Cavs complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat
2010-07-10
So the good news is that the Cavs are getting something back for LeBron James after all. According to Windhorst, the Cavs will be getting two first-round picks from the Heat sometime between 2013 and 2017, a 2012 second-round pick from New Orleans, a future second-round pick, and a $16 million trade exception.
The details of this are complicated, but basically this allows Miami to pay LeBron less earlier in his contract, gives the Cavaliers something something for giving up LeBron, and helps Miami improve in the short term while giving the Cavs a better chance to rebuild.
It looks like the plan is to try and use the picks as assets in a trade and try for another winning season rather than try a full rebuild. Not sure how I feel about that as a five-year plan, but it looks like the management wants to give the fans something to root for next season. Can’t say I disagree with that logic.
I would have something to say about the press conference fiasco, but I was at summer league watching basketball. I really don’t feel like I missed something important. Until tomorrow, everyone.
It’s becoming clear that the organization’s steadfast goal of keeping its “win now” mentality, while admirable, might not be possible. Just not many players available at the moment. Teams have been able to craft trades (like PHX deal of today) for weeks, while the Cavs have not. The playoff losses stripped bare much of the trade value of people like Mo and Delonte, while giant contracts hamper the value of Andy and Antawn. JJ, once thought to be tradeable, now probably has to be a keeper, right? What the heck are the Cavs going to do with that big 16… Read more »
These ESPN people just do not get it at all. They’re sticking to the false narrative/strawman that the people pissed at LeBron right now are pissed because he went somewhere else. If I have to hear one more goddamn person say that Cleveland didn’t own LBJ or some BS (which, given publicly funded stadiums, etc., we were subsidizing his career and making it possible), I’m going to f-ing strangle myself.
Gilbert should not have been kissing up so bad and maybe he would not feel so upset now….Any thoughts on the Jesse Jackson comments?
ESPN has always protected him, and will continue to do so unless he goes Benedict Arnold on them too for some reason down the road. Gilbert protected him up until the betrayal and you saw his anger. I mean, not even talking to your owner from the moment you gave up in the playoffs and then having one of your own henchman call him 2 minutes before you leave, especially when that owner has done everything for you….dude has some serious ego. I’ve always loved Simmons and hopes he continues to pound this story the way he has been. And… Read more »
is it just me, or does it look like espn writers, except for simmons, is protecting lebron. most of the articles i read is supporting his decision and somehow forgetting to add the 1-hour espn especial into the equation..
just an observation..
Perry, wrong board. Don’t give me this bullshit of what he’s selling “us,” cause clearly you aren’t us. No one in their right mind expects this team to win a title anytime soon, but I fully believe they can prevent the heat from winning one by giving away players while rebuilding to specific teams. Also, owners pushing for a hard cap next year. The “3 Kings (how in the hell does Bosh get mentioned with the other 2…someone help me out there)” are about to be reduced to 2…or be all by themselves after 1 season. It’s gonna be fun… Read more »
Damn, Windy says it looks like Childress is going to Phoenix (which is a fantastic move, but I wish we’d have nabbed him). Now my new-dream scenario of trading for Rubio’s rights and signing Childress can never happen (seriously though, with most of who we have now and those 2, that would be a SICK team).
I love the sentiment from Gilbert but he needs to do what is best for the team. The guarantee will be forgotten. Anyway, Miami is not going to win a championship as long as that Lakers frontcourt is together. Not a chance. Cavs need to make smart moves and build for the future. If we put roadblocks in Miami’s way, all the better, but it isn’t necessary. If we can get rid of contracts in a way that makes sense, let’s do it. I really think Gilbert needs to make some kind of statement to make him look like less… Read more »
The only way they become championship contenders is if they pull off a trade for Chris Paul at the deadline (or sooner) this will mean getting other teams involved…my hope is that we can work a 3 team thing where Minnesota sends NO Al Jefferson and we take Okafor and Paul, not sure yet exactly what Minnesota gets out of that.
