James's gameplan?

[midnightpulp]

You think the rumors to Cleveland has legs or is James's camp making a power play to put pressure on Riley?

I think Woj's latest tweet about the Heat stating that "James is his own man apart from his agent," is damage control. Rich Paul doesn't take a shit without James's permission and it's obvious the Heat organization is shaken.

That said, I think this is James putting pressure on Bosh and Wade, not the Heat. Riley seems to be trying to make all the realistic moves he can at the moment. I think James's is sending a message to Wade and Bosh that's essentially saying, "If you want to play with me again and compete for titles, you best take paycuts so we can get some more talent on this roster." The Rockets seem to see this writing on the wall and are pushing hard for Bosh right now.

Or maybe James simply misses Cleveland and is having a sentimental moment?

[baseline bum]

Would be awesome to stomp the Heatles and leave them dead and buried just like they did Seven Seconds or Less.

[Thread]

Would be awesome to stomp the Heatles and leave them dead and buried just like they did Seven Seconds or Less.

Well, you had 'em. Had a choke hold and fucked it up. Your regrets are your own.

[Muser]

He knows Wade and Bosh are damaged goods, he'd be a monumental moron to go back to the heat with them even if they did take a paycut.

Cleveland on the other hand have a nice little nucleus forming, and adding James to the mix easily cements them as champions of the East. It's a no brainer to go back there IMO.

[lefty]

James is not going to Cleveland :lol

Why would he leave South Beach for Drew Carey show ? :lol


Bosh and Wade are shit at this point, but Riles will get him someone

[baseline bum]

Well, you had 'em. Had a choke hold and fucked it up. Your regrets are your own.

Winning 104-87 is fucking it up?

[Infinite_limit]

IF James returned to Cleveland, I would respect him

[Thread]

Winning 104-87 is fucking it up?

No, being up 5 at 28 seconds in a close out & stepping out the side door is fucking it up.

[Thread]

IF James returned to Cleveland, I would respect him

I'll just bet you would.

[baseline bum]

No, being up 5 at 28 seconds in a close out & stepping out the side door is fucking it up.

That's 5 talking

[Infinite_limit]

I'll just bet you would.
For the first time in his career, he would be taking the difficult road. And ultimately

2 rings in Cleveland = 4 rings in Miami

[lefty]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Br9Gs-PIUAAb8xq.jpg

[Thread]

That's 5 talking

No, that's 6 talking.

[midnightpulp]

Could this also be a play to get the Heat to consider Melo, lux tax be damned?

[Thread]

For the first time in his career, he would be taking the difficult road. And ultimately

2 rings in Cleveland = 4 rings in Miami

You child, you. I pat your head.

[Thread]

Could this also be a play to get the Heat to consider Melo, lux tax be damned?

I'll just bet it is.

[Infinite_limit]

You child, you. I pat your head.
Disagree sweetheart?

[Thread]

Disagree sweetheart?

Of course I do. I disagreed with it when it lodged on NBA.com. You picking it up and dropping here doesn't make a difference.

[Infinite_limit]

Of course I do. I disagreed with it when it lodged on NBA.com. You picking it up and dropping here doesn't make a difference.
Haha I'm not quoting some article.

[Thread]

Haha I'm not quoting some article.

My ass.

[baseline bum]

No, that's 6 talking.

That's 5 talking

[Thread]

That's 5 talking

6

[spurraider21]

Could this also be a play to get the Heat to consider Melo, lux tax be damned?
I don't think that's possible, to get Melo and be above the cap

[spurraider21]

6
Have some patience before talkin about 6. That'll come next june

[baseline bum]

Could this also be a play to get the Heat to consider Melo, lux tax be damned?

The only way the Heat could pay luxury tax next season is by bringing their team back and then using their three execptions (mini-MLE, LLE, and trade exception, all worth a little more than $2 million or so). If they get Melo they wouldn't get anywhere close to paying the tax.

[Thread]

Have some patience before talkin about 6. That'll come next june

6 not 6.

[baseline bum]

6

5

[Infinite_limit]

My ass.
Babe, you still haven't told me why you disagree and how you feel?

[Thread]

5

6

[baseline bum]

6

5

[Thread]

5

6

[Infinite_limit]

5
69

[midnightpulp]

The only way the Heat could pay luxury tax next season is by bringing their team back and then using their three execptions (mini-MLE, LLE, and trade exception, all worth a little more than $2 million or so). If they get Melo they wouldn't get anywhere close to paying the tax.

So Melo to the Heat works financially, even if Bosh and Wade stay at something like 15 million per year?

