News broke Sunday that the Cavaliers, Nuggets and Pacers had discussed a three-way deal that would have sent Paul George to the Cavs and Kevin Love to Denver ahead of the draft. As we wrote about earlie, one variation of the potential deal would have sent Kenneth Faried to Cleveland as well.
In an article published at ESPN shortly thereafter, Marc Stein – who sent the initial tweet Sunday night – goes into more details, sharing information about the pre-draft conversations that took place surrounding the Pacers forward.
Here are some highlights from Stein’s latest piece, co-written with Haynes:
- While the conversations between the Cavaliers, Nuggets and Pacers didn’t amount to anything before the draft, Cleveland haven’t abandoned its pursuit of the two-way All-Star. The Cavs legitimately believe that they could convince George to abandon his dreams of playing for his hometown Lakers, something he is expected to pursue when he hits free agency in 2018.
- In addition to Cleveland’s ongoing pursuit and the Celtics discussions that came to light on draft day, Stein and Haynes note that the Rockets and Spurs both aggressively pursued George deals before the draft as well.
- The Nuggets are looking to upgrade at power forward and it’s the reason why Love was included in the possible three-team deal. Denver similarly intends to make plays for pending free agents Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap.
- All of Faried, Wilson Chandler and Emmanuel Mudiay are said to be available. Big man Nikola Jokic and second-year guard Jamal Murray are supposedly untouchable.
- The pair also confirm what we wrote about on Friday following a Joe Vardon column at Cleveland.com; the Cavs are expected to pursue Carmelo Anthony should he be bought out by the Knicks.
Faried to cavs. Love to nuggets. Who on earth would the pacers have got???
Future picks, they have to aim for Rudy Gay if Paul leaves and try and sign Rose. Maybe signing Redick would not be a bad idea also, they could get back to competing immediately just got to spend the money.
Knicks shouldn’t buy out Melo. If they are gonna pay most of his salary, might as well keep him around. He’s still a very good player.
If they keep him then it effects their salary cap. I believe that if bought out, you can then spread his salary over a certain number of years thus clearing cap space. Also, I think Melo and Phil just need to be separated. It reeks of Ike and Tina but in a verbal abuse kind of way. I love Melo but I think it’s best for his sanity to leave if Dolan has no desire to fire Phil.
Melo is going nowhere, he is still a top 5 scorer in the NBA. Only better scorers are Durant,Westbrook,Davis, and Curry.
Some fellow back in Houston named James Harden would Disagree
Harden might be better then Lebron, if the Rockets sign Paul and put em back at SG he’ll average 33 ppg.
Harden is a really good player, but better than Lebron can only be voiced a maybe couple of times a year, usually after his team gets outplayed in the finals. The other when ESPN just needs to shake things up.
If the NBA teams released all players and had a redraft, even at his current age, James goes number one still.
Dude….Phil is trying to run him out of town. Have you ever heard a team exec tell a newspaper that the player should move on because the team didn’t want him? I love Melo but he is not a top 5 scorer. I can think of at least 5 forwards that are better scorers and arguably better players with a second skill set (LBJ, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Durant, Love) than Melo. That’s not even including guards. His shooting % has declined 4 years in a row. He can still be a super valuable player just not the best player on a title contender.
Lebron is not a better scorer then Melo.
Ummm… Come again?? LeBron was picked first in the 2003 draft, Melo 3rd in the same draft. LeBron is 9th all time in scoring.. Melo is 30th.. Lol..
Lebron’s stats are inflated, he never scores when it matters.
right and issac is the 2nd coming of Christ lmao
Isaac will be a monster just give it a year or two.
You have to be kidding. Memo hasn’t scored when it mattered since he played for Syracuse.
Lmao so true.
Melo carried that Syracuse team to a title, Lebron can’t do that and neither has Melo player on superteams like the Heat and the current Cavs.
He’s gotta be trolling. No one is this stupid.
Nobody good wants to play with Melo
True about the cap, but why not keep him? I’d rather have Melo than the Knicks overpay some scrub. I agree that Phil and Melo are not buddies, but they have to at least coexist.
