If Lebron Leaves....

[afarmenian]

So what if he does fellow Cavs fans? I feel like this is a person in the hospital not doing so great and the doctor says "prepare for the worst" We have to be real with ourselves...he might leave next year and how will you feel? Personally.....I will be angry and very down but I think i will get over much quicker than last time. I might even root for him to beat the warriors with another team. It would be easy to hate him but he gave me a lifetime of memories with that championship, like Kyrie i feel like i will be at peace with everything......and you?

[wiper]

you're just now getting around to thinking about this?

[afarmenian]

you're just now getting around to thinking about this?

Yup but right away i came to the conclusion that you're a moron.

[can2TR]

So what if he does fellow Cavs fans? I feel like this is a person in the hospital not doing so great and the doctor says "prepare for the worst" We have to be real with ourselves...he might leave next year and how will you feel? Personally.....I will be angry and very down but I think i will get over much quicker than last time. I might even root for him to beat the warriors with another team. It would be easy to hate him but he gave me a lifetime of memories with that championship, like Kyrie i feel like i will be at peace with everything......and you?

Don't worry you'll still have Cedi Osman...

[HoopsMalone]

Well I didn't think there was any chance he'd return previously. It was clear that roster had nearly zero chance to beat the Warriors in a series yet they were good enough to continue making the finals for years to come. LeBron wasn't just gonna lose 5 straight NBA Finals and trash his legacy.

However, this trade has given the Cavs some life. If Isaiah is healthy not only are they a better team, but a SIGNIFICANTLY better matchup against GSW as Crowder gives them the ability to play small when the Warriors do.

Plus that brooklyn draft pick could easily net them a star from a rebuilding team.

I still think he's about 70/30 to leave with the Lakers being the clear favorites.

[Stillwater]

The team as constructed gives him his best odds of not just making the finals but winning it. GSW is not unbeatable. He will not leave for any reason regarding basketball if he does decide to go, it will be for non basketball reasons, which by all acounts should take a back door to basketball for the next few seasons anyway. I see him re-signing a 1 yr deal , pushing the Ownership to do more , and then if they deliver he will sign the supermax and be the highest paid player in NBA history in summer of 19-20.
Maybe he will just take that $ next summer, but to me him leaving is highly unlikely despite the wishes and pipe dreams of LA and other cities who think they have better rosters despite having won nothing.

[afarmenian]

The team as constructed gives him his best odds of not just making the finals but winning it. GSW is not unbeatable. He will not leave for any reason regarding basketball if he does decide to go, it will be for non basketball reasons, which by all acounts should take a back door to basketball for the next few seasons anyway. I see him re-signing a 1 yr deal , pushing the Ownership to do more , and then if they deliver he will sign the supermax and be the highest paid player in NBA history in summer of 19-20.
Maybe he will just take that $ next summer, but to me him leaving is highly unlikely despite the wishes and pipe dreams of LA and other cities who think they have better rosters despite having won nothing.

All good points but what I am asking about is how will you personally as a Cavs and/or Lebron feel about him if he does leave this year or next year. Not will he or won't he and why because I feel like thats been done to the nth degree. Would it be like the first time for you or would you be at peace with it?

[Trailbreaker]

I don't think I was so mad the first time, but there were lots of people who weren't Cavs fans who were visibily upset back in 2010. I'd prefer LeBron James to stay in Cleveland, of course, but if he doesn't at least Northeast Ohio will have that championship.

[Stillwater]

The team as constructed gives him his best odds of not just making the finals but winning it. GSW is not unbeatable. He will not leave for any reason regarding basketball if he does decide to go, it will be for non basketball reasons, which by all acounts should take a back door to basketball for the next few seasons anyway. I see him re-signing a 1 yr deal , pushing the Ownership to do more , and then if they deliver he will sign the supermax and be the highest paid player in NBA history in summer of 19-20.
Maybe he will just take that $ next summer, but to me him leaving is highly unlikely despite the wishes and pipe dreams of LA and other cities who think they have better rosters despite having won nothing.

