Will Lebron Leave Cleveland Again?

[mwash1983]

Think he runs to the Spurs with Chris Paul?

[Homerun]

He's taking his talents to Sacramento.

[hermanotarjeta]

He flees to the New York liberty to buy himself a WNBA title.

[regularp]

LeBron could not play for Pop in the NBA.

[6celtics33]

He flees to the New York liberty to buy himself a WNBA title.

Hahaha..... He might

[6celtics33]

LeBron could not play for Pop in the NBA.

I don't think so either

[bryandwells]

Yes, he will leave. He only has the damn best team in the NBA. If it wasn't for him the chemistry would probably be a lot better and they would have another championship this year period hard you cry halfway through the season how you need more talented players when you have so many already.

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[Noah]

He will want to explore the Timberwolves if they will sign him, cp0, melo, Dirk, Wade, tony allen and zbo.... he might want Ray allen to come back also

Lebron will take no pay, he will coach and be the gm

He just wants to be loved so badly

[jcmel323]

He already brought the ring to cleveland. He owes nothing to cleveland.

I still think he stays for at least one more year... there's no other team in the east that could beat them.
Maybe Philly: with a team salary of only 35million with a mini big 3. They could add easily 2 superstars.
Maybe Miami but i doubt it. Sounds like dion waiters is getting a big salary.

[jcmel323]

he's not going to the west. that 100%

[pennywise]

I've heard the LeBron to SA jabber a few times from different people this week. This is nonsense. If LeBron decides to go to SA, Pop might just retire. Seriously, in what world are these people living in? LeBron, Mr. Player/Coach/GM/Media Mogul/Superstar, is going to somehow coexist on THE Coach Pop's "no flash", "unsexy", fundamentals-based team in SAN ANTONIO, the western conference, playing alongside a player who is essentially LeBron 2.0 without all the chest thumping and bicep slapping. This is a wild theory. I'd be shocked to see LeBron suit up for the silver and black. LeBron is the antithesis of Spurs basketball.




But if he comes, we'll take him.:coffee:

[raps2spurs]

LeBron's not leaving but the Cavs as is can't beat the Warriors without a lot of luck.
Him and Kawhi would be sweet to watch though... Think Cavs will explore Love trades this offseason, they need to improve their D to be more competitive with G State.

[MFaulkCollector]

LeBron's not leaving but the Cavs as is can't beat the Warriors without a lot of luck.
Him and Kawhi would be sweet to watch though... Think Cavs will explore Love trades this offseason, they need to improve their D to be more competitive with G State.

You can't improve D to stop the volume of 3 pointers GS takes and makes... they can't really be defended unless you can make them play slow. In the half court they are not the same team, yet they are still the best team in the NBA regardless.

The only place Lebron could go to win a ring is Golden State.... adding him to any other roster wouldn't matter. This GS team as constructed may be the best team in NBA history. 4 All NBA guys, including multiple All NBA defensive team guys... multiple MVPs of the league. People just don't realize that you cannot stop them from making shots. The book on shooters; make them make difficult shots and eventually they will miss..... that has been the recipe for beating teams who shoot the 3 and make jump shots......... This is the only team in history where that thought process turns to total crap. They make easy shots, contested shots, 30 foot shots, unbalanced threes, they make everything and they do it routinely every single game. Their skill level far exceeds anything the league has ever seen from an offensive standpoint.

It's a shame for Lebron but it's hard to feel bad for the guy.... he won a ring for his hometown.... he has 3....... he has played in 7 finals in a row. If he never wins again because of this dynasty I think most people will be okay with that

[ILOVEBEER]

Well he can't leave after this season because he's under contract. 2018-2019 season is player option. Can see the Cavs make some serious moves for next season. Not going West, Best team in the East.

[jubei777]

Their committed contracts for next year is at $125M with lots of bench spots empty. Their flexibility is pretty much non-existant with a lot of big contracts for their starting five. Cleveland Cavaliers Salaries | HoopsHype (http://hoopshype.com/salaries/cleveland_cavaliers/)

[alias21]

Well he can't leave after this season because he's under contract. 2018-2019 season is player option. Can see the Cavs make some serious moves for next season. Not going West, Best team in the East.

Thanks for pointing that out. I was sure Lebron was gone. Cavs are pretty well screwed. They are already over the cap for next year with 11 players under contract and with korver and d-will gone. Not that those players have been huge or anything. Not sure what moves they can make. Guess they can trade love or kyrie. Pretty much the only assets they have.

[volblorx8634]

He's taking his talents to Sacramento.

We'll take that in a heartbeat :D

But seriously, LeBron would be a fool to leave Cleveland. It doesn't matter where he goes, he's likely not beating GS, so he would face a terrible media storm for no reason. It'd be an absolutely horrible look for him, and wouldn't put him in a better position for a championship anyway.

I agree that Cleveland has to make major changes, however. Their defense needs to improve and they need to get production out of their role players somehow. Maybe trade 2 solid role players for a good one? I don't know, but LeBron being the only effective player all series for the Cavs is not going to get them anywhere.

