New Favorite for LeBron?

[Snakehead]

I don't think that'd work for Bosh. If he leaves Miami he's going to want to get paid, that sort of sign and trade likely wouldn't pay him as much as what the Rockets are prepared to offer.

Houston makes a ton of sense.  If they don't come out of this with one big free agent I will be surprised.  The situation is just too appealing.

Bosh, as a stretch scoring 4, would be perfect next to Howard.

[gpap]

Personally, I think it's more likely Lebron stays in Miami, Bosh goes to Houston and Miami uses their savings to get Melo and Gasol.

What doesn't make sense about Lebron going back to Cleveland is, why did he leave there in the first place?

Because his team was lacking talent and got destroyed in the playoffs by your very own 2010 Boston Celtics. Going to Miami and setting up a Big Three of their own was his only chance to win a ring. But since he seems to be very loyal to his roots, he will give Cleveland's offer a serious thought, also in part because of Cleveland's present and future talent situation. I think Cleveland is going to be a big player in the East again for years to come if they get LeBron back.

But if he goes to Cleveland, who is the new "big 3" going to consist of?

Lebron, Kyrie and Wiggins?

Is that really a big 3?

I am sure Cleveland will try pursuing other avenues to add more talent, but who's to say they will end up being successful?

And who ends up playing center for the Cavs?

I've always felt that Lebron should go to Houston.

I think him, Howard and Harden would be unstoppable.

that's a shortsighted approach. The Cavs have reportedly explained their plans to bring in other top tier free agents if Lebron decides to join their team. They have the assets to do it as well. It's a no-brainer that they could trade Wiggins for Love or Melo for example, and they have Bennett, Tristan Thompson, Zeller, and Waiters to offer as well.

Does Cleveland have the cap space to sign Lebron or do they need to trade some players to free up space?(Jack, Waiters, etc.)

Also, if they are successful, could they then have the cap space to sign another max player to put next to Lebron? (like either Melo or Bosh)

Thought I read somewhere that Cleveland could be capable of doing this.

If so, then I could see why Cleveland would be a legitimate option for Lebron.

[Snakehead]

Beyond just having them play, I'm reminded how much better of a situation Cleveland could be in if they just drafted right.  They could have even better assets to move or keep around LeBron, if they get him.

[ram]

If I were Lebron, I'd be very tempted to return to Cleveland.  What better stroke of ego than leaving a 2-time 60+ win team, watch them fall to 19 wins and 4 straight putrid seasons (while you take another team to 4 straight finals),  return, and lead them to the finals.

Throw in the fact that's it's his hometown as a bonus.

And, in his ego driven world, how much other players are a factor in "his success" is irrelevant.

[Snakehead]

And, in his ego driven world, how much other players are a factor in "his success" is irrelevant.

Or he seems to be a pretty good teammate?  You could spin it that way if you want I guess.

Only a good teammate because he has such an ego!  Creative.

[D.o.s.]

If he goes to Cleveland I hope they still can't win a ring.

[Moranis]

I don't think that'd work for Bosh. If he leaves Miami he's going to want to get paid, that sort of sign and trade likely wouldn't pay him as much as what the Rockets are prepared to offer.

That and Bosh refused to go to Cleveland 4 years ago, why would this year be any different?

[gpap]

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.

Varejao was always a limited shot-blocker. A lot of his defensive value came from his quickness and mobility in team defense (interior rotations, PnR defense, transition defense, closing out on shooters, switching onto smaller players) and his very good physical man-to-man defense. Nowadays, Varejao, because of all the injuries he has suffered, doesn't even have that quickness & mobility anymore so he has become a fairly mediocre defensive player. His decline has largely gone unnoticed because of the empty stat lines he puts up and because he plays on a very bad team in Cleveland.

Also the press/fans there still like him.

Anyways I think if LeBron goes to Cleveland like others have said they're going to explore a Wiggins for Love deal and try to build around Love/LBJ. Though who knows, I don't have a ton of faith in their ownership so they could try and keep Wiggins.

I won't be surprised if CLE signs Bosh as option 2 if they cannot get Love. Can you imagine if Cleveland manages to trade Dion Waiters in a sign and trade and fillers for Bosh.

Irving/Wiggins/Lebron/Bosh/Varejao

Ray Allen off the bench

yikes!

That's right.

I forgot Ray Allen and Lebron are an item now

What a loser Ray Allen is?!

Seriously, I could see why he left Boston to go to Miami.

Better team, better situation for him, nicer weather, etc.

