NBA Free Agency 2014

[pfrduke]

Figured we'd have a thread for summer transactions, and the LeBron opt out, coming on the heels of the Carmelo opt out, feel like good conversation starters. For Carmelo, it seems clearly a desire to leave the Knicks; for LeBron, the situation is less clear, and it may just be a way to explore options - and see what else the Heat do transaction-wise - before ultimately re-signing in Miami.

[superdave]

Could Lebron and Melo be a package deal somewhere? The Lakers have the cap room if they package the #7 and Nash's $9+ million expiring deal. The Cavs could clean house and trade Bennett, Waiters, Thompson, Jack and Varajao - all tradeable assets. The question is would they have to use Kyrie or the #1 to get there. The Knicks are at $92 million with Melo, so Lebron wont be joining him there.

The more likely scenarios - Wade and Bosh opt out as well and they drag Melo to South Beach with a giant restructuring. Or Lebron or Melo could go their own to the Clippers (after dumping Deandre, Crawford and Dudley) or Rockets (after getting rid of Lin/Asik).

Does anyone think Lebron might not want to go to LA and be seen as a hired gun? If so he might limit himself to Miami or Cleveland. Or if you think Lebron thinks Bosh and Wade are over the hill, might he strong-arm them to take a lot less or else he's gone. Lotta subplots here.

[Olympic Fan]

The LeBron opt-out is being overblown. Look for Wade and Bosh to opt out too.

They're not leaving -- they are allowing Miami to restructure their contracts so the Heat can afford another couple of players.

The big news would be in Wade does NOT opt out -- that would blow up the Heat plans and could lead to LeBron leaving.

[kAzE]

Man, if I was LeBron, I'd find some way to go to Golden State. They're gonna get Kevin Love, and a trio of Love, Curry, and LeBron would be unstoppable . . .

[superdave]

The LeBron opt-out is being overblown. Look for Wade and Bosh to opt out too.

They're not leaving -- they are allowing Miami to restructure their contracts so the Heat can afford another couple of players.

The big news would be in Wade does NOT opt out -- that would blow up the Heat plans and could lead to LeBron leaving.

You may be right. But Wade and Bosh averaged a combined 32 and 10 in the playoffs this year. Wade couldnt guard any of us at this point.

Do you think Lebron wants to stick around for that unless they cannot get Melo? It would be the Big One not the Big Three.

He has to see the Heat improve substantially or he should move on. I would bet his agent delivered that message to Pat Riley already.

[Henderson]

Could Lebron and Melo be a package deal somewhere? The Lakers have the cap room if they package the #7 and Nash's $9+ million expiring deal. The Cavs could clean house and trade Bennett, Waiters, Thompson, Jack and Varajao - all tradeable assets. The question is would they have to use Kyrie or the #1 to get there. The Knicks are at $92 million with Melo, so Lebron wont be joining him there.

The more likely scenarios - Wade and Bosh opt out as well and they drag Melo to South Beach with a giant restructuring. Or Lebron or Melo could go their own to the Clippers (after dumping Deandre, Crawford and Dudley) or Rockets (after getting rid of Lin/Asik).

Does anyone think Lebron might not want to go to LA and be seen as a hired gun? If so he might limit himself to Miami or Cleveland. Or if you think Lebron thinks Bosh and Wade are over the hill, might he strong-arm them to take a lot less or else he's gone. Lotta subplots here.

I just can't see Lebron and Melo joining up in Cleveland. Akron is home to both Lebron and his wife, but there is no way Carmelo Anthony's wife Lala is moving to Cleveland. No way. And a deal that sends Lebron to Cleveland makes little sense to me from a basketball standpoint. Lebron is an alpha male type whose ability to share the limelight with Kyrie I question. Kyrie would have to defer to him. Would he? And getting rid of Kyrie to acquire Lebron doesn't make sense from Lebron's standpoint. He'd be back where he started -- in Cleveland without much around him. Maybe a very talented rookie if the Cavs kept their #1 pick.

One way Lebron to Cleveland makes sense (and let me reiterate Melo isn't going there) is as a marketing move for both the Cavs and Lebron. The prodigal son returns. Sell outs every night. Big endorsement money locally for Lebron. That works for a year or so, but it doesn't add up to a championship for either the Cavs or Lebron. The only way Lebron-to-Cleveland works is if the Cavs also keep Kyrie and use the 1st pick to pick an all-star. Wiggins, Kyrie, and Lebron in Cleveland? That could be interesting if Kyrie and Lebron can work together. Maybe they can.

