-Apparently the Cavaliers have signed Samardo Samuels to a deal that partially guarantees the first year of his contract. I will confess that the only reason I remember Samuels from Summer League is that I distinctly remember thinking “Good Lord, Samardo freaking Samuels just scored 19 points on Hickson.”
That game was Samuels’ best one of Summer League, but he put in strong performances throughout his time in Vegas. My only issue with this signing is that he will not be defended by J.J. Hickson in any games next season. Samardo, you owe J.J. donuts.
-So Chris Paul has demanded a trade, and might end up on the Knicks or Lakers. With a trade this big, I don’t believe it until it happens, no matter how big. New Orleans will cling to CP3 with all of its claws. I’m sure Gilbert and Co. burned up New Orleans’ phone lines in the weeks leading up to LeFiasco, but there was no way the Cavs could offer them nearly enough salary relief, especially when you consider that any team that takes CP3 is eating Emeka’s deal.
So Chris Paul could possibly leave New Orleans for the Knicks, who have done nothing “right” as a franchise. Paul would then become pick-and-roll partners with Amar’e Stoudemire while playing for Mike D’Antoni. The “Sports as entertainment/Sports as morality” parts of my brain are at war right now.
I said this on Real Cavs Fans, and I’ll say it again here: I love the Samardo signing. This team isn’t gunning for a title next year, so why not throw as many young guys against the wall and see what sticks?
Besides, it’s not like Powe and Jamison are long term options anyway, and Samuels projects to be a backup. So if he’s good, score one for Gilbert/Grant.
Look on the bright side, at least CP3 won’t be in Miami!
Planes, trains, automobiles…you better get my donuts…
With an almost 7′5″ wingspan, it doesn’t really matter if you’re only 6′9-6′10. Great pickup! I don’t think his offense is nearly polished enough, but at the very least his quickness, strength, and defense should fit in very well with the style of play Cleveland needs this season.
Probably won’t work his way into the rotation, but if he can get a few solid post moves he could develop into a very good role player. And if Scott really wants to keep things fast-pased, if he can block shots, outlet, and run with the rest of the team, he will fit in nicely.
If I’m New Orleans I’m telling Chris Paul he has 2 options:
1) Play
2) Sit your ass on the bench for 2 years
yeah just what new orleans needs. An unhappy franchise player who wont take them far. Trade him and get back prospects and draft picks and salary relief. He is worth it.
Too bad this guy didn’t request a trade a month ago. That would have been nice. and Could you really imagine CP3 on the lakers?? just nasty nasty nasty. They could run whatever offense they wanted, triangle, run, it doesn’t matter. They would be possibly the best back court ever. Kobe could focus on scoring 8 million points a game and CP3 does what he does. Add in their huge front court and that wins championships like fat guys eat donuts.
I guess this means that cleveland is out of the running for him, even though I know we tried. We would have to give up Hickson and i dont think we want to do that.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine as a side, I would take this trade in a second. Hornets get financial flexibility as well as some decent pieces, and we help them with cap relief. We wouldn’t have to give all of our trade exception but we could then flip Okafor if we wanted (or keep him, he is pretty good). And try to either trade for a SG or SF or get Matt Barnes. If only NBA 2K were how it actually worked….
You don’t trade Chris Paul because he wants to play eleswhere. Not when he is under contract for two more years. You won’t get fair value in return, your fans will hate you, and you will lose serious money at the gate. For a cash strapped team that spells disaster.
Chris Paul is the type of player you build around, not use as trade bait.
Regardless, what is more disconcerting is the construction of these few “mega teams” in Miami, LA, possibly the Knicks or Magic if Paul is traded to one of them. No way a small or mid market team can compete with these teams year in and year out. The NBA has a real problem on its hands, similar to MLB. In MLB the disparity between the haves and have nots continues to grow because of no salary cap. In the NBA it appears the players are the ones orchestrating this growing disparity.
Make it 3 years with the lockout.
But if he doesnt want to play there then you are simply delaying the inevitable. Playing lame duck for 2 years, not getting good draft picks, aging your prospects and not contending. If he really wants to leave then you have to let him, especially if you can get cap relief, a big man prospect and draft picks out of the deal. Im sure the hornets wouldn’t mind a Danillo Galinari or Bill Walker. Or Shaq on a 1 year deal (please God). We could offer a ton of financial flexibility and draft picks, not as many players but I feel like trading Paul is a good option, and hopefully to the cavs because CP3 is fantasmic
Who cares? He’s under contract and has no trade restrictions. I am either trading him to someone not on that list or making him sit, like he;s threatening. Everyone threatens sitting but in reality CP3 in him prime won’t. Plus they have talent with Collison, Thornton, and David West. A couple pieces and NO’s is right there.
jim,
I blame basketball fans in a lot of ways for the construction of these mega teams (assuming it continues to become a growing trend). We’re the ones who question players’ drive, desire, heart, what have you if they fail to win a championship. We’re the ones who measure all time greatness in karats instead of points, rebounds, blocks, efficiency.
While not necessarily a new phenomenon in the league, it’s definitely an undesirable one. When LA went in with Gasol/Kobe, they basically started an arms race that has been exacerbated by the fan sentiment that rings are the most important metric for measuring a player. Now the stars (not just needed role players) are willing to forego salary in order to achieve the fan’s definition of greatness.
The sad part is, Clevelanders were willing to bestow upon LeBron that title of greatness without the rings. Now he’s put himself in a position where he HAS to win them to be mentioned as one of the GOATs.
BTW, if CP3 is demanding a trade, he’s also going to be identifying the teams he’s willing to be traded to. There is absolutely no way one of those teams is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise it would just be rinse and repeat (he gets here and demands a trade immediately to his short list of desired teams.)
