Kyrie Irving wants to be traded!

[KyleCleric]

You guys are something else thinking we can be the Cavs

Depends on the return for Kyrie but say they get Josh Jackson and Bledsoe. I'll take Cavs in 7. Cavs with Kyrie will win in 6 though. Should be a competitive series regardless - difference is we don't know how brown smart and Rozier will progress. I think most projecting us to beat Cleveland see those three taking big leaps and also Jaylen brown production last year from Tatum

I am not saying it won't be competitive. Just that we are not beating them.

Smart is who he is til he isn't. No reason to think next year is the year. Rozier aint no difference maker. With Brown lack of BBIQ and feel for the game he not going to be a problem.

We need superstars to compete with the Cavs/GSW. We don't have that right now. I do think Hayward can become one.

Cavs would be favored but Celts, Raptors, Wizards and Bucks, any of them would have a decent enough chance to beat the Cavs (keeping in mind uncertainty at this far out from such a series).

[celticfan42487]

People underestimate what hayward and IT on the court does for changing the dynamic of this team. Isaiah had a cute season last year, but thats going to look like chump change compared to what we will see if this team stays healthy

While that might be slightly true, it isn't like people haven't seen two occasional all-stars team up before.

They're probably recalling LeBron winning the ECF for 7 straight years, and coming home with a ring 3 of those years.

I mean you're LBF you know your stuff, but seriously... he's almost done it for a decade straight at this point.

Colored me unimpressed coming up against a team without an MVP level player on it, and until LeBron shows any injury concerns.

This Celtic team will certainly have a lot easier time in the regular season though.

And it'll eventually happen, and hopefully LeBron leaves CLE after this year (although I'm not sure he can find a better situation unless he straight up signs with OKC or GS or HOU for MLE money). But if LeBron stays, I'd assume for the next few years he'll still be the favorite.

He probably just won't come one game away from sweeping the East like he did last year.

IT came up 5th in MVP voting this past year behind Westbrook, Harden, Leonard, and Lebron.

I love how people like to forget/discount that happened.

MVP caliber player....results speak for themselves.

He's not even close to one. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league ( I believe the popular metric ranked him as second worst in the NBA).

He is not a two way player. A fantastic 1 way player though. But good for him getting 5th,

I believe Pierce finished 7th in MVP voting once in his career as well, and no one ever considered him an MVP level payer.

[KGboss]

While that might be slightly true, it isn't like people haven't seen two occasional all-stars team up before.

They're probably recalling LeBron winning the ECF for 7 straight years, and coming home with a ring 3 of those years.

I mean you're LBF you know your stuff, but seriously... he's almost done it for a decade straight at this point.

Colored me unimpressed coming up against a team without an MVP level player on it, and until LeBron shows any injury concerns.

This Celtic team will certainly have a lot easier time in the regular season though.

And it'll eventually happen, and hopefully LeBron leaves CLE after this year (although I'm not sure he can find a better situation unless he straight up signs with OKC or GS or HOU for MLE money). But if LeBron stays, I'd assume for the next few years he'll still be the favorite.

He probably just won't come one game away from sweeping the East like he did last year.

IT came up 5th in MVP voting this past year behind Westbrook, Harden, Leonard, and Lebron.

I love how people like to forget/discount that happened.

MVP caliber player....results speak for themselves.

He's not even close to one. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league ( I believe the popular metric ranked him as second worst in the NBA).

He is not a two way player. A fantastic 1 way player though. But good for him getting 5th,

I believe Pierce finished 7th in MVP voting once in his career as well, and no one ever considered him an MVP level payer.

No one ever considered pierce an mvp level player?

You may want to go dig on that one.

So youre saying these awards and voting doesnt matter? Maybe youre confusing the definition of MVP and top 5 player.

[celticfan42487]

IT came up 5th in MVP voting this past year behind Westbrook, Harden, Leonard, and Lebron.

I love how people like to forget/discount that happened.

MVP caliber player....results speak for themselves.

He's not even close to one. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league ( I believe the popular metric ranked him as second worst in the NBA).

He is not a two way player. A fantastic 1 way player though. But good for him getting 5th,

I believe Pierce finished 7th in MVP voting once in his career as well, and no one ever considered him an MVP level payer.

No one ever considered pierce an mvp level player?

You may want to go dig on that one.

Fine, no "rational" one.

I'm sure exculpatory is somewhere right now with his spider sense tingling ready to type Pierce as an MVP every single season.

That said I do believe Pierce is a first ballot hall of famer. Just never was at any one point a real MVP contender, and apparently so did everyone else.

As for the IT 5th in MVP voting stat, that looks a lot more of a pat of the back for the team achievements last year when you see it didn't even get him 1rst team all-nba. But then again you can go down the argument of MVP is a most valuable to team instead of best player argument and things get tricky there. Even in that context though you'd have to give it to Harden or Westbrook without any consideration of IT at all.

[KumaJG]

A mvp caliber player is someone who threatens to win the award every year or a superstar. IT2 not a superstar nor was Paul Pierce.

