Report: Cavs players tell Butler not to come due to "uncertain future"

[jpotter33]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2717026-jimmy-butler-reportedly-told-by-cavaliers-players-to-avoid-team-after-gms-exit

This seems to be code for Lebron James telling Butler not to come because he's gone next year regardless. Kyrie is probably gone, too, after the reports came out that he'll push for a trade if Lebron leaves.

I think Danny really needs to make a big push now for someone like Porzingis. At this point, the Cavs might very well "punt" this year knowing that they have no realistic shot at GS with no upgrades. Sure, they might trade Love for Melo or something, with Lebron and Melo then going to the Clippers in 2018.

But that leaves the East WIDE OPEN for us. Making a big play for someone like Porzingis and following it up by doing something like signing Hayward gives us the best of both worlds: competing for Finals berths right now while still building toward the future. Hell, I'd even go the Butler/Griffin route with as cheap as Butler's price seems to be now.

[tankcity!]

Please for the love of god trade for Porzingis. Been saying it since we got the #1 pick

[Donoghus]

"The wheels on the bus are coming off...coming off..coming off"

Fast forward to Cleveland Fall 2018.  It could be bad.  Very bad.

[Ilikesports17]

Sounds like complete bullEdited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.

[jpotter33]

Holy hell, it just now hit me - this is all a prelude to Lebron, Wade, Melo, and Paul joining in LA next season.

Wade opts in this year, meaning he'll be a cheap, ring-chasing vet next year;

Melo has a player option for 2018-2018, meaning he'll also be a cheap, ring-chasing vet next year;

Lebron is a free agent next year and is already rumored to be heading to LA;

Paul becomes the "Wade" of this team and secures his long-term deal this offseason with the Clippers.


Yeah, I think Danny needs to make a strong move for Porzingis now. We'll need a counter to Embiid/Simmons in the future anyways, and Porzingis would be about as good of a fit to do that as anyone.

[Ilikesports17]

Do people believe Porzingis is actually available?

NYK is gonna ask for the moon.

[gouki88]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUOB8MN4Kc in regard to the Cavs crumbling.

Holy hell, it just now hit me - this is all a prelude to Lebron, Wade, Melo, and Paul joining in LA next season.

Wade opts in this year, meaning he'll be a cheap, ring-chasing vet next year;

Melo has a player option for 2018-2018, meaning he'll also be a cheap, ring-chasing vet next year;

Lebron is a free agent next year and is already rumored to be heading to LA;

Paul becomes the "Wade" of this team and secures his long-term deal this offseason with the Clippers.


Yeah, I think Danny needs to make a strong move for Porzingis now. We'll need a counter to Embiid/Simmons in the future anyways, and Porzingis would be about as good of a fit to do that as anyone.

This however, is not so excellent. If this really does happen then holy hell, '03 draft + CP3 vs GSW vs SAS and whatever they surround Kawhi with.
Those would be wild times. If we can snatch AD in all this madness I'd be alright

[max215]

So we're going to the Finals in two years?

[jpotter33]

Sounds like complete bull****

Why do you say that? With all of the rumors spinning of Lebron leaving, the "banana boat" foursome rumors, and now the firing of Griffin/them telling Butler to stay/Kyrie rumored to be open to a trade next year, it all seems predestined at this point.

And it makes some sense. This Cavs squad doesn't have the assets it needs to improve enough to beat GS, so Lebron might as well go play with his buddies in LA. That team probably has just as much of a chance to beat GS as this Cavs team, but I don't think it'd be about that anymore. I think Lebron just wants to play with his friends at the end of his career realizing that A) he'll probably never catch Jordan with his lackluster Finals records and only three rings and B) his legacy as an all-time great is already sealed.

[Ilikesports17]

Sounds like complete bull****

Why do you say that? With all of the rumors spinning of Lebron leaving, the "banana boat" foursome rumors, and now the firing of Griffin/them telling Butler to stay/Kyrie rumored to be open to a trade next year, it all seems predestined at this point.

