Former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin wanted more autonomy when it came to managing his team’s roster, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com says. The scribe responded to a question about Griffin’s recent exit in a mailbag with readers.
Per Vardon, franchise owner Dan Gilbert had a tendency to get in the way of trades and contracts and the philosophical differences between the two parties were evident.
Vardon confirms that Griffin was also seeking a significant raise but doesn’t suspect that any negotiations even reached that far considering that they didn’t appear to be on the same page to begin with.
- The $2MM reduction in payroll room the league hinted at with its latest salary cap projection could cost the Cavaliers as much as $10MM in luxury tax damage, Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today writes. The Cavs will be hit with the repeater tax in 2017/18.
- The Cavaliers had a deal on the table to acquire the 34th pick in the draft last night with the intention of drafting Ivan Rabb, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. Rabb ultimately went 35th overall.
- The Cavaliers could look to add Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. While the scenario sounds, and probably is, farfetched, Vardon suggests that their personal ties to LeBron James could land them in Ohio if they are ultimately bought out by their respective clubs.
LMAO now Lebron wants Melo and Wade too? How are the Cavs pulling this off? They have to open up cap room and no one wants none of those huge contracts Shumpert,Smith, and Thompson have. Call me crazy but what about the Cavs trading Kyrie to New Orleans for Cousins straight up? And bringing in CP3 and Wade?
Paul-Wade-Lebron-Love-Cousins =o
Both could bought out. They would sign veterans minimum with the Cavs under those circumstances.
Sounds like a good idea.
So you laugh and then say something even more ridiculous?
Have you not seen how Dionis functions? That is a perfect summary of what he does Wolves.
And what do you do? Spend your day judging other people’s opinions?
As much as i disagree with him there is something to be said that he stays true to his opinions and honestly I don’t mind the crazy trade ideas.
Ridiculous why? What makes you an expert?
Y’all acting like LeBron is the GM….no matter how good a player is he doesn’t call the shots in the office. he can put his opinion or suggestions, but he doesn’t call the shots until he gets on the court.
We know that. Someone just needs to tell that to LeBron.
It never mentions that “LeBron wants the Cavs to sign Melo and Wade”. All it says is that personal ties to LeBron COULD lead Melo and Wade to sign with Cleveland.
Rabb would have been interesting for them, especially if they could magically move Tristan Thompson. I actually would comp Rabb to Thompson, but Rabb is a much better defender
Rabb has no experience, he would contribute but I think you are forgetting you can’t have rookies against Golden State in the Finals. With KD there the margin of error for Lebron and the Cavs is extremely small.
He’s 100% an upgrade over Tristan Thompson, and would have improved their defense. Not that it would have mattered, but gives them 1 less need, and gives them an exponentially better pick and roll defender/similar rebounder. They’d still be at least a wing defender short, probably even if they had kept Liggins
Rabb hasn’t even played a NBA game yet and you’re saying he is better than TT lol. TT has way more experience and has played in 3 straight NBA finals. Thank god you’re not a GM.
Rabb never really improved but he’s a good get for Memphis’s bench. In case Jamychal decides to go elsewhere, Rabb is good insurance. Memphis needs a shooter at the 3, they should go after Gallinari.
Chandler Parsons still has some run in him I bet.
Yea we’ll see how he responds, Memphis should look to upgrade their shooting regardless. With Conley and Gasol there, they are guaranteed a playoff berth with David Fizdale coaching there.
Labron realizes that things aren’t working out with his current supper team of Love and Irving so he wants to swap them out for Melo and Wade I guess. I understand the Wade part since they are good friends but Mello? Really? He is a washed up she’ll of his old self and the Knicks would be willing to trade him to the Cavs for nothing if thy could just to get rid of his contract
Not necessarily, Melo still averaged 23 ppg and playing with Lebron and Wade he won’t have to do much but just score.
No way he’ll be able to ISO ball his way to 25 FGA’s in Cleveland.
All depends how they restructure the roster, Melo will hold his own though, you making it seem like the dude Memphis Vince Carter my dude.
Cavs aren’t trading Uncle Drew and KLove for those guys. Would be a buy out situation and the cavs would pick them up for the league minimum if this far fetched idea were sought out.
did he really just say melo washed up…u really don’t watch bball do u… this guy has the same amount of bball left in him as LeBron… prolly more than lebron because he hasn’t play as much ball as LeBron… wen he does get traded .. he’s gonna make u look stupid
showty, with all due respect, melo doesn’t belong in the same sentence as LeBron.
