Dion Waiters about to be traded, per Woj?

[Lucky17]

Knicks use Shumpert to move Smith's money off next year's books. Knicks now have $30 mil in cap space for next season.

Will be interesting to see what PhilJax can land with that.

[Who]

Shumpert is a big time addition for the Cavs. They desperately needed more defensive quickness at the SG position and Shumpert definitely brings that to the table. I think he'll play a big role for the Cavs this season.

[Who]

How soon does Calderon escape from that sinking ship in NY?

Next guy to dump. Calderon is the only sizable salary left on NKY outside of Melo.

If Phil Jackson can move Calderon on, Knicks with a likely top 5 pick + Melo + vast amounts of cap space ... exciting off-season for the Knicks. Have a great chance to really change their team around next summer and build something special.

[Moranis]

I like the trade for Cleveland a lot and expect them to now use one (or both) of their 1st's and the trade exception to get a big man.  Wright for a 1st (as an example) makes a lot more sense now.  Acquiring Koufus from Memphis also makes sense (they can just give Memphis their pick back). 

[Vermont Green]

So OKC got Waiters for Lance Thomas and a highly protected first round pick (consider it a late first pick in any scenario, or maybe it is one of those top and bottom protected).  I am not sure I see why CLE needed to do this to get NYC's trash.  I know Thomas went to NYC but it seems as though this deal with NYC didn't need OKC.  I guess it was more making Roster room than anything.

I suspect we would take (anyone plus a first) that for Green, Bass, or Thornton.  I guess Waiters is young and has promise.  I predict he will get his act together in OKC although maybe not right away.  He could be a factor for them off the bench or even taking over as the starter (who else do they have at SG?).  The talent and ability is there.

[Roy H.]

So OKC got Waiters for Lance Thomas and a highly protected first round pick (consider it a late first pick in any scenario, or maybe it is one of those top and bottom protected).  I am not sure I see why CLE needed to do this to get NYC's trash.  I know Thomas went to NYC but it seems as though this deal with NYC didn't need OKC.  I guess it was more making Roster room than anything.

I suspect we would take (anyone plus a first) that for Green, Bass, or Thornton.  I guess Waiters is young and has promise.  I predict he will get his act together in OKC although maybe not right away.  He could be a factor for them off the bench or even taking over as the starter (who else do they have at SG?).  The talent and ability is there.

The pick isn't that highly protected. Top-18 this year, top-15 thereafter.  A #1 plus roster space plus a bunch of luxury tax saved. That's worth moving a malcontent.

[Fafnir]

Shumpert is a big time addition for the Cavs. They desperately needed more defensive quickness at the SG position and Shumpert definitely brings that to the table. I think he'll play a big role for the Cavs this season.

Yeah not having to start Miller/Marion/Dellavedova at the SG position would help them out.

I don't anticipate them getting anything useful out of Smith though, certainly not when Waiters is such a similar sort of player/attitude.

[Fafnir]

Lance Thomas is getting waived by the Knicks and wasn't in the Thunder's rotation. OKC literally acquired Waiters for nothing.

amazing how the modern NBA CBA works, we get a crap sandwich for Rondo yet OKC gets Waiters for nothing

Isn't Waiters pretty much a crap sandwich at this point though? Talent is talent I guess, but he hasn't shown any improvement in three years now.

Then you factor in his attitude as well?

[colincb]

Sam Amico on Twitter:

Cavs coach Blatt told Waiters he needed spot-up shooter. Waiters resisted. Believes he's better than Kyrie, thought Kyrie "favored" by Cavs.

I'm not the biggest fan of Irving, but Waiters is a one man clusterF. Steve Kyler's Q&A column yesterday before the deal:

Dion has been a lot better this year, but he has a rep for being hard to work with. He was problematic last year. I have have heard two versions of the Dion story — one is he was p---ed at the losing and constantly in guys face over effort. The other is he complained constantly and no one liked playing with him. I think they both paint a picture of a vocal guy that could be an issue in the locker room of a young team – losing team.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/chat/nba-rumors-chat-with-steve-kyler-1515/

There's a lot of background on Waiters around the net. Some of our resident internet GMs wanted Waiters.  There's still a chance to get Lance as a consolation prize instead.  Indy was willing to take him back with a 1st attached, but CHA nixed that. Make an offer. Any offer.

