Cavs Interested in Kosta Koufos

[LeShaq]

For those doubting this deal, I dont think anyone is saying Koufos is some incredible player or even a better player than Dion straight up.

It's not about that, it's about the fit for the team. Koufos is a legitimate seven footer with offensive skill. He is a decent shot blocker. Not great, but decent. He's a big body who can start and clog the lane. Prince is still a decent perimeter defender, I think.

Here is how the lineups would look if we got them both. Or a guess at what they might look like.

Kyrie
Miller (eventually)
LeBron
Love
Koufos

Delly
Marion
Prince
Thompson
Andy

That's all we need. We then have a balanced lineup and a solid bench. We can put Andy on the bench, move Tristan back to power forward and we're set for a deep run I think.

Koufos is a 1 year fix. We will get a better center after this year. But he is the big body we need to fill the gap for now. Same with Prince, on the perimeter.

 

[LeShaq]

Another thing about this deal is that Dion doesn't get sent to some terrible team. Memphis needs young bench scoring on the perimeter, and Dion gets to go to a contender.

I like Dion, as I've said here before. This isn't about putting down Dion, it's about getting the pieces that fit for our team. The team is too small right now. We have to get interior size and if possible perimeter size.

I think this deal could be a winner for both sides.

 

[raiders91sc]

dumb trade. wait a year. giving up waiters for trash.

Then move Waiters, Mem pick, a cavs pick and Haywood 10 million waivable contract in a sign and trade or just trade for a stud.

 

[Scholar]

Koufos is a 1 year fix. We will get a better center after this year. But he is the big body we need to fill the gap for now. Same with Prince, on the perimeter.

You don't trade Dion for a one year fix. That is exactly how you end up like Miami with no assets available to fix roster problems. You need to have patience. If the defensive center doesn't come here till next year, then that is how it ends up. Doesn't bother me in the least. This is the year to get the systems down, and expose the young players to their first post season. Next off season is really when I think it is most likely to find their solution at center. Patience, patience, patience.

As for Prince, he is done. I do NOT want to see him added. This is one of those examples of coveting thy neighbor's junk.

 

[LeShaq]

You don't trade Dion for a one year fix. That is exactly how you end up like Miami with no assets available to fix roster problems. You need to have patience. If the defensive center doesn't come here till next year, then that is how it ends up. Doesn't bother me in the least. This is the year to get the systems down, and expose the young players to their first post season. Next off season is really when I think it is most likely to find their solution at center. Patience, patience, patience.

As for Prince, he is done. I do NOT want to see him added. This is one of those examples of coveting thy neighbor's junk.

I would make the trade. I think Koufos stays, he's an Ohio guy. But he won't be the frontline center next year after we deal Haywood away.

At some point Andy will get hurt again. When that happens, you still can have Koufos available on the bench.

If we have to wait a year, ok. But if we can actually make a move now, that would be great. By next year, Harris has more seasoning and we will get a better big man, I'm sure.

 

[kovanovich]

For those doubting this deal, I dont think anyone is saying Koufos is some incredible player or even a better player than Dion straight up.

It's not about that, it's about the fit for the team. Koufos is a legitimate seven footer with offensive skill. He is a decent shot blocker. Not great, but decent. He's a big body who can start and clog the lane. Prince is still a decent perimeter defender, I think.

Here is how the lineups would look if we got them both. Or a guess at what they might look like.

Kyrie
Miller (eventually)
LeBron
Love
Koufos

Delly
Marion
Prince
Thompson
Andy

That's all we need. We then have a balanced lineup and a solid bench. We can put Andy on the bench, move Tristan back to power forward and we're set for a deep run I think.

Koufos is a 1 year fix. We will get a better center after this year. But he is the big body we need to fill the gap for now. Same with Prince, on the perimeter.

There aren't many feasible ways to trade for both Koufos and Prince. Two options that will work (someone please correct me if I am wrong or if I am missing something here):

1. Use TPE to acquire Koufos. Trade Waiters and Haywood for Prince.
2. Use TPE to acquire Koufos. Trade Waiters, Amundson, and Price for Prince. (This option has the added value for Memphis in that Amundson's and Price's contracts are not guaranteed until Jan. 10th, so Memphis would be saving a lot of money here.)

Obviously, you could substitute another combination of lower salary players in option 2, but the Cavs likely aren't going to trade Marion, Delly, Harris, Jones, or Miller. They could trade Kirk, but substituting him for Amundson or Price doesn't get you to the necessary outgoing salary.

