Around the league: June 2014

[Superbone]

Maybe Phil can teach him how to walk like he does.

LOL!

[SDC]

RT @espn_macmahon: Mavs plan to pursue Pau Gasol in free agency. Interest level tied to price tag. ESPN link: es.pn/1mbVhas

time is running out mcdo. offer gasol a 1 yr deal worth 10-12 mil, stat. dont be left behind eating dust.

[Superbone]

RT @espn_macmahon: Mavs plan to pursue Pau Gasol in free agency. Interest level tied to price tag. ESPN link: es.pn/1mbVhas

time is running out mcdo. offer gasol a 1 yr deal worth 10-12 mil, stat. dont be left behind eating dust.

Oh, gosh golly darn it. Too bad.

[TOO]

I'd rather eat dust than pay Gasol $10M.

[Shabazz]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 13m
RT @DJJazzyJody: Jazz are offering Derrick Favors, Alec Burks and No. 5 pick to Cavs for No. 1 pick & Jarrett Jack, according to @1280Spence

RT @DJJazzyJody: Jazz front office is reportedly split about including Alec Burks in that trade offer to Cleveland, according to @1280Spence

I'd Jump on that if I was Cleveland. I'm also a Favors fan.

[TOO]

IDK, how much better is Favors than Thompson.. I mean really?

[Mori Chu]

I have never liked Derrick Favors, and Alec Burks seems pretty "meh" to me despite being one of the better players in his draft. Jazz must be targeting a forward at #1 (Parker?) if they are so quick to discard their own starting big.

[TOO]

Picking a mormon 1st overall screams Jazz doesnt it?

[Superbone]

Picking a mormon 1st overall screams Jazz doesnt it?

LOL. I had forgotten about that. Perfect pairing.

[carey]

Picking a mormon 1st overall screams Jazz doesnt it?

They wan't him bad.

[TOO]

The Utah Latter Day Saints.. Make it happen!

[Ring_Wanted]

Makes all the sense for the Jazz. Their core is not special, Favors included, and is not getting them anywhere particularly in the West. If they can turn all those pieces into the guy who has franchise potential and would actually see Utah as a positive, they have to do it period.

For the Cavs it is much more risky, but if they feel they can land Embiid at #5, they should pull the trigger too, although it would require serious balls by Griffin. At the very least you are getting one among Exum-Vonleh-Embiid. Getting a real rim protector would do wonders for Kyrie, and if they drafted Vonleh, that's a very well balanced core with a lot of potential. It also leaves the franchise with spare pieces to make more moves.

[carey]

James opted out: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /11303749/

[Mori Chu]

Lebron opting out isn't very big news. What will be big news is if Wade does / doesn't opt out. Wade would have to leave a lot of money on the table if he wants to help the team get cap flexibility.

[Superbone]

Coming soon to a television screen near you: The Decision II.

[Mori Chu]

I think they all re-sign with Miami on medium-size deals between 12-15m per year. But the big question is, what do the Heat use the cap space for? Can they woo Melo? Do they have other FAs in mind to deepen their rotation? I see Melo going to Chicago, personally, but the three superfriends calling him up might be too tough to resist.

[carey]

Wade getting $15M right now is a joke. What's worse is if Wade opts in for the $20M and then he becomes an Amare level albatross.

[TOO]

Bledsoe to MIA.

[Mori Chu]

A good article from Grantland's Zach Lowe about Golden State's tough decision of whether to trade Klay Thompson for Kevin Love:

http://grantland.com/features/kevin-lov ... -warriors/

Personally I think they HAVE to make that trade. Love is much more valuable than Klay Thompson. I get that Klay is one of the top few SGs in the league right now, but, the Warriors would be immeasurably better with a stud PF than they are right now as a guard/swing-heavy team with not much going for them at the forward/center spots. A pick-and-roll with Love and Curry will be absolutely nasty to deal with. And they have plenty of other good wings on their roster (and can get more in FA) to compensate for the loss of Thompson, I think.

[carey]

Right. I mean the Splash Bros. stuff is exciting, but what's your goal here? To win a title? Can you win one guard heavy with an injury prone Center and.... David Lee? I'm not sure you can.