[Fred Roberts]

Cavs should nab Dalembert too.

Don't really like what's going on w/ the Cavs at all since LeBron signed. They've stripped themselves of so much depth.

I think the Love trade was too costly, and I think they just gave up on a lotto player for little in return. Shumpert is a good addition, and they replenish the 1st rounder lost in the Love trade, but they just gave up another high lotto pick.

[Fafnir]

they just gave up another high lotto pick.

Who was playing at a similar level to Shumpert. They got two "rotation guys" that play the SG position and a pick out of it. Makes some sense, though I don't think J.R. will be any better for them than he was the Knicks.

[CFAN38]

How soon does Calderon escape from that sinking ship in NY?

Next guy to dump. Calderon is the only sizable salary left on NKY outside of Melo.

If Phil Jackson can move Calderon on, Knicks with a likely top 5 pick + Melo + vast amounts of cap space ... exciting off-season for the Knicks. Have a great chance to really change their team around next summer and build something special.

I have to give Jackson credit. At first I thought he was nuts trading chandler but in doing so he started this team on the path of total destruction. I like the way he is taking this team totally down while still retaining Melo. The hard part now is going to be building a team using his high pick and ton of cap space around a flawed star.

While the knicks fans are going to dream big (I know some who think they are landing Lebron). I think the more realistic options are going to be a combination of players like Dragic , Thad Young and a center like Asik. I actually think those 3 a and a top pick added to Hardaway and Melo could be a very formidable team in the east.

[Donoghus]

How soon does Calderon escape from that sinking ship in NY?

Next guy to dump. Calderon is the only sizable salary left on NKY outside of Melo.

If Phil Jackson can move Calderon on, Knicks with a likely top 5 pick + Melo + vast amounts of cap space ... exciting off-season for the Knicks. Have a great chance to really change their team around next summer and build something special.

I have to give Jackson credit. At first I thought he was nuts trading chandler but in doing so he started this team on the path of total destruction. I like the way he is taking this team totally down while still retaining Melo. The hard part now is going to be building a team using his high pick and ton of cap space around a flawed star.

While the knicks fans are going to dream big (I know some who think they are landing Lebron). I think the more realistic options are going to be a combination of players like Dragic , Thad Young and a center like Asik. I actually think those 3 a and a top pick added to Hardaway and Melo could be a very formidable team in the east.

I think too that what the Knicks hope (and this is a huge leap of faith given his antics last off-season) is that the Melo of the future, as he hits his 30s, starts taking a different approach to things and maybe matures a bit as a basketball player.   

[SHAQATTACK]

All this leads back to THE BIG MISTAKE ...one I predicted last year will be historic ...WHAT If for the ages...

I think trading Wiggins for Love

Has already come home to roost .   James needs HELP ...he is no longer invincible . Wiggins is ball n and will break out by years end

Wiggins , Irving and James Combo  would be better .

Cavs were gifted one of the next super stars ...a second time no less by the NBA gods ......and traded him for a man that doesn't fit their scheme.

Wiggins could have played backup for James resting him a lot more ......

Used the money saved from signing Wiggins as rookie and bought a REAL center

Wiggins and James could have ruled for years .

Dumb dumb dumb

[hwangjini_1]

All this leads back to THE BIG MISTAKE ...

I think trading Wiggins for Love

Has already come hone to roost .

Wiggins , Irving and James Combo  would be better .

Cavs were gifted one of the next super stars .....and traded him for a man that doesn't fit their scheme.

Wiggins could have played backup for James resting him a lot more ......

Used the money saved from signing Wiggins as rookie and bought a REAL center

Wiggins and James could have ruled for years .

Dumb dumb dumb

that may be and time will tell. but the trade of wiggins, mistake or not, was not devoid of logic. lebron is now operating with a shrinking window of health and ability to carry a team. he has already sat out games this season to rest his left knee.

further, lebron could jump ship in a couple of years if he is unhappy.

wiggins as a player able to carry a team to a championship is probably 2-3 years away. did the cavs have those years to wait?

i too have reservations about love, especially when he is not the primary scorer on a team. but the move was not illogical. they sold a bunch of tomorrows to get better, the hoped, today.