The season ended Cavs thread...and NBA discussion in general

[Jacobs4Heisman]

Nobody knows yet exactly how much less these guys took, but the Heat have already agreed to sign Mike Miller at 5-6 mil per. If each of the 3 douchesketeers took 15 mil (with raises each year), that would still leave 8-9 mil for the last 8 slots. 1 million can get you a lot closer to a serviceable role player than the min. Or they could get a "meh" big man for 3 mil and then go the min with last 7 slots. This team will be favored to win the title every year barring injury - we all better hope that the new CBA does away with the MLE, or else they will be unbelievably stacked within 2 years.

Truth - the Bulls are not the better team right now, because they also have no depth yet. They have Rose, Deng, Boozer, Noah, Taj, and James Johnson under contract. That's it. If they find some good values at SG and bench - I'm hearing a lot of Morrow/Korver/Brewer talk, and can bring back big Brad Miller, I think they are right there with Boston and Orlando. For them to challenge the douchesketeers, Rose has to Make a Paulsian year 2-3 leap, Boozer has to stay healthy and productive, and Noah has to to make another big leap to be a more capable offensive option. Thibs also has to prove he can be a very good head coach, and teach Rose to D up. That's way too many ifs to realistically think it will happen. I think the Bulls will settle into a knicks/pacers role in the 90s - really good teams that just couldn't quite beat the top dog.

All I want is for Noah to straight fight Bosh in the first game. Break his arm or something. Every NBA fan outside of South Beach would rejoice.

The worst part of all of this, is a shitty NBA and sports town like Miami gets gifted this amazing team to follow, when they couldn't even sell out playoff games. Miami fans suck.

[TG1996]

On the plus side I now no longer have to pretend to care about the NBA.

I agree...but you apparently already know that.

[jpfalcon09]

Never liked the guy, I always thought his stupid powder toss was arrogant and egotistical, especially to do it on the road. Cleveland takes as much blame as anyone for putting so much emotional investment into the guy. He didn't owe the city or the team anything, and it's quite obvious he saw it that way. Gilbert's letter was childish, and in many ways he contributed to the giant egomaniac that LeBron became, so I found his tirade to be somewhat comical. The organization and fans turned a blind eye to the all about me show and bought the hype that LeBron was a good, caring hometown boy who would do right by the fans, regardless of what he did. LeBron showed his true colors on national TV, and while I do feel bad for Cleveland sports fans, this is today's sports world, where fame and fortune now heavily outweigh loyalty and a bond for the team which brought you into the league.

In the long run, the NBA will suffer for all this. What LeBron, Wade and Bosh pulled was nothing short of collusion and in my mind, undermined the fair market process of teams actually being able to bid for his services. LeBron knew well in advance of all this where he wanted to go, and who he wanted to play with. When the labor talks start between the owners and players, it'll be curious to see what happens. David Stern has made the NBA into a WWE-like production, where the entertainment value now exceeds the competition on the court. I have a feeling there are many owners who feel that with this recent event, how many other free agents will take the same path to forge super teams, while leaving others in their wake. It's not good for business, even though I'm sure Stern will try to spin it otherwise.

I hope Cavs fans learn a valuable lesson in all this, which is you root for the team and not the player.

[Falconfreak90]

I've always rooted for the Cavaliers...not one player. It is a team sport and always will be. My question...what the hell was that in Miami last night with a runway in the American Airlines Arena?? American Idol? Sickening. Listening to these aholes in Miami take pot shots at Cleveland was disgusting as well. They couldn't even sell out their own arena for playoff games.

As much as I loved watching James play in Cleveland, the whole way he went about this was disgusting.

It's a done deal and I gotta say I am sooooooooooo glad college football season is only 8 weeks away...I'll still root for the Cavs but will never again root for LeBron.

[CapitalFalcon]

I hope Cavs fans learn a valuable lesson in all this, which is you root for the team and not the player.

That really doesn't make any sense...The team is made up of the players and personnel on that team...Especially when you have an iconic player on your roster. New York Stadium wasn't the "House that the Yankee Team Built." The Browns weren't named the Browns for love of the color...The Packers don't play in Packers Field. There are certain instances where the team and player or coach are almost synonymous. If your theory stands true, then you really don't care what kind of POS "players" an owner puts on the roster...It's most important that there is a team...Although, given Cleveland's sports past, I could understand where that sentiment might hold some water...

[Warthog]

I've been searching for the video on ESPN but couldn't find it anywhere. On the Sunday morning SportsCenter, they showed an interview with the Three Me-egos being done by Rachel Nichols. Nichols talks with James about the reaction in Cleveland and asks him why he never called or talked to anyone with the Cavaliers to tell them personally what his plans were. His answer was blah, blah, blah,

"I WANTED IT TO BE ABOUT ME."