[Stat Monsters]

He will go to the Chicago Bulls with the contingency that he gets to wear Jordan's #23 jersey.

[rookies]

Love doesnt help if lebron goes out for a few minutes they cant do anything its like 8th graders are playing. Kyrie and love is a bad duo IMO. Why cant they ever make a impact on the game lebron does so much it really is amazing to watch. They should trade them if they dont care about future wand want to really maximize lebron. I love the idea of 3 guys who can play 1-4 in butler george and get some other vets. Only way to beat GS is have 3 and D guys who are all all stars and actually top flight players.

A
butler/ george
reddick
butler/george
lebron
thompson

That lineup with smith and a few others who stay off bench is insane. TT is better fit than love and that defense and athletic ability is IMO a better team then GS.

[alias21]

Love doesnt help if lebron goes out for a few minutes they cant do anything its like 8th graders are playing. Kyrie and love is a bad duo IMO. Why cant they ever make a impact on the game lebron does so much it really is amazing to watch. They should trade them if they dont care about future wand want to really maximize lebron. I love the idea of 3 guys who can play 1-4 in butler george and get some other vets. Only way to beat GS is have 3 and D guys who are all all stars and actually top flight players.

A
butler/ george
reddick
butler/george
lebron
thompson

That lineup with smith and a few others who stay off bench is insane. TT is better fit than love and that defense and athletic ability is IMO a better team then GS.

how are they getting paul George, jimmy butler, and jj reddick again?

[rookies]

how are they getting paul George, jimmy butler, and jj reddick again?

Really easily by trading irving and love who are under contract longer they have way more value then butler or george on 1 year deals. Then Reddick as a vet min.

[drobfan8]

Redick is a TERRIBLE fit if your competition is GS. He has to go against Klay and has been putrid vs them.

[JasonM32]

Kyrie isn't going anywhere, dude is a monster. The Cleveland Lebrons would be nuts to let him go. I can see them packaging K Love somewhere (which would be dumb). Maybe a ring chasing vet star will come to Cleveland and play for cheap.

The Warriors are just too stacked, too much talent, too much shooting, too young on too good contracts. They are going to be crapping on the league for a few years barring any major injuries.

[Durantula]

LeBron will recruit Carmelo to Cleveland

[drobfan8]

Kyrie isn't going anywhere, dude is a monster. The Cleveland Lebrons would be nuts to let him go. I can see them packaging K Love somewhere (which would be dumb). Maybe a ring chasing vet star will come to Cleveland and play for cheap.

The Warriors are just too stacked, too much talent, too much shooting, too young on too good contracts. They are going to be crapping on the league for a few years barring any major injuries.

The contracts is probably the biggest point.

TT and Jr got overpaid by the wrong team. This is why superstar players shouldn't be running things.

Now the question is, who the hell can beat GS next year? Now their confidence is way up. SA would need some upgrades.

CLE would need to get AD to actually become better

[JasonM32]

Lebron on a conference call right now with Melo and D Wade like...HELP!!!

[rookies]

People do realize carmelo sucks right?

[JasonM32]

People do realize carmelo sucks right?

Yes, but who else is he gonna call? Kawhi Leonard ain't coming to Cleveland.

[mwash1983]

Kyrie isn't going anywhere, dude is a monster. The Cleveland Lebrons would be nuts to let him go. I can see them packaging K Love somewhere (which would be dumb). Maybe a ring chasing vet star will come to Cleveland and play for cheap.

The Warriors are just too stacked, too much talent, too much shooting, too young on too good contracts. They are going to be crapping on the league for a few years barring any major injuries.

Will there be any fans left outside of GS by then?

[JasonM32]

Will there be any fans left outside of GS by then?

Certainly less fans. Why watch your team get pounded and know that you have zero chance to win for 3 to 5 years? Not much fun.

[spurs50fan]

Yes, but who else is he gonna call? Kawhi Leonard ain't coming to Cleveland.

He should just come to S.A. along with CP3

We'll all watch on Christmas and WCF and be done with it :D

[Brobocop]

As a Cleveland fan, I'm not worried about LeBron leaving, I'm worried about more consolidation of talent. If Golden State wins this year and stays together, they should win the next few titles without breaking a sweat. Right now, Cleveland has three all-stars to go against Golden State's four. What does that mean? Cleveland figures out a way to find a fourth. Maybe LeBron signs a deal for $1 a year? Maybe they look for a team to do a sign and trade in order to get something instead of nothing? I mean if Paul George or Carmelo Anthony or any other big time all-stars find their way to Cleveland, that's just ridiculous. It'd be Cleveland-Golden State AGAIN.

If a player is more worried about winning than money, I could see players just going to Cleveland or Golden State for the next year or two. Why even be a fan of the league anymore if that happens? I'm amazed that fans of small market teams even watch the NBA anymore.

[Boo]

As a Cleveland fan, I'm not worried about LeBron leaving, I'm worried about more consolidation of talent. If Golden State wins this year and stays together, they should win the next few titles without breaking a sweat. Right now, Cleveland has three all-stars to go against Golden State's four. What does that mean? Cleveland figures out a way to find a fourth. Maybe LeBron signs a deal for $1 a year? Maybe they look for a team to do a sign and trade in order to get something instead of nothing? I mean if Paul George or Carmelo Anthony or any other big time all-stars find their way to Cleveland, that's just ridiculous. It'd be Cleveland-Golden State AGAIN.

