The Lebron Thread (2015-16 Pt. 4)

[JulesWinnfield]

Is there any chance whatsoever they can talk to Sacramento about a deal surrounding Cousins, obviously centered around Love+ ? I'm sure Sacramento would have better offers with younger players and picks (I think cousins to Boston one day is inevitable), but with 2 years left on his deal he is likely only going to be dealt somewhere that a team has confidence they can retain him long term. Total pipe dream probably, just throwing crap against the wall

Everyone seems hell bent on dealing love for more wing help, but I don't know that you can out small ball the Warriors.

[rich316]

Is there any chance whatsoever they can talk to Sacramento about a deal surrounding Cousins, obviously centered around Love+ ? I'm sure Sacramento would have better offers with younger players and picks (I think cousins to Boston one day is inevitable), but with 2 years left on his deal he is likely only going to be dealt somewhere that a team has confidence they can retain him long term. Total pipe dream probably, just throwing crap against the wall

Everyone seems hell bent on dealing love for more wing help, but I don't know that you can out small ball the Warriors.

Eh, I don't like Cousins' fit. He's kind of the Lebron of Centers - high usage, needs the ball, the kind of guy you build an offense around. I don't see how he fits into the Cavs trying to maximize Lebron's window.

[JulesWinnfield]

Is there any chance whatsoever they can talk to Sacramento about a deal surrounding Cousins, obviously centered around Love+ ? I'm sure Sacramento would have better offers with younger players and picks (I think cousins to Boston one day is inevitable), but with 2 years left on his deal he is likely only going to be dealt somewhere that a team has confidence they can retain him long term. Total pipe dream probably, just throwing crap against the wall

Everyone seems hell bent on dealing love for more wing help, but I don't know that you can out small ball the Warriors.

Eh, I don't like Cousins' fit. He's kind of the Lebron of Centers - high usage, needs the ball, the kind of guy you build an offense around. I don't see how he fits into the Cavs trying to maximize Lebron's window.

I just think of you want to keep this window open, you have to have a lazer like focus on Golden State. Talent wise the Cavs can overpower just about everyone else, even if the fit isn't perfect. I'm looking at the dubs front court and I don't see how they have any prayer of dealing with him. It's tough to see them building a team that's going to out small ball them.

[PCProductions]

Can the Cavs still get Millsap? Man that would definitely contend with the new Warriors.

[JulesWinnfield]

Cavs following Wade on Twitter. Lebatard quoting sources telling him that the animosity between Wade and Miami is extremely real and worse than ever. This looks like it has at least an outside chance of happening even if they have to get creative to do it (one scenario I heard floated is Wade signs with Denver and they trade him to Cleveland after December 15th). I am absolutely not excited about this whatsoever though. I really don't think it changes much, and could actually make them worse if they lose JR and his shooting if that's what it takes to add Wade

Wade is simply a declining player who is only going to decline more and isn't remotely a good bet to stay healthy. .517 ts% this year. Just ugh

[PCProductions]

Yeah, I never understood the Wade stuff. He doesn't really move the needle much, if at all in the positive direction.

[rich316]

Cavs following Wade on Twitter. Lebatard quoting sources telling him that the animosity between Wade and Miami is extremely real and worse than ever. This looks like it has at least an outside chance of happening even if they have to get creative to do it (one scenario I heard floated is Wade signs with Denver and they trade him to Cleveland after December 15th). I am absolutely not excited about this whatsoever though. I really don't think it changes much, and could actually make them worse if they lose JR and his shooting if that's what it takes to add Wade

Wade is simply a declining player who is only going to decline more and isn't remotely a good bet to stay healthy. .517 ts% this year. Just ugh

It would be extremely shocking if it happened, and is most likely all posturing to get Riley to fork over the cash. That said, Wade could be useful to them in a certain role. JR should absolutely be their first priority, but if they can retain him Wade would fix their backcourt depth problem. His ideal role would be as the Cavs Iguodala - a slasher and defender to finish games with Kyrie, Lebron, JR, and TT. That lineup would be able to defend at a really high level across multiple matchups, and they would be able to go hard at Curry in a matchup with the Warriors.

That's pretty much a fantasy, tho. I don't see how they would make the money work, absent trading Love and Lebron taking a paycut, which he seemingly has ruled out.

[JLei]

Cavs following Wade on Twitter. Lebatard quoting sources telling him that the animosity between Wade and Miami is extremely real and worse than ever. This looks like it has at least an outside chance of happening even if they have to get creative to do it (one scenario I heard floated is Wade signs with Denver and they trade him to Cleveland after December 15th). I am absolutely not excited about this whatsoever though. I really don't think it changes much, and could actually make them worse if they lose JR and his shooting if that's what it takes to add Wade

Wade is simply a declining player who is only going to decline more and isn't remotely a good bet to stay healthy. .517 ts% this year. Just ugh

It would be extremely shocking if it happened, and is most likely all posturing to get Riley to fork over the cash. That said, Wade could be useful to them in a certain role. JR should absolutely be their first priority, but if they can retain him Wade would fix their backcourt depth problem. His ideal role would be as the Cavs Iguodala - a slasher and defender to finish games with Kyrie, Lebron, JR, and TT. That lineup would be able to defend at a really high level across multiple matchups, and they would be able to go hard at Curry in a matchup with the Warriors.

