New Favorite for LeBron?

[Beat LA]

Speaking of the Cavs keeping varejao...  Something I found interesting in that "trade for Larry Sanders" thread yesterday...

I tracked down the actual paper that compared interior defenders statistically:  http://www.sloansportsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/The%20Dwight%20Effect%20A%20New%20Ensemble%20of%20Interior%20Defense%20Analytics%20for%20the%20NBA.pdf

Not surprisingly, Larry Sanders and Roy Hibbert were two of the best while Kevin Love was one of the worst.   But even worse than Love... Anderson Varejao.  Sup with that?  I thought the perception was that he was an elite defender.  I remember quite a few Boston fans that wanted him.

Hmm, that is interesting.  He was always a thug with good lateral quickness who flopped as much as his hair, but I believe the reason why people wanted him here was due to his rebounding prowess.  I could be wrong, though.

[D.o.s.]

Speaking of the Cavs keeping varejao...  Something I found interesting in that "trade for Larry Sanders" thread yesterday...

I tracked down the actual paper that compared interior defenders statistically:  http://www.sloansportsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/The%20Dwight%20Effect%20A%20New%20Ensemble%20of%20Interior%20Defense%20Analytics%20for%20the%20NBA.pdf

Not surprisingly, Larry Sanders and Roy Hibbert were two of the best while Kevin Love was one of the worst.   But even worse than Love... Anderson Varejao.  Sup with that?  I thought the perception was that he was an elite defender.  I remember quite a few Boston fans that wanted him.

Hmm, that is interesting.  He was always a thug with good lateral quickness who flopped as much as his hair, but I believe the reason why people wanted him here was due to his rebounding prowess.  I could be wrong, though.

That's how I remember it, too. Effort guy who rebounded well, flopped often, and was hurt regularly.

[Lucky17]

Speaking of the Cavs keeping varejao...  Something I found interesting in that "trade for Larry Sanders" thread yesterday...

I tracked down the actual paper that compared interior defenders statistically:  http://www.sloansportsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/The%20Dwight%20Effect%20A%20New%20Ensemble%20of%20Interior%20Defense%20Analytics%20for%20the%20NBA.pdf

Not surprisingly, Larry Sanders and Roy Hibbert were two of the best while Kevin Love was one of the worst.   But even worse than Love... Anderson Varejao.  Sup with that?  I thought the perception was that he was an elite defender.  I remember quite a few Boston fans that wanted him.

I have to question the significance of "proximal FG%" when Andrea Bargnani and Kendrick Perkins rank #2 and #3 in the league.

[CelticSooner]

Speaking of the Cavs keeping varejao...  Something I found interesting in that "trade for Larry Sanders" thread yesterday...

I tracked down the actual paper that compared interior defenders statistically:  http://www.sloansportsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/The%20Dwight%20Effect%20A%20New%20Ensemble%20of%20Interior%20Defense%20Analytics%20for%20the%20NBA.pdf

Not surprisingly, Larry Sanders and Roy Hibbert were two of the best while Kevin Love was one of the worst.   But even worse than Love... Anderson Varejao.  Sup with that?  I thought the perception was that he was an elite defender.  I remember quite a few Boston fans that wanted him.

No, he's never been a good defender. He's your classic grinder. Sets picks, grabs rebounds, and finishes plays. People wanted him because the C's had no one like that under the basket.

[LarBrd33]

Speaking of the Cavs keeping varejao...  Something I found interesting in that "trade for Larry Sanders" thread yesterday...

I tracked down the actual paper that compared interior defenders statistically:  http://www.sloansportsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/The%20Dwight%20Effect%20A%20New%20Ensemble%20of%20Interior%20Defense%20Analytics%20for%20the%20NBA.pdf

Not surprisingly, Larry Sanders and Roy Hibbert were two of the best while Kevin Love was one of the worst.   But even worse than Love... Anderson Varejao.  Sup with that?  I thought the perception was that he was an elite defender.  I remember quite a few Boston fans that wanted him.

I have to question the significance of "proximal FG%" when Andrea Bargnani and Kendrick Perkins rank #2 and #3 in the league.

I don't disagree. I'm not sure what season those stats are from. I think it's a couple years ago.  Not that it would make a difference...

[Ogaju]

how did a thread about LeBron to Cleveland turn into a Varejao evaluation thread???

[CelticSooner]

how did a thread about LeBron to Cleveland turn into a Varejao evaluation thread???

 

[Ogaju]

Kinda weird the way LeBron has managed to turn this into 'The decision Part Deaux'. Will he have the nad to break the hearts of Cleveland a second time in four years?

[henr1k]

If Lebron left Celtics, broke my heart as a fan, and 4 years later, when it seems my team finally has a bright future ahead with Irving, Wiggins, Waiters + cap flexibility, he wants to come back - I would be p---ed and wouldn't want him back. I mean, maybe it's just me....

Cavs fan forum is currently down because servers couldn't handle all the traffic. I read some of the posts on their chat, they are so happy and excited... I can't believe it.

It's like being super happy that your cheating ex girlfriend wants to get back together. Where is the pride?

Again, maybe it's just me...

[Ogaju]

If that Cheating ex-girlfriend is Halle Berry or Kate Upton I may roll out the red carpet, especially if she is still as hot as ever!!

[Beat LA]

If that Cheating ex-girlfriend is Halle Berry or Kate Upton I may roll out the red carpet, especially if she is still as hot as ever!!