If a player is more worried about winning than money, I could see players just going to Cleveland or Golden State for the next year or two. Why even be a fan of the league anymore if that happens? I'm amazed that fans of small market teams even watch the NBA anymore.

LMAO...Bron cares about Bron.

[Boo]

As a Cleveland fan, I'm not worried about LeBron leaving, I'm worried about more consolidation of talent. If Golden State wins this year and stays together, they should win the next few titles without breaking a sweat. Right now, Cleveland has three all-stars to go against Golden State's four. What does that mean? Cleveland figures out a way to find a fourth. Maybe LeBron signs a deal for $1 a year? Maybe they look for a team to do a sign and trade in order to get something instead of nothing? I mean if Paul George or Carmelo Anthony or any other big time all-stars find their way to Cleveland, that's just ridiculous. It'd be Cleveland-Golden State AGAIN.

If a player is more worried about winning than money, I could see players just going to Cleveland or Golden State for the next year or two. Why even be a fan of the league anymore if that happens? I'm amazed that fans of small market teams even watch the NBA anymore.

George and Anthony do not help Cleveland. They can't stop GS, that is the problem. They are scoring just fine.

[mwash1983]

George and Anthony do not help Cleveland. They can't stop GS, that is the problem. They are scoring just fine.

George is a great defensive player, agree on Carmelo, they probably are worse if they added him.

[spurs50fan]

Instead of trying to match Golden State which we all know can't happen because there aren't a lot of top 5 players available, why not mimic San Antonio? They were the only team to put them on the ropes.....you know.....until

http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/61/27/67/12942807/5/920x920.jpg

[Scottish Punk]

I agree with others that Lebron will try to force a trade of Love to bring in another superstar. George is a possibility. Problem is, as stated before, is that there salary structure is pretty prohibitive for too many moves. They sorta are what they are for the next few years.

If Lebron bolts after next year to form super team ver. 3, then the sports media will have a field day.

What is all this talk about San Antonio had golden state on the "ropes". That is just stupid, I didn't realize that was game 7. Yes, they would have most likely won game ONE. No way you can speculate that game would translate to winning three more. I think Golden State still wins that series anyways, probably in 6. We were robbed a potentially good series though.

[Braswell10]

Yes, he will leave. He only has the damn best team in the NBA. If it wasn't for him the chemistry would probably be a lot better and they would have another championship this year period hard you cry halfway through the season how you need more talented players when you have so many already.

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Sorry, but without Lebron, the Cavs don't even make the playoffs.

[spurs50fan]

I agree with others that Lebron will try to force a trade of Love to bring in another superstar. George is a possibility. Problem is, as stated before, is that there salary structure is pretty prohibitive for too many moves. They sorta are what they are for the next few years.

If Lebron bolts after next year to form super team ver. 3, then the sports media will have a field day.

What is all this talk about San Antonio had golden state on the "ropes". That is just stupid, I didn't realize that was game 7. Yes, they would have most likely won game ONE. No way you can speculate that game would translate to winning three more. I think Golden State still wins that series anyways, probably in 6. We were robbed a potentially good series though.


It was my talk.....just mine....not all this lmao

That game 1, they did have them on the ropes. That's all we have to go by so that's what I used. And as I stated "until"

Who knows what stealing that game would have done. Most penciled in a sweep but understand that team was built to combat GS. Those quirky lineups and substitutions patterns were all in preparation for that series. That's why Pop went off. I'm not saying they would have won, especially minus Parker, but my statement was to show that there was a way to beat them. They aren't unbeatable. Perhaps instead of trying to create some Frankenstein of a lineup when you will never match their talent, try to see who has success against them and how.

[JustinVerlander07]

Sorry, but without Lebron, the Cavs don't even make the playoffs.

Yes they do, the East sucks.

[cookingwine]

I think LeBron leaves after next season. I think his one goal was to bring Cleveland a championship, and he got them there. He has nothing else to prove to the city at this point.

If he leaves, he knows he will get raked over the coals by everyone again, but the team can't improve now. The Tristan Thompson signing as essentially ruined the team. They committed to pay the guy $17 million a season and he doesn't have much of an offensive game, and he got out rebounded by Steph Curry yesterday. Steph Curry!

Kyle Korver becomes a free agent after the season and that will clear up $5 million in cap space. They could try to resign him, but he will also be 36, so his tank has to be emptying. Derrick Williams and Deron Williams will also be free agents as well, but they're making minimum money.

So how does Cleveland get better to try and compete with the Warriors now? JR Smith is locked in for an average of $14.5 million over the next three years, Thompson is locked in for $17.4 million for the next three years, Iman Shumpert is going to make over $10 million next season and $11 million the year after. They also still have Channing Frye making $7.4 million next season. They can't retool on the fly because they have so much money tied to role players that are shrinking at the worst time in the season. Going into game 3, they wanted to pull JR Smith out entirely for Iman Shumpert. If that is your best option for kick starting your team, you're in trouble.

