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Eloquently sarcastic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2009
- Messages
- 544
- Reaction score
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I should point out that I only did 15 years because going back farther than that, it seemed to start getting into drafts that seem kind of...archaic....the years before high schoolers and international players were taken. Going back too far, felt like the data would start to be a little irrelevant to the modern NBA.
I also want to say - to CalBuckeyeRob , you mentioned that we can all agree that Cleveland will not get an elite player as a free agent. Strangely enough, the NBA is a league that severely discourages players moving teams in free agency. I tried to think of the last "elite" player to change teams via free agency and I still haven't come up with someone. That's not counting this 2010 offseason, which, depending on your definition of "elite", saw James, Amare, Boozer and Bosh all switch teams. This was likely due to teams clearing cap space for the bonanza. But I looked back to the 04-05 season for an elite (All NBA 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team) player to have changed teams in free agency and i I don't think it ever happened. Anyone have any ideas?
In normal circumstances, the system works. Teams keep their players because the rules let them pay more. When high quality players do move in free agency, it's when a team dramatically overpays for less-than-elite talent. To sign an elite talent, you need quite a lot of cap space, and only quite bad teams have the kind of cap space to do it, so the match is rarely made. Let's not feel sorry for ourselves as Cleveland fans and say no great free agent will sign here because great free agents rarely move in that way. That's why we ended up with Larry Hughes when (I don't care what the front office said) we really wanted Michael Redd or Ray Allen.
Trades is where it has to happen. Gotta find the morons who are dealing the Pau Gasols of the world for next to nothing. Also it's unfortunate that Jamison seems to have somewhat diminishing skills because his big fat expiring contract next year would have been nice to acquire some legitimate talent from a contending team, if they were desperate for PF help. Say we sucked bad both this year and next - 2 shots at top 5 picks, plus a little somethin' somethin' for that 15 million expiring might be the beginnings of a plan.
I also want to say - to CalBuckeyeRob , you mentioned that we can all agree that Cleveland will not get an elite player as a free agent. Strangely enough, the NBA is a league that severely discourages players moving teams in free agency. I tried to think of the last "elite" player to change teams via free agency and I still haven't come up with someone. That's not counting this 2010 offseason, which, depending on your definition of "elite", saw James, Amare, Boozer and Bosh all switch teams. This was likely due to teams clearing cap space for the bonanza. But I looked back to the 04-05 season for an elite (All NBA 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team) player to have changed teams in free agency and i I don't think it ever happened. Anyone have any ideas?
In normal circumstances, the system works. Teams keep their players because the rules let them pay more. When high quality players do move in free agency, it's when a team dramatically overpays for less-than-elite talent. To sign an elite talent, you need quite a lot of cap space, and only quite bad teams have the kind of cap space to do it, so the match is rarely made. Let's not feel sorry for ourselves as Cleveland fans and say no great free agent will sign here because great free agents rarely move in that way. That's why we ended up with Larry Hughes when (I don't care what the front office said) we really wanted Michael Redd or Ray Allen.
Trades is where it has to happen. Gotta find the morons who are dealing the Pau Gasols of the world for next to nothing. Also it's unfortunate that Jamison seems to have somewhat diminishing skills because his big fat expiring contract next year would have been nice to acquire some legitimate talent from a contending team, if they were desperate for PF help. Say we sucked bad both this year and next - 2 shots at top 5 picks, plus a little somethin' somethin' for that 15 million expiring might be the beginnings of a plan.