2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

in highlights he kind of looks like the oldest version of dwight howard, with a fun little hookshot.

i just pray this isn't the counter to not getting richards. this is not the same thing.

 

Hilarious, Rob.
Dude’s collecting third string bigs like we did with “Garbage Pail Kid” cards back in the day.

 

Buha on his post game pod last night: there is growing skepticism we use a first round pick in a trade. What's on the market and who's been going for what factors in that, as well.

He thinks we'll use the seconds to get a backup big or perimeter help.

He noted this was coming off the 3 losses. A lot can change between now and the deadline.

 

I misdialed, was going back and forth in my cell to give you the accurate contract numbers. I took the time to explain to you step by step because you were messing it up saying you didn't want to send a 2nd player, and this is how you respond lol

Sure, it can be a 2 way. You still have to send a 2nd player, which you were wrongly saying we didn't need to

 

in fairness--who on the market that fits our needs is worth a 1st?

kessler is the only one i can think of.

 

The Warriors have continued their due diligence on the trade market and inquired about potential frontcourt upgrades, including Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams, league sources told HoopsHype.

Conversely, the chances of Golden State acquiring previously reported wing targets such as Jimmy Butler and Cam Johnson have decreased, sources said.
So Rob don't want any big because he signed Jemison Lol

 

I like Jemison. Big, strong kid. Just hate it came at the expense of Quincy. This is obviously the precursor to another trade.

 

Yeah, I feel like both Wood and Hayes could be on the way out.

 

Maybe even Rui? Why else would we keep Traore around over Quincy? I could see them possibly wanting Koloko back next year over Hayes. But then again why does JJ hate his guts?? Why not him out instead of Olivari if Rui is staying and they like Traore that much. Someone hit Irwin up so we can get the real facts behind this decision.

 

Richards off the board…

https://x.com/shamscharania/status/1879655699162317274?s=46&t=J8x5wigDsb7mGSRUDiiNyg

 

Yeah, good point regarding Rui. Also, yeah it seems like they are very high on Traore. First, they chose him over Castleton, now basically him over Quincy.

 

Jeannie itching to start the rebuild: might as well just trade AD right now sigh

 

Doesn't surprise me. I understand both sides. Guys want to compete this year and other guys want to play the long-term game safe.

This team needs help. They're probably a second-round team at best as is - I do think Rob will be extra aggressive moving those firsts for a star, though.

IMO.

 

Nah..I simply said that, adding Wood to JHS, was a dumb idea. I was fully aware of the salaries dude. Shrug...Sometimes you just like to try and unnecessarily
" explain " something to me.. Most of the time it ends up the same way.

 

Rob moves in mysterious ways. I wouldn't be shocked, if we ended up trading for a player, that NOBODY linked to the Lakers at all. That would be a Rob Pelinka type of move. I have no idea, if it's going to be a big, forward or another guard.

 

Rob's waiting until the draft



Paul will scare teams off with the year threat of not coming over unless he goes where he wants. Will secure him a 2nd round spot with us.

 

I’m going out on a limb and predicting a Cleveland/ OKC NBA Finals.

 

The CAVS looking to go all in.


OKLAHOMA CITY — When the Cleveland Cavaliers lose this season like they have in blowouts Sunday to the Indiana Pacers and Thursday night’s debacle to the Thunder, the opponent wields distinct advantages in size and physicality on the perimeter.

The Cavs are still tied for the best record in the NBA, but are, nonetheless, trying to fix this recurring problem.

Executives from three franchises told The Athletic that Cleveland has expressed interest in acquiring 6-foot-8 forward Cam Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets — one of the most coveted players league-wide in the trade market — with the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline fast approaching.

League sources with knowledge of Cleveland’s internal discussions say Johnson has been discussed as a potential target and say the franchise has done its due diligence in inquiring about the availability of Johnson. Rival team officials, however, believe the Cavs’ interest to be more serious than that.

