The summer of 2018 will be the most important offseason in Cavs history
The most important offseason in Cleveland Cavaliers history is just a few months away.
One move could officially end the greatest era in Cleveland Cavaliers history. The LeBron James era.
The domino effect:
": a cumulative effect produced when one event initiates a succession of similar events — (Merriam-Webster)"
Before jumping to the big fish and how his possible departure effects the offseason, let’s start with the Cavs’ newly remodeled bench.
While Jeff Green’s play will price himself out of the Cavs’ range, Channing Frye has been glued to the bench and could opt to leave the organization that traded his good friend in Richard Jefferson.
Dwyane Wade clearly loves his money and with a $15 million buyout from the Chicago Bulls in the offseason, it’s not like he’s really taking a paycut to play with James, his best friend. With the right offer, he could leave for a bigger role and bigger paycheck after coming off the bench for the first time in his career.
All that said, no matter what the Cleveland Cavaliers will be rebuilding their bench. That’s even if Derrick Rose returns to reclaim the backup point guard position.
Speaking of the point guard position, Isaiah Thomas loves how the Cavs have approached his injury rehab and he’s good friends with Kevin Love but that doesn’t mean negotiations can’t fall apart in the offseason. Especially if James leaves or Love, who was on the trading block in the offseason and boosted his trade value with his play this season.
Love, who has excelled this season, could be traded to bring in a more dominant big man. DeMarcus Cousins. Marc Gasol. Guys like that. Guys who the Cavs could bring in to convince James to stay.
The same James who could leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason.
James, whose departure would be followed by Wade’s, probably Thompson’s and even more likely J.R. Smith’s.
These three are part of the James Gang of NBA players and while Wade came to Cleveland because of James, Smith’s maturity has a direct correlation to James’ tutelage and camaraderie. Thompson was re-signed largely because of James’ insistence that the Cavs do so before he re-signed in 2015.
To that end, James doesn't plan to start talks with Cavs until Tristan Thompson's deal is settled. Currently those talks are stalled.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 4, 2015
Luckily, if Cleveland has to rebuild the team in the wake of a James exit, all hope isn’t lost.
It would just be the Dawn of a New Age that fans would have to embrace with heavy hearts.
If James left (along with the rest of the players entering free agency), the Cavs would have enough money ($15 million minimum) to bring Green back in a LeBron-esque role. If Iman Shumpert opted out of his contract or the Cavs’ found a team to absorb it, they’d have $26 million to spend.
They’d also have the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round pick in 2018 and the chance to select a top-five talent in the 2018 NBA Draft. A player who would be seen as the future of the franchise and suit up beside Thomas and Love unless those two were replaced.
In Thomas’ case, the player the Cavs select in the draft could be his replacement as the University of Alabama’s Collin Sexton and the University of Oklahoma’s Trae Young are standing out as complete point guard prospects. The biggest difference in their futures could be the difference in their athleticism and the level of competition they’ve faced, as Sexton has the edge in both. Sexton and Young also players that James could play beside should Thomas leave and he stays.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic is likely the apple of Cleveland’s eye if James leaves although the University of Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. could be available as well. Doncic is as complete a player as there’s been in the draft and Porter’s frame, athleticism and ability to score inside and out reminded many of James.
Tyreke Evans (Memphis Grizzlies) and Avery Bradley (Detroit Pistons) could be nice stop-gap solutions as a starting point guard that the Cavs could afford this summer if James departs and the Cavs don’t select a point guard in the draft.
If the Cavs select a point guard even if James leaves, Green will probably just get a bigger role although a Michael Beasley or Rudy Gay sighting wouldn’t be out of the question as stop-gap starters at small forward.
The possibilities aren’t necessarily endless but there’s no telling what the Cavs roster will look like next season. The Cavs haven’t been able to say that since James returned.
Unsurprisingly, James’ possible departure is the big domino once again. Unfortunately, if he leaves again the Cleveland Cavaliers will likely never have him at his best if he should ever return.