I kid you not, those were his exact words.

[Lord_Byron]

How can they make it about him, when it's clear that the whole universe revolves around him?

I think Joe Posnanski channels my thoughts and puts them directly into his columns. This one, pretty much sums upt what I was feeling on Thursday.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/08/t ... -decision/

[hammb]

I've always liked Whitlock for his willingness to tell it exactly how he sees it. I do believe he plays the race card too often where it doesn't belong, but I think he's a decent writer.

Anyhow, here is his take on the LeBron situation...a good article. The closing line was the best I've read in this whole saga: "There’ll be more new baby-mamas than championships."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/lebr ... ips-070910

[Warthog]

I think Joe Posnanski channels my thoughts and puts them directly into his columns. This one, pretty much sums upt what I was feeling on Thursday.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/08/t ... -decision/

I read that one the other day and laughed. I laughed because my wife gets mad at me when we are watching games because I keep making comments about all the bad things that can happen. Or being pessimistic about the ultimate outcome. Like when Kerry Wood comes in to pitch, I might say 'Well, the Indians are gonna blow this one now'. She hates when I do that, but I just can't help myself. I am a Cleveland fan and that is just what my expectations are.

[hammb]

I think Joe Posnanski channels my thoughts and puts them directly into his columns. This one, pretty much sums upt what I was feeling on Thursday.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/08/t ... -decision/

I read that one the other day and laughed. I laughed because my wife gets mad at me when we are watching games because I keep making comments about all the bad things that can happen. Or being pessimistic about the ultimate outcome. Like when Kerry Wood comes in to pitch, I might say 'Well, the Indians are gonna blow this one now'. She hates when I do that, but I just can't help myself. I am a Cleveland fan and that is just what my expectations are.

I'm not even a fan of the Indians, and I really didn't pay any attention to the Cavs at all pre-James either. Being a life long Browns fan alone has been enough to infuse me with that exact same attitude.

Plus, Kerry Wood sucks something awful, so when they bring him in you're probably right

[jpfalcon09]

I hope Cavs fans learn a valuable lesson in all this, which is you root for the team and not the player.

That really doesn't make any sense...The team is made up of the players and personnel on that team...Especially when you have an iconic player on your roster. New York Stadium wasn't the "House that the Yankee Team Built." The Browns weren't named the Browns for love of the color...The Packers don't play in Packers Field. There are certain instances where the team and player or coach are almost synonymous. If your theory stands true, then you really don't care what kind of POS "players" an owner puts on the roster...It's most important that there is a team...Although, given Cleveland's sports past, I could understand where that sentiment might hold some water...

Valid points, but players come and go, whether they leave by free agency, trade or retirement. Based on the attendance before LeBron arrived, there weren't many basketball fans in Cleveland. While he ushered in a lot of new fans, those same people were the ones who got burnt by rooting for him and not necessarily for the Cavs, and I'm not suggesting all fans were in that boat, but also one player does not a team make.

I'm a Red Wings fan and I didn't burn a jersey or cry when Sergei Fedorov left for Anaheim after 12 years with Detroit. That's sports. You can't get yourself wrapped up into one player, because in the end the team will still be there. I'll be truly curious to see how many people show up at the Q this next season, as the fans should support the team, with or without LeBron.

[Warthog]

I'm a Red Wings fan and I didn't burn a jersey or cry when Sergei Fedorov left for Anaheim after 12 years with Detroit.

Sergei Fedorov is not from the Detroit area nor did he grow up in Michigan. Your analogy doesn't quite fit.

[BGDrew]

I'm still confused, how was the whole thing not collusion? Cuban got fined for saying what he'd have to do to get LBJ but when the players hold a meeting to agree to sign together it's completely on the up-and-up.

[Flipper]

I'm a Red Wings fan and I didn't burn a jersey or cry when Sergei Fedorov left for Anaheim after 12 years with Detroit.

Sergei Fedorov is not from the Detroit area nor did he grow up in Michigan. Your analogy doesn't quite fit.

I've been a Wings fan since the days when Gordie Howe retired from the team (early 70's). Sergei Federov was never accepted or embraced in Detroit to the extent that Yzerman, Probert or even Vladdie Konstantinov was. His talent was respected, but he was viewed as being soft...a cardinal sin in Hockeytown

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I'm still confused, how was the whole thing not collusion? Cuban got fined for saying what he'd have to do to get LBJ but when the players hold a meeting to agree to sign together it's completely on the up-and-up.

It's definitely collusion by dictionary definition, but not as defined by the current CBA. Collusion is only "illegal" on the part of the employer. There is no language to keep players from working together to gain a desired result, and no way to prevent it.

IMO, these three decided years ago to get this done, and unfortunately that's a right they negotiated for through collective bargaining. It sucks for the fans in this instance, but there's nothing we can do about it.