So what does Cleveland do after another eventual loss in the Finals?

[Csfan1984]

Maybe we see a three way trade
Melo and AB to Cavs
Affalo, Love and Lopez to C's
3rd pick, 23, 35, Mickey, Young, JJ and Hunter to Knicks

Cav=Irving, AB, LeBron, Melo, Thompson.
Bench Mo, Frye, Shump, Smith.

C=IT, Smart, Crowder, Love, Lopez.
Bench Rozier, Affalo, KO, AJ.

Knicks dump their three biggest contracts and can build around 3rd pick and Porzingis.

[CroCorvus]

Trade K Love to the Knicks for Melo, then trade Irving to the Clips for CP3, Wade signs as a FA and there you have it, lebron's superteam.

[Csfan1984]

Wonder if Cavs and Clippers would swap 2 out of 3 big three?

CP3 and Griffin.
For
Irving and Love.

I could see Love, Irving and Jordan fitting better thanks to Jordans D helping Love and Irving but their added offense making up for Jordan as well. Also feel CP3, LeBron and Griffin would also fit better. CP3 being more a distributor. Griffin and LeBron just reeking fast break havoc and easy switching on defense.

[Vox_Populi]

I think current LeBron and healthy Griffin probably have relatively identical heat maps. Think the court would too tight for both. I do like the trades for Irving, for the most part.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Trade K Love to the Knicks for Melo, then trade Irving to the Clips for CP3, Wade signs as a FA and there you have it, lebron's superteam.

and they Lose in 6 to the Warriors once again....
Then LeBron has Wilt Chamberlain Cloned....talks Kobe and Shaq out of retirement....etc.

[GratefulCs]

Maybe we see a three way trade
Melo and AB to Cavs
Affalo, Love and Lopez to C's
3rd pick, 23, 35, Mickey, Young, JJ and Hunter to Knicks

Cav=Irving, AB, LeBron, Melo, Thompson.
Bench Mo, Frye, Shump, Smith.

C=IT, Smart, Crowder, Love, Lopez.
Bench Rozier, Affalo, KO, AJ.

Knicks dump their three biggest contracts and can build around 3rd pick and Porzingis.

our big man defense would be atrocious though

I like love and think he would thrive with us as long as we had a defensive presence down low

[jpotter33]

The right move would be to hire a real GM and stop having LeBron dictate the roster construction so much, but I doubt that will happen.

I wouldn't be shocked if they trade Kyrie for Paul and then love for Melo. Makes sense from a LeBron centric perspective.

I actually would love to see Melo in the third banana role. He showed he can really excel in that role on Team USA.

Yeah, I think the Irving for Paul trade is definitely the best move for them, but I just don't think that Doc will have any interest in doing it.

As for the Melo move, I just really don't see how adding another ball-dominant scorer who doesn't defend any better than Love would really help them all that much.

[PhoSita]

The right move would be to hire a real GM and stop having LeBron dictate the roster construction so much, but I doubt that will happen.

I wouldn't be shocked if they trade Kyrie for Paul and then love for Melo. Makes sense from a LeBron centric perspective.

I actually would love to see Melo in the third banana role. He showed he can really excel in that role on Team USA.

Yeah, I think the Irving for Paul trade is definitely the best move for them, but I just don't think that Doc will have any interest in doing it.

As for the Melo move, I just really don't see how adding another ball-dominant scorer who doesn't defend any better than Love would really help them all that much.

Difference for me is I think Melo is much more capable of defending than Love is, if he's locked in.  I think if he were not expected to do all the scoring and creating he could show up more on that end.

The way Melo was used on Team USA provides a model for how he could work next to LeBron.

[LarBrd33]

I'd assume Love would be available.  I'd still have interest in him.  Love can be the primary offensive weapon in a different system.

[Kane3387]

I'd assume Love would be available.  I'd still have interest in him.  Love can be the primary offensive weapon in a different system.

Agreed.