So what will the Cavs and Gilbert be doing with the money they planned to pay LeBron? Win a championship? You’ve got to be kidding. With the current cast of characters they would have trouble beating Ohio State. Gilbert’s message is playing to the fans anger. He’s playing us, folks. When will he be DOING something more that stocking up draft picks for 3-5 years from now? The Three Kings from South beach will have won several championships by then. Gilbert talks a good game but we need to see more than smoke and mirrors. Does anyone take Gilbert seriously?… Read more »
Yea..Gilbert is about to mess up by not packing it in. Still, we can keep Miami from winning a title w/o trying to beaat them ourselves. Put Mo Williams on the Lakers. Done.
Put Varejao on the Magic. Done.
Somebody is gonna be humbled in all of this, whether lbj or Gilbert. Gilbert’s guarantee of winning before lbj was very bold, and on paper, very ludicrous. I don’t know if he’s gonna be ok with packing it in the next couple years for lottery picks. ESpecially after such an outlandish guarantee. Hard for me to see how Cavs are gonna remain a considerable title contender right now. If they kept the roster as is, they’ll definitely be competitive in regards to making playoffs
I love LeBatard. Dude totally understands Miami fans are an oxymoron.
Oh, and it isn’t 6 years if they don’t win. They all have 4 year POs.
No, I don’t. Childress maybe, but it depends on the number. jefferson can’t be a number 1 guy and costs to much for a number 2 guy. We gotta just blow it up and get at least two straight lottry picks before we start taking guys like Jefferson.
@Eric s Lmao at le.betard… I noticed the “d-l-c” written in nwo letters. When I first heard bout those 3 joining same team, I thought bout wade as hall, bosh as nash and lbj as hogan forming the nwo, with riley as bishoff lol. I don’t know how many of Ya’ll remember that, but Hogan became an instant heel and also pissed on all his hulkamaniacs lol. I mean only a classic wrestling storyline can describe this move lol. And I guarantee that they’ll be people all over the place trying to join them down there within that 6 years… Read more »
All im saying is look out this coming season. The Cavs will come back with alot of fire i have a good feeling about it. When MJ left the leuge in 1994 every person on that bulls team pciked them selves up and made the team even better.Yes they never made it to the finals after he left, but just watch the Cavs i have a good feeling LBJ leaving is a reason to win a chip. T Mac will sign with the cavs he is the only FA i can see that has the will to win one before… Read more »
Rich,
I totally agree with you. People keep holding onto these ridiculous sentiments like loyalty (sounds a lot like hope and change and other marketing slogans used to get presidents elected) and thinking they have value in logical discourse. LeBron quit on his team, he colluded well in advance to form this troika, and he disrespected Cleveland by purposefully adding The Decision to this city’s pantheon of sports embarrassments when he vowed to deliver us a championship. He’s a bad person because of these reason. End of story.
Echoing Rich, there’s no owner vs. player’s distinction here. It’s the method, not the outcome. I think most of us expected, especially after the playoffs, that LeBron would be leaving for seemingly greener pastures. It’s the fact that he strung us along for two more months, never acknowledged Cleveland fans for their support, and basically pissed on the front office, in addition to what appears now to be throwing the playoffs this year, are what pisses us off. He can go anywhere he goddamn well pleases. But if he doesn’t want to be thought of as a self-aggrandizing, masturbatory piece… Read more »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZr2qOXQJ4w
Dan LeBatard’s reaction to “The Decision” is priceless. It may sting, but it’s full of laughs.
ANd for anyone wondering if LeBron just doesn’t have the fire, there is an easy thing to look at. If Lebron went to Chicago, he could have been the man and won MORE titles. That CHicago team, even w/ Boozer instead of Bosh, would be a better team than this Miami team. It’s clear, though, he doesn’t have the fire. He can’t handle the pressure. He never wanted to be Jordan. That’s a sad thing, but I’m not mad at him for it. I wouldn’t boo him for it and burn jerserys for it. I do that stuff because he… Read more »
Guys, it isn’t about loyalty. Stop trying to say LeBron doesn’t have to be loyal. HE CAN LEAVE. We understand. Stop bringing it up because it isn’t the point.
It’s the fact that he quit in the middle of a playoff series. It really isn’t tough to understand. I’m not upset he left. I’m SAD he left, because he gave up on chasing Jordan. Wasting his talent. But im MAD that he quit on his team in the middle of hte playoffs. Not loyalty or anything.