Seeing that there is no way to fix the mess they'e in (short of finding someone dumb enough to take on Smith, Shumpert, and Frye and having Felder play serious minutes), James has to leave after next season. Other teams can and will improve, and I can't see LeBron willing to fade out of the league by consistently getting knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.

[JustinVerlander07]

If he leaves, he knows he will get raked over the coals by everyone again, but the team can't improve now. The Tristan Thompson signing as essentially ruined the team. They committed to pay the guy $17 million a season and he doesn't have much of an offensive game, and he got out rebounded by Steph Curry yesterday. Steph Curry!


You know who made the Cavs sign Thompson? LEBRON!

[WaiverWire]

Was listening to the Jalen and Jacoby podcast and Jalen predicts that Lebron will go to the Lakers in 2018 when his current contract is up. In part because of all of Lebrons business interests outside of basketball. I can definitely see it.

Lebron and Paul George sign with the Lakers in 2018, with Brandon Ingram, Lonzo ball or Josh Jackson, and De'Angelo Russell as their core 5 players.

Explanation to Cavs fans is "you're welcome for the championship, Cleveland. I'm taking my talents to California."

[cookingwine]

You know who made the Cavs sign Thompson? LEBRON!

I know that. He also forced the trade for Korver and I wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with JR Smith ending up in Cleveland again too. And the best part of it all was LeBron's complaining that they needed more help, which they do. But they blew big money on complimentary pieces. Not stars.

[bruce76]

LeBron cares about his legacy more than anything. If he leaves Cleveland again....that will be another dent in his legacy.

[spurs50fan]

I don't think he will leave a second time but if he does it will definitely carry more scrutiny as we've over-chronicled his movements since the decision

[yiguiri2002]

I've heard the LeBron to SA jabber a few times from different people this week. This is nonsense. If LeBron decides to go to SA, Pop might just retire. Seriously, in what world are these people living in? LeBron, Mr. Player/Coach/GM/Media Mogul/Superstar, is going to somehow coexist on THE Coach Pop's "no flash", "unsexy", fundamentals-based team in SAN ANTONIO, the western conference, playing alongside a player who is essentially LeBron 2.0 without all the chest thumping and bicep slapping. This is a wild theory. I'd be shocked to see LeBron suit up for the silver and black. LeBron is the antithesis of Spurs basketball.




But if he comes, we'll take him.:coffee:

He was able to work with Pat Riley. And even though I think Pop is different, Pat also doesn't bow down to players. If it was up to LeBron, Spo would have been fired. But Riley stood behind his coach and the rest is history.

If there are two people that can change and adapt to a player/coach, it's Pop and LeBron. They have tremendous respect for each other. No doubt in my mind that it would work.

[yiguiri2002]

You know who made the Cavs sign Thompson? LEBRON!

People are overreacting because of a bad series. Remember Biyombo's series against the Cavs last year? Yeah, exactly. Tristan's contract is more than fair under the current CBA.

They're screwed because: (A) J.R. Smith has become one of the league's worst rotation players out of nowhere and (B) They haven't been able to get a rotation player out of their picks/young guys.

[yiguiri2002]

Instead of trying to match Golden State which we all know can't happen because there aren't a lot of top 5 players available, why not mimic San Antonio? They were the only team to put them on the ropes.....you know.....until

http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/61/27/67/12942807/5/920x920.jpg

Underlying story of the Finals: Forget Golden State, can the Cavs beat the Spurs? I don't think so.

[Cervantes]

If Curry took a paycut, Durant took a paycut, and Lebron agreed to play for a vastly reduced salary and went to Golden State...how many heads would explode?

I know, it's not happening.

But I would love to see it just to see the reactions.

[WaiverWire]

If Curry took a paycut, Durant took a paycut, and Lebron agreed to play for a vastly reduced salary and went to Golden State...how many heads would explode?

I know, it's not happening.

But I would love to see it just to see the reactions.

Difference is....the Hampton Five wanted Durant. I don't think Lebron fits the Golden State style of play. Lebron holds the ball too much.

[Scottish Punk]

Westbrook also has an opt out after next year. There has always been rumors about him going to LA. I would hope that OKC with either sign him long term or trade him before the season ends. I can't seem them wanting to lose both Durant and Westbrook without getting anything back in return.

LA can trade the rights to Ball after drafting him to OKC for Westbrook. Watch the father's head explode on national tv.

[6celtics33]

Difference is....the Hampton Five wanted Durant. I don't think Lebron fits the Golden State style of play. Lebron holds the ball too much.

Lebron would ruin that team.

[spurs50fan]

Underlying story of the Finals: Forget Golden State, can the Cavs beat the Spurs? I don't think so.

Again. The point was to divert the thought of trying to just throw talent together and, more realistically, try and mimic TEAMS that have some success against the Warriors. Just for clarification.....carry on

[yiguiri2002]

Again. The point was to divert the thought of trying to just throw talent together and, more realistically, try and mimic TEAMS that have some success against the Warriors. Just for clarification.....carry on

I agree completely. With all this talk about superteams, what team was the one that put the biggest fight to the champ when healthy? The one with one All-NBA player and the best coach and front office.

