No longer matters because players been traded

[DowJones]

1. How good you are now means nothing because you are going to gut your entire team by 2010. Nate Robinson, the Italian guy, and Wilson Chandler won't entice LeBron. Sorry.

Actually, we don't have to gut our team to be under the cap to sign a max player anymore. We already got rid of our worst contracts. We are going to have to fill our team out somewhere, and none of these guys will demand large contracts. If we can find a way to get rid of Curry in the next couple of years, we will be in even better shape (that might take trading Lee with him though).

2. Wilson Chandler is not a budding star. He is a nice role player, nothing more.

Pure opinion and I disagree.

3. Yeah, Lee/Duhon/Jeffries may be decent role players but only Jeffries will be on the team if you even want a chance to sign 2 max players in 2010. BTW, the only player of that group that is a legit starter in the NBA is Lee.

I doubt we will sign two max players. If not, I can see these guys still being on the team. Guess I just disagree about your assessment of the players. Duhon and Jeffries started on other teams before the Knicks, and Duhon is doing a good job for us this season. Again, the Knicks have a lot of very good role players. This was Isiah's talent- finding good role players. What we don't have is a star (that's where Lebron comes in LOL).

4. Having a good GM is great but how in the world can you say he will put good players around LeBron when you are trying to cut all of this salary? How is it going to happen?

See above.

5. Stop with the "all of these players will sign for vet minimum" talk. It is pure fantasy. Besides, what do you want to do with a 37 year old Steve Nash? He has had a bad back for years now and it sure won't get better with age.

I guess we will see. I haven't been the one who has written articles speculating on this, but it's not so hard for me to see vets wanting to win a championship with the Knicks before they retire, a la the Celtics of last year and when guys like Malone and Payton went to the Lakers a few years back (though they lost).

You can't have your cake and eat it to. By clearing out space for Bron and a 2nd max contract player, you won't have much room for bringing in decent supporting players. You have to hope and pray that LeBron loves New York so much that he is willing to go to a re-building team...because that is exactly what you will be in 2010.

Again, your opinion.

1. If you don't want to sign 2 max players, then fine. I thought that was what NY fans were planning on.

2. We agree to disagree about Chandler. You think he is a star or will become one, I say he will be a nice role player.

3. No, vets are not going to sign for your team for the vet min. That isn't going to happen. You may get guys like Cassel or PJ Brown (not those 2, but players like that) but you won't be getting former All-Stars. The Lakers were able to get Malone and Payton because they used the MLE. You guys don't have the MLE to use since you will be under the salary cap.

[TheOUTLAW]

Jeffries is not a good player, he's the small forward/shooting guard version of Ben Wallace without the impactful defense.

[Bill Bradley]

LOL I am not a fan of Jeffries either, and he has sucked since he's been on the Knicks. He was a serviceable starter on the Wizards though. Not good, but a decent role player.

[RevMan26]

Don't get me wrong. I don't think the Knicks are great by any means. I think we will be about a .500 team at the end of the season and have a shot at the 8th seed. I guess we will see how things go with the new guys coming in. We have a winning record now so if the players were as bad as some of you guys are portraying them, then we have had a lot of lucky breaks. Nate Robinson isn't a starter for us, so I agree with you about that. I don't know if we have any guys that will be a star in the future, but it's not so farfetched to suggest that maybe Chandler might get there, and we don't know about Gallinari yet.

I agree with you on Chandler. I see potential in him. Wasn't he the guy in pre-season putting up like 30 points a game?

[Bill Bradley]

Yep, and he's putting up 15 and 6 in 31 minutes a game so far this season. He is our best all-around player already and he is just in his second year. Last year he got no PT under Isiah until the end of the season because Isiah determined his rotations based on players' salary it seems.

[SportsInfoBar]

As a Cavs fan on this board, I don't see why the other Cavs fans don't want to discuss Lebron leaving. There is very little action on this board and I think that is because to many discussions get locked. The simple logic is if you don't want to read about a topic DO NOT CLICK ON IT. Some of us want to discuss this stuff.

As for Lebron, I think we should be looking at trades for him. I know most of you just gasped, but the writing IS on the wall.

James was asked flat-out before the game whether he'd like to play for the Knicks some day, and he avoided a direct answer.

"To bring that type of a distraction to our team right now would be unfair to my team, my teammates, the coaching staff and the rest of the organization," he said.

If Cleveland was coming off on or two titles, would that make the decision easier or harder?

"I don't know. We'll do our best to win it this and next year. Like I said, July 1 is a big day. I know that. I can't sit here and say I don't know how big July 1 of 2010 is, it's going to be a big day, but for me to give to an answer of whether I'm staying or not, or where I'm going or playing, I don't know."

"You have to stay open-minded if you're a Knicks fan," James said before delivering his parting words. "If you guys want to sleep right now and don't wake up until July 1, 2010, then go ahead. It's going to be a big day."