One of the worst things about this Heat team, I’ve come to decide, is that we’ll no longer have those epic one-on-one duels between Congressman James and Wade. Instead they’ll be fighting each other for shots at the end of the game. Lame.
@ Nikil I think a lot of us are in the same boat. I’m 20 and I started watching the Cavs the second year LBJ was in the league. I had never watched basketball before, and in fact, I thought it was really dumb. But I heard we were going to be good, so I decided it was worth watching. Since then, I have fallen in love with the Cavs organization, with the game of basketball, and for a while with LeBron James. When it became very common knowledge that he would probably leave this summer (around 2 years ago)… Read more »
I highly suggest you all read Windy’s reporting on how this all came to be: http://bit.ly/b3uQxt
How dare the Indians treat MLB like a buisness and get rid of Redmond because he had served his purpose. Have they no loyalty? I think Redmond should write an open letter castigating ownership for treating him like a piece of meat. I think Indian’s fans should be outraged and boycott games. I think buisinesses downtown should make money because of the palpable outrage over this mattter. I think the front office should be criticized for doing this without any fanfare, and that the Plain Dealer and Beacon Journal should make a big deal of this. Where are the Cleveland… Read more »
With all this emphasis on loyalty, it would make sense to calm down we Cavs fan base by dumping the temporary guys like Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon (LeBron followers) and bring in some familiar names with a record of distinguished service to the franchise. What I mean is, NOW is the time to sign Donyell Marshall and Larry Hughes to surround the NBA’s newest and best pick-and-roll duo since Stockton and Malone, Mo Williams and Anderson Varajao. Also, I heard Damon Jones was available, and since Wally is still getting paid it makes sense for him to suit up… Read more »
@ colin
I understand that, but the fact they can give the cavs fans hope for one season until next year when we can try and sign melo or cp3
I’m sorry, but if they would both take near the minimum I would take them
@Nikhil:
This team isn’t winning anything with Iverson and T-Mac… no team has won, or will ever win anything with either of those players. Its 2010, not 2001…
ok here is my 2 cents in this whole thing. I am 17 now and started waching the nba at around the age of 10. I grew up watching my idol Lebron james. The fact that he was my idol had alot to do with me likeing the Cavs also. Slowly i became a Cavs fan and accepted Lebron was on our team. The fact he left pissed me off yes, but I thought if he was going to leave he would adress his fans and organization first. I am not as bitter about the situation as i was on… Read more »
I’m going to guess that LeBron has cheated on Savannah NUMEROUS times. Remember the whole thing with Kanye’s girlfriend that was kept quiet? Yeah, like Gilbert said, people have been covering up for this guy for a LONG, LONG time. It won’t be long until some stories start to leak. And you know what, Jordan may have punched Kerr in the face, but any COMPETITIVE person goes over the top once in a while. One of my dad’s favorite stories (he was a former college coach) is when two of his players were playing so hard against each other that… Read more »
The guy is a phenomenal player but a dirtbag of a person. Put him on the list with Boozer:
Lefraud and Loozer.
I really think he threw the Boston series so that his excuse for leaving could be to win championships. If he won a championship, he couldn’t use the championship excuse to go to South Beach. Game 5 was bizarre. Even the announcers said it. New York media was saying that if he lost, then there would be a better chance that he would leave. Why leave a team with the best record in the NBA for 2 straight years knocking on the door to a championship? To be on a team with 2 other stars and party in South Beach,… Read more »
From that Windhorst piece, it seems clear Riley and the troika were guilty of tampering. The Cavs should take it up with the league and try to get at least an extra draft pick or two.
Yeah, I’ve gotten to the point where I assume he was legitimately trying to win a championship for a while, knowing that would make the inevitable decision to leave easier for his hometown fans to swallow. Then it didn’t happen, and for some reason with potentially his best shot at it this year, he just decided he didn’t care anymore. It really makes his talk about northeastern Ohio and loyalty over the ensuing 4 years look extremely empty.
Now he’s going to win 10+ championships in Miami apparently. What a d-bag.
I think it’s over then. He threw the series. Dude should absolutely never be able to live this down.
