The East is going to be much stronger this year

[JordanMariam14]

My prediction

1a Raptors
1b Bulls
3 Cavs
4a Wizards
4b Pacers
6a Hornets
6b Hawks
6c Heat

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[enlightenment]

My listing:

1. Bulls
2. Cavs
3. Raptors
4. Washington
5. Pacers
6. Hawks
7. Heat
8. Hornets
_________

9. Magic
10. NY
11. Brooklyn
12. Bucks
13. Pistons
14. Celtics
15. Sixers

[thead]

My listing:

1. Bulls
2. Cavs
3. Raptors
4. Washington
5. Pacers
6. Hawks
7. Heat
8. Hornets
_________

9. Magic
10. NY
11. Brooklyn
12. Bucks
13. Pistons
14. Celtics
15. Sixers

You accidently put the Cavs in 2nd...I understand mistakes happen. You should edit to put them in 8 or 9

[Demographic Shift]

Actually, yes way. He specifically added an opt out after year one to his 2 year deal. Did he do this for shits and giggles, or so that he had the option to leave Cleveland after this year? I'm leaning towards the latter.

He added it to maximize his leverage as the cap grows. Lebron pays good money to financial advisors. This is what they advised him to do.

Irrelevant to the opt out clause after year one. The new TV deal isn't until 2016, so he's justified in the 2 year deal, but not in the year 1 opt out clause, as it will only be 2015 then and the new TV deal will still be a year away.

Completely relevant. Financial acumen isn't random. Its calculated. This opt out is a calculated move to maximize his earnings in an expanding market.

2.) Lockout possibility is even further in the future. The next CBA discussion is set for ten years or if necessary in 2017. Lebron's contract ends a year before that, and his opt out clause in 2015 is 2 years before that.

Neither of your points are valid reasons for an opt out after year one, they literally have no bearing at all.

The only logical reason Lebron added the opt out clause after year one is so that if things are going the way he likes he can opt out and leave Cleveland. If he had any real loyalty to Cleveland he wouldn't have an opt out after year one.

Primes your just dead ass wrong. Who ever wrote that letter to Lee Jenkins did a good job of ghost writing what Lebron feels. He is taking his family home to Akron. He is going to stay in Cleveland and he wants to be paid as the best player of his generation. By giving yourself the option to renegotiate your compenstation upwards each and every year in a growing market is smart business. Going home is personal business. The two are mutually exclusive.

He added it to maximize his leverage as the cap grows.

Agree. You always want to maximize your leverage in any negotiation. Lebron's advisors have done that.

[Machine]

A team everybody has to watch out for in the East are the Toronto Raptors. They have the talent to sneak up and win the Eastern Conference.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 15, 2014

[raptors999]

A team everybody has to watch out for in the East are the Toronto Raptors. They have the talent to sneak up and win the Eastern Conference.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 15, 2014

Resent to 29 other teams with the team name changed. Equivalent to going to concert and hearing the cities name.

[enlightenment]

You accidently put the Cavs in 2nd...I understand mistakes happen. You should edit to put them in 8 or 9

So Lebron's team doesn't automatically get home court advantage? Don't you feel this Cavs team is better than Lebron's previous Cavs teams?

[thead]

So Lebron's team doesn't automatically get home court advantage? Don't you feel this Cavs team is better than Lebron's previous Cavs teams?

nope...I've said it elsewhere...unless they trade some pieces this is a 8th seed.

Dion Waiters has already started complaining that he is not coming off the bench.

Thompson has plateaued, Wiggins is a rookie and Bennet might as well be. Verajao hasn't played a full healthy season in like 5 years... So barring a trade this is an 8th seed.

Irving is a ball dominant PG, Waiters is a ball dominant SG and James is a ball dominant SF...the last time I checked there was only 1 basketball. This team is setup to implode and if they don't trade for complimentary pieces now they certainly will by the trade deadline.

[thead]

the players are more individually talented than his last cleveland team...but that can sometimes be a problem...egos, roles all matter.

