2009 NBA offseason thread

[fujishig]

Originally Posted by dx23

I actually like this trade, because the Hawks went through scoring slumps during the playoff series, most of it because of Josh Smith inability to make a shot farther than 3 feet from the rim. Crawford will help the team.

By the way, Smith is turning to be a new version of Stacey Augmon with JR Rider's attitude problems.

Don't they already have a guy at the position who loves to shoot (Joe Johnson) and a guy off the bench that loves to shoot (Flip Murray)?

Add in Bibby, Marvin Williams and Josh Smith, and where are the shots coming from?

[dx23]

Originally Posted by fujishig

Don't they already have a guy at the position who loves to shoot (Joe Johnson) and a guy off the bench that loves to shoot (Flip Murray)?

Add in Bibby, Marvin Williams and Josh Smith, and where are the shots coming from?

Bibby and Murray are free agents and at least Murray is not expected to come back. As I said before, when Bibby and Johnson didn't score, the other teams play zone, leaving Smith open for jump shots and he couldn't make any. Crawford will help stretching that defense. Also, the lineup could go this 2 ways, depending if Bibby re-signs or not:

PG - Bibby
SG - Johnson
SF- Smith
PF - Williams
C- Horford
6th - Crawford
7th - Evans

or

PG - Johnson
SG - Crawford
SF- Smith
PF- Williams
C- Horford
6th - Evans

There is also the big rumor that Josh Childress may come back since his team in Europe is having financial difficulties. If that happens, expect his rights or Josh smith to be traded for a real center or PG if Bibby doesn't come back.

[PopcornTreeCt]

Shaq traded to the Cavs!

Cavs give up Wallace, Pavlovic, and the 46th pick to the Suns.

[fumanstan]

Wow, didn't think it would actually happen. I don't think this will put the Cavs over the top, but it should be interesting.

[BigDaddy]

Can you imagine the hype of a Lakers Cavs finals now.

[Deftones]

Let the rebuilding begin in Phoenix.

[dx23]

My question is what is Cleveland going to do now with Big Z. At least Ben Wallace was undersized and moved to PF flawlessly and Varejao play the position when the other one got hurt. But how are they going to fit Shaq and Big Z in the same lineup? Cleveland still missing that other SF that can shoot the ball and defend. That is what killed them in the series against Orlando. Yes, Howard played great, but the mismatch of Delonte or Wally guarding Hedo is what made the difference at the end. They need to get someone like Ariza. There are not many SF in the free agent market that can shoot. Only Artest, Ariza, Lamar Odom and Hedo, and all of them look that they are going back to their respective teams or go play in a place that can pay them the big bucks, which Cleveland can't. The other only other guy I see Cleveland getting is Grant Hill who can give leadership and scoring, but not consistent perimeter shooting.

[nickdawgy]

This is supposed to make the Cavs better? Shaq will probably go in there and screw with their chemistry.

[ChineseCheckers]

Originally Posted by dx23

My question is what is Cleveland going to do now with Big Z. At least Ben Wallace was undersized and moved to PF flawlessly and Varejao play the position when the other one got hurt. But how are they going to fit Shaq and Big Z in the same lineup?

Big Z would come off the bench and Varejao starts at PF with JJ Hickson backing him up

[dx23]

Originally Posted by ChineseCheckers

Big Z would come off the bench and Varejao starts at PF with JJ Hickson backing him up

But that doesn't resolve the issue of getting a SF that can defend and shoot. By the way, Varejao can opt out of his contract now.

[ChineseCheckers]

doesn't Lebron start at SF? And does Varejao want to leave Cleveland?

Maybe the Cavs are will address the issue in free agency or via trades. Lebron could lure Ron Artest or Shawn Marrion or Matt Barnes as all three are free agents. Plus with Mo Williams and Delonte West I think their backcourt is still good. They may not have had the best series vs Orlando but the Magic just shot the lights out beyond the arc.

