Cleveland payng record $25 million + #4 for Derrick Williams

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

I'm guessing this is going to be the first time in NBA history where one team held both the first and second pick of the first round? Probably the first time ever in any professional sport...pretty unheard of...

[carrottop12]

I still don't think it is going to happen.

[kamazilla]

I would have rather seen him put this money around lebron when he was there. They did such a poor job putting talent around him, it was absurd. They spent some money when lebron was there, but they certainly weren't buying lottery picks to give him actual talent to grow with. Dan Gilbert sucks.

Point taken. It seems he is seeking redemption at this point. I agree the deal won't happen, though, as it will be very difficult for Detroit to justify doing this without a return of significant talent. Fans will simply not accept giving up the eighth pick in a salary dump.

My hope is Kanter shows so well in workouts for Minny that they become comfortable taking him with the second pick. Still very possible.

[Mr Loggins]

I would have rather seen him put this money around lebron when he was there. They did such a poor job putting talent around him, it was absurd. They spent some money when lebron was there, but they certainly weren't buying lottery picks to give him actual talent to grow with. Dan Gilbert sucks.

Cleveland was sort of handicapped by the salary cap. The one time we had cap room, you can argue (easily) we blew it by signing Larry Hughes but

a) LeBron was approachign the end of his rookie deal and we needed to prove we could be competetive, hence were somewhat pressured to make a splah in free agency

b) we swung and missed for Ray Allen and Michael Redd, both of whom satyed home to get more money

c) it was widely accepted at the time that Hughes was the 3rd best swing on the market at the time, coming off a 22ppg, 6rpg, 5apg season.

After that, Cleveland was capped out and was limited in what we coudl do. Ferry/Gilbert still suceeded in putting together back to back 60 win seasons.

edited to add: we can buy lottery picks now because there's no pressure to win; hence we can take a step back by getting baron daivs for mo williams. We can try to "buy" Detroits pick because we have the TPE left from Lebron's exit.

The only draft picks for sale otherwise are crappy end of the ound picks......its would be a pretty brave/stupid man who would try to convince LeBron to stay by building a team of Shannon Browns and DJ WHites "to grow with him"