Farewell, Richard Jefferson.

[BigZ94]

One of my favorite aspects of that title was all the veterans that were rewarded after long NBA careers; Mo (who wound up being a real piece of shit, but not at the time), Dahntay and James Jones. RJ and Frye are as likable and upstanding as any two guys in sports, and you could tell how much it meant to them. You consider the personal tragedies that they've both experienced with the deaths of parents since then, and it makes that triumph all the more poignant.

Would have loved to have gotten Korver a ring too, and I guess Perkins' worthless ass, but like RJ said, fuckin' Durant man.

I've said it elsewhere, but "sweetest" NBA title has to be between the Mavs and Cavs...such special, legacy-sealing runs that managed to transcend the sport.

Nah korver never showed up for us when it mattered, he had chances to earn one and blew it

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

His on-the-court contributions as a bench player may have been minimal statistically, but there's no question he was great for the camaraderie of that championship team.

RJ was pivotal in turning that series around; frankly, I don't feel we win that series without his on-court contributions.

Nah korver never showed up for us when it mattered, he had chances to earn one and blew it

Korver was useless against the Warriors (which I predicted when we signed him), but he's still a fantastic teammate and first-rate guy...the kind of player you want a ring for.

 

[NIkeL]

Seriously had to stop myself from tearing up at work while reading that.

 

[Real Deal]

RJ is doing a terrific job calling Nets games, AC should've passed the torch to him.

RJ probably didn't want to live here post LeBron era anyways. But damn did I love his basketball savvy.

 

[Huber.]

RJ is doing a terrific job calling Nets games, AC should've passed the torch to him.

RJ probably didn't want to live here post LeBron era anyways. But damn did I love his basketball savvy.

I heard AC is going to retire this year. Announcement coming at the beginning of April.

 

[Cavatt]

RJ was pivotal in turning that series around; frankly, I don't feel we win that series without his on-court contributions.


Korver was useless against the Warriors (which I predicted when we signed him), but he's still a fantastic teammate and first-rate guy...the kind of player you want a ring for.

Not getting another big wing like Jefferson was a critical error. Letting Delly go. Couple of subtle, but severely damaging issues.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

Not getting another big wing like Jefferson was a critical error. Letting Delly go. Couple of subtle, but severely damaging issues.

Look at Houston's approach; a bunch of switchy, defensive-minded perimeter players who could shoot the 3 built around two elite ball-handlers and offensive savants in Harden and CP3. Now I never fully believed in the Rockets; CP3 is too injury-prone while Harden tends to choke because his style of play isn't conducive to playoff basketball (lo and behold, both of these things happened.)

But Morey basically built the template for taking down the Durant Warriors.

Watching the Cavs during the '16/17 season, you just knew that the failed signings and complete apathy for defense were going to come back and bite them. Against any other team in history they would have been alright, but Durant's signing required an entirely different approach and mindset. We needed a Tucker and/or Sefalosha. Not paying Delly the previous summer but breaking the bank on JR is even more nauseating now than it was then. We needed to chuck Longabardi (the fact that he's still on the team is a massive indictment against this organization) and commit to playing that side of the ball.

No reason that LeBron and Kyrie surrounded by a bunch of smart role players couldn't put up as good/a better fight than the '18 Rockets. But both the front office and the team fucked around all season and were totally unprepared for the semi that swerved into their lane in the Finals.

 

[Cavatt]

Look at Houston's approach; a bunch of switchy, defensive-minded perimeter players who could shoot the 3 built around two elite ball-handlers and offensive savants in Harden and CP3. Now I never fully believed in the Rockets; CP3 is too injury-prone while Harden tends to choke because his style of play isn't conducive to playoff basketball (lo and behold, both of these things happened.)

But Morey basically built the template for taking down the Durant Warriors.

Watching the Cavs during the '16/17 season, you just knew that the failed signings and complete apathy for defense were going to come back and bite them. Against any other team in history they would have been alright, but Durant's signing required an entirely different approach and mindset. We needed a Tucker and/or Sefalosha. Not paying Delly the previous summer but breaking the bank on JR is even more nauseating now than it was then. We needed to chuck Longabardi (the fact that he's still on the team is a massive indictment against this organization) and commit to playing that side of the ball.

