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Re: Future is uncertain in THE LAND - Cav's '18 story
@ The Cleveland Cav's Daily News
Everyone is talking about what is going to happen in 10 months from now. The talking point from the start of the season to the end will be where will LeBron be next year. Will he still be in a Cav's jersey, or will he bolt to the Lakers or another team. Plus it is going to intensify if the Cav's do bad or based on the trades they will make this year. Or better yet the trades they don't before the trade deadline. While everyone is talking about that lets talk about what we do know and then move to the "what if's".
First and foremost we don't have Kyrie Irving at point as he wanted out and the Cav's moved him before the season. While everyone has it's outlook on the trade, and we will too, we will get into that later. Even with that the Cav's bloster there roster this year even before the trade, and while they finished second last year in the Conference they made it to the finals before losing to the juggernaut of the Warriors. Still with all the changes this year from Rose, the trade, it still looks like they closed the gap a little on the Warriors but the Warriors are still far and ahead the favorites to win it all. It might not be a sweep this year, but Cav's should at least win a game this time.
Yes even with the Irving trade, and finishing second last year, this year the Cav's are heavy favorites to finish first in the East and have an easy road to the finals again in a weak Eastern Conference. That is even with Isaiah Thomas being out for who knows how long. Some are saying January, others after the all-star break, and a few are saying he might be back for just the playoffs. Still even with Boston and all there new players it is like them closing the gap on the Cav's as the Cav's closed the gap on the Warriors.
Which gets us to the trade everyone has talked about all pre-season. Who won the trade. Boston fans think they won and Cleveland fans think they won. For us right now as the season starts hand down it was Boston who won. When Thomas is healthy it will be a wash, and after the season depending where the draft pick ends up will most likely give Cleveland the edge. While it isn't great for the Cav's of not having an amazing PG to start the season the off-season signing of Rose looks amazing for the Cav's. While he will be good for a pinch the key here is to keep him healthy and if he can buy in that he is the third option on this team and will be relegated to the bench when Thomas is healthy. Also the veteran signing of Jose Calderon will help out as well.
Cav's still have Lebron and Love which with Thomas out looks to increase both of their looks as 1a and 1b now on the team. Cav's still have J.R. Smith, who if he looks to get back into shooting form will be great, as well as Korver, Frye, and Jefferson to help shoot from outside. Plus you have the rebounding of Love and Thompson back with newcomer Zizic from the trade. The third player in the trade who will get some playing time is Jae Crowder who the Cav's desperately needed who is a team player who can contribute on both sides. Filling out the roster is Shumpert, Green, Osman and Holland. Which now Shumpert is the odd man out and if he can't get to that above average defender he was when he first arrived he might be out the door as rumors have been swirling since the end of last off-season.
The final piece in the trade was Brooklyn's draft pick which people are saying could be a top 5 pick. If so that might lessen the blow if LeBron leaves. Which now leads us into the "What If's".
What if... Isaiah Thomas can play after the All-Star Break or even just the playoffs. The key here is Rose not Thomas. If Rose can stay healthy this won't even be a big deal. Even if Thomas comes back and isn't even the player he was before it won't be the devastating blow people think. Only thing is that the Celtics did get the better end of the deal.
What if...Lebron says he is going to leave after the season during the season. Personally I don't think this will happen but if he does want to leave there might be calls to see if a trade can happen so Cleveland can get something in return. Plus LeBron left once for nothing and saw how Cleveland handled it which most people says he wouldn't do twice to them.
What if...Cleveland trades the pick for another star to keep Lebron happy. Well the only way this is going to work is if Thomas or Love is packaged in that deal. The question then becomes who out there could be good enough for that to make an impact right away, keep Lebron in Ohio after this year, and push Cleveland over the top of the Warriors. Right now the answer is probably no one, but crazier things has happen.
What if...the worst happens. Cleveland breaks down and finishes outside the top two in the conference. LeBron is injured for most of the year, or better yet Love goes down and Thomas comes back and is a shell of his old self. Lebron bolts to another team after the year, free agents are scared away, and then the rebuild comes as management goes on a fire sale to keep their payroll as low as can be.
What if...the best happens. Cleveland gets Thomas back a month or two after the season starts and is in old form. Cleveland either trades the draft pick (which Brooklyn tanks), Shumpert, and Smith for a younger stud who can shoot lights out from downtown. Cleveland goes on a tear in the playoffs and easily dispatch the Warriors in the finals.
What if... Cav's go younger and rebuild. Smith, Shumpert, Rose, Frye, Calderon, Jefferson, and Green are traded or released after the year. Cav's trade away some picks to get another top 10 pick in the draft, while keeping the Brooklyn pick as well, and keep Thomas, Love, Thompson and Lebron heading into next year as their starters. Draft a knock down SG and a PG for backup for Thomas and if needing defensive possession use the rook. Or could be a ten other different ways this could go.
Either way only time will tell. And we will have 82 games plus playoffs where everyone will talk about every little rumor or how the wind will change of what will happen to this team.
Last edited by cincy14fan; 09-23-2017 at 12:31 AM.
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09-22-2017, 11:40 PM
