TRADE! Kings trade Omri Casspi, pick to Cavaliers for JJ Hickson

[DMAVS41]

For a DWade/Mavs fan, you do a lot of thinking about Cleveland.

And, actually -- although I don't agree with the drafting of TT and trading Hickson for nothing -- I do think that the FO has done a pretty good job in the last year. We essentially bought the No. 1 pick in the draft and got rid of some dead weight.

I spend time thinking about basketball. Over the last year? Yea, I actually do like what the Cavs have done.

I was talking about the previous 7. I don't like their draft this year, but its a crap shoot anyway with level of talent of this years' class.

The only thing I ever had against the Cavs/fans is when people tried to act like the team did a great job building the team around Lebron. I thought they did a crap job.

Just like I think the Mavs did a pretty crap job building around Dirk for a good 7 year stretch.

[alenleomessi]

season hasnt even started and cavs are already tanking for that first pick in 2012

[RedBlackAttack]

I spend time thinking about basketball. Over the last year? Yea, I actually do like what the Cavs have done.

I was talking about the previous 7. I don't like their draft this year, but its a crap shoot anyway with level of talent of this years' class.

The only thing I ever had against the Cavs/fans is when people tried to act like the team did a great job building the team around Lebron. I thought they did a crap job.

Just like I think the Mavs did a pretty crap job building around Dirk for a good 7 year stretch.

I don't think James was ever the player that I thought he was, so I'm glad he left and I can now hope for him to fail... The more I've thought about it since his latest collapse, he wasn't ever going to win being the primary piece in Cleveland unless we simply overwhelmed the league with talent (which is what Miami is trying to do) and the Cavs were never going to be in a position to do that.

He saved us a lot of heartbreak by taking off.

We may not win a title in the coming years, but at least the expectations won't be there to do so, followed by a huge letdown.

[RedBlackAttack]

season hasnt even started and cavs are already tanking for that first pick in 2012

If that is really the mindset, I'm with it. That is how you rebuild a team, not by being painfully mediocre every year and hoping that a mid-round pick or a move in free agency pushes you over the top.

[kaiiu]

I don't think James was ever the player that I thought he was, so I'm glad he left and I can now hope for him to fail... The more I've thought about it since his latest collapse, he wasn't ever going to win being the primary piece in Cleveland unless we simply overwhelmed the league with talent (which is what Miami is trying to do) and the Cavs were never going to be in a position to do that.

He saved us a lot of heartbreak by taking off.

We may not win a title in the coming years, but at least the expectations won't be there to do so, followed by a huge letdown.

...BURN

[Godzuki]

nope. back in the lebron bandwagon days, when 1/3rd of the board seemed to be cavs fans, the overrating of hickson (lebrons future running mate, a beast, blah) was through the roof. Not by you, necc., but the various ig'nant fanbois

hickson really came into his own last year as the season wore on, and he got regular 30+ min's and shots. the Hickson you're talking about was extremely wishy washy, and played a lot more scared/less sure of himself. Imo thats a completely different JJ than last year. JJ was a beast last year, especially 2nd half of the season.

i wasn't JJ's biggest fan before last season if anything i'd say he was a bust, but i also think its real hard to play with someone like Lebron and expected to play real well with very limited opportunities.

[Clippersfan86]

For those who haven't watched both players this isn't a bad trade. Kings get a veteran player who's a good player but pretty tapped out on potential in my opinion. Cavs get a legit SF which they need very badly (Alonzo Gee....) who has a ton of upside.

Hickson is the better player now, Omri has way more upside. Omri is underrated defensively and his offensive game is pretty. Reminds me of Rudy Fernandez how he can not only bury you from outside... but can drive the lane and dunk on you. Good athlete.. not in the mold of most foreign players.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6t7Qam9Rlk

Edit: Haha of course his top play of the season was against the Clippers.

[Godzuki]

you realize some experts had thompson as the 3rd best players in the draft right?

i don't think many did, i think a lot of teams had him at like #6~

who knows tho, i won't judge more than him being picked earlier than most people thought.

[RedBlackAttack]

i don't think many did, i think a lot of teams had him at like #6~

who knows tho, i won't judge more than him being picked earlier than most people thought.

Hollinger had him at 3... And maybe Bucher. There were at least two big wigs over at ESPN.com that had Thompson inside their Top 3. I know Hollinger was one... Not sure on the other.

Since the draft, I've read that the Cavs use a rating system similar to the one Hollinger uses when evaluating talent... And that it has been enormously successful for players (not just the ones that they have selected) in the past.

