Tristan Thompson

What is Really Wrong with the Cavs?

Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas has some ideas

Whether their fans will admit it or not, the struggles of the Cleveland Cavaliers are REAL.


To begin with, this is the Cleveland Cavaliers team that erased a 3-1 Finals deficit against the empire of the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago. So what is the difference between that Cavs team and this one that we are seeing right now?

For starters, that team had an effective Tristan Thompson and a KYRIE IRVING. This season, Kyrie Irving is now doing the Alpha dog job for the league-leading Boston Celtics while Tristan Thompson hasn’t been the same since he was dealing with his own injury problem. Thompson has only appeared in 25 games this season, starting 5 of those games. In those games, Thompson averaged 5 points and close to 6 rebounds per game. He used to be the leading rebounder of the team. Now? It’s Kevin Love.
Another big difference between the 2016 champion team and this current team is that ON PAPER, they have gained more firepower after getting Isaiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade and of course, former league MVP, Derrick Rose.  Here’s the problem, folks. Dwayne is no longer the same “Flash” we all loved during his decorated stint with the Miami Heat. Isaiah Thomas is still not the 4th quarter monster we used to see during his stint with the Celtics. Rose? He hasn’t been the same explosive player since he got injured right after winning the MVP award.

So what is wrong with the Cavs, REALLY?

According to the new guy, Isaiah Thomas, there are two reasons why the Cavs are heading into the game against the San Antonio Spurs with a 27-18 record- having lost 7 of their last 10 games.
Firstly, Isaiah Thomas said that the Cavs aren’t trying harder defensively. And that claim can be verified just by looking at easily their opponents have scored in their last 5 defeats were the Cavs up 124 points per game on the average. The Cavs’ lack of defensive intensity was displayed against the Oklahoma City Thunder when they gave up 148 points. Isaiah Thomas even went as far as saying that the Celtics were a defensive team during his stint there. 
Secondly, the Cavs weren’t trusting each other. For a team that is loaded with talented passers, averaging 23 assists per game- the 7th in the league in that category, is totally unacceptable. And that’s one of the many reasons why LeBron James has been on a Super Saiyan mode as of late because of the fact that his teammates weren’t trusting each other. 


Conclusion

Getting new players off trade deals will help improve the Cavs’ situation but first, Cleveland will have to fix their internal problems ON THEIR OWN because that’s a first step towards rediscovering how good they are with the pieces that they have. One thing that the Cavs will need to do is to defend. Why? Even though the Spurs won’t have Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio is still loaded with talented scorers. 

Cavs Interested in Lou Williams

Cleveland has been said to be willing to send two players for Williams

There’s no doubt in the minds of every fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers that their team is struggling DESPITE LeBron James’ brilliance and the fact that Isaiah Thomas has been playing. They have dropped 7 of their last 10 games and the last one wasn’t a good one either. The Cavs got themselves destroyed by the Oklahoma City Thunder. 148-124, ON THE CAVS’ OWN FLOOR.
The Cavs have been included in the teams that are looking to make a move before the trade deadline this February and among the players whom the Cavs are targetting is DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers. And apparently, DJ isn’t the only player from the Clippers who is being targetted by the defending Eastern Conference champions.
Ladies and gentlemen, can you imagine Lou Williams in a Cavs uniform?
Yes, folks. Lou Williams, one of the few bright spots in the otherwise an ugly season for the Clippers, has emerged as a trade target for the Cavaliers who are looking to reshape their roster because people are beginning to worry that they might not make it past the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics- should both squads make it that far.
To begin with, Lou Williams has been on a tear in the last 10 games as he is averaging 31 points and 6 assists per game. And the Clippers are lurking around in the 8th spot in the West with a 23-21 record.
Apparently, the Cavs are willing to send JR Smith alongside Tristan Thompson in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams. While the ESPN Trade Machine has indicated that the trade involving the said players will work without the complexities, the Trade Machine also indicated that the Cavs will add 4 wins to their projected number of wins assuming that they pull the trigger on this one.
Assuming that both teams will make this deal a reality, the Cavs will now have two elite scorers off the bench in Lou Williams and Dwayne Wade. With DeAndre Jordan at the 5 spot, Kevin Love can now focus on playing at his natural position. With JR Smith gone, Tyronn Lue can start Kyle Korver at the 2 spot to provide some early long-range bombs.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that the Cavs are in dire need of upgrade despite having one of the best players in the NBA on board. Hopefully, having a player like Lou Williams and having one of the league’s elite rim defenders in DeAndre Jordan will improve the Cavs’  situation because if not, they will become the laughingstock of the NBA. 