All good points but what I am asking about is how will you personally as a Cavs and/or Lebron feel about him if he does leave this year or next year. Not will he or won't he and why because I feel like thats been done to the nth degree. Would it be like the first time for you or would you be at peace with it?

My opinion is if he leaves it would be for a damn good reason if it is basketball related, and so no I would not blame him for doing so,I would blame the front office and ownership for bailing on this season and looking towards 5 yrs from now after another long drought of losing. However I would be pissed if he left for non basketball reasons

[jbk1234]

He can do whatever he wants but I'm pretty skeptical that a team can be assembled via free agency that can beat the Warriors. He'd need some S&T help to make it happen, and even then, people will need to leave some money on the table. Durant really did ruin the NBA. Not only by signing with the Warriors but be re-signing below the max. I don't know why people think the Warriors are beatable outside of an injury. The lost one game in the entire post season last year. It took every member of our big three having a great game, in the same game, to do it.

If he lets the Cavs know before the draft that he's leaving, and at a minimum he should, I'd like to tear the entire thing down and get as many good picks & prospects as possible. A supercharged rebuild would be the way to go. Competing again in three years with a really young core would make me happy.

[Stillwater]

He can do whatever he wants but I'm pretty skeptical that a team can be assembled via free agency that can beat the Warriors. He'd need some S&T help to make it happen, and even then, people will need to leave some money on the table. Durant really did ruin the NBA. Not only by signing with the Warriors but be re-signing below the max. I don't know why people think the Warriors are beatable outside of an injury. The lost one game in the entire post season last year. It took every member of our big three having a great game, in the same game, to do it.

If he lets the Cavs know before the draft that he's leaving, and at a minimum he should, I'd like to tear the entire thing down and get as many good picks & prospects as possible. A supercharged rebuild would be the way to go. Competing again in three years with a really young core would make me happy.

I don't blame you for that stance, and you might be right as it could be the orgs stance really is one of rebuilding hence the Nets pick being the return they wanted for KI. They very well may have the feeling that regardless of if he stays or goes the best plan is to get a top 3 pick and hope that said player is an immediate impact player should Lebron stay or go.

[gflem]

It is his right to go if he wants. I didn't watch a single Heat game before or after he left (other than when they played the Cavs), nor have I watched a single Heat game since. I am a Cavs fan, not a Lebron fan. I believe it will be a total tear down and rebuild if he does leave.
This subject will likely be a troll magnet, I wonder how long before it gets locked.

[OzCastiel]

If he leaves cavs just go back into oblivion. Except now due to LeBron running the show the roster is filled with a bunch of old guys, and broken bodies. The nets will improve but not so much so that they don't get a decent player they just can't go Anthony Bennet mode on draft night and maybe 4-5 years from now they'll be a 6th seed again.

[Stillwater]

If he leaves cavs just go back into oblivion. Except now due to LeBron running the show the roster is filled with a bunch of old guys, and broken bodies. The nets will improve but not so much so that they don't get a decent player they just can't go Anthony Bennet mode on draft night and maybe 4-5 years from now they'll be a 6th seed again.

maybe by choice they break it up, but I think they are more likely to offer IT4 his desired MAX provided he proves to be recovered and roll with the roster in place,Love, Smith, Thompson, Crowder, Osman & Zizic will still be under contract where they won't be a legit contender in 18-19, but still a playoff team.

[OzCastiel]

If he leaves cavs just go back into oblivion. Except now due to LeBron running the show the roster is filled with a bunch of old guys, and broken bodies. The nets will improve but not so much so that they don't get a decent player they just can't go Anthony Bennet mode on draft night and maybe 4-5 years from now they'll be a 6th seed again.

maybe by choice they break it up, but I think they are more likely to offer IT4 his desired MAX provided he proves to be recovered and roll with the roster in place,Love, Smith, Thompson, Crowder, Osman & Zizic will still be under contract where they won't be a legit contender in 18-19, but still a playoff team.

