Something I feel really conflicted about

[celticsclay]

I really admire IT for a lot of the same reasons as other posters on this board. That being said there is a chance he doesn't play for most of the season. I want IT to be healthy so he can get paid, but if he takes a different approach to his healing and misses the season the Celtics are incredibly likely to make the finals behind Hayward, Irving and horford. 

[droopdog7]

Love IT but he's no longer a celtic.  I do prefer for him to be healthy but if it turns out he's more injured than expected, better for us.

[johnk.grooms]

I mean good for us in a way if he doesn't play because of seeding. And while I do understand this is a business, after everything he did for the organization I really hope he gets a big payday like the one he's been looking for. He deserves it and was a class act while he was here. And anyone who burned his jersey after everything he did for the organization needs to have there head examined and a slap in the face. Let's beat them fair and square, not. Bc a great Celtic was injured couldn't play right and doesn't get the type of contract he deserves

[Chief Macho]

 I hope he's out the whole year now.  dude's made almost 30 million dollars.  this poor IT crap is silly.   i get the sentiment in football,  all these nba guys get compensated for whatever inconvenience they suffer.

[playdream]

Aside from the emotions my guess is he won't do much next year

I am a doctor and i don't believe when you have rehab for 3 months and you still can't run shows any good sign on this injury, my guess is his injury will drag and when he finally come back he won't be effective and the injury relapse and he has to finally take the surgery then be out of the season

That being said i think he should take the surgery now..

[86MaxwellSmart]

Love I.T.....but my biggest concern wit this deal, is Clev now dealing that BK pick and players to get help for LeBron, and convince him to stay.

[playdream]

Love I.T.....but my biggest concern wit this deal, is Clev now dealing that BK pick and players to get help for LeBron, and convince him to stay.

They won't do it BEFORE Lebron convince to stay, the whole point of trading for that Nets pick and swallow an injured IT is to prepare for his leaving, not try to retain him

[GreenEnvy]

Love I.T.....but my biggest concern wit this deal, is Clev now dealing that BK pick and players to get help for LeBron, and convince him to stay.

Unless the Cavs just shot themselves in the foot amongst other GM's over this debacle, I can totally see them flipping that pick to bring in someone else. Package it with Thompson or Love or Crowder.



As for OP, I really hope IT gets right and gets his contract that he definitely deserves. It may come at our expense, but it would be very ironic, yet poetic if it did.

If he is unhealthy and misses most/part of the upcoming season, he should bet on himself and take a one-year deal to prove to everyone he's still the all-star elite scorer we know and love.

I believe he can then get at least a 2yr/$50M or 3yr/$70M, even at age 30-31. That will set his family up for generations to come.

[GreenEnvy]

Love I.T.....but my biggest concern wit this deal, is Clev now dealing that BK pick and players to get help for LeBron, and convince him to stay.

They won't do it BEFORE Lebron convince to stay, the whole point of trading for that Nets pick and swallow an injured IT is to prepare for his leaving, not try to retain him

What good is that, though? LeBron is everything to that team, franchise, city.

What's a top pick gonna do? It's not bringing more stars to the city of Cleveland. They went down this road before. The not one, not two, but THREE number 1 picks. Where did that lead them.... right back to LeBron. They (should) know they need to ride him into Springfield.

I'd put ALL my eggs into keeping LeBron. If he leaves, they will have PLENTY of top picks in the near future to worry about losing the Nets pick (for a good player, I'm sure).

[crimson_stallion]

I hope he's out the whole year now.  dude's made almost 30 million dollars.  this poor IT crap is silly.   i get the sentiment in football,  all these nba guys get compensated for whatever inconvenience they suffer.

Fact is there are other guys out there making a hell of a lot more then he is who probably deserve it less.

[playdream]

Love I.T.....but my biggest concern wit this deal, is Clev now dealing that BK pick and players to get help for LeBron, and convince him to stay.

They won't do it BEFORE Lebron convince to stay, the whole point of trading for that Nets pick and swallow an injured IT is to prepare for his leaving, not try to retain him

What good is that, though? LeBron is everything to that team, franchise, city.

What's a top pick gonna do? It's not bringing more stars to the city of Cleveland. They went down this road before. The not one, not two, but THREE number 1 picks. Where did that lead them.... right back to LeBron. They (should) know they need to ride him into Springfield.

I'd put ALL my eggs into keeping LeBron. If he leaves, they will have PLENTY of top picks in the near future to worry about losing the Nets pick (for a good player, I'm sure).

Good news is Gilbert is the owner and obviously MONEY means everything to him not Lebron, and Lebron only care about rings
Gilbert knew no matter what move they make they will not beat the warriors, which means Lebron is leaving for sure
He felt LBJ has screw him once by leaving with nothing left and he won't let that happen again

[Roy H.]

He's going to play, and I suspect he's going to play extremely well.

[iadera]

And I also expect Irving to play extremely well, for his reasons as well.

[Big333223]

I hope IT plays a relatively healthy season and plays great and Irving outplays him and the Celtics beat the Cavs in the ECF.

Then IT leaves Cleveland for a big payday.

[jpotter33]

I hope IT plays a relatively healthy season and plays great and Irving outplays him and the Celtics beat the Cavs in the ECF.

Then IT leaves Cleveland for a big payday.

Yeah, I hope he's able to get a significant raise from some team, but I still hope his recovery is slow enough that it slows him down considerably against us in the playoffs.

I'm still skeptical that IT and Lebron will mesh as well as some people here believe, but I don't want a motivated IT trying to outperform his old team in the playoffs.

That being said, you can also make the same argument for Kyrie, and he doesn't provide nearly as much of a defensive weakness as IT. So...