A Four Year Deal 2018-07-01 Off By Tom Pestak Recap: Free Agency Fallout (or, Unfinished Business) Podcast Episode 178: LeBrexit
Ugh… I sure hope Jeff Green isn’t resigned.
Prepare to be disappointed. And then be more disappointed as he starts and plays 35 minutes a game. Of course a roster guru like Magic may always snatch him up, too.
Yeah that’s good for tanking, but I have zero interest in watching Jeff Green hijack the offense.
NBA Trade Machine is not working
Lakers fans crashed it trying to run Deng and Kuzma to the Spurs for Kawhi.
I will give my appreciation to Lebron on a later date. This thing I want to say must come first.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THANK YOU KEVIN LOVE. I WISH THE CAVALIER ORGANIZATION WILL HANG YOUR JERSEY ON THE RAFTERS SOON. YOU DESERVE EVERY SUCCESS IN LIFE AND I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN IT. YOU DO YOU FAM, WHETHER YOU STAY, GET TRADED OR CHOOSE TO LEAVE, I HOPE IT GETS YOU TO THE BEST PLACE OF COMBINED PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. WE LOVE YOU KEV!!!
Kevin Love?? what? dude’s not even good
whatever
You drunk or angry?
He’s been a pro. No player sacrificed more on the court. Most of his hot zones were taken by LeBron. I’m excited to see him as a featured player again
Now we need a coach and GM who can develop a new team of youngsters. How many such capable people are chomping at the bit to work for Dan Gilbert?
Honestly, I am mostly apathetic and slightly relieved by it all. Don’t think we were pulling another championship out even if he stayed. Don’t think he will be pulling another championship out in LA even if they get Kawhi and Cousins. Only way is if GS is injured. They might be able to beat Houston if they get Kawhi. I don’t think Cousins matches up well with GS though. How many people think he will still be the best player on the planet in two years? It is probably close now considering how unguardable from every spot on the floor… Read more »
I think if LAL gets a healthy Leonard, they can challenge GS.
Maybe next year. Pop lost it over the Pau deal to the Lakers a few years ago. All those playoff battles. He’s not helping the Lakers. The 76ers can offer a better package anyway.
I assume their hope is to pry KD or Klay away from GSW next summer, then it’s all in play. Anything could happen… I think the postmortem is that LeBron always hated Gilbert and planned to screw him over on the way out, but also wanted to get at least one title for NE Ohio because in his weird way, he did care about the fans. It was always dysfunctional and made for a curiously unpleasant viewing experience at times. Still, the Cavs fans got a championship and four Finals appearances, and he didn’t have to come back. LeBron is… Read more »
Could be. Why would Durant do that? Makes zero sense.
And like I said I am grateful he got us one. I just really have always disliked the Lakers. Would almost rather Boston win. But really I don’t want any of those three. So that is why I am mostly apathetic now.
Probably right on Gilbert. Too bad it was to my most hated team.
I’m not saying it would make much on-court sense, just that doing crazy crap to get attention every other offseason at a minimum seems to be the new NBA normal. KD is a weirdo too, so who knows.
Enjoyed this take.
Same here. Good post, RC.
I’m with you man. The title was great, but the last eight years have been exhausting.
Lonzo Ball sucks. Just want to say that.
I second that!
Horrible PG for LeBron.
If there’s a Boston-LA Finals with LeBron vs. Kyrie, that might be even more sickening than Modell winning the Super Bowl with the Ravens or Belichick turning into Vince Lombardi in New England. Because the Cavs wi have helped both teams get there.
*will* have helped both teams get there…
You know its going down. I don’t think anyone can really challenge Boston the next couple of years (in the East).
They aren’t beating GS as long as Durant is there.
I’m putting my stakes on Sexton. Fire Lue, trade all garbages gets real assets.
The Cavs should look to extend Love. If he won’t, then trade him, and anyone not named Cedi, Sexton, Nance, and Zizik can go. JR, Hill, and Korver are expirings, and any of the contenders (Philly, Boston, GS, LAL, Houston) will be bidding for them by the trade deadline. We should be able to net some second rounders for them.
