The Cavs are the ones that should be ridiculed if they don't attempt to salvage something for him if he leaves.
I'm assuming the report means Cleveland would be willing to do a sign and trade with a team that has the cap room to give Lebron a max deal anyway, and that it means Cleveland isn't going to open up more options for Lebron by doing a sign and trade with a team that would need Cleveland cooperation.
Free Agency hasn't even started yet. Let's see how it all plays out. This is like when you got your panties in a bunch after Gentry wouldn't play Earl Clark in Game 1 against Portland.
These guys are going to leave via S'n'T if they do leave. LeBron or Wade or whoever is not going to leave that extra year of $20 million sitting on the table and his former team out to dry. At that point, if you're the Cavs or Heat, you go with the best S'n'T offer. If Dallas' offer trumps what Chicago or New York is offering, LeBron wants to go there, and you have no shot at retaining LeBron, why wouldn't you trade him to Dallas?
I never said it was anything more than a remote, remote possibility LeBron would come to Dallas.
The fact you're bringing my Earl Clark rant up is an obvious weak attempt to steer the thread away from this reality:
DoK was right!
about what?
With the new CBA looming, it makes little sense to leave all the money on the table. But these aren't exactly the brightest bulbs when it comes to business-sense.
The sign and trades that will happen will be with teams that don't need Cleveland's assistance anyway and would be doing a favor with a s'n't. Cleveland isn't gonna assist a team steal Lebron when said team needs Cleveland's help. We can do this argument dance again if you wish and I'll be proven right again.
That is a way of strong arming a player not to leave. Make it about the money. Stay or leave a guaranteed chunk of money on the table.
I am hard pressed to believe that CLE would not do a sign & trade. That is just bad business. But sometimes, you see things that don't make sense on the surface.
This is how it would play out:
LeBron: "I want to play for the Dallas Mavericks."
Dan Gilbert: "Tough LeBron. They're over the cap."
LeBron: "I'm just as happy playing for the Bulls. I can sign there outright and you get nothing back, you see me four times a year instead of two, and I'm a permanent roadblock for your team in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Your fanbase will never forgive you for letting me walk for nothing to a division rival when you could've sent me to the West and gotten something for me. Dallas can arrange a better S'n'T package than the Knicks. Your choice."
Then they could say: "Ok, walk. Go to the Bulls and leave your money on the table".
Hey dummy...see my Memo to Cuban post for the 4 step plan on how this needs to go down. SHAQ is the key
This is how it would play out:
LeBron: "I want to play for the Dallas Mavericks."
Dan Gilbert: "Tough LeBron. They're over the cap."
LeBron: "I'm just as happy playing for the Bulls. I can sign there outright and you get nothing back, you see me four times a year instead of two, and I'm a permanent roadblock for your team in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Your fanbase will never forgive you for letting me walk for nothing to a division rival when you could've sent me to the West and gotten something for me. Dallas can arrange a better S'n'T package than the Bulls. Your choice."
Then Dan Gilbert will say:
"Fine, I'm calling that bluff. Go to the Bulls and leave all that money on the table. The team is moving to Seattle in 5 years anyway if you leave so I could give a ."
He'd leave $20 million on the table and an extra year. Which Nike would make up the difference. And yeah, Gilbert is gonna completely write off his Cavaliers investment as a sunk cost.
While I agree that CLE would do a sign & trade, I don't think you are giving enough credence to that extra year and money. It has won the battle many times.
The Cavaliers are as good as dead if Lebron leaves, and everyone knows it. A combo guard who averages 7 points per game isn't going to save that franchise.
PS - sportscenter already said via Ric Bucher that I was right
Because slashing payroll will be a lot more attractive in that scenario than taking back some other team's problems.
So Dan Gilbert is going to pe ion the NBA to contract the franchise?
What were you right about again?PS - sportscenter already said via Ric Bucher that I was right
link?
Dampier can be slashed right off the bat. Caron can be serviced for one year then taken off payroll and you can get a young star in Roddy making rookie money. and dont forget multiple 1st rounders.. Makes more sense then watching him walk..
Which is why the Cavs would insist the Mavs take back Jamison's contract in addition to James if they felt backed into a corner and forced into a S'n'T. Dallas can put together a package to help Cleveland slash payroll.
Dan Gilbert: Dallas has nothing that interests me. This team is going to be blown up if you leave, so there's no reason to keep a high payroll. The city of Cleveland would never forgive me for giving you away for table scraps. If you're willing to play for less in Chicago, then do what you've gotta do.
Dan Gilbert would either look to sell the team or move it once it's losing money in Cleveland every year.
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