You look at where they got Hickson in the draft... He was arguably the best player on the board, in retrospect.... The same thing goes for Christian Eyenga, who had everyone scratching their heads. Turns out, the guy has crazy potential.

Their last several drafts, they have taken what has turned out to be arguably the best player on the board in retrospect.

[AMISTILLILL]

Insane trade for the kings, just awesome. But how much does it SUCK that they moved beno? You now have a line up of Cousins, Hickson, Salmons, Thornton, and Tyreke with Jimmer as the 6th man.

Why the hell did they move the only pure passer they had? Keep beno starting and have thornton as a possible 6th man of the year candidate in the future. Then you have a legit passer and floor general with real experience. I love the talent but its gonna be a bunch of former zach randolphs imo. Who ever touches the ball first is FIRING.

Why wouldnt you keep beno, a real pg, and draft leanord? Or if you LOVE jimmer, draft him, but keep beno to have a legit passer. I hate that trade so much.

They're obviously not done making moves.

[NuggetsFan]

I don't think James was ever the player that I thought he was, so I'm glad he left and I can now hope for him to fail... The more I've thought about it since his latest collapse, he wasn't ever going to win being the primary piece in Cleveland unless we simply overwhelmed the league with talent (which is what Miami is trying to do) and the Cavs were never going to be in a position to do that.

He saved us a lot of heartbreak by taking off.

We may not win a title in the coming years, but at least the expectations won't be there to do so, followed by a huge letdown.

Your so butthurt It's not even funny anymore . Glad he left? Yup I'm sure the rest of Cleveland was pumped as well. Reminds me of a guy getting dumped and being crushed but whenever it's brang up it's simply "I don't even care, she was a bitch anyways".

He wasn't ever going to win being the primary piece in Cleveland? What a load of shit. He won 60+ games two years in a row. Ran into a tough Boston team and an Orlando Magic did that had Howard who was a huge mismatch for them. That's what makes the move hilarious. He may never won a ring but a finals app, 2 60 win seasons? He was eventually going to get extremely close.

You may not win a title? No you 100% won't win a title in the next 7 years. I'll bet my life on it. You'll be near the basement next year. Hope you draft a player even close to as good as James. Most likely? You'll just be a playoff team. Who needs expectations, I'd also rather a rebuilding team than a team that's a contender. Magic should probably just dump Dwight Howard now. Save Magic fans the heartbreak because he'll probably never win a ring in Orlando, just win regular season games and maybe make another playoff run or two. Who needs that. Rebuild .. no expectations.

Cleveland fans are a complete and utter joke. Only people that make me laugh when they hate on James. It was you guy's blowing him for 7 years. The only reason he's not the player you thought he was is because he made a joke out of your franchise on live television

[alanLA92]

Amazing. One of the reasons the Cavs didn't want to trade for Amare was because they didn't want to give up Hickson.

If they had trade for Amare, LBJ and Amare would both be in Cleveland right now.

Nope they both would of left if they lost in the 2010 playoffs anyways.

[kaiiu]

no team is ever winning a ring with Lebron as a primary option. Ask Miami

[AMISTILLILL]

For those who haven't watched both players this isn't a bad trade. Kings get a veteran player who's a good player but pretty tapped out on potential in my opinion. Cavs get a legit SF which they need very badly (Alonzo Gee....) who has a ton of upside.

Hickson is the better player now, Omri has way more upside. Omri is underrated defensively and his offensive game is pretty. Reminds me of Rudy Fernandez how he can not only bury you from outside... but can drive the lane and dunk on you. Good athlete.. not in the mold of most foreign players.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6t7Qam9Rlk

Edit: Haha of course his top play of the season was against the Clippers.

I wouldn't necessarily call 3 years pro a 'veteran'...

[NuggetsFan]

no team is ever winning a ring with Lebron as a primary option. Ask Miami

You mean the team that made the finals? The same place LeBron was with Cleveland? Guy has the mental stability of a 14 year old girl but there's no denying he can get you there. He did it with a stacked team in Miami and did it in Cleveland.

It's like people actually think there is parody in the NBA. Getting to the finals is a HUGE accomplishment for a team. I've never seen Denver in the finals and I doubt I will in the next 10 years. Hate LeBron for being a choker or a mental midget. Douchebag or whatever. Cleveland fans acting like ohhh what we didn't even want him and didn't do anything for us. Can't win a ring with him as your number 1 anyways. You guy's are treating him like he was Rudy Gay or something.