[711takeover]

A mvp caliber player is someone who threatens to win the award every year or a superstar. IT2 not a superstar nor was Paul Pierce.

You're right. IT2, Isaiah Thomas' grandfather, is not a superstar.

[sam_I_am]

He's not even close to one. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league ( I believe the popular metric ranked him as second worst in the NBA).

He is not a two way player. A fantastic 1 way player though. But good for him getting 5th,

I believe Pierce finished 7th in MVP voting once in his career as well, and no one ever considered him an MVP level payer.

No one ever considered pierce an mvp level player?

You may want to go dig on that one.

Fine, no "rational" one.

I'm sure exculpatory is somewhere right now with his spider sense tingling ready to type Pierce as an MVP every single season.

That said I do believe Pierce is a first ballot hall of famer. Just never was at any one point a real MVP contender, and apparently so did everyone else.

As for the IT 5th in MVP voting stat, that looks a lot more of a pat of the back for the team achievements last year when you see it didn't even get him 1rst team all-nba. But then again you can go down the argument of MVP is a most valuable to team instead of best player argument and things get tricky there. Even in that context though you'd have to give it to Harden or Westbrook without any consideration of IT at all.

Pierce never averaged 30 ppg or 10 ppg in fourth quarters either. As great a game as Pierce had leading 4th quarter comeback against the Nets, ITs performance in comeback against Wiz and elite defender Wall was even better. There is a reason IT finished so high on the MVP ballot and it wasn't a pat on the back. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. MVP isn't about pats on the back.

[truth18]

No one ever considered pierce an mvp level player?

You may want to go dig on that one.

Fine, no "rational" one.

I'm sure exculpatory is somewhere right now with his spider sense tingling ready to type Pierce as an MVP every single season.

That said I do believe Pierce is a first ballot hall of famer. Just never was at any one point a real MVP contender, and apparently so did everyone else.

As for the IT 5th in MVP voting stat, that looks a lot more of a pat of the back for the team achievements last year when you see it didn't even get him 1rst team all-nba. But then again you can go down the argument of MVP is a most valuable to team instead of best player argument and things get tricky there. Even in that context though you'd have to give it to Harden or Westbrook without any consideration of IT at all.

Pierce never averaged 30 ppg or 10 ppg in fourth quarters either. As great a game as Pierce had leading 4th quarter comeback against the Nets, ITs performance in comeback against Wiz and elite defender Wall was even better. There is a reason IT finished so high on the MVP ballot and it wasn't a pat on the back. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. MVP isn't about pats on the back.

Speaking of ridiculous.

[sam_I_am]

Fine, no "rational" one.

I'm sure exculpatory is somewhere right now with his spider sense tingling ready to type Pierce as an MVP every single season.

That said I do believe Pierce is a first ballot hall of famer. Just never was at any one point a real MVP contender, and apparently so did everyone else.

As for the IT 5th in MVP voting stat, that looks a lot more of a pat of the back for the team achievements last year when you see it didn't even get him 1rst team all-nba. But then again you can go down the argument of MVP is a most valuable to team instead of best player argument and things get tricky there. Even in that context though you'd have to give it to Harden or Westbrook without any consideration of IT at all.

Pierce never averaged 30 ppg or 10 ppg in fourth quarters either. As great a game as Pierce had leading 4th quarter comeback against the Nets, ITs performance in comeback against Wiz and elite defender Wall was even better. There is a reason IT finished so high on the MVP ballot and it wasn't a pat on the back. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. MVP isn't about pats on the back.

Speaking of ridiculous.

Yup! 53 pts including 29 in 4th quarter and OT is ridiculous. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it.

[truth18]

Pierce never averaged 30 ppg or 10 ppg in fourth quarters either. As great a game as Pierce had leading 4th quarter comeback against the Nets, ITs performance in comeback against Wiz and elite defender Wall was even better. There is a reason IT finished so high on the MVP ballot and it wasn't a pat on the back. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. MVP isn't about pats on the back.

Speaking of ridiculous.

Yup! 53 pts including 29 in 4th quarter and OT is ridiculous. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it.

Did you catch that Nets game too?

[celticfan42487]

No one ever considered pierce an mvp level player?

You may want to go dig on that one.

Fine, no "rational" one.

I'm sure exculpatory is somewhere right now with his spider sense tingling ready to type Pierce as an MVP every single season.

That said I do believe Pierce is a first ballot hall of famer. Just never was at any one point a real MVP contender, and apparently so did everyone else.

As for the IT 5th in MVP voting stat, that looks a lot more of a pat of the back for the team achievements last year when you see it didn't even get him 1rst team all-nba. But then again you can go down the argument of MVP is a most valuable to team instead of best player argument and things get tricky there. Even in that context though you'd have to give it to Harden or Westbrook without any consideration of IT at all.

Pierce never averaged 30 ppg or 10 ppg in fourth quarters either. As great a game as Pierce had leading 4th quarter comeback against the Nets, ITs performance in comeback against Wiz and elite defender Wall was even better. There is a reason IT finished so high on the MVP ballot and it wasn't a pat on the back. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. MVP isn't about pats on the back.

