The 2015-16 season saw a record-breaking 73 win team, a historically great Rookie of the Year, and the fulfillment of a promise made two years earlier by an all-time great.
Ultimately, 2015-16 was even more than that for the NBA Champions and their leader. It was the end of an excruciatingly painful period for Cleveland sports fans. It was LeBron's legacy turning full circle, after a strange six years.
From The Hype
to The Game
to The Decision
to The Collapse
to The Breakthrough
to The Return
to The Redemption
LeBron finally brought a championship to Cleveland. And, now he's a free agent. This can only end well.
But LeBron's free agency is not the only big story this offseason. In fact, it's probably not one of the top stories. He will, in all likelihood, return to Cleveland and Cleveland will be a big favorite in the East.
But there's another superstar whose future may be a little more up in the air...
Will Kevin Durant stick it out in OKC? Will he go home to Washington? Will he join forces with Steph Curry in Oakland? The smart money is on him staying in OKC, but it's definitely not a sure thing.
Have we seen the last of these three?
If so, what's the plan? How long will Pop stick around? This summer could get very interesting for the Spurs.
How active will the Celtics be this summer? Can they finally consolidate some assets to get an elite player?
Notable free agents include Al Horford, Mike Conley, Hassan Whiteside, Dwyane Wade, Nic Batum, Kent Bazemore, and DeMar DeRozan.
Knicks send: Carmelo Anthony to Cleveland
Wolves send: Tyus Jones to Cleveland; Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Nikola Pekovic and No. 5 pick to New York
Cavs send: Kevin Love to Minnesota
View in ESPN’s trade machine
Why the Knicks do it: Melo loves the Knicks. But he’s 31 years old. The Knicks are not going to be contenders anytime soon. If he’s ever going to get a shot at being a major contributor to a championship team, it’s now. I think the Cavs are one team for which he’d be willing to waive his no-trade clause.
The Knicks, in the meantime, would pick up significant pieces at multiple positions. Dieng is a 26-year-old center. Muhammad would add scoring punch off the bench and with the No. 5 pick, New York could bring back a talented young guard like Kris Dunn or Jamal Murray.
The Knicks would be younger and better in the long run.
Why the Cavs do it: Kevin Love hasn’t been the fit the Cavs had hoped for, although his workmanlike performance in Sunday’s Game 7 made the case for the Cavs bringing him back. But if Cleveland isn’t sold on Love as a key part of its future, adding Melo to the mix, a player LeBron James has coveted for a while, would give the Cavs another strong scoring option that plays with more versatility than Love.
Melo is older than Love, but the Cavs’ window with LeBron is another two to three years. Melo should keep contributing at a high level for that long.
Why the Wolves do it: The Timberwolves dumped Love two summers ago to get younger, and it paid off. Andrew Wiggins was the direct result of the trade, and Karl-Anthony Towns was the indirect result.
But now that Minnesota has its two young cornerstones in place, Love looks like a terrific fit in between Wiggins and Towns. He isn’t a great defender, which may give the Wolves pause, but I think he’d flourish back in Minnesota.
I could be wrong, but I think there's mutual hatred between Kevin Love and the TWolves fanbase right now. This isn't a complicated LBJ/Cavs situation. Doubt Love will ever play for Minnesota again.
Prediction: People will go crazy about Kevin Love trade speculation, and most of those discussed deals won't be close to Love's actual value.
I think he's gotten to be undervalued here (and in the media at large) because of one bad series. He had a good playoffs, but he's just a horrible matchup against GSW. He's still a very valuable player imo.
Not sure Melo would be a good decision for the Cavs. How's his defense these days? A ball-dominant chucker who doesn't play great defense seems like the opposite of what they want. You'd rather have a defensively great player with who can be efficient on offense without the ball. Bron+Kyrie makes additional ball-dominant shot creation not worth very much.
Not sure Melo would be a good decision for the Cavs. How's his defense these days? A ball-dominant chucker who doesn't play great defense seems like the opposite of what they want. You'd rather have a defensively great player with who can be efficient on offense without the ball. Bron+Kyrie makes additional ball-dominant shot creation not worth very much.
Not sure Melo would be a good decision for the Cavs. How's his defense these days? A ball-dominant chucker who doesn't play great defense seems like the opposite of what they want. You'd rather have a defensively great player with who can be efficient on offense without the ball. Bron+Kyrie makes additional ball-dominant shot creation not worth very much.
Melo doesn't need to be ball dominant. He's an amazing receiver on Team USA.
He has it in him to play good PO D but you're right if they stray too far from the formula they turn into one of those super teams that falls flat with no one doing the little stuff.
Prediction: People will go crazy about Kevin Love trade speculation, and most of those discussed deals won't be close to Love's actual value.
I think he's gotten to be undervalued here (and in the media at large) because of one bad series. He had a good playoffs, but he's just a horrible matchup against GSW. He's still a very valuable player imo.
He's not a good fit anyway
And gsw is there most likely competition so makes him a horrible fit
Trade him for someone a little older that would fit better
Prediction: People will go crazy about Kevin Love trade speculation, and most of those discussed deals won't be close to Love's actual value.
I think he's gotten to be undervalued here (and in the media at large) because of one bad series. He had a good playoffs, but he's just a horrible matchup against GSW. He's still a very valuable player imo.
GSW is a problem. I was thinking about how much sense Love for Oldblocka makes but OKC has the same problem; they need to optimize for playing vs Golden State.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DodgerIrish
Melo doesn't need to be ball dominant. He's an amazing receiver on Team USA.
Melo feels like he's in the Paul Pierce Boston stage.
Dunno if it'll work out that way but imo no dude 6'8 or above is a better scorer other than Durant. He's really ridiculously good offensively, amazingly skilled and would be a phenomenal #2 option behind Kyrie w/ Bron fully embracing a Magic at PF role as the #3.
He and Melo can force each other to alternate positions at the 4 bc neither really wants to be full time there. They'd love to play together though. I feel like Bron and Melo would play a two man game all game (which would normally end in a Melo fga) w/ Kyrie just doing his own thing on the side.
Feels like Melo has shown that he knows how to play winning basketball the year that Denver went to the WCF. I remember him rebounding, and I assume defending, well during the POs.
I don't see why Memphis wouldn't deal gasol and rebuild with Conley leaving they're pretty scrubby right in that 8 seed first round exit danger zone of mediocrity
Let us offseason! In loving memory of the season thread, here was probably my favorite post.
Re: LBJ
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowfever
Yeah hes had a good career. Hes lucky to have played in the east his whole career so he gets free passes to the finals every season though. I figure he ends his career 2/8 in the finals. He might of got another title or two if not for the fact the greatest offensive force in nba history was around in Curry.
Who knows though LBJ might just be smart enough to realize he can never defeat a hero like Curry and bolt Cleveland for a 2nd time to get another title or two before he retires with the warriors. Thats if the warriors would even want a ball dominate player who cant shoot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowfever
Thats if the warriors would even want a ball dominate player who cant shoot.
Maybe LBJ can opt out and pray the Warriors take him for the league minimum, it's a gamble as they may not want a ball dominate player who cant shoot.