LeBron opting out hurts our chances of getting first pick?

[Stifle Tower]

Uh, I believe the whole reason Cleveland is willing to move the pick is because they hope Lebron will return and they will have no need for Wiggins.

Exactly.
And they would need to win NOW with Lebron. So they're not interested in rookies. They want experienced vets. You look at their team and their real need is a big. They'd have Irving, Waiters, Lebron, Thompson and Varejao. Get Lebron and they let Deng walk (rumor is that he's headed elsewhere anyway). Thompson is serviceable at PF. Varejao is decent when he plays, but that's not often the past few years. Hawes is an UFA and he wasn't that good for them last season after the trade. So they need a starter at the 5. Who is in best position to give them that? Well, unless they want to make a play for Mr. Pothead (Sanders), Utah is their best trading partner. Good big, signed to a very reasonable 5-year deal.

I actually think Lebron announcing he's opting out puts the pressure back on Cleveland. If I'm Dennis, I play hardball. Cavs need to make concessions. If they don't and they draft Wiggins, kiss Lebron goodbye (or they have to deal him after the draft). If they want Burks? Then they don't get the #5 pick. We're already giving them proven #3 and #12 picks for a raw #1. They can have ONE additional asset from us. Choose between the #5, Burks or next year's top-3 protected pick. As for Jack or Bennett or Varejao? Sure, we'll take one back. But to us, it's a salary dump designed to help Cleveland free up space for Lebron.

 

[franklin]

Why would LeBron want to leave Miami?



4-1

 

[franklin]

Can someone explain why Cleveland doesn't want the #1 pick if LeBron has to win now but they want to trade for the #5 pick instead of out of the draft all together?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Why would LeBron want to leave Miami?



4-1

Because Bird Rights to Chris Bosh is the only asset they have at all? I didn't mention Dwyane Wade on purpose.

 

[billyshelby]

First move is flip the 1 for Love, right? LBJ-Love-Kyrie is a great nucleus, plus Lebron stays East. They need more shooters, but I can see it.

 

[Zulu]

Can someone explain why Cleveland doesn't want the #1 pick if LeBron has to win now but they want to trade for the #5 pick instead of out of the draft all together?

Algebra.... And you thought you wouldn't use it in your life!!

 

[NUMBERICA]

First move is flip the 1 for Love, right? LBJ-Love-Kyrie is a great nucleus, plus Lebron stays East. They need more shooters, but I can see it.

Kevin Love is a shooter and is worth double the floor-spacing that a perimeter player would bring. Kyrie is also a really good shooter (provided he reigns in his shot-selection which should be a given in this scenario).

 

[NUMBERICA]

Can someone explain why Cleveland doesn't want the #1 pick if LeBron has to win now but they want to trade for the #5 pick instead of out of the draft all together?

If they let us keep #5 and wanted the entire rest of our team, I wouldn't hang up the phone (especially since the Jazz wouldn't be able to trade Hayward).

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

Favors now becomes a huge bargaining chip. There aren't too many young bigs as promising as he. While we need him to play near his potential to succeed lebron only needs him at maybe 50 percent.

If he's in Cleveland that's gotta be a huge plus.

Cleveland could have an amazing frontline of Favors and whatever they draft this year. Then add lebron and Irving. Cleveland is set up nicely to dominate the crappy east. I don't know if they're good enough to beat the WC opponent though.

Cleveland is not set up nicely to dominate the east. They could be. But it all hinges on Lebron going there which imo there is about a 2% chance of him doing...ya know, unless people actually think Lebron has forgotten Gilbert's open letter and has faith in a first-time NBA coach with a roster that stinks outside of Irving. Basically, Cleveland is not set up to dominate the east. Anyone who gets Lebron is.

Favors and whoever they draft could be an amazing frontline? Really? We drafted Kanter and how did that duo work out?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Cleveland is not set up nicely to dominate the east. They could be. But it all hinges on Lebron going there which imo there is about a 2% chance of him doing...ya know, unless people actually think Lebron has forgotten Gilbert's open letter and has faith in a first-time NBA coach with a roster that stinks outside of Irving. Basically, Cleveland is not set up to dominate the east. Anyone who gets Lebron is.

"Outside of Kyrie"

Remember when Lebron James went to a franchise just because some other stars were as well? Notice I didn't say "team" because there wasn't one.

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

"Outside of Kyrie"

Remember when Lebron James went to a franchise just because some other stars were as well? Notice I didn't say "team" because there wasn't one.

That's one player, not two, and Irving is nowhere near the caliber of Wade when Lebron signed in Miami. And I wasn't responding to your post, it was Thriller's.

 

[bjunior]

damn it, i hope he doesn't go to cleveland to take blatt's credit for the victories