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The following is an interesting new link to SI's Ian Thomsen who on the one hand says he expects the CAVs to get better via a major trade and then on the other he predicts they will be a 7th seed in the playoffs. Kind of like patting you on the back with one hand and slapping you in the head with the other.

Ian Thomsen > INSIDE THE NBA --- Weekly Countdown: An early look at what may be in store in 2008-09


A big Cavaliers trade. Don't read too much into their strong playoff showing against the Celtics. The Cavs' current roster will struggle to score during the regular season, with several Eastern rivals plotting to move ahead of Cleveland. But the Cavaliers are not going to stand still and let that happen amid speculation of LeBron James' 2010 departure. They'll be looking to package their $30 million in expiring contracts as well as Zydrunas Ilgauskas and/or Anderson Varejao for a point guard and/or shooters and/or a star or two to give James a chance to realize his potential in Cleveland.

1. Conference predictions. How each conference race is shaping up, as of late July:

b. The East. Note that team Nos. 9-13 will be tightly packed.

15. New Jersey
14. Charlotte
13. Miami
12. Chicago
11. Atlanta
10. New York
9. Milwaukee
8. Indiana
7. Cleveland
6. Toronto
5. Philadelphia
4. Washington
3. Orlando
2. Detroit
1. Boston

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... ref=sircrc

It's tough to get the respect when you don't improve your team in 3 years though...

Since the summer of 05, the Cavs have done very little to improve the team.. The trade last season was a lateral move at best...

Granted, they can compete with anyone, but that doesn't garner the acclaim and overall respect from many... In terms of having a GM, we've pretty much had one on auto pilot for 3 years now.. I'm sure he's looked to improve the team, but it is a bottom line and results laced business...

I'd be willing to bet paychecks with Ian Thomsen that the Cavs arent the 7th seed this coming season.

Lebron James and four high schoolers are a four seed in the east.

To get respect you've got to earn it. The Cavs are a good team, but for whatever reasons they haven't been able to improve into a great team yet. Preseason predictions don't mean anything and they will mean even less than that for the Cavs. As mentioned above chances are they make significant changes before the season is over.

^^"To get respect you've got to earn it." So why are Washington, Toronto, Philly, etc. ahead of the Cavs? The past 2-3 seasons, you can only argue that Detroit and Boston (and even them you can't really) have been better than the Cavs when it MATTERS (the playoffs).

I will agree though, we're not much of a regular season squad and I definitely think it's likely we have another so-so regular season. But when it comes down to the playoffs, if we have a similar team as last year (aka Lebron and a team that defends and rebounds well) plus a nice second option, I think we're looking pretty damn good and can prove a bunch of critics wrong.

Washington over Cleveland? WTF? All we do is beat on that team in the playoffs.

I couldnt care less what this article says, the cavs seem to thrive on not getting respect.

L&H_05 wrote:It's tough to get the respect when you don't improve your team in 3 years though...

Since the summer of 05, the Cavs have done very little to improve the team.. The trade last season was a lateral move at best...

Granted, they can compete with anyone, but that doesn't garner the acclaim and overall respect from many... In terms of having a GM, we've pretty much had one on auto pilot for 3 years now.. I'm sure he's looked to improve the team, but it is a bottom line and results laced business...

This is the bottom line...

Hydroponic3385 wrote:^^"To get respect you've got to earn it." So why are Washington, Toronto, Philly, etc. ahead of the Cavs? The past 2-3 seasons, you can only argue that Detroit and Boston (and even them you can't really) have been better than the Cavs when it MATTERS (the playoffs).

I will agree though, we're not much of a regular season squad and I definitely think it's likely we have another so-so regular season. But when it comes down to the playoffs, if we have a similar team as last year (aka Lebron and a team that defends and rebounds well) plus a nice second option, I think we're looking pretty damn good and can prove a bunch of critics wrong.

the last move was a wash in terms of talent but it was supposed to give us the flexability to make a move that would actually improve our team. people were hailing it as a good deal in that sense. but its basically pointless if they dont do something with the expirings etc.

cavs would be such an exciting team to manage and a very forgiving one. nearly every season there have been opportunities for the cavs to sign big free agents (hughes season). make big trades etc but nothing.

and you cant lose and look that bad. you can trade everyone on our team, release them, have injuries whatever. aslong as lebron plays 70 games we make the playoffs. if he plays in the playoffs with any sort of support we can worry any matchup.

this team cant be had with lebron on it. the GM should be graded on how much better then an average playoff team he makes it and he hasnt even taken a chance on anything to make us great.

As stated previously, how does the Wizards who made no significant additions move up to number 4 with their brand of less than average defense?

Does anyone think that O'neil will be able to play 70 games this coming season for Toronto -- I don't and they have not made any other additions which is why they don't rate for a big leap either.

I know Philadelphia has Brand who is coming off a major injury, but didn't Brand and Miller play together for the Clippers in the past and that resulted in about a .500 record and missing the playoffs?

Boston is bound not to be that hungry either and with the loss of Posey they have lost the edge they had in the playoffs with the CAVs.

Detroit is a good team, but making changes also changes their chemistry which has been their advantage of knowing each other so well in playing together on defense and offense.

I agree that 2005 signings did not help the CAVs and basically hand cuffed Ferry -- though he can be overly conservative sometimes.

Damn, we will never top the Wizards...

If this is a list of playoff seeding (and not performance) its hard to argue. Other that Lebron and Gibson the Cavs have an aging group of vets that aren't going to improve. Washington was decimated by injuries and still only finished 2 games begind the Cavs. Philly was 5 games behind, but having young players on the rise and adding Brand should be good for 5 games. Toronto was 4 games behind and added J.O., but I'm not certain that makes up the difference.

I'm sure with Lebron the Cavs could beat most teams in a series (no guarantees either way), but given the team has a lot of older parts and has done nothing to upgrade while the teams immediately behind added Brand, J.O. and hopefully some semblance of health I can definitely see Cleveland slipping in the standings.

So the Wizards record can be attributed to injuries but the Cavs cant? Sure the Wizards had a ton of players miss games with injuries (1st in the league) but if you want to go that route guess who was second.... While its true the Cavs dont care much about the regular season, they always find a way to get themselves home court advantage and I dont see why this year should be any different.

J.O and Toronto?? LOL Lets see how long he can stay healthy. Besides they still didnt address their biggest concern (a defensive wing)... The great scorers in this league will continue to drop as many points as they would like on the Raptors until they find a way to stop them. I see no change there.

Brand in Philly has the potential to be a great great thing... but who knows. Remember, Brand still has to come back and prove he is healthy. Guys who missed a whole season of ball shouldnt be looked upon to carry a team no matter how great they are. Aside from that the guy that really makes that team go (Miller) is getting up there in age, they still dont have Iggy resigned, and there bench is paper thin. In a perfect world Philly could be very good, but a lot of things have to go right for that to happen.

As for the Wizar's. Why should we worry about them? Even if they do have a healthy season, a big if considering the players on that team, they still are a team we flat out own. While Haywood and Caron are solid defensive players when two of your big three dont care a thing about defense your team is going to be in trouble in the playoffs when games really matter. I know it's easy to blame it all on injuries, but at what point do injuries become more of the norm with these guys rather than the unexpected?? I know, personally I got to the point where I penciled Larry in for missed 20-30 games every year minimum, and Im starting to get to that point with Varejao and Gibson as well. My point is simply, with injury prone players you need to factor that into the overall equation and stop blaming things on what is going to keep recurring.

We'll be right there at the end, just like we always are. Enough to get home court in the playoffs and to let LeBron do what he does.