It starts at the top.

[cookingwine]

They're screwed because: (A) J.R. Smith has become one of the league's worst rotation players out of nowhere and (B) They haven't been able to get a rotation player out of their picks/young guys.

I don't feel bad for Cleveland for that. They draft players every single year and they never get to play because their roster is literally James, Kyrie, Love, Smith, TT, and reanimated corpses trying to get a ring before it's all over for them.

So is it the GM picking bad players? Is it LeBron absolutely refusing to play with someone younger and letting them develop?

It is a personal bias, but Kay Felder can absolutely score. He is short, I know that, but the kid can blow up any given moment. And he gets exactly 0 minutes a game. Instead of giving him some minutes during the regular season and letting him develop in the offense, they pick up players like Deron Williams.

Again, personal bias, but right now with their guard play being atrocious in this series, do you think Cleveland would appreciate having a player that could score and take minutes away from Smith, Shumpert, and Williams?

[Rareairx23]

I don't feel bad for Cleveland for that. They draft players every single year and they never get to play because their roster is literally James, Kyrie, Love, Smith, TT, and reanimated corpses trying to get a ring before it's all over for them.

So is it the GM picking bad players? Is it LeBron absolutely refusing to play with someone younger and letting them develop?

It is a personal bias, but Kay Felder can absolutely score. He is short, I know that, but the kid can blow up any given moment. And he gets exactly 0 minutes a game. Instead of giving him some minutes during the regular season and letting him develop in the offense, they pick up players like Deron Williams.

Again, personal bias, but right now with their guard play being atrocious in this series, do you think Cleveland would appreciate having a player that could score and take minutes away from Smith, Shumpert, and Williams?

He is the one guy i dont think you take the minutes away from, he doesnt provide much on offense, but his defense is what gets him the minutes. Too valuable on that side of the ball. The other two, however...

[yiguiri2002]

I don't feel bad for Cleveland for that. They draft players every single year and they never get to play because their roster is literally James, Kyrie, Love, Smith, TT, and reanimated corpses trying to get a ring before it's all over for them.

So is it the GM picking bad players? Is it LeBron absolutely refusing to play with someone younger and letting them develop?

It is a personal bias, but Kay Felder can absolutely score. He is short, I know that, but the kid can blow up any given moment. And he gets exactly 0 minutes a game. Instead of giving him some minutes during the regular season and letting him develop in the offense, they pick up players like Deron Williams.

Again, personal bias, but right now with their guard play being atrocious in this series, do you think Cleveland would appreciate having a player that could score and take minutes away from Smith, Shumpert, and Williams?

I don't know whose fault it is but the results are there: Warriors have Clark and McCaw playing in the Finals. My guess next year is that Clark takes Livingston's spot as backup PG and McCaw becomes what Barbosa was. Also, I think Looney might end up taking McAdoo spot as the 12th man.

Cleveland has nothing like that. They just get rotation players and pay them accordingly. Imagine having any of those guys at 2M instead of Shumpert.

[Siberian13]

Lebron should take the league minimum and join the Warriors.

[jcardstore]

As a Cleveland fan, here's what I hope happens:

I'm sure a bunch of people will call me stupid but idrc.

Cavs trade Love next season before the trade deadline to get young talent and/or draft picks. Who would take Love? Who knows but one can hope.

Get rid of JR and Shumpert, idc if you have to give them away for free both need to go.

LeBron opts out after next season and leaves don't really care where he goes.

Basically after next season I want the Cavs to tear it down and build around Kyrie and Thompson. Wait it out for 3-5 years and build from the draft up. That'll be much more fun to watch than getting to the finals and losing for another 3 more years

[cookingwine]

I don't know whose fault it is but the results are there: Warriors have Clark and McCaw playing in the Finals. My guess next year is that Clark takes Livingston's spot as backup PG and McCaw becomes what Barbosa was. Also, I think Looney might end up taking McAdoo spot as the 12th man.

Cleveland has nothing like that. They just get rotation players and pay them accordingly. Imagine having any of those guys at 2M instead of Shumpert.

This is the inherent problem with going all-in to win a championship. Once the window starts to close, there's no way of reopening it.

I think trading for Kevin Love was the right move. He has had two bad games in playoffs, and they just so happen to be in the finals. And it's debatable if he really even had a bad game yesterday, because he did literally everything but hit his 3s. If they try to move him this offseason, I don't think they'll be able to get a better player or better production than what he already provides.

Where they went wrong was just picking up former names for the sake of it. You can only mortgage your future so many times before you're just not going to get a positive return on it. After next season, James will leave and Cleveland will most likely turn into a slightly better version of the Pistons. They will linger around the bottom half of the playoffs, never get a good draft pick, and not be able to bring in quality free agents because they won't have the draw of James being there.

They got the championship. And there's a very good chance they'll be in the finals again next year (depending on what Boston does in the offseason). After that, they'll be toast. But they got the championship, which is all they wanted.

