PHEW! That was a lot of podcasting!
Colin, Ryan and I are happy to present you guys with a two hour mammoth of a podcast.
I’m trying a new hosting server (podbean) so let me know if there’s an issue.
All new podcasts can now be found on – http://cavsthepodcast.podbean.com/
Apparently we’ve reached out max with podbean (already???), so I’m back to soundcloud. I’ve created two accounts so we can steam these two huge podcast parts.
For part one: http://soundcloud.com/cavstheblog/cavs-the-podcast-5-1-12-fin
For part two: http://soundcloud.com/cavsthepodcast2/cavs-thepodcast5-2-12-fin
P.S. – we should be on iTunes THIS WEEK!!!!
Enjoy!
[Ed: We apologize and, simultaneously, do not apologize for how long this thing is. We are sorry, and you are welcome.]
UPDATE: Link should be fixed.
It’s extra long because they wasted 20 minutes talking about the Knicks and LBJ in part 2.. IMO, not worth the time…
Any time I click on the podbean link it says that they server isn’t responding. Other websites work.
Same here. Link won’t work for me.
@Cory Clicking on the link was adding an extra “http://” to the address for me.. If that’s the case just delete one..
SO there’s a good chance this hosting is going to run out – what pod bean doesn’t tell you is you get limited bandwidth (and since these podcasts are so long, we use a lot.)
I’ll likely be finding ANOTHER website to host on later tonight. Sorry for the run around guys – I just want to find the best possible option but I have limited time to do so.
BTW, Bill Simmons came up with the perfect title for the player at the end of the bench: The Chemist.
You were saying Harangody could sit at the end in a below average suit and hand out excellent high-fives, and its funny because it matches the exact way Simmons portrays the position. He even mentions Mo Williams.
Read number 16 in http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7525589/20-questions-part-2
FYI – In a later article, Simmons gives his All Star Chemist roster spot to Renaldo Balkman for the East, and Royal Ivey for the West.
I also think the idea that “expiring contracts aren’t worth anything anymore” is entirely false. The players with bad contracts that would have been exchanged for expiring contracts at the trade deadline were already amnesthized.
GMs and Owners will continue to make stupid decisions and overpay mediocre players, and I fully expect expiring contracts to return to almost the same value that they did under the old CBA. You just have to give it a year or two until the market fills back up with bad contracts.
I haven’t been able to listen to the podcast yet, and unfortunately couldn’t participate (kids are sick), but I agree with Richard.
To some extent, I think that the harsher luxury tax could make expiring contracts more useful. Teams that have made free agency mistakes are going to be a lot more desperate to cut payroll in the face of a scaled luxury tax. They may be much more willing to give up “good” assets to discard a bad contract. The teams receiving the “good” assets are going to need some expriring contracts in order to make the numbers balance in the trade.
Only time will tell, but I don’t know that reducing to 4 or 5 year contracts, from 5 or 6, dramatically changes the landscape on this issue.
FYI guys – something is up with the podbean site. Please see http://soundcloud.com/cavstheblog/cavs-the-podcast-5-1-12-fin for part one and http://soundcloud.com/cavsthepodcast2/cavs-thepodcast5-2-12-fin for part 2. I’m having trouble getting the site to work so I can’t update this post. Kevin – can you update?
Thanks for the mention guys and for talking over the FA class. I guess my biggest worry for this offseason is that our biggest need is readily available in this draft, with about 6 decent to great shooting guards, while big men are not a sure thing. Free agencyat alleviate some of that pressure
Mallory,
I finished part one. A few thoughts…
Alonzo Gee shot 34% from the field in April and 27% on threes. I think the compressed season, and really his first full NBA season, wore him down. If you get rid of April, his shooting percentages start to look a little better.
Let’s say that Gee and Gibson should be like the 7th and 8th best players on a contending team. Unfortunately alot of times for Cleveland this year they needed to be the 3rd or 4th-ish best offensive player. Adding better players / reducing their responsibilities will be helpful for them. Same thing goes for Tristan.
DJ Kennedy is awesome…at filling a roster spot when you’re trying to tank the last two games.
I think Samardo should be the 5th big man / 12th man next year, over Semih (if those are the choices). I don’t know alot about how Samardo is in the locker room or at practice, but if the other players like him, I think he’s earned another season with the team. Kind of like Ryan was saying with Harangody; Samuels seems like “our” guy now. I could get behind the team offering him another one year contract.
Thought the one thing that I thought you guys should have hit on with Gee: the guy needs to learn to drive left, finish with the left hand, and finish on the left side of the basket. That’s the #1 thing that would help his offensive game. Obviously, more work on his mid range and long range jumper, and his handle would be great, but in terms of immediate efficiency improvements, getting defenders to stop sitting on his right hand drive all the time would open up his slashing game immensely.