[Rendle]

Originally Posted by nickdawgy

This is supposed to make the Cavs better? Shaq will probably go in there and screw with their chemistry.

You're right. Shaq is really gonna screw up the Cavs 1 on 5 offense.

Originally Posted by ChineseCheckers

Big Z would come off the bench and Varejao starts at PF with JJ Hickson backing him up

Varejao can opt out and become a free agent. Signing him is pretty important. He wants $10M a year but won't get that.

Originally Posted by dx23

But that doesn't resolve the issue of getting a SF that can defend and shoot.

Delonte is a SF that can defend and shoot. He was great all season and then had a poor series vs Orlando.

[Mr. Cinema]

Even with Shaq, Cleveland wouldn't get past a healthy Boston team. Neither will Orlando.

[Rendle]

The Cavs took them to 7 games in 08 and improved to a 66 win team in 08-09. If they played this year with a healthy Garnett and a healthy Powe and the Cavs having home court advantage it would be a helluva series and basically a coin flip.

[chess]

<-- Looking forward to watching Shaq brick free throws the last two minutes of every playoff game.

Not looking forward to the prospect of Shaq winning rings with 3 different teams. He's enough of a head case.

[fumanstan]

Originally Posted by Rendle

Delonte is a SF that can defend and shoot. He was great all season and then had a poor series vs Orlando.

Delonte is 6'3". He's not a SF.

[chess]

And while I'm thinking about it, how has Shaq managed to play with 3 (4 if you count Nash) of the top 5 players in the game?

[Rendle]

Originally Posted by fumanstan

Delonte is 6'3". He's not a SF.

Whoops. I thought he said SG. Lebron is the SF and played 45 minutes a game in the playoffs.

One of Mike Brown's biggest mistakes vs Orlando was leaving Lebron on Alston and not having him guard Hedo.

[Setzer]

Originally Posted by nickdawgy

This is supposed to make the Cavs better? Shaq will probably go in there and screw with their chemistry.

I really don't see this helping them out. They're still not good enough to beat Orlando or Boston.

[fumanstan]

Originally Posted by Rendle

Whoops. I thought he said SG. Lebron is the SF and played 45 minutes a game in the playoffs.

One of Mike Brown's biggest mistakes vs Orlando was leaving Lebron on Alston and not having him guard Hedo.

Yeah, I don't think it's necessarily a SF, just a wing player. Mo Williams/Delonte West are decent, but a team with a bigger back court hurts them defensively.

[Decker]

Originally Posted by chess

And while I'm thinking about it, how has Shaq managed to play with 3 (4 if you count Nash) of the top 5 players in the game?

Nash isn't top 10 anymore, but you're right about the other part, he will have teamed up with the top 3 in the MVP voting last year. That's pretty lucky.

[El Scorcho]

it will be fun to watch the NBA finals next year when the Western Twin Towers (Pryz & Oden) clash with the Eastern Twin Towers (Shaq & Z)

[Decker]

Jason Smith made an interesting comment on the NBA podcast this morning : If the Suns had not traded Shawn Marion for Shaq, not only would they have won at least the same number of playoff games during the past two years, but had Shawn left this offseason through free agency, the Suns would have $20 Million in cap relief instead of the $5 Million this Shaq trade nets them. Wow.

[dx23]

Originally Posted by fumanstan

Yeah, I don't think it's necessarily a SF, just a wing player. Mo Williams/Delonte West are decent, but a team with a bigger back court hurts them defensively.

Exactly. Besides Lebron, there is no other capable wingman playing for the Cavs. Even if the Cavs went to the finals instead of the Magic, the Lakers would have found the same weakness. Who was going to guard Ariza? Delonte? Mo? Wally? Sasha? The Cavs need to get now through free agency or a trade a wingman. The only one I can think of are Grant Hill and Dhantay Jones.

[fumanstan]

I wonder if Shaq will talk shit about the Suns on his way out too.