THIS CAVS TEAM DOES NOT FIT

[white men can't jump]

nope...I've said it elsewhere...unless they trade some pieces this is a 8th seed.

Dion Waiters has already started complaining that he is not coming off the bench.

Thompson has plateaued, Wiggins is a rookie and Bennet might as well be. Verajao hasn't played a full healthy season in like 5 years... So barring a trade this is an 8th seed.

Irving is a ball dominant PG, Waiters is a ball dominant SG and James is a ball dominant SF...the last time I checked there was only 1 basketball. This team is setup to implode and if they don't trade for complimentary pieces now they certainly will by the trade deadline.

I just think it's hard to judge until they get on the court, but given the talent, they could end up anywhere in the playoff picture. And then what if they make a trade or two for pieces that fit better? They could be very scary.

Either way I think whatever position they finish in, they probably aren't faves to win the conference because that's hard for any team to do the first year they're together. What works in their favour though is that there is no clear-cut conference favourite at the moment. There's a lot of ifs with many teams.

[thead]

absolutely if the CAVS make some trades by the deadline they could finish anywhere. The east is wide open. But I promise you, as they are currently constructed they will not be that great

[enlightenment]

nope...I've said it elsewhere...unless they trade some pieces this is a 8th seed.

Dion Waiters has already started complaining that he is not coming off the bench.

Thompson has plateaued, Wiggins is a rookie and Bennet might as well be. Verajao hasn't played a full healthy season in like 5 years... So barring a trade this is an 8th seed.

Irving is a ball dominant PG, Waiters is a ball dominant SG and James is a ball dominant SF...the last time I checked there was only 1 basketball. This team is setup to implode and if they don't trade for complimentary pieces now they certainly will by the trade deadline.

Just wanted to compare a younger Lebrons Final run with the 2006-2007 Cavs team:

Larry Hughes - Damon Jones
Sasha Pavlovic - Daniel Gibson
Lebron James - Ira Newble
Drew Gooden - Donyell Marshall
Ilgauskas - Varajao

= 50 wins, 2nd seed, made it to the NBA Finals


This years Cavs team:

Irving - Joe Harris
Wiggins - Dion Waiters
Lebron - Mike Miller
Tristan - Anthony Bennet
Varajao - Haywood

Lets do a comparison, position to position, and bench vs bench.

Irving > Hughes
Wiggins > Pavlovic (albeit, Pavlovic is good for a spot up 3, and Wiggins is a rookie. Yet, Wiggins will still bring more to the table)
Championship Lebron > Young Lebron
Tristan = Gooden
Varajao < Ilgauskas

Really the 2 most important improvements are Irving, and an older Lebron. Wiggins will show flashes in some games that would make this Cavs team overpreform.

Both benches are an utter wash. However, at least this years bench has scorers and Mike Miller.

Now I understand this is now a different conference (2006 was the year Raps made 3rd seed), but this Cavs team will likely be a lot better than the Cavs that made the finals in 2006.

[white men can't jump]

absolutely if the CAVS make some trades by the deadline they could finish anywhere. The east is wide open. But I promise you, as they are currently constructed they will not be that great

They could finish anywhere regardless of trades. Trades would just make it far more likely they're a top 4 seed in the East.

[enlightenment]

the players are more individually talented than his last cleveland team...but that can sometimes be a problem...egos, roles all matter.

THIS CAVS TEAM DOES NOT FIT

Fair enough. And it could be argued that the 2006 Cavs team had a better front court, and enough back court shooters to hide their deficiencies in that regard.

This years Cavs are however unbalanced, with ball dominant wings next to Lebron, and a weaker front court. So even though individually there is probably more talent on this years team, it could be argued that they aren't likely to work cohesively.

However, if things dont work out by midseason, expect a big trade.

[thead]

Enlightenment you can't compare player to player because its a false representation. If you are saying this team is more talented I 100% agree with you.

What I am saying is there are 4 Michael's and no Scottie. They are also not deep. My issue with this CAVS team is not talent but fit. and I don't think Irving or Waiters have it in themselves to submit to lesser roles. Wiggins might but that's not necessarily ideal for him