOAT in that sport's history keep moving around each time he hits free agency.  There's something just off about that.

 

 

Ehh, I dunno about all of that. Him leaving the first time was pretty shocking, and I can see why that ripped out the hearts of the fans (even if it was the right move, which I think it was). But he came back, won a title for them basically making amends for his past transgressions, and STILL faces a lot of the same bull issues he had the first time around. I'd be a lot more sympathetic for the Cavs had this off season not been such a Dan Gilbert-induced dumpster fire. I think most Cavs fans expect it this time around, and that title makes the blow a lot less hard to endure. 

 

And say what you will about Lebron asserting his will over the Cavs, but he's basically been right about what it takes every step of the way. He wouldn't have been in 7 straight finals and 8 total if he wasn't.  

[dfwabel]

Ramona, Windhorst and McMenamin combine on a new article.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20127818/nba-weeks-dysfunction-surrounding-kyrie-irving-trade-demand

 

Excerpt:

Quote

Much of Irving's disenchantment with James was rooted in game play, sources said. James, as a once-in-a-lifetime talent, controlled the ball more than any other forward perhaps in league history. Which means the ball was out of Irving's hands more than he preferred. That said, Irving led the Cavs in shots in the 2016-17 season, averaging 1.5 more per game than James, and Irving averaged a career-high 25.9 points. It was the first time in James' career he didn't lead his team in shots per game.

But there were ancillary issues that bothered Irving, too, such as how James' good friend Randy Mims had a position on the Cavs' staff and traveled on the team plane while none of Irving's close friends were afforded the same opportunity. Irving chafed about how peers such as Damian Lillard and John Wall were the center of their franchises and catered to accordingly. There's irony there, as Wall was envious of Irving's Nike shoe deal and Lillard has never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Irving has been to three Finals and has a championship.

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

If Kyrie is trying to get a jump on the 2018 season, that's one thing and I understand it.

 

If he's really upset that he's not getting the attention he thinks he deserves then he must be as crazy as a flat-earther. Kyrie's reputation pre-LeBron is that he was a chucker who would never win. Now he's basically the closest thing the league has to the next Kobe (whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you).

 

I'm not sure what Kyrie wants. The only way to win in today's NBA is to be on a team with other exceptional talent. If he wants to win, he's always going to have to share. If he wants to be The Guy, he can go play in New York and win 25 games a year again. There is a case that he could play better with a guy like Lonzo Ball, Rajon Rondo or Kawhi, but LeBron already called the Lakers and the Spurs wouldn't allow him to ballhog. 

 

Kyrie to New Orleans for Boogie though...that could be something.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Also, it sounds like Kevin Pritchard did a great job of :censored:ing the Cavs. Good for him. Too bad he screwed his team as a result.

[Crabcake]

IMO Kyrie didn't leave only bc he wants to be "the guy."  I think he saw the handwriting on the wall and realized that the Cavs are 1, maybe 2 years from implosion. LeBron is probably gonna leave after next season; if all he cared about was being the main man he could've waited it out.  IMO most likely destinations are Phoenix or San Antonio.  They won't trade him within the East unless they're blown away.

[OaklandIsBack]

hey guys sorry I'm nearly two months late just wanted to say:

 

WARRRRRRRRRIORRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSS

[HedleyLamarr]

50 minutes ago, Crabcake47 said:

IMO Kyrie didn't leave only bc he wants to be "the guy."  I think he saw the handwriting on the wall and realized that the Cavs are 1, maybe 2 years from implosion. LeBron is probably gonna leave after next season; if all he cared about was being the main man he could've waited it out.  IMO most likely destinations are Phoenix or San Antonio.  They won't trade him within the East unless they're blown away.

Kyrie doesn't want to be the guy left standing in Musical Chairs.

 

Cleveland traded away the two guys they drafted #1 when LeBron came aboard and they acquired Love.  Both are likely no longer with Cleveland come next summer.  They're going to be drafting late in the first round next draft (assuming they have their picks).  Even if Kyrie stays, how competitive will the Cavs really be?  They may be lucky enough to make the playoffs because the East is so bereft of talent, but they won't be much of anything.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Kyrie's also complaining that LeBron's friends are allowed on team planes but his aren't. The whole thing is kind of weird.

 

And I agree he should leave prior to the 18/19 season. Nothing good will result from a James-less team.

[HedleyLamarr]

33 minutes ago, DG_Now said:

Kyrie's also complaining that LeBron's friends are allowed on team planes but his aren't. The whole thing is kind of weird.

 

And I agree he should leave prior to the 18/19 season. Nothing good will result from a James-less team.

I've long been mentioning about the allowances that LeBron gets that no other player seemingly had.  But I'm wondering that if these reporters bringing this up (specifically, Windhorst) are trying to paint Kyrie in a petty light and bringing up how LeBron was blindsided and disappointed.  It is weird....and the timing is a bit late to be requesting a trade....I've got this funny feeling Kyrie doesn't get dealt at all.

