jordo212000;814264 wrote:Oh, and since when did the Bobcats/Michael Jordan wanting somebody, become a good thing? Haha Jordan is a terrible talent evaluator.

Rich Cho is their new GM. Was with the Thunder and then most recently the Blazers GM. He was let go after 1 year but I guess Paul Allen is not an owner you want to work for. He's supposedly highly thought of though.

The Blazers disgraced themselves Monday in deciding to fire Cho after 10 largely successful months in charge. According to a reliable league source, Allen said he made the decision because he failed to establish a personal connection with Cho. That explanation was affirmed by the Blazers' news release, which described a relationship that simply didn't work out.

Cho received no warning he was about to be fired, I was told. Team president Larry Miller, who had recruited Cho for Allen, did not manipulate the dismissal. My understanding is that it had nothing to do with Cho's conduct, professionalism or job performance, all of which appeared to be excellent.

Let's look back at Jordan's past history as a player and a person. You honestly believe he doesnt have a big hand in what's going on? I find it highly doubtful that alpha dog Michael Jordan is yielding anything to something called Rich Cho

You will pull anything out of your ass to try and spin an argument your way, but it only makes you look dumber in the end.

The Bobcats traded up to 7 to get Thompson. That is a fact.

The Cavs, valued Thompson very highly, as did I and many others as I've noted....

How he hell did the Cavs "reach" for somebody they valued that high, when 3 picks later there was ANOTHER team that valued him just as high? Do you think the Cavs could have traded down to 5th or 6th? lmao. It's not like they would have gotten anything our of those deals.

A lot of people loved the pick. A lot of national syndicates praised the pick. Did some people hate it? Sure. Some people hated the MJ pick for the Bulls. Some Lakers fans hated the Vlade trade to Charlotte that brought in a high school player in Kobe...

You're going to have critics of an entire draft, no matter how good these players rate.

Personally I like Thompson...he's got great size and athleticism. I think he could develop into a great defender who can guard the 4 and even the 3 or 5 in certain matchups. High character, high motor, I think this is a guy that's going to improve over time. It'll be interesting to see what they do with JJ now but I think Thompson can be a nice piece of the puzzle.

The Cavs couldn't screw up the 1st pick, and with that said I love Irving. I really think he will be a good pro.

Not a big fan of the Thompson pick. I really don't get it. He's JJ Hickson 2.0. But at the same time you get talent where you can and worry about the rest later. Thompson has great athleticism so the potential is there. I think he becomes better than Hickson.

I really didn't understand the trade. I liked the guy they drafted (can't recall his name) and thought it was a great pick. And then they trade it for two 2nd rounders? Just stupidity, IMO. At the top of the 2nd round you can get 1st round talent and they trade to a team that's a perennial playoff team, so they get two picks mid to late 2nd round? It's like they think they have time to just put off drafting young talent. They need players now.

Dwight Howard will be gone by the time the Cavs get their two 2nd round picks. That dude wasn't going to make a difference for the Cavs as they are a few years away anyway.

I dont understand the comparisions to JJ Hickson. Thimpson is supposed to be a much better defender than JJ.

Commander of Awesome;814948 wrote:I dont understand the comparisions to JJ Hickson. Thimpson is supposed to be a much better defender than JJ.

I think if you look back to when JJ was drafted, their games were pretty comparable. But, what JJ has turned into, and what TT projects to, their games are pretty different. Hickson is a guy that is more concerned about his offense and trying to develop a 15-18 foot J. On defense he has been lost. His on the ball defense is OK at times when he locks in against good players, but he is awful on the help side and his rebounding #'s only looked good when he was on the floor with Ryan Hollins, Samardo Samuels, Luke Harangody, etc. When Varejao and even Jamison were healthy, everyone wondered why JJ was so bad on the glass.

From reports, TT gets after it on the glass and likes to mix it up on the inside, although that might be because he hasn't developed a jump shot. He also blocks shots and shut down/slowed down some of the top forwards in the NCAA this year. He is also considered a very hard worker/high character guy. Something that is in question with JJ. It doesn't bother me that he plays the same position as Hickson, if TT turns out to be a quality player, and JJ continues to develop then it will be a good problem to have. NBA teams always are in search for quality big men.

#Cavs to send Hickson to #Kings for Casspi and future first-rounder, according to Marc Stein.

Per Twitter.... STEIN_LINE_HQ Marc Stein
Just filed to ESPN.com: Cavaliers and Kings in advanced discussions on a J.J. Hickson-for-Omri Casspi deal. Link on the way

Omri Casspi?

Am I dumb for not konwing who that is

Being reported now that the deal is done. Cavs also get a protected 2012 lottery 1st rounder

Eh I'm not sure what I think of caspri. The future first rounder is nice though.

Seems like a bit of a downgrade strictly as a player for player, but it's an upgrade for us at the SF position plus the added 1st rounder makes it ok in my book.

Yeah, I have no issue stockpiling 1st rounders for next years draft.

Don't know much about Casspi but one of my coworkers said he lit up Kobe in a game. Not sure if that's accurate though.

BR1986FB;818816 wrote:Yeah, I have no issue stockpiling 1st rounders for next years draft.

Don't know much about Casspi but one of my coworkers said he lit up Kobe in a game. Not sure if that's accurate though.

He did. He will thrive in Cleveland with the added touches he will get. I watched a lot of Sac. games and when they actually dished him the ball, he produced.

Here's his stats...

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3554/omri-casspi

People are tweeting that the Kings 1st rounder is lottery protected next year and possibly beyond that.

grodt;818827 wrote:People are tweeting that the Kings 1st rounder is lottery protected next year and possibly beyond that.

Yep. That's what I heard. Please define "lottery protected." Me and my coworker were having a bit of a dispute.

09-10.3 pts, 4.5 rbs
10-8.6 pts, 4.3 rbs

I like

BR1986FB;818829 wrote:Yep. That's what I heard. Please define "lottery protected." Me and my coworker were having a bit of a dispute.

From what I understand if the Kings finish the season with a lottery pick they get to keep it. There are varying levels of lottery protection from full (any spot in the lottery) to something like top-6 (where they would have one of the first 6 picks to keep it).

This wouldn't be in effect for ever. After a certain number of years the lottery protection goes away.

grodt;818844 wrote:From what I understand if the Kings finish the season with a lottery pick they get to keep it. There are varying levels of lottery protection from full (any spot in the lottery) to something like top-6 (where they would have one of the first 6 picks to keep it).

This wouldn't be in effect for ever. After a certain number of years the lottery protection goes away.

Sam Amick of SI says it is fully protected in the 2012 draft, top 10 protected in 2013 and then the lottery protection goes away in 2014.

Meaning that if they are lottery next season, they keep it and we get their first the yr following?

Commander of Awesome;818854 wrote:Meaning that if they are lottery next season, they keep it and we get their first the yr following?

Pretty much unless the following year they pick in the top 10

Chad Ford
Not sure I like this deal for Cavs. Hickson is younger, bigger and has a higher PER. Became a major rebounder in 2nd half of season.