I'd rather flip everyone and rebuild cleanly instead of maxing out a guy with a **** up hip and being a middler team. But that's just me.

[Stillwater]

If he leaves cavs just go back into oblivion. Except now due to LeBron running the show the roster is filled with a bunch of old guys, and broken bodies. The nets will improve but not so much so that they don't get a decent player they just can't go Anthony Bennet mode on draft night and maybe 4-5 years from now they'll be a 6th seed again.

maybe by choice they break it up, but I think they are more likely to offer IT4 his desired MAX provided he proves to be recovered and roll with the roster in place,Love, Smith, Thompson, Crowder, Osman & Zizic will still be under contract where they won't be a legit contender in 18-19, but still a playoff team.

I'd rather flip everyone and rebuild cleanly instead of maxing out a guy with a **** up hip and being a middler team. But that's just me.

If he is not recovered it won't be offered. I think you are severely undervaluing the talent on this roster, yes they are built to play with Lebron, but if they get a "floor general" in Lebron's wake, they can still compete and draw in a fa Like Avery Bradley at minimum. They are underdog's with Lebron against GSW, so to think they could win a championship without another superstar is unlikely, but who's to say that Nets pick doesn't become one or get traded for one.

[afarmenian]

maybe by choice they break it up, but I think they are more likely to offer IT4 his desired MAX provided he proves to be recovered and roll with the roster in place,Love, Smith, Thompson, Crowder, Osman & Zizic will still be under contract where they won't be a legit contender in 18-19, but still a playoff team.

I'd rather flip everyone and rebuild cleanly instead of maxing out a guy with a **** up hip and being a middler team. But that's just me.

If he is not recovered it won't be offered. I think you are severely undervaluing the talent on this roster, yes they are built to play with Lebron, but if they get a "floor general" in Lebron's wake, they can still compete and draw in a fa Like Avery Bradley at minimum. They are underdog's with Lebron against GSW, so to think they could win a championship without another superstar is unlikely, but who's to say that Nets pick doesn't become one or get traded for one.

I want to believe that, i really do but remember how bad we were when he left? Remember how the team would be respectable and we were going to be .500 and then get another max player and th........yeah and then we saw first hand how devastating losing a generational talent is. The roster is very old too....this is it we have 3 years left max unless they pull off a miracle and get another sub 30s all star.

If the Cavs don't go into full 76er tnt to every asset rebuild mode if he leaves they are really clueless. Although i could see Dan wanting to prop the team up a couple more years to keep its value before selling it...who knows he is an enigma.

One good thing is at least there won't be a kobe lakers situation where him hanging around at 38 39 sets the teams rebuild back years. I doubt he retires a Cav like that.

[Stillwater]

I'd rather flip everyone and rebuild cleanly instead of maxing out a guy with a **** up hip and being a middler team. But that's just me.

If he is not recovered it won't be offered. I think you are severely undervaluing the talent on this roster, yes they are built to play with Lebron, but if they get a "floor general" in Lebron's wake, they can still compete and draw in a fa Like Avery Bradley at minimum. They are underdog's with Lebron against GSW, so to think they could win a championship without another superstar is unlikely, but who's to say that Nets pick doesn't become one or get traded for one.

I want to believe that, i really do but remember how bad we were when he left? Remember how the team would be respectable and we were going to be .500 and then get another max player and th........yeah and then we saw first hand how devastating losing a generational talent is. The roster is very old too....this is it we have 3 years left max unless they pull off a miracle and get another sub 30s all star.

If the Cavs don't go into full 76er tnt to every asset rebuild mode if he leaves they are really clueless. Although i could see Dan wanting to prop the team up a couple more years to keep its value before selling it...who knows he is an enigma.

One good thing is at least there won't be a kobe lakers situation where him hanging around at 38 39 sets the teams rebuild back years. I doubt he retires a Cav like that.

