2024 NBA Playoffs: First Round

[cavsfever]

Well, Durant is better than Lillard. But you’re right they would have kept more flexibility.

 

[Mr. Orange]

We should trade Garland and picks/filler for KD

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

They're smoking Phoenix.

Denver is needing 20 point comebacks at home and buzzer beaters to beat a mediocre Lakers team.

Bookmark this when that Denver-LA series is 2-2.

I think that Lakers team is reliant on classic old-man strength. For short periods, they can play at really high levels. Then their age starts hitting them, and they regress.

They're most dangerous earliest in the playoffs, and earlier in each series.

 

[2 For The Brew]

The absolute funniest part about that whole situation is that it likely all works out extremely well for them if Ishbia just doesn’t get an itchy trigger finger when he takes over the team, or if he didn’t gain control until after the deadline.

Look at what Dame was actually traded for: Ayton, Camara, Holiday, Bucks ‘29 1st, two Bucks pick swaps

So, sans Durant trade, all the Suns would’ve had to do to beat that offer was Ayton, CP3, 2 1sts, and a swap for Lillard and Nurkic (plus any filler). Blazers/Celtics still could’ve made the exact same trade they did for Jrue.

So, they keep all those other picks and pieces they gave up or had to cut to make Beal and Durant work and instead have:

Dame
Booker
Bridges
Johnson
Nurkic
Shamet
Crowder

Plus all their depth and flexibility to sign guys moving forward. Nice work Ishbia.

Dan came into the game determined to make a big splash - deals all the time, fighting with SAS, etc. A poster once said he always liked to make a “big dick swinging move” and that was perfect.

Over the years he’s learned a lot and is very involved with bolstering the team with upgrading the facility, building the new practice facility in addition to writing the checks. Being an NBA owner is a humbling experience (real humbling, not “LeBron humbling”). Had to suck for him to kiss LeBron’s ass but that’s life as an NBA owner - players have all the leverage.

Ishbia strikes me as a guy who wants to prove he has a bigger dick than Gilbert and is out there swinging it around. What he needs to learn is there is a big difference between having the biggest dick and acting like the biggest dick.

I don’t care how rich or smart you are, when you’re a rookie you have a lot to learn. Making a lot of big moves when you haven’t learned shit is idiotic. Really smart people and really stupid people can both make really stupid mistakes - the first from arrogance, the second because, well, they’re stupid.

Ishbia needs to put his dick back in his pants until he learns how to use that thang. Or he can keep waving it around and have everybody laugh at him.

 

[2 For The Brew]

I think that Lakers team is reliant on classic old-man strength. For short periods, they can play at really high levels. Then their age starts hitting them, and they regress.

They're most dangerous earliest in the playoffs, and earlier in each series.

Early rounds and the Finals have more gaps between games. Conference Finals are every other day.

That was a big point in the 2016 Finals, when only the gaps between games 3 and 4 is two days (same pattern still exists). It’s eight years later. Don’t see how LeBron can last through the grueling playoff schedule.

 

[Lee]

We should trade Garland and picks/filler for KD

Zero chance the Cavs trade with the Suns

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

Dan came into the game determined to make a big splash - deals all the time, fighting with SAS, etc. A poster once said he always liked to make a “big dick swinging move” and that was perfect.

Over the years he’s learned a lot and is very involved with bolstering the team with upgrading the facility, building the new practice facility in addition to writing the checks. Being an NBA owner is a humbling experience (real humbling, not “LeBron humbling”). Had to suck for him to kiss LeBron’s ass but that’s life as an NBA owner - players have all the leverage.

Ishbia strikes me as a guy who wants to prove he has a bigger dick than Gilbert and is out there swinging it around. What he needs to learn is there is a big difference between having the biggest dick and acting like the biggest dick.

I don’t care how rich or smart you are, when you’re a rookie you have a lot to learn. Making a lot of big moves when you haven’t learned shit is idiotic. Really smart people and really stupid people can both make really stupid mistakes - the first from arrogance, the second because, well, they’re stupid.

Ishbia needs to put his dick back in his pants until he learns how to use that thang. Or he can keep waving it around and have everybody laugh at him.

The damage is kind of done for Ishbia. It's going to be difficult for them to recover given their tax situation, draft capital, and Beal's no-trade clause without just blowing it up and trading everyone.

I can kind of understand the Gilbert situation more, though. The Cavs had terrible FO personnel. When Gilbert took over the team, the Cavs had been bad for years prior to landing LeBron. Even then, LeBron was only in his second season when it was announced Dan was buying the team, and Boozer had just ducked out the back door the prior offseason. Dan had significant pressure to make moves to make the Cavs more competitive and build around LeBron and keep him in Cleveland.

Sarver was a shit owner, but Jones and the Suns FO had the team in a great position overall despite all of that. They needed to make moves, but they were generally a young team that made it to the Finals, had all their assets, and had a proven guy leading the front office. Afterall, Jones was executive of the year in 2021. They weren't dealing with a Ferry or Paxson situation.

Ishbia blew it all up in six months. If the Cavs were to can Koby for whatever reason, if I'm Dan Gilbert the first call I'd be making would be James Jones.

 

[2 For The Brew]

The damage is kind of done for Ishbia. It's going to be difficult for them to recover given their tax situation, draft capital, and Beal's no-trade clause without just blowing it up and trading everyone.

I can kind of understand the Gilbert situation more, though. The Cavs had terrible FO personnel. When Gilbert took over the team, the Cavs had been bad for years prior to landing LeBron. Even then, LeBron was only in his second season when it was announced Dan was buying the team, and Boozer had just ducked out the back door the prior offseason. Dan had significant pressure to make moves to make the Cavs more competitive and build around LeBron and keep him in Cleveland.