Bosh/Wade - 30 million
James - 25 million
Melo - ???

[spurraider21]

So Melo to the Heat works financially, even if Bosh and Wade stay at something like 15 million per year?

Bosh/Wade - 30 million
James - 25 million
Melo - ???
No. He's saying the heat can't get Melo by going over the cap/tax. They'd have to sign him under the cap meaning ditch wade/bosh basically

[TampaDude]

69

:lol

zYWT4uYOPvs

[manufan10]

486178999979483136
486179150336913408

[ElNono]

I'm with DA here... at some point, he'll be crossing the douchebag line if he keeps teasing Ohio but has no intentions to go there...

[baseline bum]

So Melo to the Heat works financially, even if Bosh and Wade stay at something like 15 million per year?

Bosh/Wade - 30 million
James - 25 million
Melo - ???

No. It would be

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Napier: $1M
Cole: $2.1M
8 Empty roster spots under 12: $3.8 million

That would leave them with $12.1 million to offer either Wade or Bosh. They would renounce the midlevel exception and the lower level exception to sign Anthony after signing Wade or Bosh to $12.1 million, or they would renounce the exceptions to sign others with the capspace if they renounced both Wade and Bosh or they both left. Let's say they sign Wade for the $12.1 million. Then their roster looks like:

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Wade: $12.1M
Cole: $2.1M
Napier: $1M
7 empty roster spots under 12: $3.3 million.

Payroll so far: $59.4M
Remaining Capspace: $0
Players renounced: Bosh, Chalmers, Allen, Lewis, Andersen, Haslem, Jones, Douglas

So their capspace is gone. They have a $2 million trade exception, so they spend that, and then nothing but minimum salary slots remaining. Those renounced players could only come back on league minimum salaries.

So let's say they sign nothing but vets at $1.45M to fill out 15 roster slots. Their payroll is then

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Wade: $12.1M
Cole: $2.1M
Napier: $1M
Trade Exception Player: $2M
9 minimum contracts @$1.45M each to fill out 15 man roster = $13M

TOTAL PAYROLL: $74.4M
LUXURY TAX: $77M

So they couldn't sign Carmelo and still pay tax.

[Captivus]

I dont see any other option for James in order to get another ring...

Spurs...thats it.

[midnightpulp]

No. He's saying the heat can't get Melo by going over the cap/tax. They'd have to sign him under the cap meaning ditch wade/bosh basically

I'm not a cap guru, but what's preventing the Heat from breaking the bank in a Prokhorov like fashion?

James could very well be thinking, "I bring this organization 100 million dollars a year in merchandise revenue, time for your billionaire ass to pony up some tax, Arison."

[TampaDude]

I'm with DA here... at some point, he'll be crossing the douchebag line if he keeps teasing Ohio but has no intentions to go there...

For real...if he's just teasing Cleveland, some fucker is gonna drop a cinder block through his windshield as he's driving back to the airport. :lol

[Infinite_limit]

I'm not a cap guru, but what's preventing the Heat from breaking the bank in a Prokhorov like fashion?

James could very well be thinking, "I bring this organization 100 million dollars a year in merchandise revenue, time for your billionaire ass to pony up some tax, Arison."
Prob what Kobe thought concerning his contract and I can't blame him

[Clipper Nation]

For the first time in his career, he would be taking the difficult road. And ultimately

2 rings in Cleveland = 4 rings in Miami
Giving Cleveland 7 years of his career to waste wasn't the "hard road"? He could have quit on multiple teams and forced his way to a glamor franchise on draft day like Kirby, but instead, he gave the Cavs plenty of chances....

[midnightpulp]

No. It would be

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Napier: $1M
Cole: $2.1M
8 Empty roster spots under 12: $3.8 million

That would leave them with $12.1 million to offer either Wade or Bosh. They would renounce the midlevel exception and the lower level exception to sign Anthony after signing Wade or Bosh to $12.1 million, or they would renounce the exceptions to sign others with the capspace if they renounced both Wade and Bosh or they both left. Let's say they sign Wade for the $12.1 million. Then their roster looks like:

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Wade: $12.1M
Cole: $2.1M
Napier: $1M
7 empty roster spots under 12: $3.3 million.

Payroll so far: $59.4M
Remaining Capspace: $0
Players renounced: Bosh, Chalmers, Allen, Lewis, Andersen, Haslem, Jones, Douglas

So their capspace is gone. They have a $2 million trade exception, so they spend that, and then nothing but minimum salary slots remaining. Those renounced players could only come back on league minimum salaries.

