What steps will the Cavs take to retain Lebron?

[hammel123]

Fortunately for Cleveland the best "fit" star, is also the one most available. it's Joe Johnson

Why the best fit? - at 6'8 with the accurate 3 point shot and ability to take it to the basket - simply devastating in a two man game at the top of the key. Because Lebron is really a point-forward I think JJ will be just as effective or even more, than traditional PF like Bosh. Teams will simply not be able to lay off at the top of the key and open up all kinds of driving lanes

Why the most available? - Virtually every team, including Atlanta with the early playoff exit is balking at the max JJ is asking. Remember NY will offer JJ a contract conditional on another superstar coming i.e Lebron. So in essence, if Lebron says I'm staying and Cleveland is willing to pay $, JJ is theirs. Technically they'll have to send expirings and/or a player and/or a pick in some sort of sign/trade with Atlanta

[jazzfan1971]

I think you could probably nab richard Hamilton for expirings. Maybe some small incentive.

but, is he a big enough name player to matter?

[davidse]

i think this may be the most interesting question of the offseason for the cavs.

because make no mistake about it - lebron intends to play with another superstar next season.

so that brings up two questions -

1. can the cavs get him one ?

2. since #1 has huge financial implications as well as sacraficing youth implications - both of which negate rebuilding which the cavs must do if lebron leaves - does cleveland take the risk before they have a comittment from lebron ?
what if they ran a scenario of getting a star player past lebron and only get a "maybe' ?

i really think this is an intriguing issue.

so what can the cavs do ?

they can't get wade.

bosh is a long shot, and will involve taking the payroll to ridiculous levels - you'll have to offer shaq in a sign and trade (guarenteed for 1 year), and maybe even z, and take back calderon, or maybe even hedo.

i would call bosh EXTREMELY unlikely - even if not impossible like wade. but close to it.

next up is amare.

now, since i think that hickson is a very good fit next to nash, and since sarver the suns' owner is big on savings, there might be something to be done on that front - again, including a shaq sign and trade, hickson, and probably absorbing barbosa and adding a couple of 1st rd picks.

if the suns are about to lose amare for nothing - this has a shot, although cap teams will have the advantage even in sign and trades - because by trading with them the suns will avoid paying oneal's 20+ mil which will be needed in the deal for the salaries to work, and sarver may value that more than getting someone like hickson.

boozer is out for obvious reasons.


so if you ask me, the most likely candidate and the cavs' only shot of keeping lebron other than a half chance with amare - is joe johnson.
i don't think the hawks pay him what he wants, i think he is a good fit with lebron, and i think the hawks will like the opportunity to dump marvin williams' deal and basicaly clean house - except for horford, smith, and i guess hickson or whatever they can get from cleveland.
i guess once you have marvin williams and verajao at pf - you can move jamison for what has to be a bad contract, but possibly better balance to the team (maybe even go all out for arenas, and probably get some young assets in the process too from washington).

they may even buy shaq out and have him return to cleveland or wherever he wants to go.

but then - is joe johnson enough ?
he's a good fit, but not the caliber of player that bosh/wade are and who lebron can pottentialy team up with.

if i sum up my opinion - going all out for amare, and if that fails - more likely joe johnson is the cavs' only chance of keeping lebron as i see it.

and again - the big question is do you risk doing that before you have lebron's comittment ?
interesting...

[Grime_Wizard]

I think you could probably nab richard Hamilton for expirings. Maybe some small incentive.

but, is he a big enough name player to matter?

hes an upgrade over Anthony Parker

[davidse]

^ does'nt matter.

it's not about "upgrades" anymore.

all lebron has to do to play with wade, bosh, or even both - is just sign the dotted line.

he's very aware of the magnitude of this summer for the rest of his career and legacy, and he will not let this once in a career chance go by without making sure he ends up playing with another superstar.

whether it's in cleveland or anywhere else.

no more "supporting cast", not even an occasional all star reserve.

if you think that can still cut it for lebron - you are not getting it.

he's had enough of that.
he couldn't win with that - whether by his own fault or not - and he's not about to comitt the rest of his prime to the same type of situation.
not when joining forces with another superstar - or even mega star like wade - is so available.

i even raised the question of whether joe johnson would be enough.
he might.

but don't kid yourselves.
the cavs either add a top star player, or they lose lebron.

so i'll say it again - if you are still dealing with "upgrades" and "hamiltons" etc - you're simply not getting it.

