IF LeBron leaves via a SNT...

[parson]

Hawks fan here with a question. What kind of SNT would work for y'all if LBJ leaves?

I'm not asking whether or not you WANT to make such a trade; I'm sure you don't. I'm asking what would you want if he said he was leaving and agreed to a SNT.

The Hawks can offer you young, talented players, they can take either Jamison or Mo Williams' contracts off your hands (BOTH, in an extreme case) and, of course, they can offer picks. For the young players, we could offer Marvin Williams, Josh Childress and Jeff Teague -- all superior young athletes -- along with one of Josh Smith/Al Horford/Joe Johnson. THEN, we could take some salaries you want to lose.

IF James leaves, what would you look for? And who would offer more than the Hawks?

[old skool]

In your extreme case, if the Cavs sent Lebron, Jamison and Mo Williams to the Hawks, the Hawks would have to send back some combination of salaries worth about $39-million - like Josh Smith, Crawford, Bibby, Marvin Williams and Pachulia.

Seems way to complicated to ever become reality.

oLd sKool

[old skool]

In your extreme case, if the Cavs sent Lebron, Jamison and Mo Williams to the Hawks, the Hawks would have to send back some combination of salaries worth about $39-million - like Josh Smith, Crawford, Bibby, Marvin Williams and Pachulia.

Seems way to complicated to ever become reality.

oLd sKool

[azuresou1]

If LeBron leaves, what is Cleveland looking to do? Tank? Stay in playoff contention?

[parson]

In your extreme case, if the Cavs sent Lebron, Jamison and Mo Williams to the Hawks, the Hawks would have to send back some combination of salaries worth about $39-million - like Josh Smith, Crawford, Bibby, Marvin Williams and Pachulia.

Seems way to complicated to ever become reality.

oLd sKool

It's not too complicated, if you remember I also listed Josh Childress. He's worth $5-7 million and he's a pretty good player. BTW, thanks for agreeing that my extreme case is, indeed, extreme. But the point is, we could do it if you wanted to lose both Jamison and Williams' contracts.

But you wouldn't need Pachulia and we wouldn't have to send him to make the deal work. MWilliams/JoshSmith/Bibby/Childress/Crawford equal about $41 million. Add in that James/Jamison/Williams will equal around $36-37 (James' 1st year will be about $16-17 million, Jamison = $11.8 million and Williams $8.8 million) and we've got plenty of cash. We can throw in Teague and Joe Smith's expiring.

Or we could send Joe Johnson and keep Smoove and Crawford. The money part is easy.

[parson]

If LeBron leaves, what is Cleveland looking to do? Tank? Stay in playoff contention?

I figure that they'd tank for 1-2 years, depending on who they draft. Then, in 2-3 years, they'd have superior young athletes at all positions and - if the draft is kind - a high pick to get a go-to player (or 2).

Varejao at center, Josh Smith and Hickson at PF, Marvin Williams and Josh Childress at SF, Teague at PG, add in 2 high picks and 2-3 of ATL's picks (for depth) and they'd have a loaded, athletic and talented young team. And, having gotten rid of bad contracts, they'd have room to go out and sign more players.

[#1 pick]

In your extreme case, if the Cavs sent Lebron, Jamison and Mo Williams to the Hawks, the Hawks would have to send back some combination of salaries worth about $39-million - like Josh Smith, Crawford, Bibby, Marvin Williams and Pachulia.

Seems way to complicated to ever become reality.

oLd sKool

The Hawks could only accept Mo or Jamison, it's not possible to accept both. This leaves Cleveland in a sticky sitution. No team has the talent to give Cleveland more than Atlanta can while keeping a team attractive enough to sign Lebron. Jamison/Lebron would require Atlanta to give Marvin/Smith/and Crawford. It's very possible but that's if Lebron would rather play in Atlanta over Cleveland.

[parson]

The Hawks could only accept Mo or Jamison, it's not possible to accept both.

Why not? Read my #s above.

[#1 pick]

If LeBron leaves, what is Cleveland looking to do? Tank? Stay in playoff contention?

I figure that they'd tank for 1-2 years, depending on who they draft. Then, in 2-3 years, they'd have superior young athletes at all positions and - if the draft is kind - a high pick to get a go-to player (or 2).

Varejao at center, Josh Smith and Hickson at PF, Marvin Williams and Josh Childress at SF, Teague at PG, add in 2 high picks and 2-3 of ATL's picks (for depth) and they'd have a loaded, athletic and talented young team. And, having gotten rid of bad contracts, they'd have room to go out and sign more players.

If they get Smith and Marvin with the talent the Cavs still have, the worst they will be is like the Bobcats, a playoff team but far from contending. They would have to trade Hickson if they get Smith, and with Hickson value, they could get a lot. I would trade Hickson to New Orleans for Collison. Atlanta will not trade Teague or Horford. Those two are untouchable as they would be needed to play with the roster that features LBJ/JJ.

