2021-22 regular season thread

[jbk1234]

I can imagine an ideal scenario where Sexton plays heavy minutes off the bench alongside Rubio who still runs the offense. But if I had to put odds on that scenario panning out in a contract year, with Love and possibly Mobley, needing touches off the bench as well, they wouldn't be high. The diverging incentives are just too much and the Cavs can ill afford to have a repeat of last year's drama.

I agree with the F.O. that the Garland/Sexton backcourt is irreparable defensively. One of your forwards has to be a really good three point shooter to keep the spacing salvageable if you're starting Sexton. We just don't have the personnel to make it work. If anything, the Rubio for Prince swap hurt on that front.

We're further away from having the right kind of team around Sexton, and when I look at everything the Bulls gave up to build around LaVine, their ceiling, and the likely opportunity cost to the Cavs, I'm not really interested in trying anymore.

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Not sure the F.O. believes what you say they believe. If they did, Sexton would already be gone or they'd at least have found a reasonable backup in free agency. The Heat and Knicks obviously got the guys they wanted in free agency. It's reasonable to say that Sexton was only available for a high price or only if Mobley was off the board at #3.

If anything a frontcourt of Allen and Mobley should give our guards enough backup at the rim to aggressively defend the 3 in ways that you couldn't do with Drummond/Love as your projected starters.

To be fair, the Cavs defense was actually good to start the season with LNJ/Drummond out there as starters. It wasn't until LNJ got hurt that the defense really started to fall apart. I think the roles on this roster is a lot of what Portland wanted to do with their team but could never get the pieces around it, and is sort of similar to what Phoenix is doing. Scoring from the guards with defense from the 3-5 with the ability to score some points on their own. Okoro will be improved offensively based on the first SL game, Mobley looked raw but you could see the flashes even though he wasn't really utilized well, and Allen will do what he does as always.

Though depth will definitely be an issue for our 1-3 position. No real SG on the roster outside of Sexton, nor SF beside Okoro. Rubio is there to back-up Garland but if both go down like we had happen last year we'll struggle. Need at least one combo guard that can run point as well as back-up Sexton, and another SF on the roster. Trying to rely on Cedi to be consistent or Windler to be healthy isn't likely. LNJ could probably back-up SF, but that's still not good enough.

Losing Nance hurt. Getting to the point of the schedule where we started playing good 3 point shooting teams hurt more.

[jbk1234]

KPJ isn’t very good. I will never understand this fanbase’s obsession over him.

I see the best case scenario projections in terms of his ceiling, I just don't share a lot of fans confidence in terms of him reaching it.

[jbk1234]

I'm seriously good never dealing with one of this guy's client's again.

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[JonFromVA]

Is this about Love not wanting to give up even a $?

If so ... we should honor Kevin for his contributions to our championship and put his name on one of the chairs over on the home bench at the Q and let him sit there for the next two seasons.

[jbk1234]

Is this about Love not wanting to give up even a $?

If so ... we should honor Kevin for his contributions to our championship and put his name on one of the chairs over on the home bench at the Q and let him sit there for the next two seasons.

Yeah, if this is how it's going to go with this particular agent's clients, then he's doing us a favor by steering his clients away. No need to worry about what Love wants at this point.

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[KuruptedCav]

Sit him and let his career wind down. At Age 35 without having played in 2.5 years, he’ll be done. There is zero incentive to waive him short of that.

Tired of wasting the roster spot and having a player who is never going to be in game shape messing with plans.

Let Schwartz foreclose the shot at the hall and truncate his client’s career.


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[jbk1234]

Sit him and let his career wind down. At Age 35 without having played in 2.5 years, he’ll be done. There is zero incentive to waive him short of that.

Tired of wasting the roster spot and having a player who is never going to be in game shape messing with plans.

Let Schwartz foreclose the shot at the hall and truncate his client’s career.


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It would be one thing if Love wanted to stay here, but when it's coupled with the very public reports that he'd welcome a trade, it's quite clear this is 100% about the money.

I read that he and his agent still believe he can play up his trade value this year. Needless to say, I'm all kinds of skeptical.

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[toooskies]

Sit him and let his career wind down. At Age 35 without having played in 2.5 years, he’ll be done. There is zero incentive to waive him short of that.

Tired of wasting the roster spot and having a player who is never going to be in game shape messing with plans.