Well before we jump off a cliff of how IT's season is better than Pierce has ever done.

05 Pierce 27 ppg 5aspg 7 rpg 1.5 steals on 47% shooting

17 IT 29 ppg 6 aspg 3 rpg 1 steal 46% shooting

And of course 12 years ago that was before the offensive 3 point boom that we saw the past few years.

So 2 ppg less 1 aspg less 4 rpg more 0.5 steal more per game.

That's just a snapshot of course, but let's not act like IT's season last year was unheard of. It was fine. A well deserved all-star level season.

John Wall isn't close to an "elite" defender though, and neither were the Wizards as a team. Which btw, IT's performances after game 2 and the way they were able to zone him out isn't something to put your cap on about. Harden and Westbrook lost and still looked unstoppable doing so. IT won and looked very mortal. Maybe he was hurt after game 2, maybe not... but he has yet to prove it.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

Hmmmm... WT - Kyrie won't commit to an extension with any team that trades for him.
Is he trying to sabotage his trade value?

[jfs1000d]

Josh Jackson eligible to be traded by tomorrow, August 3. Just FYI.

I hear Josh Jackson already wants out of Cleveland.

He should ha e worked out in Boston. Now he'll spend his whole years in Cleveland, and after next year, no lebron.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[Froob]

Hmmmm... WT - Kyrie won't commit to an extension with any team that trades for him.
Is he trying to sabotage his trade value?

Not sure if it makes sense CBA wise, any of our experts want to weigh in?

[SichtingLives]

Nah I think it's more like he wants the kids, alimony and the house. I don't know what's poppin over there in Cleveland but it tastes buttery smooth and salty

[Froob]

A mvp caliber player is someone who threatens to win the award every year or a superstar. IT2 not a superstar nor was Paul Pierce.

Tend to agree..think KG is our only true superstar we've had since...Bird probably? Superstar should be held to a very high standard. There aren't many right now in my opinion (LeBron, Kawhi, Davis, Harden, Durant, Steph,...guess Westbrook? He did win MVP but he doesn't make his teammates better).

There's no shame in being a star instead of a superstar.

[smith2373]

3 years ago, Joakim Noah finished 3rd in MVP voting.

Got a lot of love for Isaiah but that one season does not make a superstar.

[Froob]

Depends on the return for Kyrie but say they get Josh Jackson and Bledsoe. I'll take Cavs in 7. Cavs with Kyrie will win in 6 though. Should be a competitive series regardless - difference is we don't know how brown smart and Rozier will progress. I think most projecting us to beat Cleveland see those three taking big leaps and also Jaylen brown production last year from Tatum

I am not saying it won't be competitive. Just that we are not beating them.

Smart is who he is til he isn't. No reason to think next year is the year. Rozier aint no difference maker. With Brown lack of BBIQ and feel for the game he not going to be a problem.

We need superstars to compete with the Cavs/GSW. We don't have that right now. I do think Hayward can become one.

Cavs would be favored but Celts, Raptors, Wizards and Bucks, any of them would have a decent enough chance to beat the Cavs (keeping in mind uncertainty at this far out from such a series).

Lol still the Raps? They are the new Bulls, that core will never ever beat LeBron. Wiz would get trashed too, Bucks have a lot of work to do.

[pasfru]

Irving/Booker is an awful pairing on defence.

The Suns' interest in him seems manufactured to me. Bledsoe's not much worse and is arguably a better fit. Either way, there's not a difference of Josh Jackson between them.

Kyrie is like 100x more desirable than Bledsoe is. Better player, better future, more potential.

Not sure if I do Jackson if I am PHX, but Bledsoe barely a consideration here. He'd allow the Cavs to pretend to compete this year, but is nowhere near Kyrie's caliber.

Bit of an exaggeration there.

The increased scoring output Kyrie provides can be offset by Bledsoe's superior defence. They're about even everywhere else. Both are mediocre passers. Bledsoe's a better rebounder but Kyrie's a better shooter.

We're talking about two players who don't really provide much in terms of wins anyway. This isn't the difference between a ham-and-egger like Brandon Knight and Stephen Curry, they're not that far apart.

[KyleCleric]

I am not saying it won't be competitive. Just that we are not beating them.

Smart is who he is til he isn't. No reason to think next year is the year. Rozier aint no difference maker. With Brown lack of BBIQ and feel for the game he not going to be a problem.

We need superstars to compete with the Cavs/GSW. We don't have that right now. I do think Hayward can become one.

Cavs would be favored but Celts, Raptors, Wizards and Bucks, any of them would have a decent enough chance to beat the Cavs (keeping in mind uncertainty at this far out from such a series).

Lol still the Raps? They are the new Bulls, that core will never ever beat LeBron. Wiz would get trashed too, Bucks have a lot of work to do.

there's a lot that can happen by the end of the season. That's the point. Right now predicting any of those teams have no chance is just false.