[cookingwine]

As a Cleveland fan, here's what I hope happens:

I'm sure a bunch of people will call me stupid but idrc.

Cavs trade Love next season before the trade deadline to get young talent and/or draft picks. Who would take Love? Who knows but one can hope.

Get rid of JR and Shumpert, idc if you have to give them away for free both need to go.

LeBron opts out after next season and leaves don't really care where he goes.

Basically after next season I want the Cavs to tear it down and build around Kyrie and Thompson. Wait it out for 3-5 years and build from the draft up. That'll be much more fun to watch than getting to the finals and losing for another 3 more years

I fully agree with your rebuild plan. That is their best shot of building long term success.

Now here's the question though. Do you think they'll do any of that?

[xavieronly1]

As a Cleveland fan, here's what I hope happens:

I'm sure a bunch of people will call me stupid but idrc.

Cavs trade Love next season before the trade deadline to get young talent and/or draft picks. Who would take Love? Who knows but one can hope.

Get rid of JR and Shumpert, idc if you have to give them away for free both need to go.

LeBron opts out after next season and leaves don't really care where he goes.

Basically after next season I want the Cavs to tear it down and build around Kyrie and Thompson. Wait it out for 3-5 years and build from the draft up. That'll be much more fun to watch than getting to the finals and losing for another 3 more years

Did the reality just hit you really hard and forget that the team actually won the ring for the city? All of the sudden, Lebron really means nothing to the Cavs. Where is all the hype before the NBA Finals? Cavs is an underdog, but it does not mean they had no chance. And it was not like they were completely out of the game last night. They were just 1 (or 2) bucket away to have 2-1 series.

You have to be very lucky to get players from draft and such a team will bring you to the ring within 5 years.

I guess it is more fun to see Cavs winning the lottery than playing for the win.

[pingbling23]

Did the reality just hit you really hard and forget that the team actually won the ring for the city? All of the sudden, Lebron really means nothing to the Cavs. Where is all the hype before the NBA Finals? Cavs is an underdog, but it does not mean they had no chance. And it was not like they were completely out of the game last night. They were just 1 (or 2) bucket away to have 2-1 series.

You have to be very lucky to get players from draft and such a team will bring you to the ring within 5 years.

I guess it is more fun to see Cavs winning the lottery than playing for the win.

Yeah I don't get the rationale to want to see Lebron go. The Cavs would be a wasteland and who's to say kyrie and Thompson would want to stay if Lebron isn't there. No free agents would want to go there. You would end up like the Lebron heat era where the Cavs are lousy but they get top picks.

[cedar rapids]

LeBron will go to the Knicks. This year or the next.

[Orangejello727]

Yeah I don't get the rationale to want to see Lebron go. The Cavs would be a wasteland and who's to say kyrie and Thompson would want to stay if Lebron isn't there. No free agents would want to go there. You would end up like the Lebron heat era where the Cavs are lousy but they get top picks.

I think the Warriors have proven that proper draftings and commitment can lead to a winning team. Organically growing your team usually brings more depth and success than insta-building a winning team. His outlook projection seems pretty legit. The Warriors were in the same situation prior to drafting properly and growing organically. If anything it works. Lebron isnt the only key to winning.

[jcardstore]

Did the reality just hit you really hard and forget that the team actually won the ring for the city? All of the sudden, Lebron really means nothing to the Cavs. Where is all the hype before the NBA Finals? Cavs is an underdog, but it does not mean they had no chance. And it was not like they were completely out of the game last night. They were just 1 (or 2) bucket away to have 2-1 series.

You have to be very lucky to get players from draft and such a team will bring you to the ring within 5 years.

I guess it is more fun to see Cavs winning the lottery than playing for the win.

I never said LeBron means nothing to the Cavs but I'm being realistic. If you resign LeBron for 18-19 and beyond he's going to handcuff the Cavs financially, coaching... etc LeBron only has 3ish more years of dominance so you're only going to delay the inevitable.

He's going to get a $40m/yr contract easily so if you sign him for 3-5 years you severely limit your ability to not only sign other players but you're never going to get a high draft pick, and you'll never be able to really develop a solid coach. So now fast forward 4 years you have no draft picks, no coach and now you're forced to rebuild with nothing, doesn't sound fun does it?

Love is a great player but he's on the decline. Trade him now for draft picks while his stock is still high because it's not getting any higher. JR and Shump have toxic contracts and you can thank LeBron for that. Kyrie and Tristan are the only ones worth building around right now.

Last year was amazing. I got to see a professional sports championship in my lifetime so I'm happy but it's time to start over for the Cavs now. Guaranteeing an appearance in the finals every year only to lose may be fun to you but it's not very fun to me.

Rebuilding is fun as a basketball fan, it's exciting, much more exciting than knowing exactly how the season will play out before it even starts. It must be nice to be a Boston fan right now because they did it right. Boston knew that their title window was over and rebuilt the right way by acquiring draft picks and young talent.

[xavieronly1]

I never said LeBron means nothing to the Cavs but I'm being realistic. If you resign LeBron for 18-19 and beyond he's going to handcuff the Cavs financially, coaching... etc LeBron only has 3ish more years of dominance so you're only going to delay the inevitable.

