NBA '17

[MUfan12]

Losing Jae and Avery Bradley will hurt Boston a ton defensively, but Hayward's scoring can help balance that out a bit.

I like this move for Cleveland. It keeps them competitive this year, and if (when) LeBron opts out, the combo of a first round pick and Jae's extremely valuable contract gives them pieces to accelerate a rebuild.

[Jockey]

Losing Jae and Avery Bradley will hurt Boston a ton defensively, but Hayward's scoring can help balance that out a bit.

I like this move for Cleveland. It keeps them competitive this year, and if (when) LeBron opts out, the combo of a first round pick and Jae's extremely valuable contract gives them pieces to accelerate a rebuild.

I think your logic is spot on.

But..... once Lebron leaves (if he does), free agents will treat Cleveland just like they treat Milwaukee, Sacramento, Detroit, Brooklyn, etc.

[wadesworld]

Losing Jae and Avery Bradley will hurt Boston a ton defensively, but Hayward's scoring can help balance that out a bit.

I like this move for Cleveland. It keeps them competitive this year, and if (when) LeBron opts out, the combo of a first round pick and Jae's extremely valuable contract gives them pieces to accelerate a rebuild.

Smart can be at least close to as good of a defender as Bradley is, and Morris gives you a lot of what Crowder gave you.  As you said, the addition of Hayward's scoring is big, plus, while still a bad defender, Kyrie is a defensive upgrade over IT.  The C's certainly lose some defense and toughness, but they aren't really hurting for it as a result.  Brown, Horford, Morris, and Smart can all get after you, and Ojeleye is very physical, though I'm not sure what kind of role he will have on the team.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Since when do NBA teams that compete against each other in conference finals make a trade?

[Pakuni]

Losing Jae and Avery Bradley will hurt Boston a ton defensively, but Hayward's scoring can help balance that out a bit.

Trading away IT is addition by subtraction when it comes to defensive play, though. Kyrie is mediocre defensively, but even that's an upgrade over Thomas.

That said, I think this is a very good trade for the Cavs under the circumstances. IT and Jae give them enough that they're still only a KD/Curry injury away from a legit title shot, and when Thomas and LeBron walk next year, they'll have a top 3 or better pick to build around.

[wadesworld]

It's going to be absolutely hilarious watching the Westbrook, Carmelo, and PG all trying to get their shots up.

[rocket surgeon]

It's going to be absolutely hilarious watching the Westbrook, Carmelo, and PG all trying to get their shots up.

new stat line-steals from your own team mate

  i don't care who the thunder had to give up, but the knicks should be partying right now.  they could have gotten the thunders 3rd best beer hawker, a thunder girl and the head towel boy for him and consider themselves up for most improved team of 2017-18.  i know there's salary cap stuff, but melo should go down as one of the most ineffective all stars of all time

  life just ain't fair though, eyn'AHHHHHHH  ?

[brewcity77]

It's going to be absolutely hilarious watching the Westbrook, Carmelo, and PG all trying to get their shots up.

I'm assuming they'll petition the league to play with two balls.

[4everwarriors]

Ah man, why even go der, hey?

[reinko]

It's going to be absolutely hilarious watching the Westbrook, Carmelo, and PG all trying to get their shots up.

They flipped Oladipo, Kanter, Dougie, Sabonis and a 2nd rounder for a top 10 NBA player and and top 30 NBA player.  Presti is frackin' wizard of taking a borderline 8 seed of a team to the 2nd best team in the West, and a top 3-5 team in the league.

OKC will make the Western Conference finals, book it.

[wadesworld]

They flipped Oladipo, Kanter, Dougie, Sabonis and a 2nd rounder for a top 10 NBA player and and top 30 NBA player.  Presti is frackin' wizard of taking a borderline 8 seed of a team to the 2nd best team in the West, and a top 3-5 team in the league.

OKC will make the Western Conference finals, book it.

Top 30 player in the NBA?!  LOL!  Paul George is definitely not a top 10 player in the NBA either, but at least he's relatively close.  Carmelo top 30?!  Is he even top 100?  Maybe.  Purely high volume scoring?  Sure.

I would love to make a friendly wager on that.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Melo is well passed it. Unless it's hoodie Melo of course. There really aren't enough basketballs to go around that team.

My dad couldn't stop laughing at the thought of them sharing the court.

[reinko]

Top 30 player in the NBA?!  LOL!  Paul George is definitely not a top 10 player in the NBA either, but at least he's relatively close.  Carmelo top 30?!  Is he even top 100?  Maybe.  Purely high volume scoring?  Sure.

I would love to make a friendly wager on that.

Wager yes, will PM you.