I think with ZIzic,Osman if they exceed timeline expectations in their development(highly likely given both are experiences Euro's) Crowders cheap contract for 3 more years along with J.R.,TT,Love & Korver for at minimum 2 more possibly 3 more seasons, and the possibility of a healthy IT4 , we are still a very good team. If IT4 doesn't play enough this season or needs surgery at some point and it lowers his value enough around the league in FA this summer we could get him for far less than a max deal and at minimum have a solid scoring guard.
We have a lot of opportunities to succeed that we did not have when LBJ left for South Beach.
Granted, we could see this org fumble this up badly, but as long as they refuse to trade any young assets and focus only on salary dumps (Frye , and after December Calderon,Green etc if they prove unneeded) and maybe move the Nets pick for a blue chip win now and in the future player or maybe just our own pick in a deadline deal for a role player, we can still compete for a championship this season with higher expectations of winning it,then right now, and will still be solid for the next 2 to 3 seasons giving Lebron every reason to stay even if it is only on a 1 or 2 yr deal instead of the SM. If he leaves we are still a playoff team and can then assess if moving J.R. TT Love etc for picks is the route we want to go.
Think positive man, we are not losing Lebron again in 75% of all scenarios imo.

[HoopsMalone]

The team as constructed gives him his best odds of not just making the finals but winning it. GSW is not unbeatable. He will not leave for any reason regarding basketball if he does decide to go, it will be for non basketball reasons, which by all acounts should take a back door to basketball for the next few seasons anyway. I see him re-signing a 1 yr deal , pushing the Ownership to do more , and then if they deliver he will sign the supermax and be the highest paid player in NBA history in summer of 19-20.
Maybe he will just take that $ next summer, but to me him leaving is highly unlikely despite the wishes and pipe dreams of LA and other cities who think they have better rosters despite having won nothing.

I disagree 100%. He has a much better chance of beating the Warriors in LA. They're going to be stacked.


Also Gilbert is in the repeater tax. I see him flashing Crowders contract as candy to help him move some combination of his veteran salaries. Cleveland doesn't really have "bad" contracts but I can definitely see them struggling to unload just because of the sheer lack of cap space out there. It will be an interesting rebuild, if he can do it without sacrificing osman, zizic, or any picks I'd say it's a job well done though.

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[Stillwater]

The team as constructed gives him his best odds of not just making the finals but winning it. GSW is not unbeatable. He will not leave for any reason regarding basketball if he does decide to go, it will be for non basketball reasons, which by all acounts should take a back door to basketball for the next few seasons anyway. I see him re-signing a 1 yr deal , pushing the Ownership to do more , and then if they deliver he will sign the supermax and be the highest paid player in NBA history in summer of 19-20.
Maybe he will just take that $ next summer, but to me him leaving is highly unlikely despite the wishes and pipe dreams of LA and other cities who think they have better rosters despite having won nothing.

I disagree 100%. He has a much better chance of beating the Warriors in LA. They're going to be stacked.


Also Gilbert is in the repeater tax. I see him flashing Crowders contract as candy to help him move some combination of his veteran salaries. Cleveland doesn't really have "bad" contracts but I can definitely see them struggling to unload just because of the sheer lack of cap space out there. It will be an interesting rebuild, if he can do it without sacrificing osman, zizic, or any picks I'd say it's a job well done though.

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Lakers are "potentially" stacked for the future , but it all hangs on several unproven players: provided Ball is the real deal, Kuzma game transfers well, Ingram takes a big leap etc. If only 1 or 2 of those things happen they are not stacked at all.Just loaded with young players and a couple of aging injury prone bigs in Lopez and Bogut neither of which fit into their long term plans. They also have to get more from Randle or move him for a late first rounder. KCP is probably their best player, and that aint saying much.
Gilbert hasn't cared about spending $ up until now, and yes he will try to shave dead weight, but he will sell the team before he abandons the formula that has worked thus far. If Lebron leaves Cleveland I don't think the Lakers would be his best option,and definitely not a high enough caliber roster for him to carry into the WCF in 19-20,let alone 18-19.