That would give Cleveland this roster:
Collison/Mo
Parker/Crawford
Marvin/Moon
Smith/???
Anderson V/???

That team will have a great defense but lack a #1 scorer like Charlotte. Obviously they have an All Star in Smith and a potential one in Collison. Crawford and Andy will play huge roles and Marvin will be their #2 or #3 option and can reach his very good potential that he possess. Childress could not be traded till Dec unless he SnT to a team for other players. Two players on different teams cannot be SnT at the same time due to the CBA.

[#1 pick]

The Hawks could only accept Mo or Jamison, it's not possible to accept both.

Why not? Read my #s above.

Josh Childress- read my post above
Mo Williams contract would be too much to take with Jamison and Lebron. You have to add that Joe will get max and Horford is due up for a huge contract in 2011. Jamison is due +17mil in 2012. It wouldn't work financially.

[azuresou1]

I'm like, 95% sure JJ Hickson couldn't get you Darren Collison.

[#1 pick]

I'm like, 95% sure JJ Hickson couldn't get you Darren Collison.

I wouldn't be so sure, especially if they feel he has all star potential. Which puts West on the market and they can get a SF/SG who's a quality player.

[Grime_Wizard]

LeBron wont leave, why else would Ferry step down

[azuresou1]

I'm like, 95% sure JJ Hickson couldn't get you Darren Collison.

I wouldn't be so sure, especially if they feel he has all star potential. Which puts West on the market and they can get a SF/SG who's a quality player.

No one outside of a minority of Cavs fans think JJ Hickson will be an All-Star. He's the PF version of Gerald Green.

[#1 pick]

I'm like, 95% sure JJ Hickson couldn't get you Darren Collison.

I wouldn't be so sure, especially if they feel he has all star potential. Which puts West on the market and they can get a SF/SG who's a quality player.

No one outside of a minority of Cavs fans think JJ Hickson will be an All-Star. He's the PF version of Gerald Green.

That's crazy talk, a lot of NBA people like JJ, he has a lot of potential and he just scratching the surface. Gerald Green had terrible overall ability and an IQ of a fire-ant. That is not a great comparison.

[parson]

Josh Childress- read my post above

Thanks, I did not know that.

Mo Williams contract would be too much to take with Jamison and Lebron. You have to add that Joe will get max and Horford is due up for a huge contract in 2011. Jamison is due +17mil in 2012. It wouldn't work financially.

Try Trade #5542023. The 25% rule gives a bit of leeway. LBJ's salary is about a million $$$ less than it will be the first year of a deal; the deal will probably work as is, but we could add Teague if it didn't.

[#1 pick]

Josh Childress- read my post above

Thanks, I did not know that.

Mo Williams contract would be too much to take with Jamison and Lebron. You have to add that Joe will get max and Horford is due up for a huge contract in 2011. Jamison is due +17mil in 2012. It wouldn't work financially.

Try Trade #5542023. The 25% rule gives a bit of leeway. LBJ's salary is about a million $$$ less than it will be the first year of a deal; the deal will probably work as is, but we could add Teague if it didn't.

Lebron and JJ second year will be very high as will Horford new deal and Jamison +17. That doesn't include the 9 mil that Mo will be due in 2011-12 season plus we do not know what will be in the new CBA. It wouldn't work financially looking down the road is what I should have said. Either way, we have to take one or the other just not both.

[parson]

One of our owners, Michael Gearon, has already been fined by the league for saying he'd gladly pay the luxury tax for LeBron. Paid $25,000 for saying that.

Sometimes I'm slow on the uptake. Am I still missing what you're saying?

[jmr07019]

Boston would gladly offer

Rondo (9 mil) / #19 (1 mil) / Pekins (5 mil) / KG (19 mil) [total of 34 mil] for Lebron / Mo / Jamison.

[heathmalc]

1st of all, there are quite a few teams with a LOT more talent than Atlanta... if the Cavs were interested in a S&T...

...However, there is absolutely no way that the Cavaliers would S&T LeBron! Dan Gilbert (owner) would rather him walk, than S&T. By walking, the Cavs wouldn't be saddled with the inferior talent that they'd receive in any such S&T, and the contracts that came with them. If LeBron walked, the Cavs go under the Cap by 5 million. By releasing Delonte, they go another 4.5 under the cap (9.5 million). The Cavs would be better off letting the contracts of Moon & Parker expire (6 million), then the contract of Jamison the following season (17 million). They would be drafting young players over these two seasons, while still having a competitive team (not a contender by any stretch), and being under the cap by 20 million+ when Carmelo became a free-agent, or by 37 million when LeBron went back on the market.