Live Thread: Mavs @ Cavs
2025-02-02Good afternoon CtB!
The Cavs welcome what is left of the Dallas Mavericks to the banks of the Cuyahoga River as the good guys face off against the team that made global shockwaves over the past 12 hours as the Mavs have decided to dump off Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what might be the biggest trade in NBA history. This will be the world’s first look at the post-Luka Mavs and they’ll get to face off against the best team in the NBA.
For the Cavs, the Luka trade is a massive distraction and could cause a letdown for a team lacking in professionalism. Luckily for us fans, the Cavs have rang the bell time and time again whenever a trap game has popped up. This Mavs game certainly qualifies given the double digit spread before tip. Can the Cavs demoralize the Mavs quickly and sharply and get to Jaylon Tyson point guard minutes? Stay tuned…
Tip off is scheduled for 3:30PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on Fanduel Sports Network, Go Cavs!
Do u believe this?
No. Niang is perhaps the most frustrating player to watch, but as has been noted he is a minutes eater. Could one do as well w a buyout addition plus allocating some of his minutes to other bench players? Perhaps. Curious which player agents may be contacting Altman about signing up.
I mean yes re Niang likely staying.
Niang, as a ninth or tenth man for a contender, is as good as it gets in terms of production, and is doing exactly what we paid him for. He has distinct weaknesses and has a stinky game a week but his deal is fair value, especially in the regular season. The fandoms love for this years version of Sam vs this years version of Niang is wild to me. Houston and Memphis have better but less productive athletes – like Eason, who damn near cost the Rockets the game against us – but most ninth and tenth men are… Read more »
Maybe trade him to Dallas.
I believe this is good propaganda to spread to pump his trade value.
Also, i believe the Cavs think they need him because there’s definitely a leadership vacuum without him in terms of a “playable” irritator/physicality initiator. They would only move them if they can replicate that some other way via buyout or trade.
https://www.reddit.com/r/clevelandcavs/s/r9tNjhYK3A. A good infographic.
Would dump CPJ and TT, assuming there is no upgrade or other move on the horizon. It’s the least painful from a basketball standpoint.
I really like what Ty and Vert bring for this year and I have some confidence they’d take 9-12m and 16-18m per to stay. Losing both seems unlikely.
CPJ is a good hedge against Ty and/or Levert leaving. The Cavs are going to be hard pressed to add back end talent in the next two seasons, and he could slide into top 9 if one of those guys leaves.
He’s good, but the means by which he was acquired will always be open to Cleveland too and we have gotten guys for nothing before.
Given that we pulled three goodish players off the scrap heap in the last two years (plus Lamar Stevens) you maybe take the risk. Easier to find another CPJ than another Merrill.
Agree on the second part.
The Sixers and Mavericks have agreed to a trade, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links), who reports that forward Caleb Martin is headed to Dallas in exchange for guard Quentin Grimes and Philadelphia’s 2025 second-round pick, which the Mavs acquired in a previous deal.
Teams just trade raping Dallas now.
Grimes shot 30% in the playoffs a few years back while Martin probably should have been ECF MVP against Boston.
I really like Grimes but he’s barely a starter at 24, and might be just a guy. there’s a reasonable thought process behind this deal as a win now move.
Grimes was 22 a few years back. He’s just entering his prime while Caleb Martin is a mediocre player who isn’t in a great contract and about to hit 30. I just think it’s a dumb trade for Dallas to give away shooting after losing Luka. If you’re worried about the money Grimes could demand, then you just play the restricted free agent game .
If Grimes gets more than the MLE I’d be shocked. Philly got a better statistical player who is younger and will likely be on a similar contract, and got a pick. Meanwhile, Dallas is going to be trying to dump Martin’s contract within two years.
Dallas has sufficient shooters in the starters plus Hardy / Christie, plus PJ can shoot it a little – there’s still enough to run an effective five out.
Martin is a little duplicative of Marshall so theres that.
But a “trade rape” is not the right characterization here: it’s a fine marginal trade, even if it’s a has-been mediocrity for a never was mediocrity.
It sounds like Dallas didn’t want to pay Grimes.