He's going to get a $40m/yr contract easily so if you sign him for 3-5 years you severely limit your ability to not only sign other players but you're never going to get a high draft pick, and you'll never be able to really develop a solid coach. So now fast forward 4 years you have no draft picks, no coach and now you're forced to rebuild with nothing, doesn't sound fun does it?

Love is a great player but he's on the decline. Trade him now for draft picks while his stock is still high because it's not getting any higher. JR and Shump have toxic contracts and you can thank LeBron for that.

Last year was amazing. I got to see a professional sports championship in my lifetime so I'm happy but it's time to start over for the Cavs now. Guaranteeing an appearance in the finals every year only to lose may be fun to you but it's not very fun to me.

Rebuilding is fun as a basketball fan, it's exciting, much more exciting than knowing exactly how the season will play out before it even starts. It must be nice to be a Boston fan right now because they did it right. Boston knew that their title window was over and rebuilt the right way by acquiring draft picks and young talent.

So, the best player in the game asking the max is a bad thing because he just couldn't bring the ring at 100% rate. If this is what most Cavs fans think, no wonder no one wants to play for the Cavs. Even the hometown boy gets no love.

[jcardstore]

So, the best player in the game asking the max is a bad thing because he just couldn't bring the ring at 100% rate. If this is what most Cavs fans think, no wonder no one wants to play for the Cavs. Even the hometown boy gets no love.

Huh??? I feel like you didn't even read what I said. That's not even remotely close to what I said

[jcardstore]

I guess wanting my hometown team to build a winner organically when they are nearing the end of their title window opposed to signing aging players who are shells of what they used to be is why players don't want to come to Cleveland :confused::confused::confused:

[xavieronly1]

Huh??? I feel like you didn't even read what I said. That's not even remotely close to what I said

Nah, I read. You don't want to give Lebron the max because it is better to bomb the team for the future (whatever this "future" really means..) instead of paying the small chance to win the ring in the next 3 years.

[jcardstore]

Nah, I read. You don't want to give Lebron the max because it is better to bomb the team for the future (whatever this "future" really means..) instead of paying the small chance to win the ring in the next 3 years.

Here's what I said in case you didn't see it.

He's going to get a $40m/yr contract easily so if you sign him for 3-5 years you severely limit your ability to not only sign other players but you're never going to get a high draft pick, and you'll never be able to really develop a solid coach. So now fast forward 4 years you have no draft picks, no coach and now you're forced to rebuild with nothing, doesn't sound fun does it?

Letting LeBron leave isn't going to "bomb" the team. Sure they'll probably miss the playoffs for a year or 2 but Kyrie is going to take over once LeBron leaves and the Cavs sign/draft some younger guys. See: Boston.

To be clear, I am not interested in 3 more finals appearances with a slim chance of winning and then 6-7 years of bottom dwelling over 2-3 years of being mediocre.

[xavieronly1]

I guess wanting my hometown team to build a winner organically when they are nearing the end of their title window opposed to signing aging players who are shells of what they used to be is why players don't want to come to Cleveland :confused::confused::confused:

I really should read some of the Cavs fans posts that were posted couple weeks/months ago about how Cavs still have the window winning for the next 3-5 years.

3 games are enough to destroy the franchise. This is crazy. Everyone gets out! NOW!

[xavieronly1]

Here's what I said in case you didn't see it.



Letting LeBron leave isn't going to "bomb" the team. Sure they'll probably miss the playoffs for a year or 2 but Kyrie is going to take over once LeBron leaves and the Cavs sign/draft some younger guys. See: Boston

Kyrie takes over Lebron... LOL

See Boston... LOL. They are far ahead of Cavs's schedule even if you want to start rebuilding. And yet, they are still so behind of GS.

[jcardstore]

I really should read some of the Cavs fans posts that were posted couple weeks/months ago about how Cavs still have the window winning for the next 3-5 years.

3 games are enough to destroy the franchise. This is crazy. Everyone gets out! NOW!

Cavs are not going to beat this team with Durant the way they are currently constructed, if you've watched any of this series it's pretty obvious.

[jcardstore]

Kyrie takes over Lebron... LOL

See Boston... LOL. They are far ahead of Cavs's schedule even if you want to start rebuilding. And yet, they are still so behind of GS.

You obviously don't watch much basketball if you don't think Kyrie will elevate his game when LeBron leaves.

I'm done now because it's obvious all you want to do is argue. Have a fantastic day :)

[xavieronly1]

Cavs are not going to beat this team with Durant the way they are currently constructed, if you've watched any of this series it's pretty obvious.

It is pretty obvious that they were just a bucket (or 2 buckets) away to have a 2-1 series. They did not lose because they were a bad basketball team. They lost because they couldn't close out. One of few lucky bounds would change the result (just like Game 7 last year) completely.

You obviously don't watch much basketball if you don't think Kyrie will elevate his game when LeBron leaves.