Next year TT will be an expiring. I have no interest in keeping TT on a bad team.
About Love, I’d give him the freedom to choose. He deserves everything in the world. The dust has settled and the Big-3 era is over. THE BEST CHARACTER GUY FOR THE TEAM IS KEVIN LOVE. MUCH RESPECT.
Absolutely.
I’d try to deal him to Portland, if he would want to go there. He’s going to stay in Cleveland this season, though, for the almighty GATE…sounds like, anyway…
Once upon a time he WAS on a bad team
I’m trying to forget those days.
I wonder who LeBron gets traded off the Lakers? I think Lance has a gold chance of getting shipped off.
Dude, they just signed him…
Lonzo will be first to go… then they’ll have to ship out Ingram, Kuz and maybe Randle for Kawhi…
Word is that Kuz is ‘untouchable’…somehow I think that will change…
No way Pop and RC send Kawhi there.
I think we are going to start to see ”untying players shoes JR” unfortunately.
That’s worth at least a first round pick to someone like Magic who is putting together a dynasty…
JR is officially an expiring contract.
GOOD!!! His bad playing hurt us this year
Just saw an article from someone in sporting news whom has no connection to ohio say LeBron is definitively best cleveland athlete of all time. I have him 3 behind Jim brown and Bob feller. Brown and feller stayed and won a chip. Am I crazy and bitter?
I’m not much interested in those kind of arguments, but in my opinion Lebron is clearly 1, and Brown probably 2…
Jim Brown is the greatest running back in NFL history… not sure about Feller, but it’s JB and LBJ neck and neck for me…
We’ll in my lifetime it’s LeBron. Some of those 95’ Indians are probably on the list too.
Cy Young would have to be up there. More from the Browns dynasty: Otto Graham?
Go Tribe!
Magic needs to bring Jordan Clarkson home. Maybe he can get JR as well with the right offer.
Who’s in for an ownership change?
Dan wants to prove he can build a contender without Bron. Maybe he’s learned lessons from the past? Hope he can prove us wrong and make it happen.
Every billionaire has an extreme ego. Given the track record plus now he proved he can deliver as an owner, I think Gilbert will be more hands-on more than ever. I’m anxious with that scenario. I want the very best for my Cavs top to bottom. No prima donna stars holding the organization hostage, dumb coaches, henny-IQ players. NONE!
Yeah I have my doubts. But I’m interested to see what he can pull off. He will always spend the money. Now he and the organization need to prove they can draft well and develop talent.
I am.
I wouldn’t want to work for Dan Gilbert if I had a choice.
Not at all. Gilbert has invested in Cleveland more than any Ohioan. He’s the best owner Cleveland has had since Dick Jacobs. The honeymoon with the Dolans will be over in a few years.
Sounds like the Lakers just wanted to pry away McGee from GS. So he probably won’t play.
That locker room is going to be a mess
They’ll get O’Quinn and be better for it.
Honestly it was LeBron who introduced me to Cavalier fandom, and I’m still here and will be here forever.
Right on man
Awesome
I hope Metta World Peace comes out of retirement…
Call me bitter but I think at least 3 of every 10 things that gone wrong for us in the 11 seasons have Lebron to blame.
All those waiters in LA are gonna hate serving Bron.
Sources say Dion to LA?
hah – i miss Dion
https://twitter.com/Mark25Price/status/1013616922192236544
Can we replace Lue with this guy?
Would do anything for him to be either coach or decision maker in the organization…
Stroke of genius there….. Price for GM!!!
Price might be able to fix JR’s shot
Nothing wrong with his shot… it’s his brain lol
JR’s mind might need more fixing.
I want a fresh start
Magic – Nick Young, World Champion Nick Young, is out there…just sayin’…
HAHA Lance Stephenson AND JaVale McGee??? LOLOLOL
Yeah the last 2 seasons have really been frustrating as hell.
I’m surprised by all the positive vibes going LeBron’s way from NEO.
I’m super annoyed.
I’m with you.
