JR Smith

[sailfish]

I think the Cavs overplayed their hand and were probably asking too much from other teams for JR’s contract. The fact of the matter is there are always teams with Cap Space that are willing to absorb contracts for an asset. Here are three such deals that recently happened:

1) Atlanta taking on Allen Crabbe with a 1st round pick (#17).
2) Indiana taking on T.J. Warren with the #32 pick in the draft.
3) Washington taking on Jonathan Simmons with a 2nd round pick (#42).

Additionally, Detroit took on the bigger contract of Tony Snell, along with the #30 pick, in exchange for Jon Leuer’s smaller contract.

It sounds like the Cavs have decided that taking on salary and going further into the luxury tax is not something they’re willing to do...at least that’s the way they’re spinning the failure to find a deal for JR’s contract.

 

[CBBI]

It doesn't sound so good....

View: https://twitter.com/BenAxelrod/status/1141932334956068864

View: https://twitter.com/BenAxelrod/status/1141933024961093633

I was always a little skeptical that the Cavs were actually willing to stay in the luxury tax and not reset the repeater tax for a team that’s going to be horrible this season, but the report came out that Gilbert was willing to pay the tax again and I believed it.

It’s not my money so this is easy for me to say, but it would legitimately be malpractice to not trade this JR contract.

Quite literally Dan’s only advantage given the market he’s in is his ability to leverage his own pocket book. To not do it after holding on to JR for a full year for the sole purpose of saving money would be tough to swallow.

If they want to lessen the tax burden, then they can stretch Knight.

 

[Alec]

I actually believed we’d be getting a mid-first or something LOL

 

[Pjlea28]

Appears that they may not want to take on another bad contract and that's ok......still may move it for the right player. Some team may be very desperate to move $ for a FA signing. Just have to ride this out for another week.

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

Waiting until after the draft also puts more teams in play for a first round pick deal since there were a bunch of teams without a first round pick going into the draft last night.

 

[2 For The Brew]

I was always a little skeptical that the Cavs were actually willing to stay in the luxury tax and not reset the repeater tax for a team that’s going to be horrible this season, but the report came out that Gilbert was willing to pay the tax again and I believed it.

It’s not my money so this is easy for me to say, but it would legitimately be malpractice to not trade this JR contract.

Quite literally Dan’s only advantage given the market he’s in is his ability to leverage his own pocket book. To not do it after holding on to JR for a full year for the sole purpose of saving money would be tough to swallow.

If they want to lessen the tax burden, then they can stretch Knight.

IIRC the standing instructions are to go over the cap / pay luxury repeater tax for a worthwhile asset. If we can get a worthwhile asset for the JR contract then I think the Cavaliers will make the move. If there's no such asset available then it makes sense to save luxury tax and reset the repeater.

I don't see it as "malpractice" -- it's a question of spending the owner's money. It may be that the highest and best use of the contract is to save the Cavaliers spending cap money.

Having said all that, the insiders have said we can get a 2020 first round pick and that's a worthwhile asset. I hope so. I can't blast Dan for saving money once in a blue moon.

I'm totally against stretching Knight or anyone else. That means we have dead money over the stretched period which you cannot avoid under any circumstances. I heard Griff this spring on his radio show say that's a bad move because later on you might need to make a critical move and you can't. For example, the Luol Deng dead money is really hurting the Lakers now (you hate to see it).

 

[CBBI]

I'm totally against stretching Knight or anyone else. That means we have dead money over the stretched period which you cannot avoid under any circumstances. I heard Griff this spring on his radio show say that's a bad move because later on you might need to make a critical move and you can't. For example, the Luol Deng dead money is really hurting the Lakers now (you hate to see it).

I think circumstances matter when it comes to things like stretching contracts.

The Cavs are almost certainly going to be right at or slightly over the tax THIS year 19-20, but as of now are not going to be anywhere close to the luxury tax in 20-21 or 21-22.

The current situation, with about 70M in expiring contracts all on the books at the same time, is one of the very few scenarios where stretching actually makes sense.

Especially if they are NOT going to trade the JR contract, it makes even more sense to stretch Knight and 100% ensure they get under the tax since that apparently is a big deal to them.

 

[Man Called X]

Not sure why anyone is surprised. Huge expiring contracts that the Cavs have and think will become valuable end up amounting to nothing because we get cute and try to squeeze a little more. 9 more days, but the spin is already out. Cavs fucked up and now it's damage control time!

I'm legit curious. Does JR Smith file a grievance with the PA about the handling of him last season?

