Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion Pt. 1

[bwgood77]

Okay so with the deal done, would you guys have done something similar?
So here is what feels similar IMO.
Kyrie = Bledsoe
Crowder = Warren
Zizic = Reed
Nets pick = 2021 Heat pick

Just wondering? Or post something similar where we don't lose Jackson/Bender/Chriss, would you guys have been cool with it?

Nets pick is more like equal to our first rounder unprotected next year. So that's what you'd have to be willing to offer.

[Phystic]

So Crowder is going to make a difference in Cleveland playing.....what...the 8 minutes per game that Lebron isnt playing?

To me its pretty much the Brooklyn pick for Irving, with IT and Crowder only thrown in as salary filler to make the numbers work. Oh and Zizic as a cheap 3rd string C that might develop into a decent back-up C.

No way, IT and Crowder both give the Cavs a shot at retaining Lebron(even if it's a slim shot) as well as potentially maintaining their competitive squad if Lebron leaves. Lebron can shift to PF more and have Crowder at SF next to him. IT is basically Irving on that squad. His defense is just as bad, his offense is about as good. Only issue is they will have to pay him.

[TASTIC]

I want to see Cleveland now flip Love and Crowder for Boogie and filler.

IT and Boogie fighting like brats for LeBron's last year in Cleveland would be funny...

[bwgood77]

So Crowder is going to make a difference in Cleveland playing.....what...the 8 minutes per game that Lebron isnt playing?

To me its pretty much the Brooklyn pick for Irving, with IT and Crowder only thrown in as salary filler to make the numbers work. Oh and Zizic as a cheap 3rd string C that might develop into a decent back-up C.

They run all sorts of lineups. He will probably take a lot of the minutes Richard Jefferson (averaged over 20 mpg in 79 games played), Channing Frye (averaged 19 mpg in 79 games played), and maybe some of Korver, Shumpert and others. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2017.html

[AtheJ415]

So Crowder is going to make a difference in Cleveland playing.....what...the 8 minutes per game that Lebron isnt playing?

To me its pretty much the Brooklyn pick for Irving, with IT and Crowder only thrown in as salary filler to make the numbers work. Oh and Zizic as a cheap 3rd string C that might develop into a decent back-up C.

No. Crowder imo will play a lot. Lebron can play the 2-4, and Crowder the 3-4. You can very easily find minutes for both. I think he eats up most of Korver and Shump's minutes and some of Smith's.

[Moochthemonkey]

Before I saw the deal was actually put together, I thought this was Ainge getting back at McD by upping the ante for Kyrie and forcing McD's hand- basically pay back for Jackson. That would have been fun to reconcile. And somehow Kyrie just pulled the biggest haul of the summer- I can't figure that out. Ainge painted himself into a corner by not grabbing George or Butler to pair with IT, Hayward and co. Now he's forced to give up IT (who he must not want to pay), crowd favorite Crowder, and one of his hard to pry BKN #1's I don't get it. It seems there should be more in play here.

Part 2:
Ainge: Hey Mc'Traitor you want to land Kyrie for Bledsoe
McD: sounds good, Danny-boy
Ainge: ok how about three way trade, you get both Tatum and Kyrie, and we get Jackson and one of your picks
McD: that's basically the trade that we turned down from the Cavs tho
Ainge: ok fine, just give us Jackson and a 2nd
McD: you could have just drafted him lmao
Ainge: i hate you Ryan