Same here
I feel more annoyance toward Dan Gilbert. He jettisoned Griffin at the worst time, and cavsdan’s arrogance was the problem. Can’t believe you are surprised that James is getting much deserved love for four more brilliant years.
Yep, totally agree Mike P
Lebron will always get positive vibes from us. Greatest player ever, gives everything to his craft, brought us a championship. Gives everything to his community and family.
Dan Gilbert’s the one who has no idea how to run an organization.
I have mixed feelings. First off, I felt he was gone, so I am not surprised. Second, I am not a Bron fanboy. I see the flaws in his game and leadership. Not even in my GOAT discussion (Russell, MJ, Kareem, Wilt) and I would much rather have had Magic or Duncan or Bird play for my team. And he undermines his teams with win now to please me mode & then abandons them (twice after going to the Finals & once with the best record). On the other hand, he did come back & lead us to the title… Read more »
JaVale McGee signs with Lakers…lmfaooooo…Lebron is going to have the biggest collection of dimwits he’s ever played with. Now get JR, Magic, you roster contructing guru…
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Born is gonna do a lot of screaming at McGee!
”Bron”
I hate this
This past season wasn’t very enjoyable and we had LeBron.
Lance Stevenson? A Chris Bosh comeback? Yeah, that should get it done… lol
Lance will be a wonderful influence for the Laker youngsters.
😂
What will Magic give for JR? Can’t expect Lebron to play without his wingman!
10 first round picks
I would even take two first round picks for him…no need to be catty…
You know what? F LeBron. Thanks for some great basketball but go on about your way.
I hope Kawhi ends up in Philly and the 76ers take down GS. I can dream right?
Hercleoids 2.0 time
that’s right
You nailed it, Tom. The middle-finger of it all is the 4-yr deal. After all those 1-yr deals in Cle…
MFin’ Dan Gilbert. Firing Griff was the death knell. Or maybe he was too big a jerk for LBJ to stomach anyway.
Gotta say — I’m less bummed to lose LeBron than I am to see him in a Lakers jersey. Lame way to end his career.
Meh. I hate the Lakers, but we got most of his best years save four. His window at being in the top three, let alone the top is probably going to close fairly quickly. Expect after another year or two we will see serious decline.
well this sucks; for LAL? on a 3+1? painful
Sure. Whatever helps us get through this right? 😭
After the season, KLove said that he hoped to play with Lebron “for the rest of his career.” I wonder whether there’s a chance that he gets traded to LA.
Depends on if they get Boogie and Leonard. They wouldn’t have enough cap space to trade for Love.
The Cavs should be in the driver seat with trading Love to the Lakers, much like Minny demanded Wiggins, I’d demand there pick this year and another first
Watch out some of them may be Russian bots.
And the recruitment begins 😂
Lmfao. Please sign IT, too, Magic…he was an MVP candidate very, very recently…
Bosh is also rumored to come back from his Jurassic extinction to join him in LA.
Yeah, saw that…I’ll believe that one when I see him on the court…
Can Shaq suit up in Lake-town one more year? Need to get Haslem in there too…gettin’ the band back together!!
I’m sure Wade will sign the MLE with the Lakers.
Cava could probably get a second rounder from the Lakers for Korver.
Having Lue as the coach, could help secure that top 10 pick next season
That top ten pick is a sure thing unless Sexton is way better than I have any right to expect him to be.
A little yeah. They didn’t give up the pick. Can’t try to please one guy year to year and build sustainable success, even for that guy. Always was LBJ’s major drawback. No patience. Otherwise his teams and his championship chances may have been better, save for a year or two, everywhere he has been.
Help is coming for LeBron 😂
Just when I woke up. I can’t collect my thoughts yet but I want to say thank you LeBron
I would be really surprised if the lakers didn’t already have the Kawhi trade in the bag. Still won’t be enough without injuries to GS. But this may have been less about bball and more about family desires to live in LA and the increased proximity to the glitz and glam media production center of the US.
It may be easier to manage/create new opportunities in his TV/movie production empire. Philly probably would have made more sense if he was chasing rings, so maybe he has given up the chase.