Windy recently posted an interesting article on the build-up to the decision. He’s got the groundwork being laid in 2006 when they all signed their 3-year extensions.
It’s just not even a debate that he quit in game 5. Watch the tape. He decided on his own to not be involved in the least. He stood around at the 3pt. line in the corner, for an entire game. Quit. I dunno if he did that on purose to get out of town, or if he just realized he can’t handle the pressure and folded. Either way, it shows his mentality is not that of a leader, but instead of a follower and a sidekick.
BTW, Isaac, you obviously weren’t around here for the playoffs. EVERYBODY was questioning his dedication except for like Jimmy or someone like that.
I love these people pulling the true “fan” card with LeBron now, as if it is somehow more noble to be a fan of celebrity rather than a team. As if you can be a better fan because you don’t have an allegiance to a team? That’s called being a spectator.
I’ll enjoy watching some of the highlights coming out of Miami, but as soon as he’s not a Cav, F LeBron. I just want to see him lose now.
Every one of you trolls can go wax Congressman James’ knob on an inevitably empty Miami heat comment board.
John, at some point I’d like to hear how you personally feel about LeBron’s decision. Does it bother you that he was able to abandon his hometown fans?
That’s honestly what bothers me. I know it’s not a fair or reasonable expectation, but I hoped that he wanted a championship for us as much as for himself. In his conference he made it abundantly clear that that wasn’t the case. Not even a little bit. His decision was all about him. I don’t hate him for it, but it takes away a major reason why I was his fan.
James: 100% correct.
I don’t begrudge him leaving. I am however pretty stunned that in an hour long special at no point did he say something along the lines of “thanks for the last seven years of support, Cleveland fans, it was fun.” He thanked the organization at one point, but never much acknowledged the fans. He said it was hard to leave because of everything he’d put into it, and that it was his hometown, and hoped that the fans had appreciated everything he’d done for them. But it was strange that, in leaving, the best he offered the fans was the… Read more »
If he was gonna leave, that wasn’t the way to go. He’s still my favorite player, but I will never cheer for the heat. I can forgive him for leaving. But I won’t forget just how badly he left.
@Tom Pestak: Nobody, and I mean Nobody was questioning his dedication in last years playoffs till now. He had a 38 PER for goodness sake, he did not quit. Be angry but dont be unnecessary, please. This years playoffs, I can understand why you might question his dedication, but I still dont buy it. Conspiracy theorists always ask: Qui Bono, latin for: who benefits? And seriously, does Lebron benefit from quitting on the playoffs just because he is leaving later? He is obviously not lazy, the guy worked his ass off keeping us afloat throughout the regular season (see: the… Read more »
I’m really sick of this “Jordan would’ve never done this or that” junk. LeBron would never punch a teammate in practice. LeBron would never gamble away millions of dollars to the detriment of his family. LeBron would never blatantly cheat on his wife and spend his time drinking until 4AM rather than raising his kids. LeBron would never trick his teammates into stupid bets he knew they’d lose just to assert his dominance in the most petty way possible. MJ did lots of awful, awful s***, but was lucky enough to be in a situation to win lots of titles.… Read more »
Isaac: Why did he HAVE to announce the decision in a one-hour special and cut off all contact with his hometown team that had done everything he asked for his entire career? I assume you didn’t watch the special or you could not possibly be defending him. He has every right to go wherever he wants but the way he decided to do it was utterly classless and unnecessary. No city or organization would have deserved this kind of treatment — and this was his HOMETOWN.
Since zero.explanation has been given for lbjs no show in those afforementioned games, and there is serious credance to the idea that he planned on joining wade and bosh as early as 2006 – I wish someone other than Gilbert would seriously ask the question: did lebron purposely quit on the best reg season team two years in a row? I wouldn’t have ever believed it…but I never would have believed he would give me the middle finger and laugh on natl tv either
Isaac, I would be a better person.
And no, Jordan wouldn’t have bolted CHicago. He had the chance, if you remember, to go to New York. He said no.
Still looking right past teh fact that LBJ quit the Boston series. Not sure, how under any circumstance, you can excuse that. Anyway, no, Jordan wouldn’t have left. He would have been pissed and wanted to beat the shit out of wade and bosh.