Let Schwartz foreclose the shot at the hall and truncate his client’s career.


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It would be one thing if Love wanted to stay here, but when it's coupled with the very public reports that he'd welcome a trade, it's quite clear this is 100% about the money.

I read that he and his agent still believe he can play up his trade value this year. Needless to say, I'm all kinds of skeptical.

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I mean, it should be possible to go from all dead money to just mostly dead money.

[jbk1234]

Sit him and let his career wind down. At Age 35 without having played in 2.5 years, he’ll be done. There is zero incentive to waive him short of that.

Tired of wasting the roster spot and having a player who is never going to be in game shape messing with plans.

Let Schwartz foreclose the shot at the hall and truncate his client’s career.


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It would be one thing if Love wanted to stay here, but when it's coupled with the very public reports that he'd welcome a trade, it's quite clear this is 100% about the money.

I read that he and his agent still believe he can play up his trade value this year. Needless to say, I'm all kinds of skeptical.

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I mean, it should be possible to go from all dead money to just mostly dead money.

I can imagine a scenario where Love plays enough minutes, well enough, off the bench that it becomes cheaper to move him at the deadline, but the very real problem at this point is in letting a guy like Hartenstein walk in order to provide him with that opportunity.

I just don't trust him to stay healthy or to report in shape at this point.

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[LivingLegend]

I'm seriously good never dealing with one of this guy's client's again.

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Stick him on the bench, let him rot for 2 years and end his career for him.

If you want to give half ass effort, be a problem child, collect checks you didn't earn and put out statements about how you want out but won't accept less money..........you deserve to get 150+ games of DNPs until the basketball world forgets you even existed. It's vengeance time baby

[Harper4Ferry?]

Don’t play him for 1.75 years and cut him after the playoff deadline in 2023. He doesn’t have to give up a ton of money but surely he can come off of 5million a year.

[jbk1234]

Don’t play him for 1.75 years and cut him after the playoff deadline in 2023. He doesn’t have to give up a ton of money but surely he can come off of 5million a year.

Honestly, if he only ends up giving back $10M, it's better he does that after the deadline. It's prorated and most if it would come of his last year.

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[jbk1234]

I hope the Cavs are considering what it means that Larry Nance actually requested a trade. It's becoming a pattern of big men wanting out.

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[JonFromVA]

I hope the Cavs are considering what it means that Larry Nance actually requested a trade. It's becoming a pattern of big men wanting out.

There may be more to it, but IMO getting the rights to Mobley was a reset for the rebuild. We"re on his timeline now, and all Larry would be is a mentor/helper for a couple years.

This news does explain why we were willing to accept Larry's base trade value ... and then we got clever about it and turned it in to Lauri because that's what the Cavs do.

A lot of fans are convinced Lauri has only one NBA skill, but guys who just shoot don't tend to put up 19 & 9 or put up the kind of games Lauri has, so I'm buying the idea that the Bulls shut him down and he bulked up too much.

Finding depressed assets is where talent evaluators earn their salary ... here's hoping they got this one right ... and even if they didn't volume 3pt shooters are still pricey.

I like Dean Wade but he's the same age as Lauri, and has made a tiny fraction of the 3pters that Lauri has.

We could have had Reddish or one of the other wings being dangled for a first rounder, but the Cavs preferred a player under contract and Lauri chose to come here. That all matters.

Whatever is coming next, don't expect to hear about it in advance. Altman's move have been stealthy.

[Revenged25]

I hope the Cavs are considering what it means that Larry Nance actually requested a trade. It's becoming a pattern of big men wanting out.

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For Nance specifically, he's 28 and wanted to compete/play meaningful games. Cavs might start playing meaningful games and maybe even compete for a play-in spot/1st round exit, but they aren't going to be truly competing in the next 2-3 years at minimum...

[jbk1234]

I hope the Cavs are considering what it means that Larry Nance actually requested a trade. It's becoming a pattern of big men wanting out.

There may be more to it, but IMO getting the rights to Mobley was a reset for the rebuild. We"re on his timeline now, and all Larry would be is a mentor/helper for a couple years.

This news does explain why we were willing to accept Larry's base trade value ... and then we got clever about it and turned it in to Lauri because that's what the Cavs do.

