Post Game Thoughts. Cavs.

[Dewey]

You know, if you take out the Dlo trade, Rosas has been competent. Thought they’d get Beasley for a cheaper contract, but he’s a really good player and that was a good trade. McDaniels flashes tons of potential and Rosas has made some other good moves on the margins.

Culver isn’t going to go down as a good pick; and I’m still a Ball guy but Edwards has shown enough flashes that I’m excited about him. That DLo trade though. I think Wiggins is the better player. D’Lo is just too limited on both ends while Wiggins, while overpaid, can be productive on both ends in a limited role (see GSW). They both have bad contracts and the odds say we’re giving a top five pick. Don’t know if he can come back from that.

Overall, I like a lot of our young talent. It’s exciting to see them perform well like tonight.

The league needs to stop teams from handing out all these max contracts ... Or allow teams to terminate them.

Or fans need to understand there are different levels of max contracts.

Ya think? Handing out max contracts like they do now ruins the league image IMO, and for the most part, they are simply addIng overhead with overpaid players. They need to find a better merit-based system to help balance the wage up and down these rosters. Not saying you take max contracts away, but find a better way to delegate them upfront. In a perfect world, the Max contracts would NOT be guarenteed.

[Klomp]

The league needs to stop teams from handing out all these max contracts ... Or allow teams to terminate them.

Or fans need to understand there are different levels of max contracts.

Not sure that has to do with what they are talking about. They are talking in general the full multiyear deals around 30 million and up such as Wiggins/Dlo in their examples.

That's EXACTLY what they're talking about. They're talking about max contracts, as if all max deals were created equally.

There are three rungs of max salaries. It starts with guys typically just coming off their rookie contracts, as eligible players have 0-6 years of NBA experience. These players maximums start at 25% of the salary cap with maximum 8% raises. This is the deals Wiggins and Russell have. The next rung is for players with 7-9 years of experience. These players can get a contract starting at up to 30% of the salary cap with 8% raises. This is players like Anthony Davis who are on this level of max contract. Then it's the older vets with 10 or more years of experience who can earn up to 35% of the salary cap in the year's first deal with 8% raises. These are your Chris Pauls.

Each rung also has a stipulation that you can be bumped up to the next highest rung if parameters are met....all-NBA honors, MVP or DPOY.

[shangrila]

Wiggins needed to be moved. He was never going to be whatever he currently is in GS here. That ship had sailed. And considering most pundits thought it would cost 2 1sts at minimum to move his contract, only having to shift one was and still is a steal.

Now so far Russell has struggled. At this point it's highly unlikely he's the Robin to Towns' Batman that we all hoped. That said, he's playing below his capability and the team really isn't doing him any favours. He, even more than the rookies, needs structure. That's how he had success in Brooklyn. Occasional freelancing would be fine but our whole offensive system seems to be based on hero ball, which isn't what you want from him.

So if they can fix that I don't see why he can't be a productive player. Especially if he pulls his finger out and puts in the effort on defence, which I know isn't a given but Towns managed it so I'd say anyone can.

[Jedzz]

Or fans need to understand there are different levels of max contracts.

Not sure that has to do with what they are talking about. They are talking in general the full multiyear deals around 30 million and up such as Wiggins/Dlo in their examples.

That's EXACTLY what they're talking about. They're talking about max contracts, as if all max deals were created equally.

There are three rungs of max salaries. It starts with guys typically just coming off their rookie contracts, as eligible players have 0-6 years of NBA experience. These players maximums start at 25% of the salary cap with maximum 8% raises. This is the deals Wiggins and Russell have. The next rung is for players with 7-9 years of experience. These players can get a contract starting at up to 30% of the salary cap with 8% raises. This is players like Anthony Davis who are on this level of max contract. Then it's the older vets with 10 or more years of experience who can earn up to 35% of the salary cap in the year's first deal with 8% raises. These are your Chris Pauls.

Each rung also has a stipulation that you can be bumped up to the next highest rung if parameters are met....all-NBA honors, MVP or DPOY.

But nobody is questioning the different levels. That's not the point here. I'm not sure why you are bringing it up even as if no one knows. Schooling Us Mode? You started this with "or fans need to understand...". Please tell me how understanding that (which most already do) impacts their complaint about players like Wiggins/Dlo getting Max deals? They just aren't really worth 30 million/yr until they start proving it for seasons. Until you get that star level more times then not.

If a player isn't worth any of those levels they simply should not be offered. (Dewey's point) If all a player has shown for 4-5 years is role player play at best, well under expectations, then don't offer them the 25%. This is what's been wrong with this league lately. Or at least some of the dufus teams in it. Afraid another team will offer them a max and steal them? Then let them go and let that dufus team take that risk. This is what was discussed.

[Jedzz]

Wiggins needed to be moved. He was never going to be whatever he currently is in GS here. That ship had sailed. And considering most pundits thought it would cost 2 1sts at minimum to move his contract, only having to shift one was and still is a steal.

Now so far Russell has struggled. At this point it's highly unlikely he's the Robin to Towns' Batman that we all hoped. That said, he's playing below his capability and the team really isn't doing him any favours. He, even more than the rookies, needs structure. That's how he had success in Brooklyn. Occasional freelancing would be fine but our whole offensive system seems to be based on hero ball, which isn't what you want from him.

So if they can fix that I don't see why he can't be a productive player. Especially if he pulls his finger out and puts in the effort on defence, which I know isn't a given but Towns managed it so I'd say anyone can.

Exactly that, and if he was brought here to be Towns' Robin then Towns being out all this time is likely the largest reason for him not working exactly as planned. It also can be the reason for lack of defensive end efforts. If Kat is putting in the defensive effort Dlo is going to feel compelled to also. This was also very much part of the plan and thinking I'm sure. But Kat hasn't been around and Ryan has been taking that opportunity to play games with the season while he's out. Imagine that, Dlo wasn't feeling compelled to play his hardest in that environment. Which is just like getting drafted to a tanking Lakers team. These environments do not get your players to buy in and give you 110%. Just like the regular season doesn't even push superstar players to give you 110%. You don't see it often until the playoffs. The situation and environment, the meaning of the games, it all matters.