It was nice spanking Boston the past 4 years too. In both NBA and MLB, I think Cleveland was 15-4 vs Boston in the post season.
Betcha LeBron will finally get calls at the rim now lol…
That infuriates me.
Remember it’s just sports. LeBron was going to leave eventually anyways, as he can’t play forever.
Simple logic that defies most
Given LeBron’s ambitions it seemed like a no brainer he was going to LA. Was the only move I could see him leaving home for at this point. He’s going to own the market out there now.
No season ticket renewal by me. Still of course a fan but won’t pay for our expensive seats for 41 games of Ty Lue and a disjointed roster. Thanks LeBron for four great years, and eleven overall. Cavsdan did spend but he also lost the 2nd best all timer twice….this time by replacing Griffin with a green GM, and botching the Irving trade miserably. Feeling crappy even though I was mentally prepared this time.
How did he botch a trade of a guy who didn’t want to play here and threatened surgery (that he actually needed!) They got a top #1
We’ll if Sexton turns into a star, then maybe the Irving trade wasn’t so bad after all.
Thanks LeBron ! You gave us more than maybe any player in history everyday. You’ve given back to your community and brought a championship to Cleveland. I moved from Cleveland to LA in 1991. I was 28. Id never seen an ocean or been an airplane prior. A lot has changed, I’ve seen the world and live next to that ocean now. California is your home, a dream really, but like Mr James, I’ll always be from Cleveland. It’s the bones in my back and my two feet square to the ground. That’s our gift back to you, LeBron. You’re… Read more »
Completely taints Lebron’s legacy here. Such a bummer. I’m not even mad, but it’s so disappointing. It would have been nice to remember 2016 without the stink of Kyrie and Lebron’s eventual defections. I am kind of looking forward to going to the Q with the diehards again though!
yeah this is how I feel.
I thank LeBron for these 4 years, but at the same time I think he’s a jackass for this move. Gives them 4 years and God forbid he would sign a deal like that here. And again it just makes Cleveland look bad and all this stupid crap will be said about how our city sucks etc. Well, time for the New Cavs – Cedi, Nance, Sexton, Love, Zizic and the rest. Methinks how the first portion of the season plays out will determine if Love gets dealt. Maybe we can be sneaky like the Pacers were this past year… Read more »
When you wrote “Nance”, my mind immediately flashed back to him walking along a hallway in the Garden after he joined the team. He was excited, and getting congratulations from everyone he saw. He said “Upgraded!” to one of them. Welp, I think he was just told to move back to coach…
I had mentally steeled myself and at some level accepted that him leaving for LA was happening. Just too much smoke this time around for there not to be fire. The reality is I think Sheridan and others were right all along — his mind has been made up for months if not years. This was all just an attention-seeking formality. It really stings to see him lock into four years with that nothing roster when he never did that here. I appreciate that there are probably several pieces to be added in the weeks and months to come. But… Read more »
It’s rumored the Lakers may go after DeRozan. Lol.
Is he Klutch?
I don’t think so.
he’s certainly not clutch
Farts. Who the heck do we even root for in the playoffs. Boston I guess? Ew. Can’t see philly being a legit threat. Wonder what Ainge’s next move is. Is Kawhi realistically on their radar?
I think this forces SAS to make a deal with the Lakers. It would be funny if the Spurs were like, nope sorry… We aren’t gonna trade you where you want to go. Have fun playing for Orlando.
No not Boston.
Donvan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz.
Yeah definitely rooting for the Jazz, but more along the lines of a hope from the East to upset the Warriors.
Jazz, Trailblazers, Spurs (w/out Leonard), Nuggets)
I’m rooting for Giannis and Delly
I love how people assume the Lakers are a well run organization now. Better than they were, yes, but they were almost the worst run franchise in the league. Really hope their grab for free agent nirvana destroys their franchise.
Lakers fans are gonna have to walk back their Kobe>LeBron comments.
No more Klutch clients please.
Nice.
Dwane Casey has to be pissed.
Thanks for the chuckle!
I think it’s 3-1 deal.