As for Melo, I agree, top 30 was pushing it, but definitely top 50.

As for George in the top, 10 who you got?

Going into this year, I have 9 definites in Bron, KD, Steph, Harden, Russ, Kawhi, Giannis, Davis, George.  Then it gets really subjective with Wall, Kyrie, Draymond, Towns, Butler...

[wadesworld]

Wager yes, will PM you.

As for Melo, I agree, top 30 was pushing it, but definitely top 50.

As for George in the top, 10 who you got?

Going into this year, I have 9 definites in Bron, KD, Steph, Harden, Russ, Kawhi, Giannis, Davis, George.  Then it gets really subjective with Wall, Kyrie, Draymond, Towns, Butler...

In my opinion LBJ, KD, Steph, Kawhi, CP3, Russ, Harden, Giannis, Davis are all definitely ahead of PG.  I personally think Wall is one of the more underrated players in the NBA and would have him at 10, with PG, KAT, Kyrie, Butler, Draymond, and (another guy I think I like a lot more than most seem to) Lillard.  I'd have PG in the 11-15 range rather than the 1-10 but that's pretty much splitting hairs.

Melo I just don't see it.  Yes he can score the ball on a lot of shots, but I really don't see him making any team he plays on better.  I'd honestly rather have a Livingston or McCaw on my team over Melo.

[rocket surgeon]

gotta have some isaiah love here somewhere...honorable mention at least.  he's one slippery guy

[wadesworld]

gotta have some isaiah love here somewhere...honorable mention at least.  he's one slippery guy

He said going into this year, and nobody really knows what the deal is with IT's hip.

[MU82]

Wager yes, will PM you.

As for Melo, I agree, top 30 was pushing it, but definitely top 50.

As for George in the top, 10 who you got?

Going into this year, I have 9 definites in Bron, KD, Steph, Harden, Russ, Kawhi, Giannis, Davis, George.  Then it gets really subjective with Wall, Kyrie, Draymond, Towns, Butler...

Too lazy to look it up, but didn't George get denied the right to one of those mega-contracts because he wasn't on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd All-NBA teams? Not that the voters are 100% right, but they're usually pretty close. That would mean George is outside the top 15.

[Silkk the Shaka]

In my opinion LBJ, KD, Steph, Kawhi, CP3, Russ, Harden, Giannis, Davis are all definitely ahead of PG.  I personally think Wall is one of the more underrated players in the NBA and would have him at 10, with PG, KAT, Kyrie, Butler, Draymond, and (another guy I think I like a lot more than most seem to) Lillard.  I'd have PG in the 11-15 range rather than the 1-10 but that's pretty much splitting hairs.

Melo I just don't see it.  Yes he can score the ball on a lot of shots, but I really don't see him making any team he plays on better.  I'd honestly rather have a Livingston or McCaw on my team over Melo.

I'd rather have Crowder than Melo

[wadesworld]

I'd rather have Crowder than Melo

+1

[rocket surgeon]

I'd rather have Crowder than Melo

absolutely!!  he plays great defense and passes the ball

[StillAWarrior]

There is some first-rate passive aggressive jabs being taken in the LeBron/Kyrie feud.

LBJ:  "I tried to do whatever I could do to help the kid out and so he could be the best player he could be.  I tried to give him everything, give him as much of my DNA as I could. As I said throughout [last] season, at some point when he was ready to take over the keys, I was ready to give them to him...I reached out to him [after hearing about the trade request] because I just wanted to get a little insight on why he felt like he wanted to move on. He basically just let me know that that was the direction that he wanted to go in. And I was OK with that. And it's a business. I understand that. ... The kid wanted to do what was best for his career, and I give credit to our GM, Koby [Altman], and our ownership for granting that for him."

KI:  ""If we ever have that conversation -- I don't think it's for anybody else but me and him...That's what I'm saying, even if there are things, it's not anybody else's business.  It's really between two men. ... That's between two men."

Man, those Cavs-Celts games are going to be awesome.  The East has been kind of boring for a while...this should spice things up considerably.  I tend to be a LeBron fan (as well as Kyrie), but those comments are gratuitously condescending.

[Jockey]

I'd rather have Crowder than Melo

So would every GM in the league.

[reinko]

So would every GM in the league.

Fake news.

Like Infowars level fake 

[Jockey]

Fake news.

Like Infowars level fake 

Well, maybe Paxson would take Carmelo - no one else would.

Most stats aren't even that close, so unless "volume shooter" is your thing, it is Crowder hands-down. And Crowder is 6 years younger.

[Jockey]

Thq "Hawk has passed away at 75.

He, along with Dr. J and a young Jordan, were players who brought the crowd to their feet when they got the ball in the open court