Despite their Latest Success, Cleveland Needs to Solve One Specific Problem

Why the Cavs Need a Center?

Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are now in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference as they currently have a 14-7 win-loss record in the season. LeBron James and company are riding on a 9-game winning streak. They are the top-scoring team in the East, averaging 110 points per game- 3rd among all teams. 
However, injuries to notable players have struck the team. 
To start off, Isaiah Thomas hasn’t played a single NBA game this season since he was traded from the Boston Celtics because he is still recovering from the injury that he sustained last season. 
Tristan Thompson, one of the Cavs’ best rebounders and rim defenders, has missed a big chunk of the current season due to injuries as well. 
Iman Shumpert will undergo a surgery for his injured left knee which means the Cavs will have to find other players who can score. 
And don’t forget about Derrick Rose who is dealing with his own injury issue on top of other personal matters.  

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The Cavaliers have one problem that might affect them soon if not dealt with properly. They don’t have a legitimate center. Sure, Tristan Thompson is currently listed as a center but if you have been watching him in the last few seasons, then you will know that he’s more of a power forward than a center. Coach Tyronn Lue has chosen to go for Kevin Love as his starting center but we all know that doing so can create mismatches which will not favor Love because he is usually forced to defend some of the best centers in the league right now such as DeAndre Jordan, Marc Gasol and Anthony Davis.

What can the Cavs do?

Trade Tristan Thompson plus Iman Shumpert and a draft pick for a legitimate center. Now, since Marc Gasol is off the market, for now,  the only choice the Cavs have right now is to offer the best trade offer to the Los Angeles Clippers- who are in deep trouble of missing the playoffs due to injuries to starters including the latest one, Blake Griffin. 
Assuming that this trade works out, it will benefit the Cavs because having DeAndre Jordan will mean that Kevin Love can go back to his natural position. However, this pundit on wheels doesn’t think that this trade will work out as the Clippers will get two players who are still recovering from their respective injuries as they are already dealing with players who are injured as well. But hey, this is the NBA. Anything can happen,. right?

Conclusion

One way or another, the Cavs will need to solve that “center” issue if they want another shot against the Golden State Warriors- should both teams meet again come the Finals next June. And whether we like it or not, the Clippers will definitely make a trade involving DeAndre Jordan. The question is: will the Cavs have enough to offer to the Clippers? 

Memphis in Trouble: Trade Marc Gasol Probably?

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Will it Work?

The Memphis Grizzlies have been in a free-fall after a promising start to the 2017-2018 season. Their latest setback? A 98-88 defeat at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets in a game where Marc Gasol was benched in the 4th quarter. That latest loss was their 8th consecutive loss for Memphis which is missing Mike Conley due to injury. And Marc Gasol didn’t hide his frustration over the coaching staff’s decision to bench him, saying that he was angrier than he was showing. 
Could this mean that there is a friction between Gasol and the Memphis coaching staff?
According to Coach David Fizdale, his decision to bench his starting center was due to the fact that the reserves of Memphis had been playing well in the 4th quarter and the Grizzlies actually managed to cut down the Nets’ lead to 5 points. While a 19-point lead was probably too much for the Grizzlies to overcome, the Grizzlies would have inched closer had Gasol was called back and was able to contribute down the stretch. 
Unfortunately for Memphis, Brooklyn held on for the win, leaving Memphis fans questioning: What is happening to the Grizzlies?
Marc Gasol has been playing one of his best seasons for the Grizzlies as he is leading his team in 4 of the 5 major departments in basketball, including 4 assists per game- a talent we all see from his brother, Pau. However, some pundits are now saying that if the Grizzlies still want to save what’s left of their season and hopefully still make the playoffs, the front office might want to consider trading Marc Gasol.
Considering the latest incident between him and David Fizdale, Marc Gasol has grown unhappy. He will continue to play as long as the coach wants him to but that doesn’t take away the fact that he felt disrespected by that decision of Fizdale.
The Grizzlies have a choice: Rebuild and trade Gasol

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Due to his height and abilities, Marc Gasol remains among of the most sought-after big men in the league. He was almost dealt with the Toronto Raptors last December along with Vince Carter but that deal never materialized. And last September, rumors popped out the Cleveland Cavaliers were interested in acquiring Gasol in a trade. That stayed a rumor though.

Will it work?

