Author Topic: The idea of Boston going after LeBron is insane, but it's not THAT insane  (Read 7796 times)

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Offline LarBrd33

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First, the idea that there is bad blood between Kyrie and LeBron isn't factual.  I've done a ton of research on it.  It's just a lazy narrative the media spun to hype the season. 

I might do a video where I deep dive into this, but the real reason, in short, is that there were strong indicators coming out of LeBron's camp that he was bailing after this season.  There was also major dysfunction throughout the organization.  Bron apparently had a terrible relationship with ownership.  Their GM and owner didn't get along.  Meanwhile the team was shopping Kyrie (something LeBron wasn't supportive of) trying to find any method to get Bron to commit long term.  Ugly situation.  It wasn't about Kyrie wanting to be "the man" on his "own team", it was about getting the heck out of Cleveland before he was stuck there after LeBron left.  Asking out when he did allowed him to be portrayed as a bold and confident anti-durant who picked the harder path.  Had he waited until after LeBron left, he'd be seen as a coward and quitter.  Smart business move all-around. 

Everything I've seen and heard from those two suggests to me there is a ton of mutual respect and love between the two.  All you had to do is watch them on the bench during the all-star game to see those two are close.  Does this look like bad blood to you?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0DlEHGABFI

It's HIGHLY UNLIKELY if not utterly impossible, but not unthinkable that Bron would join Kyrie in Boston.

A simple idea would be imagining a sign-and-trade where we ship out Hayward's 30 mil or Horford's 30 mil.   That's brutal to imagine (especially Hayward), but Danny is a brutal GM. 

Really can't imagine Hayward being the one to go, but you can't totally rule out Horford given the age. You'd be swapping out one old guy for another.  You could say, "no way Cavs would want Horford if they are rebuilding" and perhaps you're right.  But honestly, if Boston REAAALLLY wanted to free up the necessary cap space, they could just salary dump Horford on a team like Indiana (they have 30+ mil free) and take back nothing.  Worst-case you also give up a pick.  Horford is only signed through next season with a player option for 1 more after that.

Then, if you let Marcus Smart walk - suddenly Boston only has about 72 million on the books.  With the cap set around 102 mil, Boston would now be in position to just offer Bron close to max money.

Crazy, I know.

Especially crazy because then who the heck plays center?  You'd have Kyrie, Brown, Hayward, Tatum and LeBron.    That's a weird line-up.

So just tack on the ridiculous (probably smokescreen) rumor we want to trade up for Mo Bamba.   Worst-case Boston moves Brown for Bamba.  Suddenly you have Kyrie, Hayward, Tatum, LeBron, Bamba. 

So yeah, it's insane, but not THAT insane.  You never know with Ainge.

Offline Phantom255x

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Trading Hayward or Horford (our first few marquee FA signings in franchise history) is a really bad look for the organization and would probably keep future FA's from signing here. Especially after Hayward went through his injury/rehab all year. I'll pass if that's what it takes.

Trading Isaiah Thomas looked cold-blooded, but we had traded for him so it wasn't *as* bad.

I will say this. I hope Ainge speaks with Irving about the long-term picture and if he is willing to sign an extension this summer or next for sure. The worst possible thing would be for us to have traded for Irving and he just bolts two years later.
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Offline KungPoweChicken

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It would be insane to not go after him.

Offline PAOBoston

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Yeah...not gonna happen. The C's are not trading Hayward to fit in Lebron somehow. I don't even think LeBron likes Boston. Houston is my bet. They can create cap space and add him to Harden/Paul.

Offline slamtheking

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tell Lebron he makes enough in endorsements so he can "afford" to sign for the MLE or better yet, vet min so that we can resign Baynes with the MLE.

that'll never happen but about as likely as any other chance Lebron comes to Boston

Offline PhoSita

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It's never insane to want LeBron on your team.

That said, I'd rather watch the Celtics beat LeBron than watch the Celtics win with LeBron.


I'm going to keep saying this:


Kyrie, Jaylen, Hayward, Tatum, Horford


That's all I want for next year.  Give me those 5 guys healthy and ready to go.
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Offline Fireworks_Boom!

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It's insane. I'll take the 28 year old Gordon Hayward rather than the 33 year LBJ (and aging...yeah sure he is showing no signs of it playing 48 min a night but it will eventually play its toll).