*Ainge calls Cavs FO*
Ainge: hey how does Tatum + assets sound
(mysterious voice, sounds like Lebron in falsetto): I'll trade you Kyrie for Rozier str8 up m8 (snickers)
Ainge: *hangs up phone*
*Ainge calls back 5 minutes later*
Ainge: Rozier is off the table. just because I work for the Celtics doesn't mean I want to max out a leprechaun. but I have another player that would adequately replace Kyrie. I will gladly max out a younger, taller Kyrie though, nevermind the fact that he isn't defensively an upgrade, nor has half heart Thomas does, nor did he make any all-nba teams last season, nor is there any indication that he will resign here two years after I get fleeced in this deal.
Mysterious voice: what do you have in mind
Ainge: hey wait a sec is this the Cavs GM?
Mysterious voice: *clears throat* yes
Ainge: ok. how about IT, Crowder, and Zizic for Kyrie.
Mysterious voice: did you check in in the ESPN trade checker
Ainge: does it work on ipad
Mysterious voice: not sure, I only use Linux products
Ainge: ok i just checked and it works, ESPN says the trade went through, but we lose -5 games and you guys win +5, so this isn't fair
Mysterious voice: try just IT and Crowder then
Ainge: now it says that salaries don't match
Mysterious voice: ok then you must include Zizic or another player of similar $$
Ainge: ok
Mysterious voice: cool. wanna become facebook friends
Ainge: ok
Mysterious voice: i accepted your friend request
Ainge: thx. so is this trade official or what, i want to post it on the FAKEGM forums
Mysterious voice: hmm...i changed my mind
Ainge: mysterious cavs GM plz
Mysterious voice: it's just that PHX has a better deal...Bledsoe, Warren, and Miami's DRAFT PICK
Ainge: *voice starts cracking* you know i really really like draft picks
Mysterious voice: ok, i'll just make that deal with PHX then
Ainge: fine! you can have our draft pick!
Mysterious voice: you mean a late first round? *asks a person in the background for McD's number*
Ainge: no, u bastard, i can't let PHX 1-up me again. you can have Brooklyn's draft pick.
Mysterious voice: weren't you supposed to use that to acquire Butler, Millsap, or Griffin? I see how that worked out LMAO
Ainge: i hate u Cavs GM
Mysterious voice: so you good with this deal
Ainge: ok
Mysterious voice: ok, i just inputted it into the official NBA trade machine app. Kyrie's now a Celtic, congratz
Ainge: hey where did you get that app
Mysterious voice: sorry Danny. it's only for REALGM members.
Ainge: damn
Mysterious voice: yea
Ainge: ok well can you leak the trade to Woj or someone so I can retweet it to all my followers plz
Mysterious voice: sure thing buddy

[Blonde]

Cleveland got the best possible return they could have. They likely improved this year, and set themselves up for next year if/when Lebron leaves they'll have multiple good picks. At that point they'll trade Love for more assets. This move really solves a lot of issues for the Cavs. As for Boston, I don't hate it for them, but it's probably the 3rd best route they could have taken this offseason.

Meanwhile, do the Suns now have the biggest/best stockpile of assets in the league? Was this McD's plan all along? Whoever the next star is to come on the market we should have a lot of chips to bargain with - though that is not always a good thing as Boston proved.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

[MilotheSlayer]

My thoughts on the trade:

Although Bos might look like they lost in the short term I think they win this long term. They are going to compete in the East for the next 5 or 6 years. They have the young guys and depth. Paying IT the max scares the hell out of me and Crowder was only going to slow the development of the young SF's on their roster.

Cle should be able to compete this year still. Although I don't think they'll do any better against the Warriors than in years past. One thing I might consider if I am Cle is swapping the Brk Pick for Paul George. Okc would get an upgrade in value from what they gave to get him. While Cle can put all of their marbles into this season and see what happens. IT, PG, Lebron, Love, and TT would be an awesome lineup to run against the Warriors imo.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Read on Twitter

And this is why I don't hate the deal for Boston and why they were willing to pay more than Phoenix for Kyrie.

[thamadkant]

Cleveland got the best possible return they could have. They likely improved this year, and set themselves up for next year if/when Lebron leaves they'll have multiple good picks. At that point they'll trade Love for more assets. This move really solves a lot of issues for the Cavs. As for Boston, I don't hate it for them, but it's probably the 3rd best route they could have taken this offseason.

Meanwhile, do the Suns now have the biggest/best stockpile of assets in the league? Was this McD's plan all along? Whoever the next star is to come on the market we should have a lot of chips to bargain with - though that is not always a good thing as Boston proved.