Probably. The Cavs are in dire need of a more consistent center because Kevin Love cannot play the center position efficiently and, Tristan Thompson is still out. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, need younger guys plus a notable role player who can score anytime. The Cavs can consider offering Tritan Thompson, Iman Shumpert and the draft pick that they are holding from the Nets in exchange for Gasol. 

Conclusion

The Grizzlies’ troubles won’t end as Chandler Parsons sat out the rest of the game against the Nets- adding to the injury problem. Trading Marc Gasol may be a big step for the Grizzlies but if they want to start fresh without all of those tensions, sacrifices must be made. However, they also need to keep in mind that by trading away Marc Gasol, it would mean that they would need to find someone to score 19 points per game, too. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Why LeBron Should Stay in Cleveland Despite the Struggles

The Cavs have just lost 5 of their previous 6 games. And the Cavs should be worried

Don’t be surprised if #23 will be elsewhere come after the trade deadline.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got Isaiah Thomas plus a couple of players who can score. The Cavs got Dwayne Wade. And most importantly, the Cavs got former league MVP Derrick Rose who is starting in most games since Thomas is still recovering from the injury that he sustained during last season’s playoffs while still playing for the Boston Celtics.

On paper even without Thomas and Rose, the Cavs are still the best team- at least in the Eastern Conference.

10 games into the regular season, are they really the best team in the East?

After opening the season with two consecutive wins over the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks,  the Cavs suddenly became a team like they were before LeBron James came back- a bad team, as evident by their 4-game losing streak which included disappointing loses at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks within a span of a week, which was followed by a 124-107 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

To get back into the win column, they needed a franchise record-tying 57 points from LeBron James against the Washington Wizards. However, the Cavs next lost to the lowly Atlanta Hawks who won, 117-115.

Now you tell this pundit on wheels, is that how a super team with LeBron James, Dwayne, Kevin Love and Derrick Rose, supposed to be playing?  Losing to bad teams?  Falling to a 4-6 record to open the season? Lagging way behind the standings in the East?

Nope


Now, if you’ve been watching the NBA even during the offseason, one of the hottest topics that have been making the talks among NBA pundits was the inevitability of LeBron James leaving the Cavs, again, for the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of the current season. And all previous signs have been pointing towards that scenario.

The only question is this: Will it happen? Answer: Yes!

Follow-up question: How soon will it happen? Answer: It depends on how the Cavs will perform from here on.

Despite scoring 26 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing away 13 assists against the Atlanta Hawks- NBA’s current worst team, LeBron James was a beaten man. Badly beaten. He had to play for 41 minutes. He had to take 17 shots, second-most to Wade’s 19. But still, his MVP-like numbers weren’t enough to propel the Cavs to a victory.  And, observers have been saying that LeBron James has become more frustrated with the Cavs’ struggles.
If anything, don’t get surprised if LeBron drastically demands a trade even before the trade deadline especially if things don’t improve in Cleveland. However, the Lakers knew that they would have to send one of their young guys to Cleveland if a trade is to happen. And, having LeBron on board wouldn’t assure a playoff appearance for LA this season so trading your promising stars isn’t worth it. For now.

While the Cavs are struggling and there’s no doubt that His Majesty is really frustrated but leaving Cleveland this season will not change his situation. The Lakers are not yet seasoned to make their much-awaited return to the playoffs and whether he likes it or not, LeBron’s only chance to beat the Golden State Warriors, for now, is to stay with the Cavs and hope that things get better. ASAP.

If not, then LeBron-to-LA it is.

Basketball Culture : #Cavshion is here


The hashtag “cavshion” is being used on Instagram and twitter to show off some of the players’ flawless fashion game. Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, and LeBron James can be seen posting some of their freshest gear on their personal accounts. Many of the outfits seen on the team Instagram page show how the guys arrive for a home or away game. Lets look at some of their posts.





A photo posted by Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) on Dec 8, 2015 at 5:46pm PST

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A video posted by Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) on Nov 28, 2015 at 3:31pm PST

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Photo and video courtesy of : Cleveland.com & Pix11

Spurs Hold off Cavs 8th game win streak 99-95! to bump theirs to 10 straight wins!



This was a battle that everyone wanted to find out and it was all worth the hype. The Cavs led pretty much all the way until halfway through the 3rd quarter where everyone in the Spurs stepped up to their game Duncan, Aldrige and Leonard who struggled in the first half, all of them scored less then 10 points it was only Tony Parker who led them in with 18 points to end the half. 