Focus on Samardo Samuels and whoever we get as a SF. Those are the kinds of new faces we’re going to be cheering on this year.
I’d like CP3 to head to the Lakers… just so I’d never have to see the LeBoob win a Finals.
why would new orleans care what team he wanted to be traded to? if they’re going to trade him, it should be to the team that will give them the best a package in return.
and steve, i agree. new orleans should play hardball with him. the guy signed a contract, the team shouldn’t feel obligated to get rid of him because he doesn’t feel like fulfilling it. maybe i’m just sick of superstars being coddled by their teams and the league.
CP3 either gets traded somewhere that isn’t Los Angeles or New York (because, really, they can’t offer much in the way of value in return) or he plays 2 more years in New Orleans. Just because he’d like to go to New York or L.A. doesn’t mean it’s happening. New Orleans holds all the cards, at least for this year.
That said, CP3 in Orlando would be about the worst thing in the world for the Heat. The two weakest positions on the Heat roster, would be going against a team that has the two best players n the world at those spots of weakness. It would be a total nightmare for Miami.
Thats actually a really good point rich. At this point the heat’s plan against Howard is probably just to ignore him. I mean what else can they do? and with lebron and wade, they can outscore anything he tries to do. But with CP3 there too? I really dont think they can do that. Howard is athletic enough that he can do the pick and roll and run the court. Plus the heat would have to put Wade on CP3, and double Howard (at times) with Bosh. Who does Lebron take? Carter or Lewis? And on top of that, How do you stop a CP3 to Howard Alley-oop offense????
James,
It’s not New Orleans, its the other teams that would be trading for him. Why would you waste assets trading for a player who does not want to play for you? As soon as the player takes that position, you’re not going to get equal value for him passing him on to someone else.
For that and the reasons Rich mentioned, I also don’t believe he’s playing anywhere but in New Orleans.
I’m disappointed in CP3. He needs to finish his contract or just push his team to find more help. He shouldn’t be saying I want to be traded to team X, Y or Z. It was bad enough when at Melo’s wedding he said that Melo should come to NYC so that he, Amare and Melo could form a big 3.
He was hurt for a good part of last season and got paid, that’s what a contract does, obligates both sides regardless if you’re producing up to expectation or not. The teams living up to it’s end of the bargain and instead of recruiting players to his team he decides to market himself to other teams. That just ain’t right.
Although I don’t like the way LBJ did it, at least he lived up to his contract and didn’t publicly say trade me or suggest he should play for another team. Maybe now that CP3 and LBJ are now doing business with each other, this is just a reflection of the kind of advice they offer players.
The Nupe,
What else would you expect out of CP3. Not even a month after joining forces with LRMR marketing he does a 180 in the press, acting like someone he’s never acted like before. There’s a good old “evil organization” story out there one day 10 years from now.
ugh. barnes to LA.
the NBA is getting less and less intriguing. not sure if i’ll watch any regular season games this year.
I would love to see cp in Orlando, just so they can go against Miami. Other than that, be a man, fullfil your contract and stop the bitchin!
I agree with everyone here. In the NBA, teams can’t simply cancel contracts and because of that, players get paid through injury and through generally sucking.
I don’t mind players demanding trades in the NFL, because in the NFL you can be cut in the middle of your contract with little to no compensation. The NBA though, is way different. Really good point Nupe about him being hurt and still getting paid. He’s really acting like a little girl right now. They’ve been way over the cap the last two years trying to help him out. And really, if he’d just suck it up they have a serious team next year if he gets to MVP type of form. He has Collison and Thornton on that team now…they could be dangerous depending on if he feels like trying or whining.
Star players win-now or I’m leaving demands seem to be a symptom of a larger generational cleavage. Remember that these guys are all from generation Y (I myself hover b/w X and Y, so I think I have a unique perspective on them). This generation is known for its short attention span, need for instant gratification, and constant career moves. Loyalty to one company has been absconded for individual achievement. I think this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is empowering to the individual. However, in the context of team sports, it comes into conflict with the very sentiments that make professional sports a viable enterprise, most importantly, the concept of loyalty.
That is not to say people in Gen Y are not loyal, they are just loyal in a different way. It’s one of the reasons (besides narcissism) that LeBron doesn’t understand why people are questioning his loyalty. Gen Y’ers aren’t blindly or unconditionally loyal to anyone or thing in the economic realm (which is why they change jobs so frequently). They are loyal, however, to people in their social lives. LeBron feels he showed loyalty to his friends and family in his decision, and thinks loyalty to a city or sports franchise is irrelevant. The same way his peers in the rest of the private sector are not loyal to Key Bank or whichever company they are working for. As soon as they see a better opportunity for themselves or someone they care for, they will take it and go work for Bank of America. To them, loyalty is irrelevant in that decision, whereas people from older generations would instead choose to try to achieve advancement in their current company.
There is an inherent contradiction in the sense of loyal for generation Y, because to sports fan, a sports team falls within the social realm. Gen Y is intensely capable of unconditional loyalty to a sports team. However, their professional athlete peers are acting in the economic realm. They have no loyalty anymore for their employers or fans. So while we could care less if a credit analyst at Key Bank jumps ship for Bank of America, we very affected when one of our favorite players on our team (someone we have an emotional relationship with, not an economic relationship) wants to bolt for a better situation elsewhere. It is like a friend leaving you for a group higher in the social hierarchy in middle school.
Sorry for the onanist rant, I was in a groove. I think there’s a point in there somewhere. Now I know what it feels like to be Bethlehem Shoals.