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

[TKstyle]

This makes the Kings better straight away, but it also works for the Cavs. They get a starting SF, which Casspi did very well in his rookie season until falling out of Westpaul's plans and riding the pine for most of this season just gone. The future pick may end up being another decent role player aswell. They've gotta make use of B-Diddy and AJ next season, considering they're on $30mil between them.

Kings still have moves to make. Need a back up PG to Tyreke, Jimmer IS NOT the answer. He and Thornton coming off the bench will add scoring punch while Salmons and Garcia, the vets, the solid perimeter defenders, start with Reke running the show. They also need a back up vet for Cousins, because it's all too common that the young studs have crappy sophmore years. Sammy D is definately gone, so I'm not sure who they could get for 10-15 solid mins a night.

Cousins / ?
Hickson / Thompson
Salmons / Greene / Honeycutt
Garcia / Thornton / Fredette
Tyreke / ?

Suggestions for the gaps? JJ Barea? Sessions for the PG back up. Centres, I got nothin'

[LaysUpBricks]

This makes the Kings better straight away, but it also works for the Cavs. They get a starting SF, which Casspi did very well in his rookie season until falling out of Westpaul's plans and riding the pine for most of this season just gone. The future pick may end up being another decent role player aswell. They've gotta make use of B-Diddy and AJ next season, considering they're on $30mil between them.

Kings still have moves to make. Need a back up PG to Tyreke, Jimmer IS NOT the answer. He and Thornton coming off the bench will add scoring punch while Salmons and Garcia, the vets, the solid perimeter defenders, start with Reke running the show. They also need a back up vet for Cousins, because it's all too common that the young studs have crappy sophmore years. Sammy D is definately gone, so I'm not sure who they could get for 10-15 solid mins a night.

Cousins / ?
Hickson / Thompson
Salmons / Greene / Honeycutt
Garcia / Thornton / Fredette
Tyreke / ?

Suggestions for the gaps? JJ Barea? Sessions for the PG back up. Centres, I got nothin'

They seem pretty satisfied with Jimmer as the backup PG. But I wouldn't be surprised if they maybe sign a cheap free agent. And they plan on adding another center once the lockout is over. They have plenty of money to pursue a big name center, or maybe a backup center for cheap.

[TKstyle]

They seem pretty satisfied with Jimmer as the backup PG. But I wouldn't be surprised if they maybe sign a cheap free agent. And they plan on adding another center once the lockout is over. They have plenty of money to pursue a big name center, or maybe a backup center for cheap.

Oh ok, I'm from Australia, so I didn't/haven't seen alot of Jimmer, wasn't sure if he was a capable ball handler, but if so, then I could live with that.

They will definately have the cap space with Dalembert's 10+ million now off the books. They could offer big $$ for Nene? Would make them pretty stacked at the 5/4 positions. Role playing centre would definately suit better. Who that is, not so sure

[LaysUpBricks]

Oh ok, I'm from Australia, so I didn't/haven't seen alot of Jimmer, wasn't sure if he was a capable ball handler, but if so, then I could live with that.

They will definately have the cap space with Dalembert's 10+ million now off the books. They could offer big $$ for Nene? Would make them pretty stacked at the 5/4 positions. Role playing centre would definately suit better. Who that is, not so sure

Yeah if they want to go for a big name I wouldn't be surprised if they go after Nene or Gasol. They have the cap space to do it. But then in a couple of years they have to pay Evans and Cousins. That's the only reason I can think of not going for one of the two.

[Clippersfan86]

Maloof "Omri, you've been traded!"

Omri "YES!!! FINALLY!! Get out of this awful city.....so where am I headed?"

Maloof "Cleveland."

Omri "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO......... .................."

[TKstyle]

Yeah if they want to go for a big name I wouldn't be surprised if they go after Nene or Gasol. They have the cap space to do it. But then in a couple of years they have to pay Evans and Cousins. That's the only reason I can think of not going for one of the two.

They still need to resign Thornton, can't see him taking up too much space in the cap though, he's a MUST though.

I think someone like Jason Collins, Kwame Brown are more logical choices for back up centres. Just a big body to come off the bench, get rebounds, pick up fouls.

