Your thoughts about the Cleveland trade

jamlando · Post #1 » by **jamlando** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:18 pm

I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about the Cleveland trade. I'm wondering if Cleveland did what Otis has been saying he never wanted to do. Doing a deal just because.

I know the Cavs have been wanting to get rid of Larry Hughes & in order to do that, they had to include other pieces. But what I'm not sure of is how will this give LeBron any help. Delonte West, now on team 3 in his short NBA career, has yet to prove himself. Even though Ben Wallace was the principal in this trade, Joe Smith is probably the best thing about this trade.

They have a lot of redundancy in the 4 & 5 spots with only 2 players that can give them offense from the positions. Joe Smith & Zydrunas are their only scorers. Where does Varajeo get minutes? Does he become expendable in this new scenario?

MagicFan3 · Post #2 » by **MagicFan3** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:20 pm

Didn't we do this last week?

N4U|Redux · Post #3 » by **N4U|Redux** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:38 pm

Lebron is arrogant.

orl1724 · Post #4 » by **orl1724** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:39 pm

a bit late, no? Happened over 3 days ago. But if you must know I think the Cavs added a defensive big which they need (vs Dwight, Sheed,Garnett) they added a good scorer/shooter next to L:eBron in Wally. Finally a good and IMO underated PG in Delonte he can play the 2 when Gibson is in or just simply play PG with LeBron. I like it A LOT for the Cavs

Happyfoosball · Post #5 » by **Happyfoosball** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:50 pm

They have THE FRO!!

EasternMagic · Post #6 » by **EasternMagic** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:53 pm

bad trade for cleveland, i bet drew gooden cried when he got traded

drsd · Post #7 » by **drsd** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:11 pm

Cleveland is better this year, and not better in the next five years. So, just as the Magic become elite, a Cleveland team with LBJ will be crap. Fine by me.

AdamTheGreek · Post #8 » by **AdamTheGreek** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:45 am

No one really gained much, IMO. Drew Gooden was like our Kryptonite, now I only have to worry about Joe Smith and maybe Wally.

theTHIEF · Post #9 » by **theTHIEF** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:02 am

great trade for Chicago, they have $$$ now once again...if Ben works out for Cleveland, it's going to make their front line hard core...i think he and Z make a nice tandem, Z is more like and over sized PF where as Ben is like an undersized C, so they really do fit well schematically...and AV and Joe Smith aren't slouches, so they might have a top 3 front curt there...just have to wait it out...

richboy · Post #10 » by **richboy** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:37 am

I think this trade was great for Cleveland. Mainly because the players they have fit Lebron.

Wally Z is a steal. I been watching him in Seattle and he can still play. He is playing 16 less minutes than Rashard Lewis and putting up just 5 less points. He one of the best pure shooters in the league and the attention that Lebron receives will open it up for him.

Ben Wallace- who knows what he brings to the table every game. In the playoffs I would much rather have Ben Wallace than Drew Gooden.

Joe Smith- has been playing as well as Drew Gooden. With a healthy Varejao Cleveland has perhaps as much big man depth as any team in the league.

Delonte West- one of those players that is better than his numbers. Is a good defender and has better PG skills than you would think. Some will say he the best guard from Saint Joseph in the league.

I was really impressed with Cleveland. They didn't get the one great player next to Lebron. What they did was make it tough to find a weakness. There a better defensive team and offensive team than they were a year ago. I think in a playoff situation there at worse the third best team in the East and I would pick them to beat the Pistons again.

Hydroponic3385 · Post #11 » by **Hydroponic3385** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:48 am

drsd wrote:Cleveland is better this year, and not better in the next five years. So, just as the Magic become elite, a Cleveland team with LBJ will be crap. Fine by me.

I'm pretty sure some of their 30 million in expirings next year (Wally, Snow, Smith, Damon) will be able to net Lebron some MAJOR help (look what a 9 million dollar expiring in Kwame + some crappy first round picks + a mediocre potential in Javaris landed the Lakers). Plus they can do it again the following year with Wallace's huge expiring.

If anything, the Cavs added some very nice trade assets the next year or two, so I'd say your prediction of "better this year, and not better in the next five years" is not all that accurate.

*edit* And Gibson, Varejao, West and Sasha are some nice, younger role players to add to Lebron and a major player or two that they can land from their expirings (and picks, and possibly one of the guys I just mentioned). And Z is having as good a season as he's ever had, so he should be a major factor for at least the next couple years, and still be a nice backup big to finish up his career. Plus the trade did absolutely nothing to the Cavs payroll as far as 2010 is concerned, which is ultimately what matters most for Lebron's contract and the Cavs.

MagicFan32 · Post #12 » by **MagicFan32** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:24 am

Their problem is that they are trying so hard to appease Lebron they aren't really making moves that make them true contenders. They gave up Gooden who was the best player in the trade, and now they have even less inside scoring(Joe Smith scores his points via jump shots, Gooden got alot on offensive rebounds)

Dwight destroys Wallace and Z, so i'm sure he's shaking in his boots.

MagicNolesFSU · Post #13 » by **MagicNolesFSU** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:57 am

They got better. i expect us to finish 3 and them 4 maybe even vice versa but either way we will be in different brackets