If you read between the lines of these quotes it is hard not to think he isn't going to NY. If Lebron were leaning toward staying, he would not answer those questions that way. HE can end all of this speculation very easily by saying he is staying with Cleveland. He can't though, because he wants to go to NY and he CAN NOT say that NOW can he?

So the question is, can we let him walk for nothing? Or should we try trading him next year?

[SportsInfoBar]

Everyone keeps saying you need another "star player". To most the "star player" is just a "name". What you need is GOOD basketball players that play as a team. There is only one ball on the court, having to many "star" players means they don't touch the ball enough to be a "star" anymore.

I would rather have 1 great player and 4 very good ones on the court then 2 great players and 3 bad ones.

As for the Knicks, they are doing what they need to do. They DO have some solid GOOD players right now, the question is how many will they keep over the next few years. I mean a lineup of:

Bosh. Lebron, Chandler,Harrington,Lee, Galinari, Robinson, Duhan-Nash? Doesn't look so bad to me..if they were smart they would try and move Lee for a 2-guard or else the lineup may need to have Lebron play the 2?

5-Bosh
4-Harrington
3-Chandler
2-Lebron
1-Nash

How do the New Yorkers envision the lineup?

As a Cavs fan I would rather see this lineup in 2 years here:

5- Z or Andy
4- Bosh
3- Lebron
2- Delonte
1- Mo

I think this team would be better, not just because I am a Cavs fan, but because these guys sans Bosh would have been playing together for 2 plus years by then. The key is IF Lebron wants to stay, can he talk Bosh into coming here?

[CzBoobie]

If you read between the lines of these quotes it is hard not to think he isn't going to NY. If Lebron were leaning toward staying, he would not answer those questions that way. HE can end all of this speculation very easily by saying he is staying with Cleveland. He can't though, because he wants to go to NY and he CAN NOT say that NOW can he?

So the question is, can we let him walk for nothing? Or should we try trading him next year?

Dude, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE WILL DO IN JULY 2010! Can you comprehend this simple sentence?

[TheOUTLAW]

I swear anytime I see a new "Cavs" fan I assume that they are an imposter and this is exactly the reason. The Cavs will not trade LeBron unless he comes out and tells the GM/Coach or whomever that there is no way he resigns with Cleveland. It's not going to happen and you are just bananas if you think it will. Fact is, the Cavs have a much better team than any of the teams that LeBron might go to. In addition, there is very little chance that LeBron will leave 30 million dollars on the table. So if anything, the Cavs might have to sign and trade him. Fact is NY and the Nets have nothing and are working towards having less to trade. LeBron wants championships? Those teams look like the Cavs did before LeBron got here.

[SportsInfoBar]

I am not a "new" Cavs fan...I am just newer to these forums. I live in Avon, Ohio, in fact one of my neighbors is an assistant coach for the Cavs. And no he has not said anything about Lebron staying or leaving...actually I rarely get to talk with him because we both work so much.

Lebron says he doesn't know what he wants to do because that leaves him outs....IF he wants to go to NY, can he actually come out and say it now????? Think about it....IF he wanted to stay a Cav, he WOULD come out and just say it now, end the media crush.

And he is NOT leaving $30 million on the table. It is one less year, so he will make that money on his next contract.

I do not think a sign and trade will happen for many reasons (one being the Knicks won't have much to send us back while keeping a competitive team and for Lebron the one less year is not that big a deal because he will just get the money later)

This is why they need to trade him next year. If you are the Cavs management you HAVE to go to Lebron and see if he is staying or not and if he can't commit you HAVE to trade him for other assets. They just can NOT lose him for nothing. We are NOT a free agent destination without Lebron.

By the way I AM a CAVS fan, not really a Lebron fan so much, don't like the whole "King" thing or "Global Icon" and it annoys me how much he disrespects the fans of Cleveland (EG: Yankees hat at a Tribe game, yes he can be a Yankees fan, but it IS a slap in the face to the same people coming to support you when you do that)...he is a great player no doubt, but it amazes me how much we gloss over when he plays poorly, which he does do from time to time.

[TheOUTLAW]

He may or may not make some of that on his next contract but the difference in percentage increase is several million dollars and frankly this is a contact sport. People get injured all the times and often can't play up to that level again. Just look at people like Houston and Hill.

LeBron could easily say that he wanted to be in NY. Heck he could force the Cavs to trade him now.

There is virtually no way that any rational person could be a Cavs fan and not be a LeBron fan. Fact is, there is no scenario where the Cavs move LeBron and become a better team. To think otherwise shows a lack of basketball knowledge. I want this team to win and the best way for that to happen is to have LeBron on it. The idea of a trade is both shortsighted and naive.

If you think we gloss over LeBrons poor games you haven't been reading on this site enough. I think people can be plenty tough on LeBron when he doesn't play well.

[SportsInfoBar]

I root for Lebron now, but if he left I will still be a Cavs fan, not a Lebron fan.