[Childs2Dudley]

You're correct, davidse. The Cavs must bring in a high-end player.

Unfortunately for them, they ended up getting Jamison instead of Amare. Now what trade assets to they have left to get a player of Amare's caliber? Pretty much none, unless people think that teams will be falling over to acquire Jamison's contract or guys like Mo Williams and JJ Hickson.

[#1 pick]

so if you ask me, the most likely candidate and the cavs' only shot of keeping lebron other than a half chance with amare - is joe johnson.
i don't think the hawks pay him what he wants, i think he is a good fit with lebron, and i think the hawks will like the opportunity to dump marvin williams' deal and basicaly clean house - except for horford, smith, and i guess hickson or whatever they can get from cleveland.
i guess once you have marvin williams and verajao at pf - you can move jamison for what has to be a bad contract, but possibly better balance to the team (maybe even go all out for arenas, and probably get some young assets in the process too from washington).

they may even buy shaq out and have him return to cleveland or wherever he wants to go.

but then - is joe johnson enough ?
he's a good fit, but not the caliber of player that bosh/wade are and who lebron can pottentialy team up with.

if i sum up my opinion - going all out for amare, and if that fails - more likely joe johnson is the cavs' only chance of keeping lebron as i see it.

and again - the big question is do you risk doing that before you have lebron's comittment ?
interesting...

The Hawks offered him 4yr-60 mil before the season. They want him back but Joe wants 6 years and Atlanta wants 4 years. A bunch of tug and pull going on. The Hawks have no need to clean house, their an extremely talented bunch who feels they can win and Marvin contract is actually market value. There are no assets that Cleveland has where they can acquire Josh Smith, Horford or Joe Johnson that doesn't require Lebron; just facts, you just lack attractive pieces for the Hawks. The most attractive piece Cleveland has outside of James is Hickson and Atlanta is already PF galore, no need to add another one who's interior to the ones they already have. The Cavs do not have the pieces to attract a key FA in this class. After going to the Western Conference Finals, I believe Amare will return or if he leaves, it won't be for Cleveland. Lastly, why would Joe leave Atlanta to play in Cleveland?

[davidse]

we see the hawks differenetly.

i think conditions have changed regarding j.j. for them.

they weren't getting anywhere with him, so now they'll offer him even more than they did before ?
and they'll have to offer a lot because several teams on the market can go much higher than that now - and probably will...

imo, if i'm atlanta - i know i have to make some serious changes.
i'm defenetly not going to raise my payroll to pay for a roster that pretty much had run its course and hit its ceiling (in my opinion anyway).


and childstodudley - imo, the cavs' biggest asset is shaq.
he can be signed and traded with only one guarenteed year - basicaly making him into huge expiring contracts.
and i don't remember the exact numbers, but he can get at least 20% raises on their last salary without becoming byc players, so shaq can basicaly become a 24 mil expiring contract.
add parker who's expiring, maybe hickson, and you can take back some real ugly contract/s in addition to a superstar salary - giving an opposing team at least something to think about in regards to trading their superstar to the cavs.

might even work with guys who aren't free agents.
iggy, brand, and 2 for example - and then 2+iggy could get you a bosh/amare ?

so anyway, i see hickson as a nice sweetner, but shaq is the only asset that gives cleveland at least a theoretical shot at such a move.

[#1 pick]

we see the hawks differenetly.

i think conditions have changed regarding j.j. for them.

they weren't getting anywhere with him, so now they'll offer him even more than they did before ?
and they'll have to offer a lot because several teams on the market can go much higher than that now - and probably will...

imo, if i'm atlanta - i know i have to make some serious changes.
i'm defenetly not going to raise my payroll to pay for a roster that pretty much had run its course and hit its ceiling (in my opinion anyway).


and childstodudley - imo, the cavs' biggest asset is shaq.
he can be signed and traded with only one guarenteed year - basicaly making him into huge expiring contracts.
and i don't remember the exact numbers, but he can get at least 20% raises on their last salary without becoming byc players, so shaq can basicaly become a 24 mil expiring contract.
add parker who's expiring, maybe hickson, and you can take back some real ugly contract/s in addition to a superstar salary - giving an opposing team at least something to think about in regards to trading their superstar to the cavs.

might even work with guys who aren't free agents.
iggy, brand, and 2 for example - and then 2+iggy could get you a bosh/amare ?

so anyway, i see hickson as a nice sweetner, but shaq is the only asset that gives cleveland at least a theoretical shot at such a move.

