Marreese Speights Has a Player Option

[Douglar]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

And the inner dumbass can't stay hidden forever--

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2013/03/marreese_speights_missed_the_c.html

As the Cavaliers' plane lifted off for Texas on Thursday, there was one notable absence: Marreese Speights.The power forward missed the team plane, saying he had "stuff to do after" the flight left mid-afternoon. He was late, so the plane simply took off.

That marked the first missed flight for a Cavalier since Byron Scott has coached in Cleveland, and the first time Scott said he can remember a player missing a flight in his last eight years of coaching.
Speights will not face any playing-time penalties because he still was able to find a flight to Dallas later Thursday evening -- which he had to pay for, himself -- and did not miss any team functions. He was at shootaround Friday morning at American Airlines Center.

He will, however, have to pay a team fine, Scott said, on top of his plane fare. A one-way, same-day, first-class ticket can cost around $1,000. "His pockets will probably be a little lighter," Scott said.

Speights might have been the first player to miss a flight, but he wasn't the only person to miss takeoff in Scott's last eight years coaching. The other person? Scott's son, Thomas.

When Scott was in New Orleans, his own son, an assistant coach, was late. So the flight left. Point guard Chris Paul took the occasion to relay to his teammates just what that meant to each of them, Scott said.

"Man, Coach just left his son," Paul said, according to Scott. "You OK with that? You better make sure your (behind) is here early. He don't give a damn about us -- he just left his son!"

 

[The Oi]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Missed that RTrees post. Jesus, he was the worst.

 

[wuck]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

With every game that goes by, I worry about Speights picking up his option for next year and giving the Cavs an equally up-and-down effort. I suppose he would have some trade value if it comes to that. But it is hard to see him playing a major role on the court for the Cavs in the future. Still loved the Memphis trade, regardless.

I apologize that changing my avatar on his behalf this trade season just wasn't enough to get the deal done.

 

[Stark]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Wayne Ellington and that first round pick seem to be the biggest assets now. It's become clear that Speights either played the week of his life when we first got him, or he just doesn't give a shit and quit trying after we didn't trade him to a contender.

I don't want him on the team next year - but I do want Ellington.

 

[oasis05]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Speights is definately going to pick up his option. The way he's playing now is not the way you play if you plan on testing free agency.

 

[Bill Walton.]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

With every game that goes by, I worry about Speights picking up his option for next year and giving the Cavs an equally up-and-down effort. I suppose he would have some trade value if it comes to that. But it is hard to see him playing a major role on the court for the Cavs in the future. Still loved the Memphis trade, regardless.

I apologize that changing my avatar on his behalf this trade season just wasn't enough to get the deal done.

Couldn't disagree more. Having someone down low that's a real threat from 15 feet will do wonders for our team with Varejao at 4/5.

 

[wuck]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Couldn't disagree more. Having someone down low that's a real threat from 15 feet will do wonders for our team with Varejao at 4/5.

I don't think his outside shot makes up for his inconsistency on offense and his even less consistent effort on defense. Plus I think there will be some other moving parts (draft pick, Thompson, Zeller, and so on) that make it unlikely that Speights will see heavy minutes with Varejao.

And if he picks up his option, I find it hard to imagine the Cavs giving him an extended contract starting in 2014-2015. So I'm having trouble imagining how it works longterm.

It may depend most on how the draft goes.

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Damn shame we didn't trade him for whatever we could get. Also a shame he basically won us 3 games in his first couple of weeks that we wouldn't have won without him. Could be costly wins to the tank.

I don't see a future here either. I liked Speights coming into the league but he never lived up to his potential. The more I see him, the more I see the PF version of CJ Miles. If we draft a big with our first pick, there's 0% chance he has a future here.

 

[Hydroponic3385]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Damn shame we didn't trade him for whatever we could get.

Disagree. For all we know, the best we were offered was a poor contract that extends into/past 2014 + maybe a 2013 1st round pick from a contender (in the 25-30 range). If even that, who knows (there were a handful of bigs on the trading market similar to Speights that teams were unable to trade despite trying to). It's no guarantee that we'd want to pay a lot of $$ (for the future years of the contract we acquired) + take a dip into our 2014 cap space for such a late pick.

Also a shame he basically won us 3 games in his first couple of weeks that we wouldn't have won without him. Could be costly wins to the tank.

I don't see a future here either. I liked Speights coming into the league but he never lived up to his potential. The more I see him, the more I see the PF version of CJ Miles. If we draft a big with our first pick, there's 0% chance he has a future here.

Mostly agree with this. Although those early wins were not solely due to Speights, it was the collective effort of our bench crew (Speights/Ellington but also Livingston/Walton/Miles).

 

[Cassity14]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

I think Speights is capable of helping this team get into the playoffs next season. Sure, he's inconsistent, but a lot of bench players are in the league. Having him as a 4th or (pending draft pick) 5th big will be quite a luxury. I actually think that his inconsistencies cause less damage in a limited role, much like we've seen with CJ Miles when he's only playing around 20 minutes per game. Miles and Speights are both offensive threats on the bench and I think that will show itself next year especially.

 

[Stark]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

I think Speights is capable of helping this team get into the playoffs next season. Sure, he's inconsistent, but a lot of bench players are in the league. Having him as a 4th or (pending draft pick) 5th big will be quite a luxury. I actually think that his inconsistencies cause less damage in a limited role, much like we've seen with CJ Miles when he's only playing around 20 minutes per game. Miles and Speights are both offensive threats on the bench and I think that will show itself next year especially.

Well, a big man rotation of Varejao-Thompson-Zeller-Speights-Oden-Len/Noel/somebody else would be extremely potent if everyone is healthy (big if with Varejao, Noel, and Oden).

 

[theshad]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

Well, a big man rotation of Varejao-Thompson-Zeller-Speights-Oden-Len/Noel/somebody else would be extremely potent if everyone is healthy (big if with Varejao, Noel, and Oden).

There's quite a few people in that rotation

 

[NarlCavs]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

I think Speights may be back next season. Would be tough for him to get anymore than he's scheduled to make next season on the open market. Wouldn't have a problem keeping him around another season. At least provides depth up front and he can have big games once in a while. Don't at all believe the Cavs think he is or plan on him being a long term fit.
I was all for giving Speights a chance and seeing if maybe he could help for a while but it's become obvious the same issues and problems ares till there and he's not a player you can count on playing a major role for you.

 

[Mowie666]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

I'm done with Speights -- petulant, not a team guy, the flagrant foul was terrible. Guy that is good to have around if you have a 72-10 record, but awful if you're an up and coming team trying to battle hard together.

 

[Douglar]

Re: Marreese Speights wasn't traded

I'm done with Speights -- petulant, not a team guy, the flagrant foul was terrible. Guy that is good to have around if you have a 72-10 record, but awful if you're an up and coming team trying to battle hard together.

I think his first couple games with the Cavs showed what he can do when he's motiviated. "Good Speights" is a skilled, physical big man who knows how to play the game. The problem is that "Bad Speights" always comes back. He's selfish, takes plays off, and has tantrums when things don't come easy. I'm disappointed that we couldn't get a draft pick for him at the dead line, but probably not nearly as disappointed as Memphis fans were when they had to give up a draft pick just to get rid of him.