The Cavs pay a lot of money to some just OK players, so if they move those players they might even be able to afford a team like that. Jack and Varajoao are expensive players, Waiters needs to go anyway if Kyrie stays, and Bennett is a raw talent who might actually blossom in a new environment, which means he has value. I have a tough time seeing Parker and Lebron playing together though, so Wiggins would be the pick there I think.

[Edouble]

Man, if I was LeBron, I'd find some way to go to Golden State. They're gonna get Kevin Love, and a trio of Love, Curry, and LeBron would be unstoppable . . .

I don't think LeBron wants to go out west. If he can somehow improve The Heat (adding 'Melo) then he's pretty much in the NBA Finals every year for the next 4-5 years.

Edit: I mean, he doesn't want to go out west b/c he doesn't want to have to compete in the Western Conference... who would?

[dukelifer]

Man, if I was LeBron, I'd find some way to go to Golden State. They're gonna get Kevin Love, and a trio of Love, Curry, and LeBron would be unstoppable . . .

Go to San Antonio - he would fit right in with a team that likes to pass the ball.

[Edouble]

Man, if I was LeBron, I'd find some way to go to Golden State. They're gonna get Kevin Love, and a trio of Love, Curry, and LeBron would be unstoppable . . .

But he would have to beat out Black Falcon for PT...

[diveonthefloor]

Memphis would be absolutely sick if he went that unlikely route. Their new owner is a Cuban wanna-be. Wouldn't put it past him.

[greybeard]

Figured we'd have a thread for summer transactions, and the LeBron opt out, coming on the heels of the Carmelo opt out, feel like good conversation starters. For Carmelo, it seems clearly a desire to leave the Knicks; for LeBron, the situation is less clear, and it may just be a way to explore options - and see what else the Heat do transaction-wise - before ultimately re-signing in Miami.

Lebron's move forces Wade to do what he needs to do anyway, retire, which clears space for Melo, with Lebron taking less.

[CDu]

Lebron's move forces Wade to do what he needs to do anyway, retire, which clears space for Melo, with Lebron taking less.

Wade has over 40 million reasons not to retire. He is only going opt out if he can make even more (through added years). There is no way Wade will retire this offseason.

[FerryFor50]

Lebron is an alpha male type whose ability to share the limelight with Kyrie I question. Kyrie would have to defer to him. Would he? And getting rid of Kyrie to acquire Lebron doesn't make sense from Lebron's standpoint. He'd be back where he started -- in Cleveland without much around him. Maybe a very talented rookie if the Cavs kept their #1 pick.

This is problematic in a few ways.

For one, he went to Miami.. which was unquestionably Wade's team when he got there. LeBron got lots of criticism for deferring too much. It took them some time to figure out how to play together, but by no means was it because LeBron was an "alpha male."

Secondly, if LeBron went to Cleveland, it would unquestionably be LeBron's team. He would regain the love of his home city and Kyrie would be the one who would have to deal. And I fee like would.

Finally, LeBron likely won't go to Cleveland - at least not for a few years. He wants to go somewhere he has the best chance to win a title. Cleveland is not it right now.

Not sure where you get the "alpha male" vibe from LeBron.

[Henderson]

I don't think LeBron wants to go out west. If he can somehow improve The Heat (adding 'Melo) then he's pretty much in the NBA Finals every year for the next 4-5 years.

Wherever LeBron ends up, I hope we don't have to endure another TV special to hear about it. I thought the "I've decided to take my talents to South Beach" thing was a little much last time.

If he stays in Miami, I think it's going to take more than Carmelo to keep the Heat in the NBA Finals every year. I think both Bosh and Wade are going to be very expensive past-prime players wherever they play in the next 4-5 years. To me, it kind of makes more sense for LeBron to go to the Knicks with 'Melo re-signing there. NYC would eat that up. But Phil would have to trade away some very expensive talent to make that happen. Seems like the past few years the Knicks have been the repository for expensive "seasoned" talent that other teams wanted to move.

[pfrduke]

Wherever LeBron ends up, I hope we don't have to endure another TV special to hear about it. I thought the "I've decided to take my talents to South Beach" thing was a little much last time.