And it makes some sense. This Cavs squad doesn't have the assets it needs to improve enough to beat GS, so Lebron might as well go play with his buddies in LA. That team probably has just as much of a chance to beat GS as this Cavs team, but I don't think it'd be about that anymore. I think Lebron just wants to play with his friends at the end of his career realizing that A) he'll probably never catch Jordan with his lackluster Finals records and only three rings and B) his legacy as an all-time great is already sealed.

You really think cavs players called up a top-15 player in the league and said "don't come here"?

It's ridiculous

[jpotter33]

So we're going to the Finals in two years?

With the right moves we could go this year. If we could actually pry Porzingis away from NY, which is uncertain unless we give them a fairly large offer - like the third pick, the LA pick, Crowder, and Rozier, and sign someone like Hayward, which is likely at this point, I think we'd have as good of a shot as anyone to knock them off.

And by trading for a young star like Porzingis, it's not like we're mortgaging our future. We're making it even better.

[wdleehi]

Sounds like complete bull****

Why do you say that? With all of the rumors spinning of Lebron leaving, the "banana boat" foursome rumors, and now the firing of Griffin/them telling Butler to stay/Kyrie rumored to be open to a trade next year, it all seems predestined at this point.

And it makes some sense. This Cavs squad doesn't have the assets it needs to improve enough to beat GS, so Lebron might as well go play with his buddies in LA. That team probably has just as much of a chance to beat GS as this Cavs team, but I don't think it'd be about that anymore. I think Lebron just wants to play with his friends at the end of his career realizing that A) he'll probably never catch Jordan with his lackluster Finals records and only three rings and B) his legacy as an all-time great is already sealed.

You really think cavs players called up a top-15 player in the league and said "don't come here"?

It's ridiculous

Depends on the player.   Lebron, not so likely.

Love, I could see that.

One of the exchangeable role players, yep.

[jpotter33]

Sounds like complete bull****

Why do you say that? With all of the rumors spinning of Lebron leaving, the "banana boat" foursome rumors, and now the firing of Griffin/them telling Butler to stay/Kyrie rumored to be open to a trade next year, it all seems predestined at this point.

And it makes some sense. This Cavs squad doesn't have the assets it needs to improve enough to beat GS, so Lebron might as well go play with his buddies in LA. That team probably has just as much of a chance to beat GS as this Cavs team, but I don't think it'd be about that anymore. I think Lebron just wants to play with his friends at the end of his career realizing that A) he'll probably never catch Jordan with his lackluster Finals records and only three rings and B) his legacy as an all-time great is already sealed.

You really think cavs players called up a top-15 player in the league and said "don't come here"?

It's ridiculous

Yes? If they have no intention of staying there next year, Lebron specifically, it'd be pretty crappy of them to push for a Butler trade then leave him high and dry in cleveland. All of these guys are friends for the most part these days, and they don't want to screw each other over.

[Ilikesports17]

Sounds like complete bull****

Why do you say that? With all of the rumors spinning of Lebron leaving, the "banana boat" foursome rumors, and now the firing of Griffin/them telling Butler to stay/Kyrie rumored to be open to a trade next year, it all seems predestined at this point.

And it makes some sense. This Cavs squad doesn't have the assets it needs to improve enough to beat GS, so Lebron might as well go play with his buddies in LA. That team probably has just as much of a chance to beat GS as this Cavs team, but I don't think it'd be about that anymore. I think Lebron just wants to play with his friends at the end of his career realizing that A) he'll probably never catch Jordan with his lackluster Finals records and only three rings and B) his legacy as an all-time great is already sealed.

You really think cavs players called up a top-15 player in the league and said "don't come here"?

It's ridiculous

Depends on the player.   Lebron, not so likely.

Love, I could see that.

One of the exchangeable role players, yep.

I think it's ridiculous

More importantly, check the source. The guy isn't a credible journalist.

[Green-18]

If this is true then LeBron has officially become a cancer to the entire league.  No player should have this much control over the fate of multiple franchises.  I assume George and LeBron end up in LA.  Brandon Ingram then gets traded in a deal for Kyrie Irving. 

I despised Kevin Durant's move but this Lakers situation is 10x worse.  The Lakers literally will have done nothing but clear cap room to form their Superteam.  At least the Cavs and Heat drafted one of the Elite players that was part of their core.

This new TV deal is the worst thing to happen in the NBA.