Johnson, 28, is averaging a career-high 19.6 points and shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. His combination of size, athleticism and shooting ability would seem to fit well in the Cavs’ otherwise potent offensive attack and mitigate some of the size disadvantages of starting two shorter (but All-Star caliber) guards in Darius Garland (6-2, 195 pounds) and Donovan Mitchell (6-3, 215).

Johnson is under contract for two more seasons after this and is earning $22.5 million for the 2024-25 season. Cleveland has no interest in trading any member of its core but could get to the money needed to match Johnson’s salary without disrupting its top eight players. The Cavs have a trove of second-round picks to offer but can’t trade a first-round pick until 2031.

The Cavs’ 134-114 loss to the Thunder was only the latest, but perhaps starkest, example of how teams built with length on the perimeter tend to smother them.

Luguentz Dort, a tenacious defender who is 6-4 and 220 pounds, frustrated Mitchell for the second consecutive game. Mitchell shot just 3 of 15 Thursday and was 6 of 31 in the two games between Cleveland and OKC in the last eight days. Dort also bombed his way to 22 points on six 3s.

Jalen Williams, who is 6-6 and 220 pounds, produced three steals and two blocks in addition to his 19 points. Alex Caruso, who is 6-5, added three steals off the bench, and of course,e Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP candidate, is a 6-6 point guard who glided his way to 40 points with two steals. The Cavs were forced into a season-worst 21 turnovers and shot 13 of 42 from 3-point range, well below their usual success rate.

“They’re long, kind of to your point,” Garland said, acknowledging the issue. “They’re always in the gaps defensively. … We have to bring the force.”

The Cavs started Dean Wade on the wing against the Thunder, who is 6-9 and is shooting 36 percent from 3-point range, but he is perhaps more suited coming off the bench as a stretch four. Isaac Okoro is 6-5 and has been in and out as a starter on the wing for the last few seasons. Wade contributed six points Thursday and Okoro shot 2 of 9 for seven points off the bench.

On Sunday in a 15-point loss to the Pacers, Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin (who are 6-5 and 6-6, respectively) suffocated the Cavs in the second half. Cleveland lost twice to the Hawks in November, struggling mightily against Dyson Daniels (6-8) and Jalen Johnson (6-9). The Cavs’ first loss, after 15 consecutive wins to start the season, was against two wings you may have heard of — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

And in a December loss to the Heat, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson are all taller than Cleveland’s guards. But it’s not just the height — it’s the opponent’s physicality on the perimeter that has, in these instances, bothered the Cavs.

“That’s totally fair,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “They can pressure our guards, they can take us out and take us off our spots, push us out and. You know our penetration with their length. It’s kind of like the formula for great defenses in this league, but I agree with you, that’s been kind of the formula so far, and we’ve got to figure it out.”

Not only are the Cavs (34-6) still tied with the Thunder for the league’s best record, but they have been a dominant offensive team all season. They entered Thursday’s game with the top-rated offense in the NBA and the second-highest-rated offense in league history. They led the league in shooting and 3-point shooting, and have two bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley who are excellent at rolling to the rim.

So this isn’t a situation of trying to repair a broken offense or even to try and fill a gaping hole by acquiring a more athletic better-shooting wing to complement Mitchell and Garland. It would be more like trying to bolster an otherwise deep, complementary roster for the playoffs when the games slow and physicality increases — if the Cavs decide they want to break up the chemistry in their locker room at all. Their 15-0 start was one of the greatest in NBA history and as of last we, they were 32-4.

There is the matter of putting together an offer that is better than anything else the Nets receive. Or the players could try to solve the equation themselves.

“We’ve done it,” Mitchell said. “This isn’t a loss where we hang our heads or tuck our tail between our legs. We just have to continue to do it against constant pressure. We’ve done it. We just have to look at the film and be better.”





Joe Vardon is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, based in Cleveland. Follow Joe on Twitter @joevardon