Thomas is as good as Irving offensively and even with his lack of size is probably not too far behind Irving at all in the defensive side.

I suppose Celtics did not want to offer Thomas a 30 Million a year contract as a 27 year old, whilst Irving is under contract for 2 more years and would give Celtics an extra off-season to acquire another KEY piece before they would have to lock up Irving at 30+ million.


Celtics did this for financial flexibility... perhaps targeting Cousins in the off season next season... BOLD move. If I was them I would actually just go for Brook Lopez who would sign up for less and then they have more money for depth.

[thamadkant]

Cavs now have the headache of maxing Thomas.

Will they do it if James leave... absolutely, they need a corner stone.


Meanwhile, in the short term they get 2 KEY players for 1.
They also get a top 10 pick...

Nice haul.

[JMac1]

Great trade for us....We kept Jackson!

[thamadkant]

This trade just helps Suns decide on future...

Ayton for 2018 !!!

[bwoolf2]

Great trade for Cleveland, Lebron is gone no matter what, so they get IT who will become the fan favorite after Lebron leaves and was a legit MVP candidate last year and what is sure to be a top 5 pick, they werent getting more than that, it was an overpay on Boston's part, but they are stacked with draft picks so that doesnt hurt much and assuming Irving resigns they are set up to win for the next decade and be the powerhouse in the East for the forseeable future with Lebron bolting west next year.

[BobbieL]

This trade just helps Suns decide on future...

Ayton for 2018 !!!

Tanking for Ayton (sorry it doesn't rhyme ) but as close as I can get

Cavs might need to move some players - especially if they get Wade - I would take the Cleveland first for Frye - not sure they do it but throw in RJ and Frye, the Cleveland first and we give them the Toronto second - I would be all over that deal

Doubt it happens but would do it for a first rounder.

I think a smart trade by both teams

[Mulhollanddrive]

Unbelievable trade!

Nets pick has to be top 5 protected?

[TOO]

Unbelievable trade!

Nets pick has to be top 5 protected?

Unprotected as far as I know. Just like the last one.

Cleveland won this trade, by a very very wide margin.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Why would Ainge give up the Nets pick (and Thomas) for Irving but not for Butler, George, Cousins.

[AtheJ415]

Cleveland got the best possible return they could have. They likely improved this year, and set themselves up for next year if/when Lebron leaves they'll have multiple good picks. At that point they'll trade Love for more assets. This move really solves a lot of issues for the Cavs. As for Boston, I don't hate it for them, but it's probably the 3rd best route they could have taken this offseason.

Meanwhile, do the Suns now have the biggest/best stockpile of assets in the league? Was this McD's plan all along? Whoever the next star is to come on the market we should have a lot of chips to bargain with - though that is not always a good thing as Boston proved.

Thomas is as good as Irving offensively and even with his lack of size is probably not too far behind Irving at all in the defensive side.

I suppose Celtics did not want to offer Thomas a 30 Million a year contract as a 27 year old, whilst Irving is under contract for 2 more years and would give Celtics an extra off-season to acquire another KEY piece before they would have to lock up Irving at 30+ million.


Celtics did this for financial flexibility... perhaps targeting Cousins in the off season next season... BOLD move. If I was them I would actually just go for Brook Lopez who would sign up for less and then they have more money for depth.

It doesn't give them flexibility though. They are projected to have NEGATIVE 5 million in cap space next offseason with Kyrie. Hayward is maxed, Horford is maxed, and Kyrie is mini-maxed at $20 mill/year. That is all of your cap space right there. There is no way to add Cousins unless they are trading one of those 3 or unless Cousins simply wants to go there so bad he takes something like league-minimum.

There are not teams out there with 4 stars except GSW, and that's because they got to take advantage of the fact that their MVP developed right after signing a long-term deal, and a record salary cap increase that the players refused to incur on a gradual basis and thus increased the cap by the equivalent of a max in 1 offseason.