 

[NMCav]

I think the Cavs overplayed their hand and were probably asking too much from other teams for JR’s contract. The fact of the matter is there are always teams with Cap Space that are willing to absorb contracts for an asset. Here are three such deals that recently happened:

1) Atlanta taking on Allen Crabbe with a 1st round pick (#17).
2) Indiana taking on T.J. Warren with the #32 pick in the draft.
3) Washington taking on Jonathan Simmons with a 2nd round pick (#42).

Additionally, Detroit took on the bigger contract of Tony Snell, along with the #30 pick, in exchange for Jon Leuer’s smaller contract.

It sounds like the Cavs have decided that taking on salary and going further into the luxury tax is not something they’re willing to do...at least that’s the way they’re spinning the failure to find a deal for JR’s contract.

ATL Also gave up Tauren Prince who is going to be a starter in the Nets trade. They shed all of Crabbes salary and instead of paying 3.8 M (The guaranteed portion of Smiths money) they are paying their new SF.

Really the 32nd pick? Suns cleared all the money creating even more space.

Simmons contract wouldn't match with JR Smith and Sixers need all the cap they could get so likely didn't want the 3.8 M Cap hold when they need to resign a few key contributors.

 

[Funkmastabuck]

Maybe the team will announce today that JR will be a vital part of the team in 2019-20 as he serves as a role model and mentor for Kevin Porter Jr.

 

[Mr. MacPhisto]

I think the Cavs overplayed their hand and were probably asking too much from other teams for JR’s contract. The fact of the matter is there are always teams with Cap Space that are willing to absorb contracts for an asset. Here are three such deals that recently happened:

1) Atlanta taking on Allen Crabbe with a 1st round pick (#17).
2) Indiana taking on T.J. Warren with the #32 pick in the draft.
3) Washington taking on Jonathan Simmons with a 2nd round pick (#42).

Additionally, Detroit took on the bigger contract of Tony Snell, along with the #30 pick, in exchange for Jon Leuer’s smaller contract.

It sounds like the Cavs have decided that taking on salary and going further into the luxury tax is not something they’re willing to do...at least that’s the way they’re spinning the failure to find a deal for JR’s contract.

I doubt they overplayed their hand. They likely had an idea of what it would take for it to be worth it for them to add salary and no one met that threshold, at least not yet.

They have a little over a week to trade JR if they choose and wait out if a team becomes desperate and makes it worth their while.

Reality for the Cavs is they also have a ton of ending contracts they can trade AND avoid the tax. Many of these players could be solid short term adds for playoff teams: Tristan, Knight, Delly, Henson, Clarkson. They can trade all those guys or just a few and add assets. They could end up taking back salary, add assets, and have a max slot available all while also having their own top ten pick.

I think the Cavs are willing to go into the tax, but it has to be worth it. A swap of 26 for 13 is not worth paying the tax. Now if Charlotte wants to offer up next year's pick unprotected, the Cavs might listen. If not, the Cavs will just cut JR and look to trade another day.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Getting a 2020 1st round pick for JR would be great.
It would give us the freedom to play to win next season without worrying about losing our pick.

 

[cliffdawg]

I’m going tell you how bad some of us arm chair GM including me would have been last night with the JR contract, if you would have told me I got KPJ with the 17 pick or something around there by using JR contract but I took a horrible contract back, and by way ,would have kept me from getting out of the repeater tax, I would have jump up and down, Hell some of us would have been happy Taking Bol Bol....But instead we still got JR contract to play with for the next 9 days, and still got our guys for 4 useless 2nd round picks which one will never convey, lol.....

I want even be mad if it don’t get use in the next 9 days, Hell make somebody get desperate if they want it that bad.....Don’t forget we got like 5 or 6 Expiring contracts that we can use next February if somebody wants to play with there Bad contract that is longer then our expiring, just saying....

 

[inliner311]

I want even be mad if it don’t get use in the next 9 days, Hell make somebody get desperate if they want it that bad.....Don’t forget we got like 5 or 6 Expiring contracts that we can use next February if somebody wants to play with there Bad contract that is longer then our expiring, just saying....

Taking a contract for JRs contract could actually hinder how we can use our expirings in February. The return might not be worth the flexibility.

That being said, I could see Boston deciding to want to dump Gordon Hayward if they can get a star in free agency. Let's say D'Angelo Russell says he will sign with them. They could send us Hayward and the Memphis pick for TT and JRs contract. Or they give us Romeo Langford instead of the Memphis pick.

 

[weepinwillow]

Was surprised we didn't manage a trade up with Miami for JR, Rockets pick for James Johnson or whoever.

May have to come to grips that JR will simply provide financial relief for Dan "look, I'm hanging with Trump and the Cubs after Chicago ripped the heart out of Cleveland" Gilbert. (Dan's middle name is quite long).