Kevin,
This is another Kevin. You’re smoking crack.
Really have no hard feelings towards Lebron. Dude did what he had to do, and Im sick of people saying Kobe or Jordan were any different. If I know anything about how competitive Jordan was, he would have left chicago in a second to follow his own whims and… oh wait. Yeah he did to go play baseball. Think he wouldnt have left to go elsewhere if he hadnt been winning three peats all over the place? And kobe is on record as demanding trades and generally being one of the most ego driven humans alive. Fact is, Sports people… Read more »
Combine that with the soon to be announced signing of Josh Childress and the Cavs will have a pretty solid team next year.
Is it obvious to everyone else that Mo Williams, 3 first round draft picks, & $14 million trade exception are about to be traded to New Orleans for Chris Paul and Omeka Okafor?
Hey, Jay, wake up bro. Gilbert crossed a line, but it isn’t because LBJ left, it’s because LBJ totally screwed us over on purpose. Since the playoffs ended, LBJ NEVER returned a Gilbert phonecall and refused to speak to him. He waited until the 8th when every single FA was taken up before making an announcement. GIlbert went overboard, but it LBJ is still the bad guy here. And lol and LBJ being Dan Gilberts meal ticket. The dude bought the team, not because LBJ helped him do it. He makes his money in many other places that don’t include… Read more »
just have to say one who does the Cavs owner think he is, he keeps talking about how he was disrespected, it sounds like this guy thought he owner LJ, I thought slavery was abolished in this country. It just amaze me the balls this guy has, no one owes him a dam thing. I love the plantation mentality these team owners show towards their players especially the minorities, that’s why I stop being a sports fan but the comments from the Cleveland owner really pisses me off, I mean the arrogant rich white superiority he comes off with everytime… Read more »
I was just reading the comments of the owner of the Cavs and I have to say the only reason this guy is on a rant is because he loss his cash cow. these owners really are the ones you should be bad at. I’m not a LJ fan but I do see his point of view, he’s a man that wants to win a ring and that was not going to happen Cleveland because if use look at what the owner was doing and that was using James as a carnival side show to pack the seats. This guy… Read more »
I really like New York’s deal for Lee, since he was pretty much superfluous now (I mean, a Lee/Amare frontcourt wouldn’t have been able to stop anyone), and I wish we could have gotten Randolph.
Not the acquisition that is, which I really like, but the fact that I can’t get my comment through is lame.
I guess I’m not allowed to make a brief comment about the Bulls acquisition of Korver. Lame.
AHH piece of shit goddamn commenting system!!!!
Check out the potential fallout of LeBron, the trade for David Lee and upcoming NBA Summer League
sportsaccordingtome.com
Scott, I’m not really sure what all the uproar about Jim Gray is either. I guess people are upset that LeBron appeared to be sitting with a serious journalist, when really it was entirely staged and LeBron was immune to serious questioning. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, because I’m not sure what else was to be expected. It’s not like sports journalism (or journalism as a whole for that matter) is full of hard-hitting interviewers who actually hold people accountable. That seems about the least objectionable and least surprising part of the whole spectacle.
Is it just me, or did that little spectacle in Miami (last night) look like the beginning of Rocky IV?
This helps the Heat more than it helps us. Those picks are not going to be good ones.
Lebron looked extremely uncomfortable. Hopefully this translates into his basketball game.
Karma really needs to get working about now.
Unrelated question, but I’m not sure where to ask it that is more likely to get a response: I’m not sure whether to chalk this up to a lack of depth when it comes to my understanding of journalistic ethics, or perhaps simply a pervasive personal cynicism, but why does it seem such a big deal is being made of the Jim Gray/Lebron (‘s camp)/ESPN arrangement for the ‘special’? Perhaps if I knew what the standard practice for such a thing is (although, can there really be a standard for something quite like -this-?) the fuss would make more sense.… Read more »
So, who do we think the front office has their eyes on?
Is it only me, did LeBron look really uncomfortable and trying to force himself to give a genuine smile. The only time I really thought he was himself was when he was talking about how Riley should suit up and play with them.
toronto is now paying lebron? Did I miss something? Are we getting Bosh?