And when did I say we would be better by trading him?? I am saying trading him is better than letting him walk. And I didn't say to trade him this year. Do it next year IF he won't commit.

Lebron is insured for injury I am sure and he will have made over $250 million by then so that 6th year is not going to matter that much. And weather you want to believe it or not, he will get more endorsement money playing in New York.

Just because you wish it doesn't make it true. Putting your head in the sand to the possibilities is the short sighted thing to do.

He is not forcing the trade now because he would not be able to compete THIS year for a championship. And the Cavs don't NEED to trade him THIS year. I am saying NEXT year if there is no commitment they have to view that as an option.

As a Cavs fan, if he does bolt...what do we do then??? We will have cap space, but if we couldn't even keep our own, who is going to come here?

As a Cavs fan I hope I am wrong, I hope he stays and I hope we grab Bosh as well...I am just being a realist and watching how he responds to the questions doesn't lead me to believe he wants to stay here.

[DowJones]

The problem with trading LeBron is that the team we trade him to would have to be in a position to sign him. We can't trade him to a team like Utah or Atlanta. We would get no value because it would just be a rental.

That is why I firmly believe that the Lakers would be the only team we trade LeBron to, IF he refused to make any commitment for 2010. We would get good value in return (Bynum/Farmar) and he would go to a huge market and win tons of championships with Kobe/Gasol/Odom.

I don't see a trade going down though. We would ride it out with LeBron and hope that he is as loyal to us as we have been to him.

[calibanPK]

I just don't think if he does get traded it will be Lakers. He wants his own legacy, his own image, his own world. All of that is here in Cleveland.

He single handily resurrected this franchise and bringing a championship here (where we haven't had one in decades-never in NBA) would be way more special and remarkable then bringing just another trophy to the Lakers or NY.

[SportsInfoBar]

I am not saying it would be easy to make a trade, just that we HAVE to consider it and see what we could get possibly.

I will just say if he was as loyal as the Cleveland fan base we wouldn't even be having this discussion. He would have already said he is staying.

My main point is we shouldn't have our head in the sand and "hope". Cavs management has to do whatever it can to build the team even IF he does leave.

The list of potential trade partners is small: Lakes, Heat, Blazers? and that is about it probably...unless a team really did want to rent him for a year?!?

I do agree on him not going to LA, because he would have to share the spotlight with Kobe and they have won championships there....but have you seen the last time the Knicks won a championship....It would be HUGE if he brought one back to NY.

[Gordon Bombay]

we're not trading him and thats final

[RevMan26]

As for the Knicks, they are doing what they need to do. They DO have some solid GOOD players right now, the question is how many will they keep over the next few years.

How can you sit there and honestly say the Knicks have good, solid players. Were you watching that game last night?? The Knicks are horrible, a D'Antoni seems like he doesn't care. He was just sitting on the bench. Not once last night did I see him yell at his players. His philosophy to win with that team, is to let it rain from the 3pt. line.

LeBron loves Cleveland. He grew up about 30 minutes from here. He has a mansion near Cleveland too. He has good relationships with certain players (i.e.: Daniel Gibson), family and friends here too. I see no point or reason as to why he would not resign. He is the star of the league on a team that has never really amounted to anything. Like the owner of the Cavs said, the players will be coming to us. I can see Bosh, Wade or a couple players signing with us.

LeBron isn't going anywhere.

[SportsInfoBar]

That was one game for the Knicks playing one of the top 3 teams in the league after trading their best two players. I didn't say they were great. I said they had some good solid players and they do. David Lee, Chandler, Robinson, these are good, solid players. All Stars? No. Good players? Yes. (If one would have just watched the 2nd half of the Pistons games they wouldn't think we had good players either, one game is one game)

Look I hope I am wrong, but read all of the quotes from Lebron, watch his interviews. Even that episode where he said "I ain't going anywhere", did you read the follow up interview and how he back tracked from the statement. Spun the statement to mean something else....

With his money, he can have a mansion here and there, his family and friends can see him whenever he wants.

Weather WE see a point for him to want to leave doesn't matter. I personally wouldn't leave, but I am not Lebron. Maybe there IS something he just likes about NY City....I have only been there a few times and it is quite different than Cleveland. It is a really neat place, could I live there? No, to hustle and bustle for me. But I could see the attraction one would have to NY City.

[RevMan26]

I don't even want to think about it. Me personally, I don't think he will leave. I just can't see him going to NY to be involved in a more screwed up team than we he first joined the Cavs. I think we will get some good pick ups in free agency this year, as well as in 2010, and LeBron will re-sign and we will make a run at a championship. But you can see he likes the global attention he is getting, that is why I don't think he has said if he is staying or not.

[SportsInfoBar]

I hope you are right...but the only way I see him staying is if we win the next two titles and we are going for a threepeat......then he would almost be obligated to stay.