WojBomb - Cavs evaluating options after IT physical...

[JHTruth]

Cleveland has until Thursday to make a final decision on approving the trade, sources said. Cleveland can veto the deal based on a failed physical, sending players back to their respective teams.

Seems like Cavs will take their time, work the phones to see if they can get a better deal elsewhere. No rush for them unfortunately. Can't see the Celtics adding more pieces. If they do, people need to start getting fired in that front office..

[bellerephon]

Hard to imagine them finding a better deal than the Nets first rounder. Keep in mind they in effect need to find a team that Kyrie will want to go to. While he can't actually prevent a trade, if he makes it known he won't consider signing long term with certain teams, they won't be willing to give up very much to get him.

[greece66]

CLE had IT's medical records. What exactly did they find out that wasnt known before?

IMO it's better to accept voiding the deal than to give in to what appears to be a blackmail from CLE.

[JHTruth]

Hard to imagine them finding a better deal than the Nets first rounder. Keep in mind they in effect need to find a team that Kyrie will want to go to. While he can't actually prevent a trade, if he makes it known he won't consider signing long term with certain teams, they won't be willing to give up very much to get him.

But they do have the problem of this year. They're not going to just chuck the season in LeBrons contract year..

[bellerephon]

They are in as tough a spot as Boston. True, they can't just give up on this season, but they also need to get what they can for Kyrie. Keep in mind if they hold on to him for one more year, that lowers his trade value as he will in effect be in the last year of his contract. Think of it this way, Cleveland was willing to trade Irving to Boston, which is not merely in the same conference but is also their main challenger. That suggests that there were no deals even close to what Boston was offering. If they could have gotten anything worthwhile from the western conference or from a lesser eastern conference team I think they would have done it.

[Ogaju]

CLE had IT's medical records. What exactly did they find out that wasnt known before?

IMO it's better to accept voiding the deal than to give in to what appears to be a blackmail from CLE.

How do you know they had ALL the records? How do you know Boston had ALL the records. IT was said to have visited many doctors for their opinions. These doctors do not share their records with anyone without IT's authorization. Who is to say he gave Boston the opinions of ALL the doctors?

[Tr1boy]

Hard to imagine them finding a better deal than the Nets first rounder. Keep in mind they in effect need to find a team that Kyrie will want to go to. While he can't actually prevent a trade, if he makes it known he won't consider signing long term with certain teams, they won't be willing to give up very much to get him.

Yes and yes

Danny cant just throw away picks also

Either give the bums 3 2nd round picks or 2019 swap 1st with clippers. If not , 2 2nds

[smokeablount]

They are in as tough a spot as Boston. True, they can't just give up on this season, but they also need to get what they can for Kyrie. Keep in mind if they hold on to him for one more year, that lowers his trade value as he will in effect be in the last year of his contract. Think of it this way, Cleveland was willing to trade Irving to Boston, which is not merely in the same conference but is also their main challenger. That suggests that there were no deals even close to what Boston was offering. If they could have gotten anything worthwhile from the western conference or from a lesser eastern conference team I think they would have done it.

TP, good point and for providing a much needed mini shot of optimism.

[mctyson]

People are taking this "ploy" thing a bit too far.

Nobody is thinking this is some major conspiracy where the doctors are involved with falsifying data or anything like that.

Most of us are just suggesting that this seems more like a negotiation tactic than anything else. Danny and Brad were both upfront and honest about IT's injury this entire time. It seems much more likely to me that Koby/Cleveland is letting some of this slip to the media as a negotiation tactic to try and attain more from Danny rather than there being such a major difference in IT's prognosis that they're thinking of calling off the deal[/b].

I think the fact that they're primarily looking at expanding the deal rather than calling it off altogether is evidence that this is at least partly in play.

Well said.  I agree.

But what is being "slipped" to the media?  The fact that Cleveland's staff disagrees with the assessment of IT's hip and that it will require surgery (or I guess much longer rehab).  I cannot state strongly enough that is a very good reason to rescind the trade on Cleveland's part, which is what they are debating.

[bellerephon]

I think that makes sense, Cleveland likely wants to find a way to go through with the trade so they can get that pick, but if IT is going to miss the season they will want more. Danny, however, won't want to give up the LA pick or Tatum or Brown. Can they find a middle ground that they both can live with? That's the million dollar question.

[mctyson]

CLE had IT's medical records. What exactly did they find out that wasnt known before?

IMO it's better to accept voiding the deal than to give in to what appears to be a blackmail from CLE.

My guess is that they did their own MRI and saw more concerning structural damage then the previous records indicated, or saw the same damage, and decided that surgery was necessary.

[JHTruth]

They are in as tough a spot as Boston. True, they can't just give up on this season, but they also need to get what they can for Kyrie. Keep in mind if they hold on to him for one more year, that lowers his trade value as he will in effect be in the last year of his contract. Think of it this way, Cleveland was willing to trade Irving to Boston, which is not merely in the same conference but is also their main challenger. That suggests that there were no deals even close to what Boston was offering. If they could have gotten anything worthwhile from the western conference or from a lesser eastern conference team I think they would have done it.

First priority has to be finding a Kyrie replacement. Great if you can get young plAyers and high picks on top of that. IT is absolutely key to the trade..

[johnnygreen]

Can Adam Silver step in and force the trade to go through at this point? I would think Boston, Cleveland,  and Adam Silver knew Isaiah was damaged goods and would fail the physical. This smells like some back stabbing chess move on Cleveland's part. Was Cleveland's plan all along to not finalize the deal and blame it all on Isaiah's hip? The ramifications for Boston could cripple their season by having two returning discruntled players, and put Cleveland in the driver's seat for one last run with LeBron in the East.

[jbpats]

I think this trade is all but done, Cavs will back out, Ainge won't offer more due to the crisiticm he got for offering so much to begin with.
Rumors said the bucks offered Middleton, Brogden and a first for Kyrie. I'd guess they're likely kicking the tires to see if it's still available.
Problem is if this trade falls through both teams start getting low balled because other GMs assume desperation. I think this is more the case with the cavs since Kyrie demanded a trade. We're no better off if Thomas couldn't play one way or the other. Hopefully by the deadline that Brooklyn pick is shaping up to be extremely valuable based on their record.

[mctyson]

Personally I think this is all making the Cavs look terrible. I don't believe that they didn't request all the medical paperwork on IT. I can't believe that the Cavs doctors are just so incredibly better than the Celts doctors that recommended rest and rehab. I don't believe IT's hip has gone down hill.

It's all BS and show and Ainge can't let himself get pushed around like this.

I agree with this.  Even giving the Cleveland staff the benefit of the doubt on their interpretation of the injury, these medical professionals also know that it is perfectly reasonable that surgery might not be required.

I think the Cavs are perfectly within their right to walk away from the trade, and honestly I would walk away if IT needed surgery.  That they are debating it makes them look bad.