No reason that LeBron and Kyrie surrounded by a bunch of smart role players couldn't put up as good/a better fight than the '18 Rockets. But both the front office and the team fucked around all season and were totally unprepared for the semi that swerved into their lane in the Finals.

Yeah totally agree. Still finding long defensive athletic wings who can shoot the 3 is harder than it looks, and keeping them after a chip is really hard.

Maybe Delly would have been hurt, but what he brought to the team leadership wise is really obvious now.

 

[-Akronite-]

I hope that:

a) he writes a book one day - he's a gifted story-teller.
b) when AC retires, we can lure him back to Cleveland - think it's a marriage that's just meant to be.

AC is 70 and the Cavs suck now, I wonder how much longer he wants to stay in his role? I'll love him forever but for all his beloved catchphrases, somehow getting RJ into the color role would instantly boost us into one of the highest regarded broadcast teams across the NBA. Wonder how long Fred would stick around too...

RJ and Channing would be a fun combo in the booth, but it'd require RJ become a play-by-play guy because I don't see Channing in that kind of role. So, doubt it.

 

[cavsfever]

Look at Houston's approach; a bunch of switchy, defensive-minded perimeter players who could shoot the 3 built around two elite ball-handlers and offensive savants in Harden and CP3. Now I never fully believed in the Rockets; CP3 is too injury-prone while Harden tends to choke because his style of play isn't conducive to playoff basketball (lo and behold, both of these things happened.)

But Morey basically built the template for taking down the Durant Warriors.

Watching the Cavs during the '16/17 season, you just knew that the failed signings and complete apathy for defense were going to come back and bite them. Against any other team in history they would have been alright, but Durant's signing required an entirely different approach and mindset. We needed a Tucker and/or Sefalosha. Not paying Delly the previous summer but breaking the bank on JR is even more nauseating now than it was then. We needed to chuck Longabardi (the fact that he's still on the team is a massive indictment against this organization) and commit to playing that side of the ball.

No reason that LeBron and Kyrie surrounded by a bunch of smart role players couldn't put up as good/a better fight than the '18 Rockets. But both the front office and the team fucked around all season and were totally unprepared for the semi that swerved into their lane in the Finals.

Yep, great post. We failed to respond to the Durant move not just by not getting another superstar, but by not adding the right kind of role players. We were a better team than the pre-Durant Warriors and we could have had a real puncher's chance against the Durant Warriors with better personnel decisions.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Watching the Cavs during the '16/17 season, you just knew that the failed signings and complete apathy for defense were going to come back and bite them. Against any other team in history they would have been alright, but Durant's signing required an entirely different approach and mindset. We needed a Tucker and/or Sefalosha. Not paying Delly the previous summer but breaking the bank on JR is even more nauseating now than it was then. We needed to chuck Longabardi (the fact that he's still on the team is a massive indictment against this organization) and commit to playing that side of the ball.

Griffin made two major errors:

1. He had a long standing man crush on Shumpert. Remember that he saw the New York trade as a move for Shump not a move for JR. That monster extension instead of playing hard ball to retain Delly - not one of "his finds" - was a sin of vanity.

2. I wanted PJ Tucker, and he was on the trade block forever with Phoenix. We got Korver instead because Griff was all about shooting and locker room cohesion. He wanted coaches to mask declining defense. They simply couldn't.

Of course despite those glaring errors Griffin had the stones to "lose" a few trades in assets to gain a few critical players around LeBron. That championship makes the mistakes along the way worth it. I've survived a lifetime of 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes for the City of Cleveland. One 'ship to shake the monkey off our backs was all I needed.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

Griffin made two major errors:

1. He had a long standing man crush on Shumpert. Remember that he saw the New York trade as a move for Shump not a move for JR. That monster extension instead of playing hard ball to retain Delly - not one of "his finds" - was a sin of vanity.

