Live Thread: Cavs @ Suns 2026-01-30 Off By Nate Smith Its mid 70s during the day in Phoenix. I’m jealous. Go Cavs. Live Thread: Cavs vs Lakers Live Thread: Cavs @ Blazers
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A bit surprised that Evan made the All-Star player pool.
Or a snub? Can’t tell reading my athletic feed
To your point below, Jason the Cavs can aggregate salary if they end up below the second apron after the trade. They are then hard capped at the second apron and can’t exceed it for the rest of the season.
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/07/how-nba-teams-become-hard-capped.html
So glad Hunter is gone. From the get-go it was clear he lacked the lateral quickness and, relatedly, the desire it takes to play decent defense.
As for trades, I’d expect Milwaukee to:
1) Enter tank/Process mode. The cupboard is bare.
They are one of the oldest teams in the league. Still paying Lillard $22 mil thru 2030, I believe. After Giannis, Turner, Kuzma, and Portis are their next 3 highest paid guys, all over 30, and make $60 mil combined. They don’t have full control of their own pick until 2031, either gone or least favorable swaps until then, I think.
II. Prefer Draft assets to players They don’t have a 1st in 2027 or 2029. My bad, I think they can swap with Portlan in 2030. But have least favorable or other teams with swap options in 2026 and 2028. However, this year, they get the least favorable of NO and their pick. The Pels are gonna be bottom 4, so the Bucks will likely keep their pick, or oick Top 4 if their pick jumps ahead of NO. Anyway, this year may be their last year un a while to pick really high. They won’t want good players back,… Read more »
IDK, maybe they feel like they owe Giannis a shot to compete this year.
I coukd maybe see a scenario where they could flip assets for picks & expirings immediately.
But even so, GSW throwing 4 firsts at them is gonna be tough to beat. DG + JA won’t yield 4 firsts.
PG: DG, Schroder, CPJ, Ball
Combo: Mitchell, Proctor
SG: Merrill, Ellis
Wing: Tyson, Strus
F: Wade
PF/C: Mobley, LNJ
C: Allen, Bryant
Two 2 ways are forwards (Tomlin & Enaruna) and Miller is a small wing.
I’d expect us to trade Ball for next to nothing & then sign Tomlin to a Cavs regular contract and then sign someone eksecto a 2 way contract.
WILL STILL SUPPORT THE SIGNING OF SAM OVER TY
Me, too.
But they were not mutually exclusive.
absolutely.
Ty Jerome had a solid first game of his season last night. Sure miss him.
AT LEAST 15 NBA TEAMS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN KEON
SCHROEDER WAS ALWAYS A CAVS KILLER ( KNOW THE FEELING s AT CTB HERE OF HIM ) BUT HEY HE IS NOW A CAV “ IN THE LAND “. EMBRACE HIM — MAKE HIM FEEL WANTED—— HE CAN PRODUCE “ MICRO POINTS “ WAS AN INTREGAL PART DOWN THE STRETCH FOR PISTONS LAST YEAR
IN A 3 GAME ( Some of his best games ) KEON WAS 27/41 FROM 3 —— IS GOING TO HIT 85% FT s —- HIGH OF 7 STEALS IN 1 GAME—— 6 BLOCKS IN 1 GAME—- HiGH 12 REBOUNDS in 1 GAME—— GREAT ATTITUDE—— ALOT OF TEAMS WERE AFTER HIM ——- GOT AN “ ICE “ WITH SOME OFFENSE 👍🏀💪
MOST MEDIA IS GIVING CAVS — “ A “ ON THE TRADE 👍
Or a B+.
Hunter’s D was worse than I thought and his offense was no longer masking it over. Hunter + the Core 4 was still a good lineup, but rarely used due to injuries.
Financially, we can pretty easily get under the 2nd apron next year if desired. Or, as Nate says, even this year with a big swing.
Ellis’ stock stats are off the charts for a wing. I do not understand the lack of PT in Sacramento, at all.
because they are tanking
Garland and Allen doesn’t feel like quite enough for Giannis right now with the whole league bidding on him, although they would be really good complementary players for any next star coming to Milwaukee via tank. Think that one’s on the table still BUT I think it would require the Bucks to basically win the lottery. Boozer/DG/Allen is a decent start at a contender. Replace Boozer with like Cameron Carr or someone and it’s a much harder sell plus you aren’t truly bad enough to win the lottery in ’27. Of course that’s the same issue with the Knicks package… Read more »
Garland, Allen, Proctor, Ellis, a first and swaps, would get you close, and I think you could get 4 firsts there. Garland to Toronto for Barrett and two firsts was a rumor I heard. Allen could get you a first.
But Milwaukee will also maybe send Giannis where he wants to go, so that would have to be a sell. That team as as good at a shot in the east as anyone.
