Boston getting Tyler Zeller and 1st rounder from Cavs and Thorton from Nets

[Geo123]

How does Danny keep fleecing the nets?

Cleveland's first rounder, not NJ's. edit: Brooklyns.

I don't see why the Nets do this to help out the Cavs, though.

Exactly he's fleecing the Cavs here not the Nets.....  That's why he got the TPE, collecting assets... 

[Snakehead]

How does Danny keep fleecing the nets?

Cleveland's first rounder, not NJ's. edit: Brooklyns.

I don't see why the Nets do this to help out the Cavs, though.

Exactly he's fleecing the Cavs here not the Nets.....  That's why he got the TPE, collecting assets...

The Cavs haven't been fleeced.  They get rid of Jack (who they didn't want) and they can now get LeBron.

[Waew]

that pick seems all but useless unless it ends up being part of a trade.

Picks are never worthless.   Top 10 protected means it is probably a late round pick next year.  If nothing else we use it and ours to move up, trade it for a draft pick in a later year, use it to stash a foreign player, or heaven forbid, actually draft a guy Danny thinks might be a good player.  That doesn't even count sending it to Minny as part of a Love trade or someone else.

How is that pick in any way worthless?

exactly. Well said.

[LEHGOCELTICS]

Why are some people complaining about this trade? It's not like we gave up a blue chip prospect.

We gave a middle finger to the Heat, finally gained a serviceable center with legit size, got yet another 1st round pick (invaluable in the new CBA both as a trading asset or as another cheap young player), and an expiring who probably won't get many minutes given the glut of guards we have.

There is absolutely nothing to complain about if you ask me.

[D.o.s.]

... And LeBron signs with the Heat.

[mikestar]

A.  Keep hoovering up the assets Danny!

[ram]

I get that LeBron going back to Cleveland is firmly a Lifetime Movie Special, but it doesn't make basketball sense if they won't be even a little bit better than last year's Heat.
-----------------------------------
Perhaps after 11 years in the league, Lebron thinks that instead of loading up with a veteran team, he becomes the leader of a group of young, but very talented players that he can mold into his team. He brings Ray Allen to help him.

Wiggins, Irving, Bennett, Thompson, Waiters plus Varejo and Lebron is a good start to having a very athletic team that gels by year end.  The pieces seem to fit better than the group he had last year in Miami and each of 5 young guys will just get better.

[Celtics251]

A, we get a scorer in Thornton, serviceable center in Zeller and a first rounder which is always good.

[sed522002]

Why are some people complaining about this trade? It's not like we gave up a blue chip prospect.

We gave a middle finger to the Heat, finally gained a serviceable center with legit size, got yet another 1st round pick (invaluable in the new CBA both as a trading asset or as another cheap young player), and an expiring who probably won't get many minutes given the glut of guards we have.

There is absolutely nothing to complain about if you ask me.

Totally agree. I think some people still have "fireworks" in their head and are only looking for grand slam deals instead of looking at these potential pieces to something better.

[e4e5sesame]

So Wyc basically paid $8m out of pocket for a backup C and a ~25 pick (assuming they get LeBron) two years from now. Great deal for the Celtics; terrible for his bank account.

Obviously I love the deal, but just to point out to anyone who thinks Zeller is a potential solution to our starting center problem: he has a 8'8" standing reach. That's THE lowest number for a center prospect in the last 5 drafts, and 6th lowest for a PF prospect. He has the standing reach of an average NBA SF. He will simply never be a serviceable rim protector.

Can he crash the offensive boards, score efficiently in the pick-and-roll, and occasionally step out to hit the 18 footer? Absolutely, but if he's doing that as part of a championship winning Celtics team, it will be in limited minutes off the bench.

[cons]

to play devils advocate:
  he looks like travis knight kind of.
that and you could also say drafting smart and young looks a lot like drafting billups and mercer.
and we have a hot shot young college coach.

but dannys no ml carr i figure.
lets not go there 

[D.o.s.]

I get that LeBron going back to Cleveland is firmly a Lifetime Movie Special, but it doesn't make basketball sense if they won't be even a little bit better than last year's Heat.
-----------------------------------
Perhaps after 11 years in the league, Lebron thinks that instead of loading up with a veteran team, he becomes the leader of a group of young, but very talented players that he can mold into his team. He brings Ray Allen to help him.

Wiggins, Irving, Bennett, Thompson, Waiters plus Varejo and Lebron is a good start to having a very athletic team that gels by year end.  The pieces seem to fit better than the group he had last year in Miami and each of 5 young guys will just get better.

That was in reply to the idea of trading for Kevin Love, which would deplete Cleveland's assets of at least some of the players that you've just listed here.

Context: It's important. 

[sed522002]

... And LeBron signs with the Heat.

Marc Stein ?@ESPNSteinLine  11m
My man @Chris_Broussard reports that Cavs, in addition to clearing space for their LeBron pursuit, also after Ray Allen to appeal to Bron

I'm definitely staying tuned today.

[get_banners]

if lebron opts for miami over cleveland...this trade could be really sweet for us, as that 1st could be a pretty decent one. i like zeller's potential to be a decent role player as well. and thorton could be a good asset for a future trade as an expiring contract. and if this is all for a TPE that we were going to lose in a few days, awesome.

[LEHGOCELTICS]

I get that LeBron going back to Cleveland is firmly a Lifetime Movie Special, but it doesn't make basketball sense if they won't be even a little bit better than last year's Heat.
-----------------------------------
Perhaps after 11 years in the league, Lebron thinks that instead of loading up with a veteran team, he becomes the leader of a group of young, but very talented players that he can mold into his team. He brings Ray Allen to help him.

Wiggins, Irving, Bennett, Thompson, Waiters plus Varejo and Lebron is a good start to having a very athletic team that gels by year end.  The pieces seem to fit better than the group he had last year in Miami and each of 5 young guys will just get better.

It makes a lot of basketball sense. The Heat haven't made meaningful moves to get them over the incessantly-improving Western contenders. Wade is on borrowed time, and LeBron has already explicitly said that he didn't like carrying Wade's bum knees all throughout the season. That situation is heading downhill, if anything.

On the other hand, Cleveland has young assets to trade to LeBron's liking (they can package picks, Wiggins, potentially for a star like Love), and a budding star in Kyrie Irving. Sure, they have their share of issues like the *unresolved* acrimony between LeBron and Gilbert, and questionable management, but it seems like the new GM is at least competent and the new coach is being lauded already as a good hire. Plus, the PR benefits with going back to CLE is undeniable.