2. I wanted PJ Tucker, and he was on the trade block forever with Phoenix. We got Korver instead because Griff was all about shooting and locker room cohesion. He wanted coaches to mask declining defense. They simply couldn't.

Of course despite those glaring errors Griffin had the stones to "lose" a few trades in assets to gain a few critical players around LeBron. That championship makes the mistakes along the way worth it. I've survived a lifetime of 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes for the City of Cleveland. One 'ship to shake the monkey off our backs was all I needed.

I'm ambivalent about Griffin's tenure because yes, we did win a championship and I applaud the guy for "going all in" on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He pushed his chips into the middle of the table, an incredibly risky gamble that paid off.

That said, his recklessness with assets (throwing in the Miami pick for Love, divesting 2 1st-rounders for Mozgov, blowing a 1st on Korver) basically made it impossible to improve the team and crippled the franchise's long-term viability. He inherited a chest of assets from Grant and had the GOAT fall in his lap. And it is telling that's still unemployed, though how much of that is a personal decision I don't know.

That said, I can't fault him for the Shumpert contract. Shump was a beast for us in the '15 Finals, was still young, and if the reports are true, took a slightly-beneath market value deal to re-sign with the Cavs. And while he was erratic the following season, he didn't truly fall off until later. But hardballing Delly to the Q.O. was just awful management no matter how you look at it.

Btw, where's @TitleTown to admonish us for talking about the past???

 

[Randolphkeys]

I'm ambivalent about Griffin's tenure because yes, we did win a championship and I applaud the guy for "going all in" on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He pushed his chips into the middle of the table, an incredibly risky gamble that paid off.

That said, his recklessness with assets (throwing in the Miami pick for Love, divesting 2 1st-rounders for Mozgov, blowing a 1st on Korver) basically made it impossible to improve the team and crippled the franchise's long-term viability. He inherited a chest of assets from Grant and had the GOAT fall in his lap. And it is telling that's still unemployed, though how much of that is a personal decision I don't know.

We can all hindsight this any way we want, but you cannot gloss over the use of that chest of assets as dumb luck. In a time that a rival franchise in a high profile destination city decided to open unlimited resources to create a dynasty, the Cavs also formed a dynasty despite recently drafting awful players high in the lottery. It was an accomplishment to disrupt Golden State's era even as everything out of their own power seemed to tilt their way... the unprecedented jump in the salary cap when Durant wanted out and the Cavs had scheduled being capped was the real clincher.

That said, I can't fault him for the Shumpert contract. Shump was a beast for us in the '15 Finals, was still young, and if the reports are true, took a slightly-beneath market value deal to re-sign with the Cavs. And while he was erratic the following season, he didn't truly fall off until later. But hardballing Delly to the Q.O. was just awful management no matter how you look at it.

Shumpert looked decent right before his free agency. He flashed real tools for years, but I never saw a player who had the right mental approach to using all those tools. He never lived up to that contract. You are right though, he walked from more money on a bad team. He would have been hated by that franchise within a year for the overpay.

Btw, where's @TitleTown to admonish us for talking about the past???

See, that's right where you take a good discussion and turn in into some personal side swipe towards another member. This is why I'm always fielding complaints about your posting style. Clean that shit up, you don't need it.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

We can all hindsight this any way we want, but you cannot gloss over the use of that chest of assets as dumb luck.

I liked Griffin's approach ("win now" with LeBron), I just think he acted too impulsively at times and placed zero value on assets. If he was a bit more diligent we'd have had other avenues to improve the team. 2 1st-rounders for 1.5 years of Mozgov is a really tough pill to swallow, though I'd probably feel differently if we had won the title in '15. And the Miami 1st to consummate the Love trade...I just feel he let himself get taken advantage of too many times, and nowhere is that more emblematic than the TT/JR "negotiations".

See, that's right where you take a good discussion and turn in into some personal side swipe towards another member. This is why I'm always fielding complaints about your posting style. Clean that shit up, you don't need it.

I love @TitleTown and was making a good-gestured jibe...nothing malicious about any of that.

 

[Real Deal]