NBA '17

[wadesworld]

LBJ unhappy with the front office in Cleveland, despite the fact that they are entirely handcuffed with no cap space...because LBJ demanded they pay horribly overpaid guys like Thompson and JR Smith.  Now Kyrie wants out of Cleveland and doesn't want to play with LBJ anymore.  Hmm...

[GB Warrior]

What an entertaining offseason!

[MUBurrow]

LBJ unhappy with the front office in Cleveland, despite the fact that they are entirely handcuffed with no cap space...because LBJ demanded they pay horribly overpaid guys like Thompson and JR Smith.  Now Kyrie wants out of Cleveland and doesn't want to play with LBJ anymore.  Hmm...

I feel like LBJ's biggest crime here was being too specific. Had he just said "they have to do something!" we all would have nodded and agreed that we wouldn't want our once in a generation talent wasted, either. But by requiring Cle to throw money at specific guys - particularly guys like Thompson and Smith - he really put them in a hard place and, turns out, made Kyrie (his Robin) feel underappreciated. But banners also fly forever, so what do I know.

[4everwarriors]

Rose will go ta da Cavs wit Irvin' outta da pic, ai na?

[jesmu84]

Kyrie had Bulls as one of the preferred trade teams before Bulls traded Butler. Awesome.

Not that GarPax could have known that, but fire them anyway.

[GGGG]

LBJ unhappy with the front office in Cleveland, despite the fact that they are entirely handcuffed with no cap space...because LBJ demanded they pay horribly overpaid guys like Thompson and JR Smith.  Now Kyrie wants out of Cleveland and doesn't want to play with LBJ anymore.  Hmm...

Not entirely accurate.  He is unhappy with the owner in Cleveland when he fired the GM who was trying to do something to make them more competitive with GSW.

[MU82]

LBJ unhappy with the front office in Cleveland, despite the fact that they are entirely handcuffed with no cap space...because LBJ demanded they pay horribly overpaid guys like Thompson and JR Smith.  Now Kyrie wants out of Cleveland and doesn't want to play with LBJ anymore.  Hmm...

They don't need no stinkin' Kyrie. To heck with him hitting the championship-winning trey ... they could have the great Derrick Rose coming in!

[Jockey]

Kyrie is probably a top 10 guy in the NBA - can do it all offensively. But I don't think a team will win a title if he is their best player.

Look at the best player on the teams that have won NBA titles over the last 10 years - Durrant, James, Curry, Duncan, Kobe, Nowitzke.

Irving is not one of those guys.

[DegenerateDish]

Bucks should do whatever they can to get Kyrie. Probably need a third team, but some combo of Jabari and Monroe's expiring and go from there.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Bucks should do whatever they can to get Kyrie. Probably need a third team, but some combo of Jabari and Monroe's expiring and go from there.

Giannis, Kyrie and Middleton would be a terrifying top 3. Would they have enough around them to be the top team in the East?

[MUBurrow]

Bucks should do whatever they can to get Kyrie. Probably need a third team, but some combo of Jabari and Monroe's expiring and go from there.

[wadesworld]

If Kyrie really wants to be "the man" and he won't be that with LeBron and that's why he wants out, I'm not sure things would get much better for him in Milwaukee.  Giannis is already right there with Kyrie and is going to have the ball in his hands a lot much like LeBron does with Cleveland.  Kyrie is a superstar at a premium position, one that the Bucks haven't had a star at in a long, long time, but I think a point guard with a game more like Conley's (so if Brogdon can develop he'll be perfect) is a much better fit next to Giannis than a guy like Kyrie who spends entire possessions hunting his own shot.

Wouldn't complain with having him.  Not sold he'd be the savior for the Bucks, though.

[DegenerateDish]

If Kyrie really wants to be "the man" and he won't be that with LeBron and that's why he wants out, I'm not sure things would get much better for him in Milwaukee.  Giannis is already right there with Kyrie and is going to have the ball in his hands a lot much like LeBron does with Cleveland.  Kyrie is a superstar at a premium position, one that the Bucks haven't had a star at in a long, long time, but I think a point guard with a game more like Conley's (so if Brogdon can develop he'll be perfect) is a much better fit next to Giannis than a guy like Kyrie who spends entire possessions hunting his own shot.

Wouldn't complain with having him.  Not sold he'd be the savior for the Bucks, though.

None of that should matter, you can get Kyrie for 50 cents on the dollar at what is an insanely inexpensive NBA contract. There is not a better value the Bucks will find in the next three years, figure out the rest during the season. I'd do everything possible to go get him.

[wadesworld]

None of that should matter, you can get Kyrie for 50 cents on the dollar at what is an insanely inexpensive NBA contract. There is not a better value the Bucks will find in the next three years, figure out the rest during the season. I'd do everything possible to go get him.

