Marreese Speights Has a Player Option

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

Signing Speights to a deal doesn't mean we're stuck with him if other opportunities become available. If we sign him, and it turns out that we need that little bit of extra money to sign some other big name free agent in 2014, why couldn't we just do what Memphis did? Package Speights and one of those first rounders to some rebuilding team to get that cap space back?

If we get a good young player who fits, plays well, and wants to be here for a reasonable amount, then sign him. Maybe that other opportunity doesn't arise, or maybe we can trade him for space, or maybe the incoming star would be willing to take a bit less because he'd rather be on a winning team.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

All ima say is no vet in the league wants to play on a team with all rookies and sophmores and everybody older only has marginal talent..............So getting draft picks is nice but, we gotta hit on these picks. No use getting all these picks and assets so we can have a team of all 24 year olds, if they all suck.

Kyrie is STILL the only the would draw any FA to this team

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

Jon said:

So... what you're telling me is we're running out of time. If we don't use our cap space to improve the team in any sort of significant way, and we still have to be spoon-feeding rookies next season, will the team even be ready to make the playoffs in 2013 such that they'd be attractive to a top free-agent in 2014?

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we've been playing near playoff caliber basketball for about 6 weeks now (8-10 over the last 18 games). The problem this year is we lost too many games before that. With Andy returning, 2 more top 20 picks, and more experience for the 4 picks we already have, we certainly should be able to do better than that next year.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

The Human Q-Tip said:

Signing Speights to a deal doesn't mean we're stuck with him if other opportunities become available. If we sign him, and it turns out that we need that little bit of extra money to sign some other big name free agent in 2014, why couldn't we just do what Memphis did? Package Speights and one of those first rounders to some rebuilding team to get that cap space back?

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so instead of trading him now to get another first round pick, you want to use one of existing picks to get a team to take him next year? It's the same situation we had last year with Sessions where the player can opt out and is likely pricing themselves above what we can pay.

I like Speights, and if he would opt in now for next year, I'd certainly want to keep him for another year. But how much can anyone really complain if we get a likely lottery pick for taking him, then are able to get a 2014 pick for trading him a few weeks later. All for trading away Jon Leuer.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

KI4MVP said:

we've been playing near playoff caliber basketball for about 6 weeks now (8-10 over the last 18 games). The problem this year is we lost too many games before that. With Andy returning, 2 more top 20 picks, and more experience for the 4 picks we already have, we certainly should be able to do better than that next year.

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IMO, we'll need to do significantly better than hovering around .500 and challenging for the 8th seed - and we can't necessarily count on the rookies contributing much, let alone Andy staying healthy. Hopefully Dion and Tyler will take steps, and Kyrie and TT will as well; but without some decent vets to fill out the roster, it's no sure thing we can do better than .500.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

KI4MVP said:

so instead of trading him now to get another first round pick, you want to use one of existing picks to get a team to take him next year? It's the same situation we had last year with Sessions where the player can opt out and is likely pricing themselves above what we can pay.

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That's the worst case scenario, though, and only comes true if we have the ability to sign a major impact FA. And even then, that trade might not be necessary.

I like Speights, and if he would opt in now for next year, I'd certainly want to keep him for another year. But how much can anyone really complain if we get a likely lottery pick for taking him, then are able to get a 2014 pick for trading him a few weeks later.

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How are we going to get this other pick? Speights is decent, but comes without any Bird rights to whomever we trade him. I think it's a stretch to think that a Speights signed only for the rest of this year is going to bring back a first round pick from anyone before the deadline, based on him having a couple of good weeks here. And at the end of the season, he could be an FA anyway.

Obviously, it all depends on what he wants at the end of the season. If we think it's overpaying, then don't sign him. He's not worth that. But if it is a good deal, or at least a fair market value, then we'd always be able to dump him next year if we needed too, precisely because it is good or fair market value.

My point is that we shouldn't treat re-signing him like leprosy that cannot be contracted because we'll never get rid of it. There are always options. And if the dude looks like he may turn into an 18 and 8 frontcourt option -- and his new attitude/performance has shocked the hell out of me -- then keep him, because those kind of big men don't grow on trees. And if we need to ditch him, we'll always have that ability.

Edited to add: the premise of this is that we keep Speights because he continues performing well. In which case, I'll take an 18/8 frontcourt guy with some experience over an additional non-lottery draft pick anyway. We need to get some contributors who are able to guy their own drinks at some point.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

The Human Q-Tip said:

How are we going to get this other pick? Speights is decent, but comes without any Bird rights to whomever we trade him. I think it's a stretch to think that a Speights signed only for the rest of this year is going to bring back a first round pick from anyone before the deadline, based on him having a couple of good weeks here. And at the end of the season, he could be an FA anyway.

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It worked last year.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

B3team said:

It worked last year.

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It did? What trade was that?

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

The Human Q-Tip said:

It did? What trade was that?

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Sessions.

KI4MVP said:

we've been playing near playoff caliber basketball for about 6 weeks now (8-10 over the last 18 games). The problem this year is we lost too many games before that. With Andy returning, 2 more top 20 picks, and more experience for the 4 picks we already have, we certainly should be able to do better than that next year.

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Part of the reason for the improved play recently has been because our bench hasnt been terrible. In other words because of speights. Without him we have no chance vs okc and some of our other wins. So you are advocating that the Cavs need to trade Speights - who has been a very positive factor - while at the same time thinking that this team needs to and should make the playoffs without him?

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

What would everyone's thoughts be on just maxing Speights out?

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

Jiglet said:

What would everyone's thoughts be on just maxing Speights out?

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On HGH and Steroids? Or did you mean Max'ing him out ... perhaps on nachos?

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

Jiglet said:

What would everyone's thoughts be on just maxing Speights out?

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Hasn't Grant earned the right to do that? That is the why we hoarded those picks. Swing for the fences. Let's lock this guy down.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

metalman213 said:

Part of the reason for the improved play recently has been because our bench hasnt been terrible. In other words because of speights. Without him we have no chance vs okc and some of our other wins. So you are advocating that the Cavs need to trade Speights - who has been a very positive factor - while at the same time thinking that this team needs to and should make the playoffs without him?

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He has only been here 5 games where we went 3-2. We've been hovering around 500 for the past 18 games.

Re: Welcome Marreese Speights

The Human Q-Tip said:

How are we going to get this other pick? Speights is decent, but comes without any Bird rights to whomever we trade him. I think it's a stretch to think that a Speights signed only for the rest of this year is going to bring back a first round pick from anyone before the deadline, based on him having a couple of good weeks here. And at the end of the season, he could be an FA anyway.

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As has been pointed out, we did the same thing last year with Sessions. We aren't trading Speights (or anyone else) if it doesn't either land us a first round pick, preferably in 2014, or land us a clear talent upgrade.