I agree it makes no sense to just let Melo go and get nothing in return and pay his salary also better to keep him he is still the best player on the team
Yup we are keeping Melo :)
The Knicks don’t need Melo. Shoot they didn’t need Rose nor Joakim either. They need to be collecting assets and trying to build a foundation thru the draft and then look to adding stars via FA or thru trades using overflow of draft pics. The problem is, Dolan is more concerned with having a star player and selling tickets vs becoming a contender that draws because of the talent on the court vs nostalgia.
Porzingis wants Melo around.
Problem is no one wants Melo, with his salary. Knicks should not cut him, so just keep him.
Aww Lebron needs more help? Denver has a bright future with Jokic and Murray, if they add Love they would be terrifying. Love will get back to averaging 20+, Lebron is hurting his game.
basketball is getting sad wen u need ah team full of all-stars to win… as a Pacer fan sounds like the pacers are about do something stupid like give him away to ah team they play 3 things ah year and get nothing in return… they should have just took love to salvage their season
I hope you say that about the Warriors too? Also, it seems that basketball fans are so short-sighted. Ummm…the Bird Celtic’s had 4-5 HOF on those title teams (Bird, McHale, Parrish, DJ and Walton). The Magic Laker’s had 4 HOF in Magic, Jabaar, Worthy and Jamal Wilkes in addition to some great players in Norm Nixon, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott and Vlade Divac. The 76ers had Dr. J, Malone, Andrew Toney and Mo Cheeks. Jordan had Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc (two time 18 pt a game player).
Let’s also use some context on the Jordan era rivals. What legit stars did the Knicks have? Ewing. The Utah Jazz? Stockton and Malone. The 76ers? Charles Barkley era team and the Iverson era team. The Hawks? Dominique. Portland? Drexler.
The only legit multi-star cast Jordan ever had to get past were the Pistons (whom they lost to for years before beating them once in the ECF), the aging Magic/Worthy Laker’s in the finals which was Magic’s last season before retiring and a Suns team lead by Barkley with a very good supporting cast. But never did he face a team like the GSW with 3 dynamic scores in Curry, Durant and Thompson and a do-it-all guy like Draymond and a team that played great defense. Jordan is and will always be the best but it just isn’t as simple to compare teams/eras the way it is in baseball.
2018-19 Finals Golden st 4-0 over the cavs. Lebron the Decision part 2.
LA!
He might lose to Milwaukee in the playoffs, Jabari and Giannis coming for that throne.
Lmao dude just stop, Lebron needs 2 all-stars to win and when he has won its been by luck. He beat the Celtics when they were on their last legs in Miami, Jordan beat them all and his mentality rubbed off on his teammates. Lebron’s team was never ready to play with GS and neither was Lebron.
Your personal hatred of LeBron is clear man. We get it. Most anyone who actually knows a little bit about how basketball should be played though can give LeBron his due, regardless of personal opinion. The man has made his teams NBA finals threats since his rookie season – I think you need to check your emotions at the door.
If you slot George,Leonard,Durant, even Melo where Lebron it and minimum they reach the ECF. Lebron has played with the most talent since he left Cleveland the first time for Miami, he just does not win and I am not a Lebron hater I just tell it how it is man, I supported Lebron for a long time but year after year its excuses and excuses we make for this guy, its ridiculous I’m done cheering for him he is not a born killer.
You’re living in fantasy world buddy.
But LBJ and the Cavs did win….one year ago…in a historic comeback. You missed that bruh? You’re a joke.
Lebron is the best player in the NBA period. Just a guy with his 6’8″ frame at 255-265 pounds should never be able to do what he does. He’s heavier than half the centers in the NBA yet plays like a guard. He makes his team better. Dionis did you even see what he did to the GSW when they won the title?! Curry called himself the best player in the world and lebron sent his shot around the world twice when he blocked it. He can score any way he wants to on the fast break, post up, or shoot. Marlo can’t run and can only post up and barely shoot anymore. And when has melo ever taken his team to the finals? Melo needs to drop like 40 pounds and get some mobility and learn defense and then maybe he will have good value again.
Melo is over weight…even with no heart! Won’t play defense…selfish…only cares about his stats. This is not new…the reason George Karl blew him out. No one will trade for a cancer like that….cavs might sign if Knicks buy him out. PG…LBJ…Kyrie…Melo…not enough basketballs for that lineup…who would rebound…Tristan the kardashian chaser? Head case! Chemistry comes before physics! Watching little Lue trying to control that huddle….hilarious!