-Knick fan
and if I was him…I take the trade to twoves now… they wanted him… plus they have ah playoff squad now.. adding him could make it a finals squad
I could see both being bought out. Only bc a trade would require a 1st rounder or two to be given up in the case of Me lo. D wades one year could be traded and waived for a non guaranteed contract like Henderson and the Sixers waive him for an 1-3 protected 2018 or 19 pick.
If I was Phil I would have tried to dump Melo Thursday. And I would have traded the unicorn to nba obscurity like the Blazers for a bunch of picks and Allen Crabbe or to the Kings for 5, 10 and a player and dumped Noah on them.
Phil is not a good GM he lacks the vision he had as a coach. He’s benefit from a guy like Hinkie setting up trades.
Bulls made out like bandits though. 2 years of Butler got them LaVine (injury a gamble) Dunn and Markkanen. That is a serious haul. 1 2 and 4 are now set. Lopez at the 5. If they made a max offer to Otto Porter they’d look really good for the future. Just cut Rondo only 3m guarantee.
How did the Bulls make out like bandits? They gave up the best player and also a first round pick? As you mentioned, LaVine is an injury gamble being an athletic guard coming off an ACL tear (remind you of a former Bull also coming off the same injury?). Dunn has potential but also didn’t stand out last year. And while the Markkanen pick could be solid, he’ll be stuck playing behind Mirotic and needs to develop defensively to be anything more than a one-dimensional stretch 4. And, as I mentioned, they also gave up a first rounder in the deal. If the 16th pick wasn’t included, I’d lean to the deal being more of a 50-50 or 60-40 deal in favor of the Bulls, but the Wolves obviously win this trade with the inclusion of the 16th pick and the fact that the only “core” player they gave up was LaVine who is easily replaced by Butler.
Mirotic is a free agent, he might not be back.
Melo D wade to old to expensive!
Cavs time has passed. It’s golden st.
League NOW! HaHa
Idk man quite honestly just seeing SA had them down by almost 30 Game 1 of the WCF makes me wonder. They did that with just Kawhi Leonard and Lamarcus Aldridge who is not seeming to fit in too good yet they had GS down. If Lebron does decide to stay with the Cavs and they do bring in Melo and Wade to Cleveland, the bench will need to be reconstructed with strictly defense and 3 point shooting. Maybe move Love for a couple 3 and D’s.
Irving-Wade-Lebron-Melo-Thompson
Possibly move Love to Boston for Bradley and Crowder for the Cavs bench?
IMO, you said that way too nicely towards the Bulls lol
There’s no way around it. Bulls got fleeced. Honestly, I can’t believe Chicago didn’t get more, even for only 2 years of Butler. All day, I had been saying Minnesota would have to send Dunn, Lavine, Bjelica, #7, and a 2019 1st round pick for Butler alone…not only did all they get was Dunn and 1 year of Lavine coming off the ACL injury, but they took Markannen at 7, which made very little sense, unless they think he’s Dirk. Markannen can definitely shoot it, and can surprisingly take the ball of the dribble a little, but he can’t play defense, he can’t rebound, he doesn’t really do much else other than shoot it. Their roster doesn’t really come together right now. They should probably trade Robin Lopez and try to sign and trade Mirotic at this point, and then wade gers a buyout later in the year. They need wings and shooters…I really like Kris Dunn. I didn’t get a chance to see him much last year, as a rookie, but in college, I watched him a lot. He reminds me of a bigger Wade/maybe John Wall. He, Lavine for a year, and Markannen kind of could make some sense together (Portis would probably start at the 5, with Markannen off the bench), but the rest of that roster probably should be blown up around them
But it gets better. They also gave Minnesota #16, and they got Justin Patton lol. So super high upside for Minnesota there, plus they get Butler on a cheap deal for 2 years for not much in terms of assets. Now they can try to add a PG like George Hill, and a couple of backup wing shooters, and they’re good to go….The Bulls…it’s going to be a few years
LeBron wants a dream team to get another ring. Last time the Lakers did that it didn’t work
Not really a dream team. He wants to play with his friends. If they have Paul, DWade, LeBron, Melo that’s a group of future hall of famers. But DWade is past his prime. And CP3 can’t get thru a season. It’s what LeBron wants. But the crazy terrible contracts they threw out will b tough to get them to Cleveland. Better off finding a team with cap space and everyone go next year together. By the Wade and Melo will b bought out. CP3 can sign a 2 year with an opt out for this year ala- Durants contract last year. And Lebrons will b up. I think the Cavs r poorly constructed and really r not a good matchup with the Warriors