Oh man

[Beat LA]

If Lebron left Celtics, broke my heart as a fan, and 4 years later, when it seems my team finally has a bright future ahead with Irving, Wiggins, Waiters + cap flexibility, he wants to come back - I would be p---ed and wouldn't want him back. I mean, maybe it's just me....

Cavs fan forum is currently down because servers couldn't handle all the traffic. I read some of the posts on their chat, they are so happy and excited... I can't believe it.

It's like being super happy that your cheating ex girlfriend wants to get back together. Where is the pride?

Again, maybe it's just me...

I wouldn't want him back, either - TP.  I'll never forget seeing the footage of the fans in Cleveland burning his jerseys.  The Cavs 'winning' the lottery 3 times in the last 4 years was all part of the plan by the league to somehow try to compensate them for his departure, but this is to be...expected.  On all sides.  All I want to know now is when does Ray sign with his best buddy?   What a tool.

As far as welcoming back your cheating ex girlfriend, Lebron, with open arms, can't you see how much he's changed?  He needed to do what was best for him and has clearly grown and matured by leaps and bounds over the course of his journey, wouldn't you agree?  This is what happens when you 'work on yourself'   I'm being sarcastic here, btw.  All of that self-help stuff almost made me barf lol, but this seemed like the perfect time and place to mention it, haha   What a load of crap.  Why, just listen to the master himself at the 6:00 mark - "go home and take care of yourself, and what are you going to do to come back and make the team better?"  Hahaha.  I think Lebron would look at that like, "you never specified to which team I should return,"    Oh yeah, and Riley - the last team that made it to the finals 4 years in a row?  Yeah, it was that Celtics team that, "was supposed to be great," in the much tougher conference, and they did it without a bench in 2 of those 4 years, not to mention the death of Len Bias.  I just think that it would be nice if he had some perspective, as well, but whatever.  His math and history skills are also off, and the Lakers weren't called sissies.  That was Bird ripping himself and the rest of the team after game 3 in 1984.  What a moron.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8RHJIrfiSE

[Future Celtics Owner]

If Lebron left Celtics, broke my heart as a fan, and 4 years later, when it seems my team finally has a bright future ahead with Irving, Wiggins, Waiters + cap flexibility, he wants to come back - I would be p---ed and wouldn't want him back. I mean, maybe it's just me....

Cavs fan forum is currently down because servers couldn't handle all the traffic. I read some of the posts on their chat, they are so happy and excited... I can't believe it.

It's like being super happy that your cheating ex girlfriend wants to get back together. Where is the pride?

Again, maybe it's just me...

I wouldn't want him back, either - TP.  I'll never forget seeing the footage of the fans in Cleveland burning his jerseys.  The Cavs 'winning' the lottery 3 times in the last 4 years was all part of the plan by the league to somehow try to compensate them for his departure, but this is to be...expected.  On all sides.  All I want to know now is when does Ray sign with his best buddy?   What a tool.

As far as welcoming back your cheating ex girlfriend, Lebron, with open arms, can't you see how much he's changed?  He needed to do what was best for him and has clearly grown and matured by leaps and bounds over the course of his journey, wouldn't you agree?  This is what happens when you 'work on yourself'   I'm being sarcastic here, btw.  All of that self-help stuff almost made me barf lol, but this seemed like the perfect time and place to mention it, haha   What a load of crap.  Why, just listen to the master himself at the 6:00 mark - "go home and take care of yourself, and what are you going to do to come back and make the team better?"  Hahaha.  I think Lebron would look at that like, "you never specified to which team I should return,"    Oh yeah, and Riley - the last team that made it to the finals 4 years in a row?  Yeah, it was that Celtics team that, "was supposed to be great," in the much tougher conference, and they did it without a bench in 2 of those 4 years, not to mention the death of Len Bias.  I just think that it would be nice if he had some perspective, as well, but whatever.  His math and history skills are also off, and the Lakers weren't called sissies.  That was Bird ripping himself and the rest of the team after game 3 in 1984.  What a moron.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8RHJIrfiSE

I really hate that man. He trademarked the phrase three peat, and busted companies that had HEAT4three-peat shirts. These were just kids trying to make a buck.......

[Ogaju]

so he actually had another vested interest in Miami threepeating. lol

Looks like he is going to be p---ed if LeBron does not re-up.

[LarBrd33]

Well I mean... LeBron couldn't win with the crap supporting cast he had in Cleveland.  It was a rancid collection of bums.   He managed to make the finals with Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden has his two best teammates.  Nasty.

It was a mismanaged team in a garbage town with garbage fans and they didn't deserve to keep him any longer. 

Then he goes to Miami, gets a couple competent side-kicks... rattles off 4 straight Finals appearances and two championships.  Meanwhile, his old team has used this period to collect assets and nab some talent... which they wouldn't have been able to do with LeBron carrying them to 50+ win seasons by himself. 

In a way, you can look at it like Pierce agreeing to a trade to Brooklyn.  He knew he couldn't win in boston anymore and it was time for the Celtics to go into asset collection mode...  so he agreed to a move elsewhere.   If Boston went out and landed Kevin Love and Melo, I bet Pierce would consider coming back.  I'd welcome him back.

The Cavs blew their opportunity to build a champion with Lebron, so he left for a better situation.   Maybe now that the team has some talent, it's time for him to come home and bring a title to Cleveland.  Unfortunately, he'd still be playing in a garbage town with garbage fans.