Offline Billz401

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Yeah...not gonna happen. The C's are not trading Hayward to fit in Lebron somehow. I don't even think LeBron likes Boston. Houston is my bet. They can create cap space and add him to Harden/Paul.
They're probably not going to be able to retain capella in order to resign cp3 so how exactly would they create cap space to then sign lebron? Who's willing to take on that Anderson contract at 20 mil? Even then they wont have enough space to sign lebron
everyone got so sensitive after 9-11... thanks alot bin laden

Offline loco_91

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I think you'd be crazy not to do this if you could.

It's a bad look, I know. You don't trade marquee free agents, and frankly, the guy to go would be Hayward, not Horford.

That said, it's hard to feel too sorry for a guy that's making $30M per year, and Ainge is not one to feel sorry. It might deter future star FA's, but why would we need to sign future FA's when we have Lebron?

The fact is that Lebron is still the best player in the world, and if you can get him, you DO.

Offline Monkhouse

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If I'm being honest, I would package Hayward+our Celtics pick, and Rozier and Morris for LeBron.

You would have to be foolish not to do so. I love Hayward, but getting LeBron? Kyrie and LeBron can fit together, and honestly if there is anyone in the world right now that LeBron would listen to, it's Kyrie, Horford, Stevens, and Ainge & Co.
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Offline BudweiserCeltic

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It's not insane, but it is utterly gross.

Offline Phantom255x

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Brian Scalabrine was on First Things First today during the segment where they were discussing Lebron's next (best) destination.

Scalabrine said Houston, and Philly is the 2nd choice (IF he doesn't stay in CLE of course)

He thinks Lebron in Houston beats Golden State, but he's not convinced Lebron in PHI beats Golden State unless they somehow bring back all their legit perimeter shooters like Reddick, Belinelli, Illyasova, etc. with exceptions (although they could still make it out of the East). Also for the same reason there's risk in Houston with CP3's injury history, there's also legit risk with Embiid and Fultz going forward too in that regard.

Nick and Jenna brought up Antoine saying Lebron should go to Boston, and Scalabrine laughed but acknowledged it as a possibility. Very unlikely but he did think Lebron would fit in Boston and would definitely win titles with them. He doesn't think Danny is *that* cold-blooded though where he'd trade Irving in a deal to get him, and of course the C's have no cap room so that's a big problem anyways.
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Offline Donoghus

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If I could remove fandom from the equation, I'd go after him in a heartbeat, no questions asked.

However, I can't. 



2010 CB Historical Draft - Best Overall Team

Offline Sophomore

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I think you'd be crazy not to do this if you could.

It's a bad look, I know. You don't trade marquee free agents, and frankly, the guy to go would be Hayward, not Horford.

That said, it's hard to feel too sorry for a guy that's making $30M per year, and Ainge is not one to feel sorry. It might deter future star FA's, but why would we need to sign future FA's when we have Lebron?

The fact is that Lebron is still the best player in the world, and if you can get him, you DO.

Given that Kyrie was desperate to escape Cleveland, how do you think you’re going to keep him in Boston? I think you need to keep Hayward and send out Kyrie – which is cold on so many levels.

Offline Monkhouse

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Brian Scalabrine was on First Things First today during the segment where they were discussing Lebron's next (best) destination.

Scalabrine said Houston, and Philly is the 2nd choice (IF he doesn't stay in CLE of course)

He thinks Lebron in Houston beats Golden State, but he's not convinced Lebron in PHI beats Golden State unless they somehow bring back all their legit perimeter shooters like Reddick, Belinelli, Illyasova, etc. with exceptions (although they could still make it out of the East). Also for the same reason there's risk in Houston with CP3's injury history, there's also legit risk with Embiid and Fultz going forward too in that regard.

Nick and Jenna brought up Antoine saying Lebron should go to Boston, and Scalabrine laughed but acknowledged it as a possibility. Very unlikely but he did think Lebron would fit in Boston and would definitely win titles with them. He doesn't think Danny is *that* cold-blooded though where he'd trade Irving in a deal to get him, and of course the C's have no cap room so that's a big problem anyways.

Thing is why is Kyrie leaving in every trade scenario? Doesn't it make sense to trade Hayward, when our two best prospects are wings?
"I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses
Can't define how I be dropping these mockeries."

Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
It's based on your perspective, quite simply
We're the same and we're not; know what I'm saying? Listen
Son, I ain't better than you, I just think different