Lebron???

[kman58]

So this isn't news to anybody but what do y'all think about it? Possibilities of success back in Cleveland? Is Miami done for?

 

[Sawhill69]

I don't think it will be instant success, his team is relatively young and have little to no playoff experience at all, it's going to be a process.

 

[sammyk]

I don't think it will be instant success, his team is relatively young and have little to no playoff experience at all, it's going to be a process.

Agreed, San Antonio killed the finals, so the Cavs still have to overcome the western conference. Definitely a good playoff eastern team this year. LeBron took the Cavs well when he was there before, and he can do the same with youth also. Miami shouldn't be dead after that. Probably a playoff team also, but they need more pieces.

 

[Saab]

So, Miami isn't "Done" in the traditional sense of the word. The east becomes a lot more interesting and level(which means it just seeps with mediocrity) with lebron going to Cleveland.

Cavs:
1. Want Love, but they are going to be getting rid of the farm to get him. Is Love a great player - yeah top five in PER, great passer from the post, A stretch four that can post-up and hit threes. He's great in that he's better than bosh and is an elite passer, but he's a negative on defense. With wiggins you are trading a top-15 defender in the league right now who can be a perennially defensive player of the year guy who can spell 'Bron on the perimeter. It's a tough trade.
2. Lebron is going for money and Two year deals with player options. It means he doesn't want to fuck around anymore. He's going to play elite basketball on a team that is either loaded already or perfectly suited to improve with him being inserted in the lineup.
3. The cav's have great young talent who are being propped up by the idea of "Potential", but there's no bench and limited options underneath. The roster is going to be filled out with shooters who space the floor(Jame Jones and Mike Miller are both signed, but both are twats defensively). There is going to be added pressure to get talent defensively if they trade for love, because the three and four are going to be at a disadvantage and anderson varejo is more of the rebounder/foul taker than any meaningful body defensively.


The heat are still going to be the 5th or 6th seed in the east. The conference is atrocious and all the good teams are young teams with unproven commodities.

 

[Sid]

I don't think it will be instant success, his team is relatively young and have little to no playoff experience at all, it's going to be a process.

Before making that statement you should define success. For a Cavs team that has effectively a brand new look / roster, I personally would define success (or at the very least "meeting expectations") for them this season as home court adv in playoffs w/out a first round exit. I know everyone is saying East winner and other bullshit but for a team that just finished a 4 year stretch with 3 #1 picks, I'd say home court is reasonable.

2. Lebron is going for money and Two year deals with player options. It means he doesn't want to fuck around anymore. He's going to play elite basketball on a team that is either loaded already or perfectly suited to improve with him being inserted in the lineup.
3. The cav's have great young talent who are being propped up by the idea of "Potential", but there's no bench and limited options underneath. The roster is going to be filled out with shooters who space the floor(Jame Jones and Mike Miller are both signed, but both are twats defensively). There is going to be added pressure to get talent defensively if they trade for love, because the three and four are going to be at a disadvantage and anderson varejo is more of the rebounder/foul taker than any meaningful body defensively.

Ram - great point that LeBron's contract negotiations are an indication of his priority. He recognizes that this is the peak of his prime and he needs to cement his legacy. Besides it's not like he's out in 2 years. His contract is because he wants to make sure if doesn't see progress and a future he can dip. But if they can win East in 2 years, with positive player development, he has no reason to leave his hometown area.

Kyrie is a great complement. Varejao fills out a spot and can hold his own. A stretch 4 is great, but not at the expense of having to play 4-on-5 every possession. That doesn't help LeBron conserve his energy or body. Both camps on this trade talk have valid points, and IMO Love is only worth if it they can actually get a relatively deep bench with athletic wings and a paint enforcer.

I don't really see the obsession with adding a guy like Love who can score so much - LeBron + Kyrie alone are a force, and the King's presence should be able to elevate the game of Dion and allow both Waiters and Wiggins to develop well.


Either way - it's going to be a hell of a season to sit back and enjoy. #DCRising