That's pretty much a fantasy, tho. I don't see how they would make the money work, absent trading Love and Lebron taking a paycut, which he seemingly has ruled out.

Under the table. Gilbert is a billionaire and Bron is well on his way there. They have dudes that can do this stuff offshore and untraceable.

How you sell it to the league. I have no idea because they would investigate super super hard. But even in this case Bron would have to take a pay cut.

[LikeABosh]

Cavs following Wade on Twitter. Lebatard quoting sources telling him that the animosity between Wade and Miami is extremely real and worse than ever. This looks like it has at least an outside chance of happening even if they have to get creative to do it (one scenario I heard floated is Wade signs with Denver and they trade him to Cleveland after December 15th). I am absolutely not excited about this whatsoever though. I really don't think it changes much, and could actually make them worse if they lose JR and his shooting if that's what it takes to add Wade

Wade is simply a declining player who is only going to decline more and isn't remotely a good bet to stay healthy. .517 ts% this year. Just ugh

Definitely can't lose JR and replace him with Wade. It would be much better if they keep JR as a starter and use Wade for the crunch lineups. He still came up huge in the playoffs. I wouldn't focus on his RS numbers too much

This all seems very far-fetched though

[Dupp]

I find myself with some false hope we get wade despite how far fetched it is...

[Larry David]

The people on the radio are talking about how acceptable this decision was

Really annoying me that this isnt frowned upon. Surely it's within his right but it's still shameful on kd not really for the Warriors. But they keep saying how after Lebron did it it's ok but Lebron had to go through hell and back and had to ultimately win. This one has already been accepted

[rich316]

I find myself with some false hope we get wade despite how far fetched it is...

Basically if you believe the hype, you are banking on Lebron being competitive enough to see what the Dubs did and do whatever it takes to respond. If he gives up the cash, Wade will come. If not, no. Its 1% possible because he can easily take less this year and still get his mega-deal next offseason, and only be out maybe 10 million.

[JLei]

I find myself with some false hope we get wade despite how far fetched it is...

Basically if you believe the hype, you are banking on Lebron being competitive enough to see what the Dubs did and do whatever it takes to respond. If he gives up the cash, Wade will come. If not, no. Its 1% possible because he can easily take less this year and still get his mega-deal next offseason, and only be out maybe 10 million.

It seems to be happening. And Wade is still very good. Asked to be a 3rd or 4th option vs. a number 1. And he has chemistry with Bron. It would be sick.

[JulesWinnfield]

I just think Wade has too much pride to be restricted to the role he would need to take for it to work. He's not going to come off the bench, or be satisfied averaging 12 ppg.... They have one shot to take at some point to get this team to another level, but I'd rather they hold their fire on him. If they get him you're stuck with him for the duration of whatever contract he gets, and it's only getting worse if he even stays on the floor. Frankly if he and Lebron weren't close friends we wouldn't even be talking about this. He's a declining player who isn't a great fit. I hope this is all an attempt to get his buddy paid in Miami

[JulesWinnfield]

If he's willing to come on board for the 2 years/7 mil they have to offer, and they can keep JR too... Sign me up. But that seems like a fairy tale

[Quotatious]

If he's willing to come on board for the 2 years/7 mil they have to offer, and they can keep JR too... Sign me up. But that seems like a fairy tale

Wade is probably looking for a 20 million deal, so yeah, that's a totally a fairy tale.

Difference between Wade and many other aging stars, is that Wade has three rings...He's not a ring chaser like, for example, Karl Malone in 2003 (you might wonder why I mention Karl, who was 40 years old, compared to 34 year old Wade, but their production in the previous season was very similar, comparing 2002-03 Malone and 2015-16 Wade, plus Malone had no injury history at all, while Wade...total opposite in this regard).

[toodles23]

Jesus, the Warriors got David West now too? On top of stealing Zaza? There's no hope for the league to stop the 3-1 bros this year.

As far as the Wade situation, he wouldn't help the Cavs much at all, and financially I have no clue how it would work. Wade has 3 rings already, wouldn't he want to get paid over chasing rings at this point?

[JulesWinnfield]

Jesus, the Warriors got David West now too? On top of stealing Zaza? There's no hope for the league to stop the 3-1 bros this year.

As far as the Wade situation, he wouldn't help the Cavs much at all, and financially I have no clue how it would work. Wade has 3 rings already, wouldn't he want to get paid over chasing rings at this point?

With the money David west gave up last year to ring chase and not see the payoff....at this point he would probably literally castrate himself to win a title

Also always felt mo speights looked like an ugly version of him. Weird seeing them on the same team

[MisterHibachi]

Cavs were looking to sign West too.

[LikeABosh]

West was solid last year, but he's getting really old now. Is he 36?

Don't know the whole story, but it's kind of lame to leave a 67 win team for the one team that's better. Lol