I'm done now because it's obvious all you want to do is argue. Have a fantastic day

Let me know when Kyrie can guard 4+ positions or even becomes an elite defender. He is good right now because he has Lebron. Without Leborn, you are going to load all the work on him. His body is not built to play 45+ minutes.

[jcardstore]

Let me know when Kyrie can guard 4+ positions or even becomes an elite defender. He is good right now because he has Lebron. Without Leborn, you are going to load all the work on him. His body is not built to play 45+ minutes.

I said I was done but I can't help myself.

Isn't this exactly what everyone said about Steph early in his career? Not saying Kyrie will be as good but you don't have to be an elite defender to be an MVP caliber player and carry a team.

but seriously, I'm done now because this is going nowhere

[xavieronly1]

I said I was done but I can't help myself.

Isn't this exactly what everyone said about Steph early in his career? Not saying Kyrie will be as good but you don't have to be an elite defender to be an MVP caliber player and carry a team.

but seriously, I'm done now because this is going nowhere

Good luck signing Kyrie on a discount deal next time.

[GC1980]

Lebron won't go anywhere. It would be far too damaging to his legacy if he were to jump ship when the going got tough for a third time.

Instead, Lebron will be very vocal with the front office in the offseason and demand they get another stud star on the roster. I don't know how they pull it off or who that star would be but they will do something.

I know everyone is lost in the moment and is penciling in the Warriors for the next 37 titles but these Cavs aren't very far off. LBJ plays a more aggressive 3 minutes at the end and this is 2-1 with a chance to tie it up on Friday. GS is great but they aren't unbeatable.

[jcardstore]

Lebron won't go anywhere. It would be far too damaging to his legacy if he were to jump ship when the going got tough for a third time.

Instead, Lebron will be very vocal with the front office in the offseason and demand they get another stud star on the roster. I don't know how they pull it off or who that star would be but they will do something.

I know everyone is lost in the moment and is penciling in the Warriors for the next 37 titles but these Cavs aren't very far off. LBJ plays a more aggressive 3 minutes at the end and this is 2-1 with a chance to tie it up on Friday. GS is great but they aren't unbeatable.

I do agree that LeBron won't leave again.

Replace JR with Dwade lol. Sign CP3 and move Kyrie to SG. lol

The issue is that the Cavs are so far over the cap that they really don't have many options to get better without getting rid of JR and Shump first.

[asujbl]

LeBron isn't a Free Agent. He didn't sign a one and one. He can't opt out until 2018-19.

Just so people are clear.

[cnewby]

LeBron isn't a Free Agent. He didn't sign a one and one. He can't opt out until 2018-19.

Just so people are clear.

Its Pebron, get it right!

[alias21]

Really easily by trading irving and love who are under contract longer they have way more value then butler or george on 1 year deals. Then Reddick as a vet min.

Cool i'm sure chicago will be all over kevin love for jimmy butler. You do realize other teams can make offers right. Maybe cavs can sweeten the pot with Tristan Thompson at 18 mill a year. And I'm sure reddick is so eager to sign the vet min and give up 50 million because....lebron?

[JasonM32]

Lebron won't go anywhere. It would be far too damaging to his legacy if he were to jump ship when the going got tough for a third time.



I would argue that his legacy should have taken a bigger hit when he did it the first two times.

For some reason a lot of people are giving him a pass for this. They are giving him a ton of credit for being in the Finals every year, well duh. When you cherry pick your team with two other all-star players and then split town for greener pastures as soon as your championship window closes(in the Eastern Conference) things are going to go well for you in the playoffs.

I would not put is past Lebron to bail after next season and go to another ready made Finals team. I just don't know who yet.

[cgags11]

He'll go to GS


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[ILOVEBEER]

I would argue that his legacy should have taken a bigger hit when he did it the first two times.

For some reason a lot of people are giving him a pass for this. They are giving him a ton of credit for being in the Finals every year, well duh. When you cherry pick your team with two other all-star players and then split town for greener pastures as soon as your championship window closes(in the Eastern Conference) things are going to go well for you in the playoffs.

I would not put is past Lebron to bail after next season and go to another ready made Finals team. I just don't know who yet.

Kyrie is becoming one of the best in the league. Plus he's been pretty damn good in the playoffs. Cavs have him for a few more years. Why would Lebron leave after next season? Cavs have gone to three straight Finals. Could probably go to three more with Kyrie and Lebron running the show.

[miamitrev2]

Why would Lebron leave after next season? Cavs have gone to three straight Finals. Could probably go to three more with Kyrie and Lebron running the show.

He could have kept going to the Finals both other times he left for greener pastures but we saw what happened

[ThoseBackPages]

i dont think so

[pingbling23]

He could have kept going to the Finals both other times he left for greener pastures but we saw what happened

He wasn't going to win a title the first stint in Cleveland. The heat could have kept contending but Lebron obviously loves his hometown and wanted to bring a title there before he was broke down, success.

[pgisback]

Lebrons not going anywhere. And unless they pick up Paul George there is no one else out there that will make them competetive with the Warriors. Yea yea, cavs won a game. Bulls lost a game in every finals they were in too. Doesn't make the other team competitive in 7. We're in for a dark period of terribly uncompetitive basketball.