Tag Archives: Pau Gasol

Can Cleveland Win It All Next Season?

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I think they can.  They have a young, but seasoned back court in Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, with 3 and 2 years in the league respectively.  They are from high quality, winning college programs at Duke and Syracuse, and can both hit the open jumper.  Their biggest adjustment was in asking Waiters to defer to Irving when he’s an inch taller at 6’4″, 32 pounds heavier, similar skill set, and confident from their practice sessions.  Neither will have a problem deferring to Lebron James. Arguably, that’s the best in the league at the 1, 2, and 3 positions.  The 4 (power forward) and 5 (center) are more challenging, but not at all horrible.  Anderson Varejao has 10 years in the league, experience playing with Lebron, and pulled down 9.7 rebounds per game last season. I would say that’s a respectable center position. The problem is, he’s the only center they have, and that needs to be rectified. But it can be, easily, via a trade. Tristan Thompson would be the weak link at the 4, but he won’t start.  I’m hoping they keep him, as he will be a high level sub off their bench. The Cavs are already working on a trade for Kevin Love, and if they get him at the 4, with Thompson behind him, they suddenly are powerful at the 1, 2, 3, AND 4, with a respectable 5 in Varejao.

The two Canadian youngsters are not bad ballers, but Messrs. Wiggins and Bennett are likely gone in the Kevin Love deal.  I just hope to see a back-up 5 coming back to the Cavs in that deal.  And remember, Pau Gasol is still around, would love to play with Lebron, and has no anti-Cleveland bias.  The difficulty there is his history with the Lakers in L.A., and Phil Jackson in N.Y., making it difficult to grab him.  But if they could, just imagine for a second Kyrie Irving at the 1, Dion Waiters at the 2, Lebron James at the 3, Kevin Love at the 4, and Pau Gasol at the 5…..the ball constantly moving, and all of them capable of hitting the open jumper.  On the Cavs bench are a couple of guards, Joe Harris and Matt Delavedova who can do one thing really well, shoot.  Of course, there are a couple of veterans, Mike Miller and Ray Allen who have a better history of doing that, and are in the conversation whenever, wherever goes Lebron James.

So, sort through those possibilities if you will, and tell me, can Cleveland win it all next season?

Lebron to Philadelphia? Here’s a thought.

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Joel Embiid has been tweeting Lebron about Philly, and most people laugh at the notion, since they’ve tanked the last couple of years, drafting injured big men, saving money and cap space to a fault.  But here’s a scenario to think about.  There are $ 15mm tied up in two guys, Jason Richardson and Thaddeus Young.  Shed that money, and you can have the space to bring in Lebron (21), Lance Stephenson (11), and Luol Deng (11) for $ 43mm.  You already have locked up Michael Carter-Williams at 3, and Nerlens Noel at 2.  More young legs are available in draftee Jerami Grant, and when he heals from surgery, top draftee Joel Embiid. Now, to top it off, bring in Kevin Love or Pau Gasol.  All of this is very doable.

With the contracts and draft picks they have in Philly, if they are serious and have the vision, this is a very palatable scenario to place before Lebron’s agent. The above cast of characters, along with those you fill in the roster with, get you by Miami and Indiana, and into the NBA Finals.  In my opinion, with the experience gained from the season of playing together, it gets you by the San Antonio Spurs, and places the crown once more upon the head of the King.

With this vision in mind, the 76ers’ GM should be packing for Cleveland to meet with Lebron’s agent.

Lakers Desperately Need Carmelo

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There has been no Showtime in L.A. of late, unless of course you apply the tag to the Clippers.  That is almost sacrilege from an historical perspective.  The modern Laker cornerstone, Kobe Bryant, believes he has at least two more elite seasons left in his legs. He doesn’t plan for those to be repeats of 2013-2014.  To avoid leaving his tenure with the Lakers having traded places with the prior to Chris Paul Clippers in terms of stature, Kobe needs Carmelo Anthony.  It all starts with Melo.  If they are successful in bringing Melo on board (to the chagrin of their prodigal son, Phil Jackson), Paul Gasol likely returns as well. That makes the Lakers respectable if not competitive for a title.  The greater hope is that, surveying the landscape upon such a result, Lebron James would decide to don the purple and gold as well. That would be the return to Showtime.  But, it all starts with attracting Carmelo Anthony.

Lebron wants to win, and with a little help this year in Miami, could have won. Those who criticize the guy should consider the weight he carried, the minutes he played, the earnings he sacrificed, and the feeling within his camp as to the respect he earned but did not get. While Lebron labored with the sixth highest minutes per game in the league, often carrying the team both offensively and defensively, guarding the best opponent at multiple positions, he often didn’t know until shortly before tip off whether D. Wade would play or not. There are youtube videos of Wade’s defensive erosion as his legs deteriorate, pointing to his opponent streaking down the court, and often it was Lebron laboring to chase them down. I repeat the word labor because that’s what this season was for Lebron, labor. He has never been the highest paid player on his team, either in Cleveland or Miami, but the effort required of him has unquestionably been the most.

There are other, subtle factors as well.  Lebron’s friends and family, who were royalty in Cleveland, are commoners in Miami, devoid of “special” treatment. Don’t think for a second they don’t express their displeasure to him, particularly in light of Pat Riley’s “Get a grip….”
pronouncement, clearly directed at James.  The Heat should consider that they didn’t deliver four finals and two championships to Lebron; he delivered those to the Heat, when he could get help.  Letting Mike Miller go to save money wasn’t the help he needed.

But it all starts with Carmelo Anthony.  Should he decide to go to L.A., join Kobe, and lure Pau Gasol, Lebron would be foolish to ignore the opportunity represented by that. Conversely, should Melo return to New York, the Lakers shouldn’t think for a moment that any other combination would attract Lebron.  Rather, he could sign a two year extension in Miami, with a player option on the second year, and join Carmelo a year later, in a Knick uniform. Think of the off-court earning opportunities that would bring to him. Think of the satisfaction Phil Jackson would get as a result.  More importantly, think of the Lakers, doomed to mediocrity, playing distant second fiddle to the Clippers in their own home. The Lakers desperately need Carmelo Anthony.