I don’t love Grimes in Philly as a fifth starter either – there’s a “know your role” question there that didn’t really exist with Martin.
The Athletic can confirm the Bucks are willing to trade Pat Connaughton before this season’s trade deadline.
While swapping Connaughton’s $9.4 million contract for a minimum contract would be the easiest way mechanically for the Bucks to sneak back under the second apron, as they must do to complete a bigger trade, finding a willing partner for such a deal is anything but easy.
He sucks. He’s always sucked. Could have gotten a scrap heap guy for the same price.
Magic was playing pretty good without their two best players. now they are back, and they are flailing?
PREACH CLF PREACH 👍
Thanks… one thing I didn’t realize is that Sam and TT’s contracts became fully guaranteed after January 10, so clearly the Cavs value them enough to keep them when they could’ve dodged the tax by cutting one of them.
If we’re trying to duck the tax, the obvious trade candidates are Okoro and Niang. They’re only “bad” contracts the Cavs actually have.
agree. and they need to keep Niang unless better replacement is found. that leaves Okoro. Some thought Okoro got overpaid — that might prove to be important.
yup, and to be clear I’m not saying I’m against trading Sam, I’m just saying there’s at least 6 players the Cavs should be moving before his name gets brought up.
This is obvious to anyone who actually knows basketball and watches the games.
On TT, there is something to be said about knowing what you are and playing that role well. Whenever he gets in, you know you are getting good picks, diver, someone who will be physical in boxing out. Compared to anyone else on the roster, I don’t see the same ability or willingness to fill those roles, at least on the floor during games. maybe we are seeing something else in g league, but if the intent is to have someone body up the opposing teams goon or being our goon lol, TT knows how to get away with some… Read more »
That’s the rationale for every buyout guy though: old veteran tricks and you know what you are getting.
Yup, TT is probably our 3rd/4th most physical player behind Donovan and Mobley, and 75% of the time JA.
If there’s anything the Cavs lack, it’s guys who embrace playing physical and have uber athleticism a la Amen Thompson or Ron Holland or a Tari Eason.
Wild that we have like 5 guys on the block who are good players and valuable and likely don’t crack an 8 man playoff rotation that has Caris, Ty and Wade as the first three off bench. Niang isn’t really a bad contract anymore: Sam Hauser was extended for $11m, and there is a fair argument Niang is more skilled and productive although I think they are about equal. Okoro is a bit like Wade in that if he had 40 games in that were in line with the productivity he showed in the games he was healthy or started,… Read more »
Not sure why anyone’s listening to Lloyd’s dumbass… Cavs only have to cut one of TT OR Sam Merrill, not both.
And it’s obvious it shouldn’t be Merrill, and it’s beyond stupid discussing dumping him at all when he’s by far the cheapest usable labor on the roster.
right. the level of cluelessness in many commentators and writers is astounding. they sound like random drunks in a bar
Yeah I thought that was weird too. Only way I see them moving Merrill is in a trade.
Exactly, Merrill is only getting moved if it’s required to score a big fish like a Cam Johnson.
WATCHING THE CHARGE —— TOMLIN. 6/4 MIDWAY THRU THE 1st —— HAS A HIGH MOTOR——- GOOD BYE TT —— HELLO TOM “ PUT ME “ LIN ——“ MORE THOR “ 👍👍
thnx!
here is how to keep up: https://gleague.nba.com/
WE HAVE 2 BIG s ON THE CHARGE —— TOMLIN / THOR WHO ARE MUCH BETTER OPTIONS THAN TT ——— HAVE BEEN POSTING MOST OF THE SEASON—— SEVER THE CORD WITH TT —— HE CAN GO JOIN BRAD / BOOBIE AND THE GANG —— START HIS BROADCASTING CAREER
Lloyd suggests ducking the tax by trading Merrill and Thompson (and presumably a second or two) into someone’s cap space and then filling roster on buyout market.
I think I’d probably do it? Or maybe someone takes CPJ and Tristan off the strength of last year for CPJ?
Hard call all around
CPJ seems like the more logical choice.
