It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that my friends and I like to discuss hoops. Well, yesterday my boy Dan sent out an email discussing future possibilities for LeBron. Here is the transcript of the ensuing conversation:
Dan: Here’s a free idea for your blog, loosely titled, why LeBron is in a unique position in basketball history:
He is definitely one of the two best players in the league. Unlike Kobe he has taken a team of absolute nobodies to the Finals (and yea I know that the East was damn weak that year, but like I said not wholly coherent). Unlike Jordan, everybody likes him and he doesn’t throw his teammates under the bus. Which brings me to my point. He has the skills, the credibility and the charisma to RUN his own team. He can, and should, tell his coach/GM to trade Shaq for another swingman/athletic
4, turn their team from the 2003 Pistons to the 2007 Suns (can you imagine LeBron bearing down on you EVERY time you miss a jumper) and try to win a title like that while his legs are fresh and he hasn’t taken so many hits that his ability to go to the hoop goes south faster than Brandon Jacob’s yds/carry average.
Like I said, not fully coherent, but a thought none-the-less. And admit it, an intriguing possibility.
Matt: Rebuttal:
Who are these “athletic 4s” of which you speak? Of actual impact players, there’s Bosh, Amare, Odom, Rashard Lewis, Anthony Randolph, Josh Smith (if we’re calling him a 4), Al Harrington, Blake Griffin’s ACLs, Beasley… and that’s kinda it. Sure, K-Mart circa 2000 and Matrix circa 2006 would’ve worked, as would T-Wolves Garnett.
Maybe you get somebody to take Shaq’s monster EC (21 mil). Maybe. But the Raps wouldn’t do it. The Suns wouldn’t, obviously. The Magic surely wouldn’t. The Hawks don’t need the cash. So, I’m saying this option is out.
As for swingmen… the Cavs already have Delonte West, Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker, and Danny Green. These guys can all shoot and defend. I think they’re pretty set there. Not sure what you want to give up, and who you think you’ll get in return.
I have a better solution: Lebron becomes that athletic 4. Look at what Kobe has done this year with Pau out. LbJ is so much bigger and more athletic than 2009 Kobe, he could be a mix of Karl Malone, Magic Johnson, and pre-injury Amare. He could average 40.
He just needs to wait to do this until Kobe retires, so the Lakers can keep winning rings.
Dan: Well yea, LeBron being the 4 makes a lot of sense, and I think i mentioned that as an option. I’m just saying that if they’re going to trade Shaq and go that direction they need to get someone who fits in their eight man playoff rotation. So they’ve got to trade SOMEONE. How about Shaq for Shawn Marion and Howard. Does that work? Would the Mavs do it?
Matt: Not in a million years.
Dan: Yea okay so maybe I’m not quite awake yet. I think they should trade Shaq to the TrailBrazers for someone and someone (but mostly Juwan Howard cause holy crap he dunked on Marcus Camby HARD a few nights ago. And yes, the one from West Wing is who I mean).
Me (Ben): They can really only trade Shaq to a terrible team that is looking for expiring contracts but has decent pieces. There’s only one team that fits that description: the Knicks. Who on the Knicks would help them win right away? David Lee? Too similar to Varejao. Al Harrington? Too terrible defensively and mercurial. Nate Robinson? Can’t get a gunner who needs the ball in his hands to play with LeBron. I do see one player on the Knicks that would be perfect for the Cavs. Daniloa Gallinari. Put him at the 4 and suddenly you have another dead-eye shooter to space the floor, but one who’s big enough to guard the 4. But would the Knicks trade the only guy they really like? Furthermore, the only big nonexpiring contracts they could unload are Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries. Doubtful the Cavs take on those two guys.
The only other option I see is trading Shaq to the Rockets. I know this sounds crazy, but what about Shaq for TMac, straight up. Both contracts expiring. TMac won’t play with this Rocket bunch. Houston has no size right now. (At least not vertical size. Chuck Hayes is pretty wide.) What about LeBron TMac on the wings. It’d be a risk, but it might be a good one.
But here’s what I think the Cavs really should do. Salary Cap for next year is $58 million. As it stands now, the Cavs are on the books for $50 million, as Shaq and Z are expiring. I think you gotta get one more big expiring contract and then get Bosh or Wade for next year. What about Varejao, Delonte, and JJ Hickson to Portland for Darius Miles’ contract and Steve Blake, who’s also in the last year of his deal. Salaries match up. Portland needs big man help with all their injuries and Blake lost his starting job. Losing Varejao might hurt Cleveland short run, but Blake is a solid PG who can guard both 1s and 2s, allowing them to go small and move LeBron over. Most importantly, next year the Cavs would drop $21 million under the cap, perfect to sign Bosh or Wade. Furthermore, you can always find Varejao replacements late in the draft. See Blair, DeJuan.