[habsfan1]

 

[FinsUp1214]

The Zach Lowe podcast was interesting yesterday. Brian Windhorst tossing out that the Jazz have been in talks to land Kevin Love somehow?? It'd be in a third team role IF Melo-to-Cavs goes down, but apparently Cleveland likes Derrick Favors, so who knows what could happen anyways. 

 

A big massive IF of course, and the right stuff's gotta really line up, but my gosh I'd be over the moon if they could land Love. The minor hit you take on defense by losing Favors would get more than made up with Love's offense, something the Jazz surely need. And you wouldn't have to wait for Jerebko to come off the bench to stretch the floor. And the defense would still be darn good anyways.

 

If I were Dennis Lindsey and Love for Favors + Exum or Burks or Pick is on the table, I'm pulling the trigger. I may be on an island on that, but, yeah. I'd be sold.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Doesn't it seem like once it hits podcasts it's not going to happen?

[FinsUp1214]

2 minutes ago, DG_Now said:

Doesn't it seem like once it hits podcasts it's not going to happen?

 

Haha, it does. But one can dream right?  Windhorst never did indicate that talks had ceased, and the Jazz's top insider (David Locke) seemed to indicate there was some merit to it in his own podcast. Who knows though, like I said, it's a big IF anyways.

[BBTV]

http://www.crossingbroad.com/2017/07/this-massive-sips-fight-is-pretty-fantastic.html

 

There was a fight between (presumably, based on the crowds I see on the trains coming into the city) suburban senator's sons at a bar in Philly on Wednesday.  Apparently Joel Embiid was there (drinking SHirley Temples of course) and took a selfie in front of it (I think those are cops in the background.)

 

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/07/28/537907951/the-ongoing-battle-between-science-teachers-and-fake-news?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170728

 

She tells her students — like Nick Gurol, whose middle-schoolers believe the Earth is flat — that, as hard as they try, science teachers aren't likely to change a student's misconceptions just by correcting them.
 

Gurol says his students got the idea of a flat planet from basketball star Kyrie Irving, who said as much on a podcast.

 

"And immediately I start to panic. How have I failed these kids so badly they think the Earth is flat just because a basketball player says it?" He says he tried reasoning with the students and showed them a video. Nothing worked.

 

"They think that I'm part of this larger conspiracy of being a round-Earther. That's definitely hard for me because it feels like science isn't real to them.

 

Goddammit Kyrie.

[hettinger_rl]

Saw this interesting trade scenerio: http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/three_team_trade_involves_wiggins_irving_love_melo/s1_12740_24427288

 

Knicks Receive: Kyrie Irving, (Fillers – Cole Aldrich + Nemanja Bjelica)

Cavaliers Receive: Carmelo Anthony & Andrew Wiggins

Timberwolves Receive: Kevin Love (Possibly Frank Ntilikina)

 

Cavs would be right up there with GS. Kyrie gets to go "home," and Minnesota gets 3pt shooting and rebounding to complement KAT and Butler.

 

IDK just seemed interesting.

 

 

[Digby]

Once kyrie's done torpedoing his career with this trade demand the flat-earth thing will be over with.

[dfwabel]

40 minutes ago, Digby said:

Once kyrie's done torpedoing his career with this trade demand the flat-earth thing will be over with.

Flat Earth or not, he hit the shot to win CLE their 'chip and the banks still cash those damn checks the same.

 

Those wire transfers are in one's bank account at "torpedo" speed and that's a good thing.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

On 7/28/2017 at 11:00 PM, hettinger_rl said:

Saw this interesting trade scenerio: http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/three_team_trade_involves_wiggins_irving_love_melo/s1_12740_24427288

 

Knicks Receive: Kyrie Irving, (Fillers – Cole Aldrich + Nemanja Bjelica)

Cavaliers Receive: Carmelo Anthony & Andrew Wiggins

Timberwolves Receive: Kevin Love (Possibly Frank Ntilikina)

 

Cavs would be right up there with GS. Kyrie gets to go "home," and Minnesota gets 3pt shooting and rebounding to complement KAT and Butler.

 

IDK just seemed interesting.

 

 

 

Why would Minnesota do this? They obviously won the Wiggins-Love trade, this would literally reverse it. I get that they get 3 point shooting with Love, but they can get that elsewhere without giving up a star player for whom the sky is the limit. Love has hit his peak and is injury prone.

[MadmanLA]

This was reported yesterday, but Doc Rivers had his presidency of basketball operations role stripped away from Steve Ballmer; Lawrence Frank (and I guess current "GM" Dave Wohl as well) gets promoted as a result, and have interviewed Shareef Abdur-Rahim for a front office role, two positions of which were vacated by Gerald Madkins (who just became the Knicks' assistant GM) and Gary Sacks (the last front office link to the Elgin Baylor era).  Although, supposedly Frank will have the last say on basketball decisions, Doc will still have a voice in personnel moves.

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-rivers-gm-20170804-story.html