A lot of fans are convinced Lauri has only one NBA skill, but guys who just shoot don't tend to put up 19 & 9 or put up the kind of games Lauri has, so I'm buying the idea that the Bulls shut him down and he bulked up too much.

Finding depressed assets is where talent evaluators earn their salary ... here's hoping they got this one right ... and even if they didn't volume 3pt shooters are still pricey.

I like Dean Wade but he's the same age as Lauri, and has made a tiny fraction of the 3pters that Lauri has.

We could have had Reddish or one of the other wings being dangled for a first rounder, but the Cavs preferred a player under contract and Lauri chose to come here. That all matters.

Whatever is coming next, don't expect to hear about it in advance. Altman's move have been stealthy.

In a vacuum, I'm fine with Lauri's deal. McDermott, J. Harris, and Bertans indicate that's his market. Two of those three guys come off the bench though and that's probably Lauri's long term fit here.

It's also a good thing to start a 19-year old big man like Mobley off the bench. But, I don't believe we're good enough defensively 1-3 to start Lauri and that's a problem if you wanted to see the team become more competitive this year.

If you believe Sexton is going to make a significant jump on the defensive side of the ball, and has learned his lesson from his second season, when he treated Love like a $30M decoy, then you can squint and see maginal overall improvement by replacing Nance with Lauri.

If you don't believe those things are going to happen, then, well you're at where I'm at.

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[Wisedude]

Fred Hoiberg was the HC of the Bulls who was there when Lauri was drafted. Hoiberg was fired and then Jim Boylen was HC. Then Boylen was fired and in September 2020 the Bulls hired Billy Donovan as HC. No HC stability for the Bulls and no roster stability also. This needs to be taken into consideration as Lauri is not the only player to leave Chicago in the past few years. Meanwhile, the Bulls have accomplished nothing so now they are going with more veterans and re-tooled the entire team. Some of this needs to be taken into consideration.

[jbk1234]

Fred Hoiberg was the HC of the Bulls who was there when Lauri was drafted. Hoiberg was fired and then Jim Boylen was HC. Then Boylen was fired and in September 2020 the Bulls hired Billy Donovan as HC. No HC stability for the Bulls and no roster stability also. This needs to be taken into consideration as Lauri is not the only player to leave Chicago in the past few years. Meanwhile, the Bulls have accomplished nothing so now they are going with more veterans and re-tooled the entire team. Some of this needs to be taken into consideration.

Lauri may improve beyond just a 40% from downtown stretch big, but when you're trading for, and paying a player who has been in the NBA for 4 years, it's important to ask yourself whether you're good on both fronts with who the player is now. Sometimes a player's limitations are just a player's limitations.

I've read a lot Bulls fans, who were fans of Lauri, say that Lauri took the lion's share of blame for the poor perimeter defensive in front of him. That may be true, and while I think that playing alongside side Allen will help Lauri, we're not putting better perimeter defenders in front of him either.



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[Wisedude]

Altman, Gansey, Weems, Bickerstaff & the rest of the staff are making solid decisions and taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. This is how you build up a Midwest city team that is not an east coast, west coast or desired warm weather city. Milwaukee had not won in 30 years or more. The draft and trade is basically the only way to go. They are doing a really nice job but it takes time.....just ask Milwaukee.

[jbk1234]

Altman, Gansey, Weems, Bickerstaff & the rest of the staff are making solid decisions and taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. This is how you build up a Midwest city team that is not an east coast, west coast or desired warm weather city. Milwaukee had not won in 30 years or more. The draft and trade is basically the only way to go. They are doing a really nice job but it takes time.....just ask Milwaukee.

I don't hate the move especially now that I know Nance asked for it. I'm okay with Lauri on that contract in a vacuum. But, he's being plugged into this specific roster and the season starts in 50 days?

I really hope there's a follow up move out there because, right now, I foresee us shifting Cedi, Okoro, Windler and Sexton around in the starting lineup trying to find the right offense/defensive balance at the 2/3 position. Maybe internal growth from Sexton, Windler, and/or Okoro solves the problem for us. Maybe Cedi plays within himself, doesn't force the issue offensively, and gets his 3p% back up to .385 where he's at least net neutral on the floor.

But those aren't chances I wanted to take. I wanted a legit two-way replacement level wing on the roster so we wouldn't find ourselves in a pick-your-poison scenario again.

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