Maybe they go for Yao? jks

[33teeth]

Ehhh. I would not say that. He is still only 22, crazier things have happened in the NBA. He has improved every year he has been in the league and has shown explosiveness at times, it just needs to be consistent. Still, I would not be happy trading JJ straight up for Casspi. Give me Casspi and Greene or Casspi and Thompson, I might be a little happier.

Heh. Jason Thompson is arguably close to as good as Hickson. Casspi is not bad either. There's no way you'd get both of them for Hickson.

[LaysUpBricks]

They still need to resign Thornton, can't see him taking up too much space in the cap though, he's a MUST though.

I think someone like Jason Collins, Kwame Brown are more logical choices for back up centres. Just a big body to come off the bench, get rebounds, pick up fouls.

Maybe they go for Yao? jks

Yeah of course he's a must, the Kings staff have made every indication that they will resign him. He's also made every intention that he'll resign. But I can't see him signing for more than 7-9 million a year. That still leaves over 20 million in cap space (with the current cap).

[blacknapalm]

not sure this makes either team much better really. hickson's D is below average and awful at times. casspi is okay...he can get hot but can also just check it a lot. anyway, what a difference a little over a year makes. remember when cleveland didn't want to trade for amar'e with hickson in the package. now, he's being traded to casspi straight up. ya, i know there's a first round pick involved but it's lottery protected so everything is speculation there. oops.

[Scoooter]

not sure this makes either team much better really. hickson's D is below average and awful at times. casspi is okay...he can get hot but can also just check it a lot. anyway, what a difference a little over a year makes. remember when cleveland didn't want to trade for amar'e with hickson in the package. now, he's being traded to casspi straight up. ya, i know there's a first round pick involved but it's lottery protected so everything is speculation there. oops.

That didn't happen.

[blacknapalm]

That didn't happen.

not at the time. i still don't believe it wasn't on the table no matter who pulled away. i'm not talking about bleacher report articles. everything since then has been damage control.

[RedBlackAttack]

not at the time. i still don't believe it wasn't on the table no matter who pulled away. i'm not talking about bleacher report articles. everything since then has been damage control.

Every report that came out at the time from every reputable source was that Hickson was on the table and the ball was in the Suns' court. They walked away.

Anyone that thinks otherwise just wants to believe that Hickson wasn't included... And I'm not sure why, other than to make a case that Cleveland's FO is dumb... There are plenty of examples of that without having to make stuff up.

[bluechox2]

wtf cavs doing, taking one step backwards instead of trying to move forward after 2 top 5 picks.

[RedBlackAttack]

wtf cavs doing, taking one step backwards instead of trying to move forward after 2 top 5 picks.

This is what I can figure...

1. They thought that JJ -- who will be a FA after this season -- was going to be a sticky contract situation and we may have ended up losing him for nothing in the long run.

2. There have been reports since this trade that he clashed often with Byron Scott. If I had to guess, Scott was pushing for the drafting of Tristan Thompson and the trading of JJ.

3. The organization wants a completely fresh start, cutting all ties with the 'James era.' Bobbie Gibson and Anderson Varejao are now all that remain.

[Frank Nit]

This makes the Kings better straight away, but it also works for the Cavs. They get a starting SF, which Casspi did very well in his rookie season until falling out of Westpaul's plans and riding the pine for most of this season just gone. The future pick may end up being another decent role player aswell. They've gotta make use of B-Diddy and AJ next season, considering they're on $30mil between them.

Kings still have moves to make. Need a back up PG to Tyreke, Jimmer IS NOT the answer. He and Thornton coming off the bench will add scoring punch while Salmons and Garcia, the vets, the solid perimeter defenders, start with Reke running the show. They also need a back up vet for Cousins, because it's all too common that the young studs have crappy sophmore years. Sammy D is definately gone, so I'm not sure who they could get for 10-15 solid mins a night.

Cousins / ?
Hickson / Thompson
Salmons / Greene / Honeycutt
Garcia / Thornton / Fredette
Tyreke / ?

Suggestions for the gaps? JJ Barea? Sessions for the PG back up. Centres, I got nothin'

They drafted Isaiah Thomas. He will compete for and eventually win the backup PG spot. He is ready to contribute right now.