But now to just want to purposely follow Lebron around no matter what team he goes to?!

Why doesn't he personally wash Lebron's jock while he's at it?

I've lost all respect for him and hope has a MISERABLE season if he ends up with Lebron again
(which he will. These guys now dictate where they want to go play and who they want to play with.)

[Moranis]

Personally, I think it's more likely Lebron stays in Miami, Bosh goes to Houston and Miami uses their savings to get Melo and Gasol.

What doesn't make sense about Lebron going back to Cleveland is, why did he leave there in the first place?

Because his team was lacking talent and got destroyed in the playoffs by your very own 2010 Boston Celtics. Going to Miami and setting up a Big Three of their own was his only chance to win a ring. But since he seems to be very loyal to his roots, he will give Cleveland's offer a serious thought, also in part because of Cleveland's present and future talent situation. I think Cleveland is going to be a big player in the East again for years to come if they get LeBron back.

But if he goes to Cleveland, who is the new "big 3" going to consist of?

Lebron, Kyrie and Wiggins?

Is that really a big 3?

I am sure Cleveland will try pursuing other avenues to add more talent, but who's to say they will end up being successful?

And who ends up playing center for the Cavs?

I've always felt that Lebron should go to Houston.

I think him, Howard and Harden would be unstoppable.

that's a shortsighted approach. The Cavs have reportedly explained their plans to bring in other top tier free agents if Lebron decides to join their team. They have the assets to do it as well. It's a no-brainer that they could trade Wiggins for Love or Melo for example, and they have Bennett, Tristan Thompson, Zeller, and Waiters to offer as well.

Does Cleveland have the cap space to sign Lebron or do they need to trade some players to free up space?(Jack, Waiters, etc.)

Also, if they are successful, could they then have the cap space to sign another max player to put next to Lebron? (like either Melo or Bosh)

Thought I read somewhere that Cleveland could be capable of doing this.

If so, then I could see why Cleveland would be a legitimate option for Lebron.

They need to move Jack to have enough space to have a max contract.  Apparently Brooklyn will take Jack for Thornton, which then means Cleveland needs a place for Thornton.  They would be willing to throw in some other assets to get it done, but obviously are only making those trades if Lebron commits to them.

They do not have space for anyone else.  All of those high draft picks have fairly large contracts as does Varejao, so they can't sign anyone else using cap space.  They do however have Haywood who while he makes like 2 million this year has a weird balloon in his contract of like 12 million which isn't guaranteed if he is waived by August 1, 2015, so next summer they can essentially trade him for a 12 million dollar player in a sign and trade or otherwise.  They also potentially have 3 first round picks next summer as well as a bunch of younger players that they could move.

Cavs are set up well if they can get Lebron to commit to come back home.  I always thought he would, just expected it in a couple of years not this year.  He still may re-sign in Miami though.  You just don't know with him.

[sed522002]

And now to see my friend bandwagon back to the Cavs.

I'm so petty because I'm looking forward to my Heat friends all of a sudden loving the Cavs "since the beginning" again..that would bring pure joy for me to see them rocking Cavs gear again 

[Fred Roberts]

Much like the Miami crowd, LeBron may leave early. That would be poetic justice. What could the Miami fans say after 2 rings, 4 trips to the finals and an early departure? Nada.

[sed522002]

I don't know if this article by Woj has been posted:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-lebron-james--agent-has-given-cavaliers-hope-of-king-s-homecoming-082339828.html

At the urging of LeBron James' agent, the Cleveland Cavaliers are pursuing a maximum contract salary slot to bring back the free-agent superstar, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Rich Paul, the president of Klutch Sports, has been funneling belief into the organization that the Cavaliers are in strong position to lure James from the Miami Heat, sources told Yahoo Sports.

[Fred Roberts]

If he's getting people's hopes up in Cleveland, he'd better deliver and not crush hopes again.

[heyvik]

If he's getting people's hopes up in Cleveland, he'd better deliver and not crush hopes again.

I was just thinking the same thing. At this point in negotiations (or what ever is going on), he'd better be straight with the Cavs. I think the only person that could screw this thing up is Dan Gilbert, by saying or doing the wrong thing.

I actually would like Lebron to go to Cleveland, I would hate him against the Celtics but would generally cheer him otherwise.

[sed522002]

If he's getting people's hopes up in Cleveland, he'd better deliver and not crush hopes again.

I'm thinking the same thing. He's already been redeemed as the "NBA's villain"  I don't think he wants a part 2.