At least from a pure basketball standpoint. I also don’t think the Cavs make that move without someone lined up for TT.
We’re a contender. Pay the damn tax. We are already carrying 14 instead of 15. Wade an Okoro are hurt and Caris has been dodgy health wise all year.
Merrill just hit 9 triples last game and TT is our only backup big. Upgrades? OK. Penny pinching? Nope.
This maybe the FO’s real thinking anyway.
It’s not my money so easy to say but I’m surprised they are worried about the tax as much as they are with how successful the team has been. They do need another big because TT isn’t going to help much in the playoffs. Okoro and Wade’s health have been worrisome. Need Levert to get back to what he was doing early in the year. I could see CPJ and TT as casualties to save money but I’d also not be upset if Okoro and/or Wade get moved. Levert maybe as well but to a lesser extent. Not earth shattering… Read more »
Isn’t the concern here about how going over the limit now may seriously hamstring the ability to do deals in the future? Not so much Gilbert’s tab?
Yeah I think that’s the issue
yeah, Gilbert is not likely to be concerned about money.
You don’t want to pay the tax before you are a legit contender. It only gets prohibitive when you are overcthe second apron (in terms of deal making) and if you start paying repeater tax year after year.
We are not a 2nd apron team nor likely to be soon. And we are contenders. Beef up, don’t slim down.
Okoro & Wase are our best non-Monley-Allen defenders on the team, both are on reasonable contracts, and both are decent 3PT shooters that never turn the ball over.
No way am I letting either go for pinching pennies. Now, and upgrade? Maybe.
This is the right frame of mind at least, good thoughts Nick.
I’d want to keep Merrill and possibly CPJ
WOW MYLES GARRET HAS REQUESTED A TRADE OUT OF CLEVELAND—— WHO CAN BLAME HIM OR CHUBBS OR “ THE CHIEF “ FROM NOT WANTING TO RUN AWAY FROM THIS TRAIN WRECK——- THEY ALL DESERVE BETTER!!!!!
such a bummer
Haslem is still trying to act like the trade was not a disaster, so the Browns have wasted good money after bad money trying to make it work. as soon as it was obvious that Watkins will never work, the smart thing to have done would have been to tank and trade all the best players for draft choices around 2027, which will be the first chance to start trying to contend.
The Cleveland Clowns at it again! Sell the team Haslem!
👍🙏THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION—- ALTHOUGH EMONI DIDNT PLAY THE NIGHT BEFORE I DONT BELIEVE
STRANGE — PER PATRICK s POST THAT EMONI WARMED UP FOR THE CAVS BUT DIDNT SEE THE FLOOR IN YESTERDAY s BLOWOUT?????
the box score has him down as an “inactive player”. that MIGHT be because there is a limit on how many games he can play in? if so, he might be allowed to warm up with the varsity but not play.
The limit for 2 way guys is pretty high. 50. Now, that can include active AND inactive roles on gameday. And it does not include playoffs, which is seperate.
You only need to hit 32 games where the 2-way guy is not with the team, and then you are golden the rest of the way. We have played almost 50, I bet we are close, if not there already.
I should note, since the Cavs are not carrying a full 15 person roster, our 2 way players can only be active for 90 games, combined.
In terms of games played, which could be different than ACTIVE games, and certainly is different from inactive, our guys are at 19 combines (Thor 9, Teavers 6, and Bates 4).
If there is a place to track active/inactive uses forc2 ways, IDK where it is.
They had them all inactive. I assume for reasons below, but they also all played the night before for the charge.
OK, 40 – 9 at the 60% post. Next up:
Tuesday: Celtics
Wednesday: at Pistons
Friday: at Wizzards
Monday: T-Wolves
The Spurs are finalizing a three-team trade in which they’ll acquire Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox, while Bulls high-scoring wing Zach LaVine will be moved to Sacramento, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins and Tre Jones are joining the Bulls, while Jordan McLaughlin will also join San Antonio, The Athletic’s Sam Amick tweets.
wild trade weekend!
Holy Smokes! The Harlem Globetrotters vs. the Washington Generals today in Cleveland.
Basically, yeah.