I have to assume he and his people recognize that was a mistake (a well-intentioned one perhaps, but a mistake nonetheless). I would be shocked if we saw that again.

[FerryFor50]

I have to assume he and his people recognize that was a mistake (a well-intentioned one perhaps, but a mistake nonetheless). I would be shocked if we saw that again.

It was also four years ago. I assume he's matured a bit since then ...

[greybeard]

Wade has over 40 million reasons not to retire. He is only going opt out if he can make even more (through added years). There is no way Wade will retire this offseason.

My speculation mistakenly presupposed that, if Wade was forced to retire because of his legs, his salary would not have counted against the cap. Still, no Lebron, Wade embarrasses himself. Leverage; who knows; obviously, not me.

[tommy]

Wade has over 40 million reasons not to retire. He is only going opt out if he can make even more (through added years). There is no way Wade will retire this offseason.

Agreed. And with his body in the condition it's in, I can't imagine anybody giving him a long contract for huge money. He's clearly in decline. And because he knows he's not going to do any better on the open market than the contract he's already got in Miami, he's not going to opt out.

Only way is if he said he wasn't going to opt out, LeBron then left because the team wouldn't have the ability to add the type of player(s) needed to win it all again, so now the team is really nowhere, and in that scenario maybe Wade opts out too at that point and signs a more reasonable deal with a contender on which he would fit in with what he's got to give at this point.

I just don't think so though. I think Wade plays out his contract in Miami, goes wire-to-wire in one uniform, retires in a year or two with his three rings, the adulation of the Miami fans, and his sure-bet Hall of Fame legacy intact, and goes home to count his money.

[FerryFor50]

Agreed. And with his body in the condition it's in, I can't imagine anybody giving him a long contract for huge money. He's clearly in decline. And because he knows he's not going to do any better on the open market than the contract he's already got in Miami, he's not going to opt out.

Only way is if he said he wasn't going to opt out, LeBron then left because the team wouldn't have the ability to add the type of player(s) needed to win it all again, so now the team is really nowhere, and in that scenario maybe Wade opts out too at that point and signs a more reasonable deal with a contender on which he would fit in with what he's got to give at this point.

I just don't think so though. I think Wade plays out his contract in Miami, goes wire-to-wire in one uniform, retires in a year or two with his three rings, the adulation of the Miami fans, and his sure-bet Hall of Fame legacy intact, and goes home to count his money.

Agreed.

I think Wade's made enough $$ from his playing career and from his endorsements to not really need the extra few million.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

It was also four years ago. I assume he's matured a bit since then ...

Too bad for the Boys and Girls Club, though, huh? I kind of wish Lebron would do another TV special just to rub it in everyone's faces.

Agreed. And with his body in the condition it's in, I can't imagine anybody giving him a long contract for huge money. He's clearly in decline. And because he knows he's not going to do any better on the open market than the contract he's already got in Miami, he's not going to opt out.

...

I think Wade plays out his contract in Miami, goes wire-to-wire in one uniform, retires in a year or two with his three rings, the adulation of the Miami fans, and his sure-bet Hall of Fame legacy intact, and goes home to count his money.

We'll obviously have to see how this all plays out, but Wade opting in would pretty much sink the franchise for the next two years. He's built up a lot of goodwill over the years here in Miami, and I think that goodwill has been very helpful in getting the good people of Miami to overlook the fact that he stopped trying consistently on defense about 5 years ago. If he opts in, it's probably going to drive Lebron away, and for as much as Wade has done for the city of Miami, I'm not sure how well the people here would respond to that. I don't know that people would necessarily turn on him, but it would knock his status down a peg.

As a Heat fan, following a day of reflection, I'm not terribly bothered by Lebron opting out. I actually welcome it. This was seen by all as the first step needed to retool the roster in order to better compete for a championship next year. If Wade and Bosh also opt out, then I think there's clearly a plan in place. If Wade and Bosh opt in, then Lebron may very well leave, and the Heat's ability to compete for a championship would leave with him, but they'd be in great shape to retool in 2016 when the free agency class is supposedly going to be spectacular.

If Lebron does leave, I don't expect him to be villified in this city like he was in Cleveland. I think everyone here appreciates the last 4 years, and whereas the people of Cleveland may have felt personally slighted by Lebron's departure, I'm pretty sure the people here will be too busy doing cocaine on yachts to even notice. I think he would return to Miami to a standing ovation (with, I'm sure, a smattering of boos).