Love is not a good pick and roll defender but he is not as bad as people make him out to be either. He is average. Putting other good defenders around him like Marcus, AB, and Crowder would only help him on that end. He obviously provides no rim protection but he is as elite as it gets at defensive rebounding - a huge and underrated part of defense.

Offensively the dude can pretty much do it all. On the block. From 3. In the Pick and pop/roll. Great great passer. Obviously rebounds. He would be good in our system. He is a buy-low candidate as well. He is also locked in on a contract that in a few years will pay him almost half of what a 10 year max will be.

I think the only way you get him is if Melo decides to leave NY and waive the NTC. The Knicks really appear to be the only team willing to move a "star" player for future assets and players with potential. Melo would likely cost the least amount of assets considering the limited market due to a NTC, his age, and his knee.

[Kane3387]

Maybe we see a three way trade
Melo and AB to Cavs
Affalo, Love and Lopez to C's
3rd pick, 23, 35, Mickey, Young, JJ and Hunter to Knicks

Cav=Irving, AB, LeBron, Melo, Thompson.
Bench Mo, Frye, Shump, Smith.

C=IT, Smart, Crowder, Love, Lopez.
Bench Rozier, Affalo, KO, AJ.

Knicks dump their three biggest contracts and can build around 3rd pick and Porzingis.

Afflalo likely opts out. If I was the Cavs and Knicks I would consider a swap of Tristan Thompson for Robin Lopez. I would consider it. It might not make sense, but if Melo goes to Cleveland than he is the 4 man. Lopez would be a better center next to him than Thompson IMO. I think Mozgov is gone. Lopez gives you exactly what Frye doesn't so I see a fit there.

I hate the idea of Melo and Kyrie playing together though. If Cleveland could move Kyrie and Shumpert to the Clippers for CP3 than I think LeBron would be very happy to have Pau and Melo next to him. That would shorten Cleveland's window quite a bit though.

[Moranis]

Maybe we see a three way trade
Melo and AB to Cavs
Affalo, Love and Lopez to C's
3rd pick, 23, 35, Mickey, Young, JJ and Hunter to Knicks

Cav=Irving, AB, LeBron, Melo, Thompson.
Bench Mo, Frye, Shump, Smith.

C=IT, Smart, Crowder, Love, Lopez.
Bench Rozier, Affalo, KO, AJ.

Knicks dump their three biggest contracts and can build around 3rd pick and Porzingis.

Afflalo likely opts out. If I was the Cavs and Knicks I would consider a swap of Tristan Thompson for Robin Lopez. I would consider it. It might not make sense, but if Melo goes to Cleveland than he is the 4 man. Lopez would be a better center next to him than Thompson IMO. I think Mozgov is gone. Lopez gives you exactly what Frye doesn't so I see a fit there.

I hate the idea of Melo and Kyrie playing together though. If Cleveland could move Kyrie and Shumpert to the Clippers for CP3 than I think LeBron would be very happy to have Pau and Melo next to him. That would shorten Cleveland's window quite a bit though.

Cleveland's best window is centered around Lebron anyway though.  I mean sure an Irving/Love duo with an aging James would be a contender, but realistically probably not going to win a title, so you do whatever you can to maximize the James window if you are the Cavs.

[Big333223]

I keep reading the Irving for Paul trade suggestions but I just don't get it. If you have one of the best passing forwards in the history of the league and the problem is that he doesn't work well with the PG he has because that PG is too ball dominant, the solution is to trade for Chris Paul, who needs the ball in his hands to be effective? That doesn't add up.

[PhoSita]

I keep reading the Irving for Paul trade suggestions but I just don't get it. If you have one of the best passing forwards in the history of the league and the problem is that he doesn't work well with the PG he has because that PG is too ball dominant, the solution is to trade for Chris Paul, who needs the ball in his hands to be effective? That doesn't add up.

Paul can defend, at least.

I don't think it's a great fit, either, but Bron and CP3 are friends and have mutual respect.

[chilidawg]

If I'm the Clippers there's no way I trade Paul for Irving.  Irving's younger, but injury prone, and a far worse team player.