We'll see if you can get him for 50 cents on the dollar.  He's under contract for 3 more years.  The Cavs don't have to trade him even if he wants to be traded.  Chances are LeBron is gone after next year anyway, so if all it is is that he wants to be "the man," the Cavs could do worse than have a disgruntled Kyrie for 1 year who then gets what he wants after that with them.

[GB Warrior]

Bucks should do whatever they can to get Kyrie. Probably need a third team, but some combo of Jabari and Monroe's expiring and go from there.

I would love to unload Jabari. He can and will be a great player, but his fit with Giannis isn't the best. That said, with the 2nd ACL tear, his value is at a low point. I also don't think he's a fit with the Cavs as long as Love remains there.

[DegenerateDish]

Problem with this news being public is it knocks any Kyrie return from 75 cents to 50 cents. There's no way they can get a great return now (a Porzingis/Irving trade makes a ton of rational sense as an example, but the Knicks will never do it knowing what is public now).

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Kyrie for Melo?  Both teams deal disgruntled stars and get equal return.  Where else can either team get fair value back?

Kyrie played HS ball in NJ so there is regional appeal for both he and the Knicks.  Kyrie and Porzingis would be a nice core that could attract a free agent.  Plus, the foreign rookie PG becomes a trade chip.

Cavs get a star in return and a Lebron buddy that might help you re-sign the King. Can they then turn Love into a PG via trade? Maybe Phoenix sends you Eric Bledsoe and something else.

This scenario would probably be a best case for all parties.

[GB Warrior]

Kyrie for Melo?  Both teams deal disgruntled stars and get equal return.  Where else can either team get fair value back?

Kyrie played HS ball in NJ so there is regional appeal for both he and the Knicks.  Kyrie and Porzingis would be a nice core that could attract a free agent.  Plus, the foreign rookie PG becomes a trade chip.

Cavs get a star in return and a Lebron buddy that might help you re-sign the King. Can they then turn Love into a PG via trade? Maybe Phoenix sends you Eric Bledsoe and something else.

This scenario would probably be a best case for all parties.

I think this is possible, but the Cavs will need more assets back in return. It's rumored that the Knicks might be onboard with that.

[reinko]

fat Melo, Bledsoe, and a future #1 for Love, and Kyrie is an abomination of a trade, nearly as bad as the Harden the trade.

Kyrie is top 20 NBA player who is still 25, while Melo is 33 and Bledsoe is just average.

Cleveland honestly should just blow up it up, and yes trade both Kyrie and LBJ for boatloads of young players and draft picks.

[GGGG]

fat Melo, Bledsoe, and a future #1 for Love, and Kyrie is an abomination of a trade, nearly as bad as the Harden the trade.

Kyrie is top 20 NBA player who is still 25, while Melo is 33 and Bledsoe is just average.

Cleveland honestly should just blow up it up, and yes trade both Kyrie and LBJ for boatloads of young players and draft picks.

So trading Kyrie is "an abomination," so you advocate trading Kyrie along with LBJ instead?  That doesn't make much sense.

They should just hang on to both.  Maybe see if you can flip Love, not because he is a poor player, but because he is a bad match up v. GSW.  Actually that in what their GM was trying to do before Gilbert decided to go cheap again.

[reinko]

So trading Kyrie is "an abomination," so you advocate trading Kyrie along with LBJ instead?  That doesn't make much sense.

They should just hang on to both.  Maybe see if you can flip Love, not because he is a poor player, but because he is a bad match up v. GSW.  Actually that in what their GM was trying to do before Gilbert decided to go cheap again.

If you are gonna reset as a team, really reset.  Melo, LBJ, and Bledsoe as a core ain't makin to the Finals, let alone contend.

I see your point though, in a perfect world they flip Love and LBJ for some first rounders, and young can't miss talent, then build those pieces around the younger Kyrie.

[GGGG]

Why break up the second best team in the league at all?  I mean they have been to three straight Finals and won one of them.

[reinko]

Why break up the second best team in the league at all?  I mean they have been to three straight Finals and won one of them.

Disgruntled star PG, aging forward who can't play D, and the best player on the planet who looks like will leave in a year.

Risk/reward I guess, might just be that time that this run is over.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I mean, the team with Lebron has made it to the Finals every year for how long? I think any team with Lebron on it has a very good chance of making it to the Finals. Maybe not beating the Warriors but making the Finals.

[forgetful]

I mean, the team with Lebron has made it to the Finals every year for how long? I think any team with Lebron on it has a very good chance of making it to the Finals. Maybe not beating the Warriors but making the Finals.

In the East, a team with Lebron on it will make the finals.