Sarver was a shit owner, but Jones and the Suns FO had the team in a great position overall despite all of that. They needed to make moves, but they were generally a young team that made it to the Finals, had all their assets, and had a proven guy leading the front office. Afterall, Jones was executive of the year in 2021. They weren't dealing with a Ferry or Paxson situation.

Ishbia blew it all up in six months. If the Cavs were to can Koby for whatever reason, if I'm Dan Gilbert the first call I'd be making would be James Jones.

I agree Ishbia wrecked it but in the NBA you can come back - if you are patient and learn from your mistakes. Cavaliers recovered from Stepien albeit with bonus first round picks. Smart move would be to blow it up, trade everybody and start over because he’s got assets that will lose value rapidly if he doesn’t.

 

[Ohio]

We should trade Garland and picks/filler for KD

Last night I thought of a fun three team trade, especially if LeBron comes back to the Cavs:

Garland to PHX
Durant to DAL
Irving to CLE

 

[Lee]

Dan came into the game determined to make a big splash - deals all the time, fighting with SAS, etc. A poster once said he always liked to make a “big dick swinging move” and that was perfect.

Over the years he’s learned a lot and is very involved with bolstering the team with upgrading the facility, building the new practice facility in addition to writing the checks. Being an NBA owner is a humbling experience (real humbling, not “LeBron humbling”). Had to suck for him to kiss LeBron’s ass but that’s life as an NBA owner - players have all the leverage.

Ishbia strikes me as a guy who wants to prove he has a bigger dick than Gilbert and is out there swinging it around. What he needs to learn is there is a big difference between having the biggest dick and acting like the biggest dick.

I don’t care how rich or smart you are, when you’re a rookie you have a lot to learn. Making a lot of big moves when you haven’t learned shit is idiotic. Really smart people and really stupid people can both make really stupid mistakes - the first from arrogance, the second because, well, they’re stupid.

Ishbia needs to put his dick back in his pants until he learns how to use that thang. Or he can keep waving it around and have everybody laugh at him.

I know lots of people in the Mortgage industry, been doing it for 20+ years. Both Gilbert and Ishbia have major little man's disease for sure, biggest dick is dead on.

That being said, Ishbia is a huge asshole, and I dont think he ever learns completely, my friend who has worked at both Quicken and UWM and was the #1 UW last year at UWM described it as the most toxic environment he has ever worked in.

I think the toxicity will find its way onto the court.

 

[Lee]

Last night I thought of a fun three team trade, especially if LeBron comes back to the Cavs:

Garland to PHX
Durant to DAL
Irving to CLE

No way Dan wants Irving back and he doesnt solve anything, horrible defense and small guard. If we trade Garland its for a bigger SG...which we really have in both Okoro (must keep) and Strus, so really its for a SF which Durant is, i just dont see the 2 clubs trading.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

I agree Ishbia wrecked it but in the NBA you can come back - if you are patient and learn from your mistakes. Cavaliers recovered from Stepien albeit with bonus first round picks. Smart move would be to blow it up, trade everybody and start over because he’s got assets that will lose value rapidly if he doesn’t.

That no-trade clause on a contract and player like Beal is just such a killer. It'd be one thing if it was Booker or Durant, but damn. Cavs apparently couldn't even find a taker for Love on an expiring contract.

Phoenix should honestly try to trade Beal for Ben Simmons and whatever else they can get from the Nets, even if it's only one of their 1sts back. Given how shitty that Beal contract is, they might not even be able to do that.

 

[bob2the2nd]

No way Dan wants Irving back and he doesnt solve anything, horrible defense and small guard. If we trade Garland its for a bigger SG...which we really have in both Okoro (must keep) and Strus, so really its for a SF which Durant is, i just dont see the 2 clubs trading.

I'm going to post this and walk away. I assume the Cavs will try to get LeBron this off-season and he will still want to be paid. Which as mentioned means garland as the only option to trade(probably plus lavert). Assuming okoro resigns(they need him to). That gives you Mitchell, Straus, okoro, LeBron, mobley, allen as your primary 6. What the Cavs would be missing is a playable 3 point specialist. The rost of the roster looks.... Pretty damn good

Eat my ass: obviously you have some options in g-wagon and Merrill. But if this is the shot and LeBron is coming back for a retirement tour. I'm finding a way to find someone proven.

 

[Lee]

I'm going to post this and walk away. I assume the Cavs will try to get LeBron this off-season and he will still want to be paid. Which as mentioned means garland as the only option to trade(probably plus lavert). Assuming okoro resigns(they need him to). That gives you Mitchell, Straus, okoro, LeBron, mobley, allen as your primary 6. What the Cavs would be missing is a playable 3 point specialist. The rost of the roster looks.... Pretty damn good

Eat my ass: obviously you have some options in g-wagon and Merrill. But if this is the shot and LeBron is coming back for a retirement tour. I'm finding a way to find someone proven.

Not sure I am willing to give up Garland for a 40 year old Lebron. He will fall off a cliff one of these years very, very soon.

 

[bob2the2nd]

Not sure I am willing to give up Garland for a 40 year old Lebron. He will fall off a cliff one of these years very, very soon.

Damn it Lee, I didn't want to make this a thing.....

This team as built isn't a contender. Lots of good pieces but it's just not there. Maybe if mobley takes a huge step forward, Mitchell signs up long term, Merrill becomes decent on the defensive side, garland gets a lot better in the final 3 minutes of the half. Then maybe we are talking.

But I'm not making that bet.

If the options are just keep doing the same thing with a new coach or go trade garland for a 1 year LeBron rental and make a go at it... Well I'm making a go at it