So let's say they sign nothing but vets at $1.45M to fill out 15 roster slots. Their payroll is then

James: $22.1M
Melo: $22.1M
Wade: $12.1M
Cole: $2.1M
Napier: $1M
Trade Exception Player: $2M
9 minimum contracts @$1.45M each to fill out 15 man roster = $13M

TOTAL PAYROLL: $74.4M
LUXURY TAX: $77M

So they couldn't sign Carmelo and still pay tax.

Thanks for the breakdown.

[spurraider21]

I'm not a cap guru, but what's preventing the Heat from breaking the bank in a Prokhorov like fashion?

James could very well be thinking, "I bring this organization 100 million dollars a year in merchandise revenue, time for your billionaire ass to pony up some tax, Arison."
In a very simplified picture, teams can generally only go over the cap if they re-sign their own guys, or have an existing trade exception. The nets traded for deron, gave him a huge deal. They drafted Lopez and extended him with a huge deal, etc.

look ok at how the lakers did it. Kobe got his huge contract in 04, a raise from previous salary. They drafted Bynum but gave a huge raise in his extension. Odom got a raise with his, as did Pau. Once you are over the cap, you can only sign free agents (besides your own free agents) to the vet minimum or with exceptions like the MLE or biannual

by in large, you are always allowed to re-sign your own free agents, regardless of your cap/tax position

[lefty]

486179150336913408
:lol

[midnightpulp]

In a very simplified picture, teams can generally only go over the cap if they re-sign their own guys, or have an existing trade exception. The nets traded for deron, gave him a huge deal. They drafted Lopez and extended him with a huge deal, etc.

look ok at how the lakers did it. Kobe got his huge contract in 04, a raise from previous salary. They drafted Bynum but gave a huge raise in his extension. Odom got a raise with his, as did Pau. Once you are over the cap, you can only sign free agents (besides your own free agents) to the vet minimum or with exceptions like the MLE or biannual

by in large, you are always allowed to re-sign your own free agents, regardless of your cap/tax position

Ah, makes sense now.

[Captivus]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?

[baseline bum]

Ah, makes sense now.

Brooklyn also signed scrub players like Humphreys to huge short term deals using Bird Rights in order to trade for high dollar contracts.

[spurraider21]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?
Probably Houston. For the most part, a team with a max slot available will be pretty shitty. It's why you rarely see max players bounce around unless they want a paycheck

[TampaDude]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?

NFW LeBron goes to the West. In the East, he's got an easy path to the Finals.

[gameFACE]

486179150336913408

:lol That would be so fucked up. LeBron would need a police escort to get on and off the court, not to mention the Cavs arena itself when he showed up in town.

[Infinite_limit]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?
Hmm. Of those teams only the Spurs and low possibility Rockets

[Clipper Nation]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?
LeClipper

[Thread]

486179150336913408

Please. We dragged Sterling out into the street and lynched him like it was Sunday school. Now, NOW we're consider Cleveland's feelings?

[Malik Hairston]

Lebron going back to play for a racist owner and a racist fanbase after all his Sterling comments would end my Lebron fandom, tbh..

[jeebus]

Lebron going back to play for a racist owner and a racist fanbase after all his Sterling comments would end my Lebron fandom, tbh..
He's got shitty options tbh. Miami obviously didn't get better with these latest signings and Cleveland is always a clusterfuck.

[spurraider21]

:lmao thinking Mickey Arison the jew isn't racist in the first place

[Arcadian]

:lol NBA...everybody scrambling to get on the Spurs' level.

It's nice watching the free agency circus while sitting atop the high castle.

[spurraider21]

:lol NBA...everybody scrambling to get on the Spurs' level.

It's nice watching the free agency circus while sitting atop the high castle.
spurs have been really busy. we signed 2 of the best players from last year's NBA finals :lol

[ajh18]

The real question is: What current team plus Lebron has a chance of getting 3 rings in the next 5 years?

I dont think Miami is the answer...regardless off Bosh and Wade staying.
Is it CLE, PHO, ORL, PHI? Which one? The Spurs? Rockets?

I assume this is the key issue for Lebron.

What team would YOU choose?

Not taking into account the city or prior performance of the GMs, I think Cleveland is actually intriguing. If they want they can trade Wiggins with fillers to Minnesota for Love, and a core of Love, Kyrie Irving, and Lebron is better and younger than Bosh, Wade, Lebron. Then you still have Varejao, and some interesting trade options with the Haywood contract and upcoming draft picks. Lebron on that team in the east has a cakewalk to the finals for the next 5 years.