I am not understanding what your trying to say. Your basic point is Atlanta has to make changes, yes. But getting rid of a top 5 SG(Kobe, Wade, JJ, Roy, and Manu in a league where you can't replace that isn't in the best interest of the team either. They need a playmaking PG and a starting center. Probably won't find the PG but the center is very feasible. Teague has a lot of talent but like Hickson, is very raw and will need a couple of years. Rondo and Aaron Brooks did as well and look at them today.

Shaq is an unrestricted FA with little value anymore. He needs to retire like Griffey Jr. I don't see a move to make for Cleveland for a key FA. They have a shot at a move for very good players, that should leave the door open for Cleveland and they won the most games in the NBA last season. They play with so much chemistry and that's hard to replicate. That could get Lebron without having to make moves, it's all up to Lebron.

[Childs2Dudley]

we see the hawks differenetly.

i think conditions have changed regarding j.j. for them.

they weren't getting anywhere with him, so now they'll offer him even more than they did before ?
and they'll have to offer a lot because several teams on the market can go much higher than that now - and probably will...

imo, if i'm atlanta - i know i have to make some serious changes.
i'm defenetly not going to raise my payroll to pay for a roster that pretty much had run its course and hit its ceiling (in my opinion anyway).


and childstodudley - imo, the cavs' biggest asset is shaq.
he can be signed and traded with only one guarenteed year - basicaly making him into huge expiring contracts.
and i don't remember the exact numbers, but he can get at least 20% raises on their last salary without becoming byc players, so shaq can basicaly become a 24 mil expiring contract.
add parker who's expiring, maybe hickson, and you can take back some real ugly contract/s in addition to a superstar salary - giving an opposing team at least something to think about in regards to trading their superstar to the cavs.

might even work with guys who aren't free agents.
iggy, brand, and 2 for example - and then 2+iggy could get you a bosh/amare ?

so anyway, i see hickson as a nice sweetner, but shaq is the only asset that gives cleveland at least a theoretical shot at such a move.

You think any team will pay Shaq $24 million for one season just to get rid of a salary? Shaq and Hickson? And Parker? I don't think anyone will be salivating to do a trade like that, unless you were taking garbage like Brand and Dalembert like you stated.

[BLACKFEET 2010]

I'm leary to post here but I'm no troll and I come in peace. I think that it'll be hard for the Cavs to lure top-tier talent through free agency. The best bet is trading for a player signed with a few years left on his contract. The Iggys, the Montas, the Al Jeffs are the guys your front office should be targeting.

[wizardg]

I'm leary to post here but I'm no troll and I come in peace. I think that it'll be hard for the Cavs to lure top-tier talent through free agency. The best bet is trading for a player signed with a few years left on his contract. The Iggys, the Montas, the Al Jeffs are the guys your front office should be targeting.

True.
The Cavs are soooooo close.
If they can bring Iggy ... that's about all they need.


Hypothetical if they could have brought Iggy instead of AJ and LeBron's elbow is healthy they are in the finals probably beating the lakers in my eyes.

Ferry's failing in that he left the 2 position soooo weak. Parker is a bum as a starter.

Phily may require that they take Brands contract to get Iggy ... if so do it, if they take AJ...

The Cavs 2 spot is soo weak a 2nd grader can improve the team ... if LJ stays.

[Triumph36]

I'm leary to post here but I'm no troll and I come in peace. I think that it'll be hard for the Cavs to lure top-tier talent through free agency. The best bet is trading for a player signed with a few years left on his contract. The Iggys, the Montas, the Al Jeffs are the guys your front office should be targeting.

True.
The Cavs are soooooo close.
If they can bring Iggy ... that's about all they need.


Hypothetical if they could have brought Iggy instead of AJ and LeBron's elbow is healthy they are in the finals probably beating the lakers in my eyes.

Ferry's failing in that he left the 2 position soooo weak. Parker is a bum as a starter.

Phily may require that they take Brands contract to get Iggy ... if so do it, if they take AJ...

The Cavs 2 spot is soo weak a 2nd grader can improve the team ... if LJ stays.

Iggy was pretty much my dream scenario at the deadline outside of Bosh/Amare

Now, IMO, we're definitely forced to absorb Brand in an Iggy deal. On the bright side, we wouldn't have to send Hickson, but that'd still be a huge price to pay. I'd do it though and I think Gilbert would be willing to pay if it came down to that deal.