Anyway, I don't think either of these trade scenarios is particularly likely, which is why I find it highly unlikely the Cavs will trade for Prince. Again, I think those rumors started by Windy associating Prince with the Cavs make some sense in that I believe he is probably available, and it's not surprising that one of Windy's sources threw out his name.

In the context of the Prince rumors, it's also why I find the 3 way deal involving New York that I outlined above to be interesting, in that it is a trade involving the Cavs and Prince.

 

[shoes22]

Haywood is NOT going anywhere until the summer at the earliest. Dealing his contract value next year for Tayshaun Prince is a horrible use of resources.

 

[Kidd Karma]

You don't trade Dion for a one year fix. That is exactly how you end up like Miami with no assets available to fix roster problems. You need to have patience. If the defensive center doesn't come here till next year, then that is how it ends up. Doesn't bother me in the least. This is the year to get the systems down, and expose the young players to their first post season. Next off season is really when I think it is most likely to find their solution at center. Patience, patience, patience.

As for Prince, he is done. I do NOT want to see him added. This is one of those examples of coveting thy neighbor's junk.

Agreed, you're taking a band aid for a possible run today, while sacrificing tomorrow. 2-3 years, then the CBA limitations hit and you're locked. Hang onto the assets.

 

[breaking bad]

not buying it.

cavs may be interested, but the grizzlies have no reason to mess with a team that's playing so well unless they get a clear upgrade - and the cavs are not offering that.

koufos is an important part of the grizzlies rotation, they're a top team in the west so far, they have no reason to tinker with things, and even if they did entertain the thought of moving koufos, they'd need a good back up C back - and the cavs are not offering that.

sounds like total b.s. to me.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

The one thing that worries me about Kosta is I feel like he's one size smaller than the guy we really need.

Enormous 7 footers: Marc Gasol, Omer Asik, Timofey Mozgov, Nene, Robin Lopez, Bogut, Noah......
Casual 7 footers: Tyler Zeller, Pau Gasol, Kosta Koufos......

We need someone who can root bodies out of the paint with their ass and mass. Take up a fuck-ton of space, punish guards who take it to the rim, score garbage points.

Having a true center with mass will open Love's game to insane levels.


Picture the qualitative differences here: Love on the court with Asik, Lopez or some other ginormous Center mass.

vs Love playing next to a guy like Tyler Zeller or Pau Gasol.

I'm at the point with this Cavs team where if I can get one of these grown ass man centers, I'll surrender some assets, whether that's Dion, picks, etc.

We're closer than we think, but adding the wrong 7 footer won't make a big enough difference. Adding a fucking grown ass man 7 footer down there might = a championship.

I don't think I trade Dion for Kosta. Kosta is a nice player, I'm just not sure he's the answer.

 

[Simon]

I'd rather get one of the Plumlee brother's instead of Koufos.

 

[breaking bad]

the time to get the cavs' franchise center is next summer when an unprecedented amount of defensive anchors will hit the free agent market.

that's when you use haywood's deal, the memphis pick or/and waiters to sign and trade for one of those guys.

this season should be about getting what you can without compromising that 2015 offseason package which all but guarentees the cavs another star player.
you don't give that up for anything.

so they have the tpe to work with, perhaps a few minor picks here and there, and then possibly try to pick up a vet who gets released past the feb. deadline from teams who've lost their chance at the playoffs.

 

[blommen]

good post by Frank and it definitely underlies the major point of this whole team and it's role in Free Agency and trade talks right now: Don't panic, don't make a deal just to make a deal. Lots of people on here speculated that Griffin is a bit too soft in negotiations and trade talks after some of the trades we made this summer in spite of how much of a positive effect it has had on the team. This is a brilliant opportunity for him to prove that he is confident in the team and will not give up assets just because a mediocre piece presents itself.

 

[kovanovich]

Frank says it much more colorfully and emotionally than I will, but it's a point that needs asked.

If the Cavs trade for Koufos, will he be enough of an upgrade to make a meaningful difference? Stated somewhat differently, whose minutes will be absorb and how many minutes will he play? Or is a good part of his value a hedge against a Varejao injury?

A separate question is whether he would be viewed as a long term piece, someone they would expect to re-sign this summer. Presumably he would be, or at least would be viewed as a tradeable asset, or else they wouldn't surrender real assets to get him.

If the Cavs move Waiters, ideally they would need to make a play for a wing replacement, preferably a SG. It shouldn't be too difficult to find someone who can adequately play 20 MPG or so, but a suitable player might not be available till the trade deadline. That's why a 3 team trade landing both Koufos and a SG is attractive. That would get them the depth and the pieces they would need for a run this year.

 

[Goldin Brown]

nm