Cavs Going After JR Smith

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

The Cavs are talking to Denver about restricted free agent J.R. Smith.

The Nuggets have said that they will match any offer sheet Smith signs with another club.

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53868/20080804/cleveland_making_a_play_for_jr_smith/

[DPG21920]

Would probably be addressed through a trade.

[ducks]

what else can cavs do

[xtremesteven33]

The only was Lebron stays in Cleveland is if the sign someone like Howard or Paul.


not gonna happen.

[Thunder Dan]

The only was Lebron stays in Cleveland is if the sign someone like Howard or Paul.


not gonna happen.

they will have enough money to sign James and Wade, Bosh or anyone else in 2010. They will also have handfuls next offseason

[JamStone]

they will have enough money to sign James and Wade, Bosh or anyone else in 2010. They will also have handfuls next offseason

Miami and Toronto are positioning themselves the same way where they'll have enough cap space to not only sigh their superstar (Wade and Bosh) but have enough cap space to sign another superstar that same summer of 2010. It's just as likely that teams like Toronto and Miami lure someone like Lebron as it is that Cleveland lures players like Wade or Bosh. And, then there are those other teams like New Jersey and Atlanta and San Antonio and Chicago who are positioning themselves and will make more moves to do the same thing to open tons of cap space for the summer of 2010.

Cleveland will be able to offer LeBron more money than any other team. But, that doesn't guarantee they will be able to lure another superstar or will have satisfied him enough by then to make him believe he will consistently be contending for championships. I would probably guess LeBron stays in Cleveland, but it's far from a certainty and there will be many attractive offers from other teams that will be offering things beyond just "more money."

[rj215]

Miami and Toronto are positioning themselves the same way where they'll have enough cap space to not only sigh their superstar (Wade and Bosh) but have enough cap space to sign another superstar that same summer of 2010. It's just as likely that teams like Toronto and Miami lure someone like Lebron as it is that Cleveland lures players like Wade or Bosh. And, then there are those other teams like New Jersey and Atlanta and San Antonio and Chicago who are positioning themselves and will make more moves to do the same thing to open tons of cap space for the summer of 2010.

Cleveland will be able to offer LeBron more money than any other team. But, that doesn't guarantee they will be able to lure another superstar or will have satisfied him enough by then to make him believe he will consistently be contending for championships. I would probably guess LeBron stays in Cleveland, but it's far from a certainty and there will be many attractive offers from other teams that will be offering things beyond just "more money."

What goes almost unoticed is how LBJ and Wade signed shorter deals after their rookie contracts ended so they could lock up bigger money later and force their franchises to actually build around them rather than trying to go cheap. Brilliant moves on their part. Meanwhile, Melo opted for a longer deal and guys like Marcus Camby and maybe even JR Smith ended up elsewhere.

[angelbelow]

melos way of showing commitment, didnt work out though but the nuggets made their efforts.

[kupogrey]

the 2010 plan is going to shake up the league hard.

t-mac comes off the books that year too:wakeup

[coldsweat]

What goes almost unoticed is how LBJ and Wade signed shorter deals after their rookie contracts ended so they could lock up bigger money later and force their franchises to actually build around them rather than trying to go cheap. Brilliant moves on their part. Meanwhile, Melo opted for a longer deal and guys like Marcus Camby and maybe even JR Smith ended up elsewhere.

yeah, that's definitely an excellent point i never thought of. lebron and wade have definitely pressured their teams to move forward - explaining the ben wallace-larry hughes swap or the most obvious, shameless tank job i have ever seen by the miami heat.

think about what if melo had signed a shorter contract? could he have prevented the nuggets from trading marcus camby by threatening to leave if they weren't committed to winning? i don't know, but with melo's long-term deal, the nuggets gm can perform cost-cutting moves now without fear of repercussions.

[I. Hustle]

That's not as sucky as this
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/08/jeff_mcdonald_s_12.html:td

[JamStone]

double edge sword. Cleveland and Miami have to make moves now over the next couple of seasons to appease their stars, but they still have to make the right moves. LeBron and Wade could still leave if their teams make desperate moves to keep them that don't work out. Denver is making cost cutting moves now but if they turn it around with smart moves over the next 3-4 years they might be in better position to keep Carmelo after that while LeBron and Wade might not even be with their current teams anymore. Different way of looking at things.

[rj215]

double edge sword. Cleveland and Miami have to make moves now over the next couple of seasons to appease their stars, but they still have to make the right moves. LeBron and Wade could still leave if their teams make desperate moves to keep them that don't work out. Denver is making cost cutting moves now but if they turn it around with smart moves over the next 3-4 years they might be in better position to keep Carmelo after that while LeBron and Wade might not even be with their current teams anymore. Different way of looking at things.

Good points. Miami was rumored to have shopped Wade to Chicago this past summer maybe because they figured just that. Plus with Wade's injury history his shorter contract could come back to bite him.

[KidCongo]

Sometime Ferry has to take a risk on a player who has had 'attitude problems'. Cavs picked up Tarence Kinsey now anyway so suck it.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

:lol are they serious? The Cavs haven't a chance of getting JR. They have a team full of crap and nothing worth trading for.

In about a week or so JR will be a Nugget for the long term