….that deal was there last summer (at least the broader framework if not Ellis himself). It’s going to be there next summer. I don’t see why I do it in February if I’m Milwaukee, especially with the value of picks still in flux.
(but if they put Mobley on the table I think it’s a good deal more likely to happen)
good thing is no really dumb / bad options here and no way to build a team favored over OKC, so…it’s not entirely whatever, but I’m comfortable with a swing or not.
So, at the moment:
DG, Spida, Strus/Tyson, Mobley, Allen
Schroeder, Merrill, Tyson/Strus, Wade, Bryant
CPJ, Ball, Proctor, Ellis, LNJ
Two way: Tomlin, Enaruna, Miller
10 guys are 6’5″ or smaller. Way too many. 11 counting the two ways.
on FTS, I saw Lonzo and Porter and a 2 for Sadiq Bey as a framework.
The rumor were hearing is the Cavs are trying to swing for the fences. So everyone is contracts and prospects at this point. It will get sorted out by Thurs.
I like Keon as a role player for playoff push. Apparently a good dude, down to earth, works hard etc.
So do Cavs get Miller too? Seeing mixed reports.
Ah Emanuel Miller. I’m betting this is performative then. They waive miller, re-sign Luke, then Chicago re-signs Miller.
Wait and see I guess.
Or not
The Z rule in effect.
😂
I have seen that too
Ending up under the apron in an aggregate blockbuster is now much easier than it was 24 hours ago. Things like this are now possible.
We are still over the 2nd apron, Nate. No aggregation.
Or is it allowed if we are under after?
I think I was right originally, strictly prohibited from aggregating.
if you end up under the apron, it’s fine.
I don’t think so. Can you quote me chapter & verse on that?
Everything I see says strictly prohibited. Though without Larry Coons I do feel lost.
Just watched Bobby Marks, you and Nate are 100% correct.
Mea culpa.
CHARGE WAIVE LUKE ——- COULD SEE THAT COMING
He was fun. I get it but that sucks. Hope he can catch on somewhere else.
Yeah, unsurprising but sucks. Shitty timing for him, he’d been sick the last week or so and was just getting back on the court.
👍👍👍👍 ON THE TRADE
The Celtics, Spurs, and Lakers all were interested in Ellis, reportedly.
To sum up, we traded Levert, Niang, 4 second round picks, and two pick swaps for Schroeder & Ellis.
But that is better than Levert, Niang, 3 2nds, & 2 swaps for Hunter.
Clean up on aisle 9 time for Altman.
1 down, 1 to go.
Factor in that Vert wasn’t re-signing and it looks a little better. Teams love the idea of Ellis so maybe it works.
I wonder if they will move Porter.
Oh, Vert would have re-signed. The Cavs didn’t want to re-sign him.
We weren’t offering the same deal. But maybe he’d have signed at the $ the Pistons offered.
Koby making chicken salad out of chicken shit
No room for Tomlin at the moment.
I am not a huge fan of Schroeder, but he can play some. A real backup PG, though. With some PO chops as well. Under control for 2 years after this with a tradeable contract.
IDK much on Ellis. I don’t love a small-ish 2 guard who does not score much. But supposedly a good defender, decent 3PT shooter. We have his Bird Rights if things work out.
We can likely get under the 2nd apron next year if needed.
Lonzo has to go next, yes?
Schroeder is a future hall of famer.
We got us a decent point guard and got rid of an inconsistent player. Need next men up to produce points and rebounds at the small forward spot.
Schroder makes a lot of basketball sense as Garland insurance and a real backup PG. I guess Ellis is cool but I haven’t paid much attention.
If these dudes don’t do bonehead things it’s an improvement on Hunter.
Now, Ball to DC and we good.
Cavs move Hunter. Thank God. Schroeder and Ellis go to Cavs, and Saric and two seconds go to Bulls. Solid haul, but I don’t love Schroeder’s contract or size. He’s got a reputation of a locker room turd, but he’s at least a professional who knows how to win in pressure situations.
ENARUNA. 27 / 8! KHAYES 25/ 9/9! OMIER 12/ 15 only 5/12
OK GOT IT—- PAUL GEORGE —-“ CANT BEAT FATHER TIME GEORGE ——- ASK TT “
?????? NATE
PG13 suspended for 25 games for PEDs
Maybe not peds. Maybe psychedelics.
ha-ha!
Sucks but no worse than 5 at ASB even if (unlikely) bottom falls out before then. Pandemic P out 25 games plus the tiebreaker on Philly, tiebreaker on Orlando.
Flush it.
Could have used a PG.
OMIER 32/16 ON 12/16 SHOOTING——HAYES 15/7/7 —QUIET NIGHT
LONZO IS BONZO —-NEEDS TO GO – GO