3rd quarter came and it has became a game with a playoff atmosphere trading basket after basket, it was very exciting that I felt the beat of my heart loud and clear even if the volume on my TV is almost maxed. That quarter ended with a buzzer beater from Matthew Dellavedova to give the Cavs a 1 point lead with 73-72.

4th Quarter both teams started with their bench players only TP and Irving are the starters who stayed after the 3rd quarter. It was a great display of team work both on offense on defense for both teams but it was the Spurs who excelled with excellent plays from Patty Mills, Kawhi Leonard with the emphatic putback slam and Kyle Anderson who played exceptional both ends off the floor even if he was only given 5 minutes, I would have wanted for him to stay on the floor but I am not Pop.

Tim Duncan also contributed with a couple of vintage moves to keep them on the lead. with .57 minutes remaining he took a semi fade away. The Cavs were down 93-99 with 9.1 seconds remaining Ginobili played great defense to block Irving’s shot and after the play Lebron had a word with Irving who took the shot with 3 defenders on him, they were able to maintain possession of the ball with 6.4 seconds remaining. Cavs inbound the ball to Thompson and it was JR Smith who took the shot but missed badly. 

The Spurs Big 3

Duncan – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks
Leonard – 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks
Parker – 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assist and 3 steals

Cavs Big 3

James – 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists 
Love – 10 points, 12 rebounds and 1 assist
Irving – 16 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists.

Here is the highlight of this exciting game:



Written by:
Aldrin
Team Powcast


The King wants Tristan Thompson to stay but will he? Thompson Cavs? Update 101!

Tristan Thompson


“GIVE ME WHAT I DESERVE” 

That is what I think he was trying to say. (smiles)

Another picture this was just recently posted by the king Lebron James,




This is not your usual update this is a collaboration on what is the latest this month.

As per NBA cavs:

Tristan Thompson has not attended training camp and thus according to Cavs fans he has been out of the team as well, Some of the images of the Thompson around the Quicken loans arena have been removed apparently.

The Annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage Thompson didn’t show up as well . Here is a quote from NBA.

Tristan Thompson, who played well at power forward in Love’s absence during the playoffs, has not reported to training camp as he remains in a holdout for a long-term contract.
On Sunday, James called Thompson’s situation “a distraction” and urged both sides to reach an agreement.


Here is a video that was made last Oct 1, 2015 interview with Cavs GM David Griffin


This is another video made by a fan that would made you think whatever he is asking for is worth it, combination of first take audio and lebron james interview..




People often say what has he done? Kevin Love who is injury prone just got a max contract for 5 years, is he way better than Thompson? Shooting yes that’s about it if you ask me. Rebounding its a toss up Defense is for Thompson, passing arguably the same. Thompson hasn’t miss a game in 3 years . Love has missed a total of a year at least the last 3 seasons. Enough Said! 


Written by:
Aldrin C.
Team Powcast


Cavs have held firm offer of five years and $80 million to Tristan Thompson

Tristan Thompson is looking for a max contract of $94 million over 5 years but the Cleveland Cavaliers could only offer 80 million for 5 years.

If no deal is reached by the end of the week, Thompson may sign the Cavs’ one-year qualifying offer of $6.9 million to become an unrestricted free agent next year. His agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN last month that if Thompson signs the one-year qualifier, he will not re-sign with the Cavs long-term in 2016.

The Cavs’ position has been that they are offering a fair-market contract. The $16 million per year offer to Thompson, 24, would be in line with deals recently given to Draymond Green ($16.4 million annually) and Jonas Valanciunas ($16 million). It would be less than the $17.5 million per year that Enes Kanter, picked one spot ahead of Thompson in the 2011 draft, got from the Oklahoma City Thunder after he signed an offer sheet with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Cavaliers Reportedly Offer Thompson Deal

Sources said that the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered Tristan Thompson a five-year deal in the $75-80 million range.

But Thompson’s agent, Rich Paul, has indicated his client may sign a one-year qualifying offer. Then he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016 when the salary cap will increase by at least 30 percent.

Cavs Forward Tristan Thompson Will Not Accept Any Offer Less Than Max Contract

A league source tells me that his agent, Rich Paul, has already made it clear to the Cleveland Cavaliers that Thompson will not sign a long-term deal unless it is a max deal. And otherwise, he is prepared to sign a one-year qualifying offer with the additional knowledge, according to the source, that Paul believes that he can get a max deal with the Raptors next summer. Tristan Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone at it for almost two months now, and Rich Paul has let it be known that Thompson wants a max contract. On Monday evening, Ric Bucher reported that Thompson will not accept anything less.

The Canadian power forward is known for his hardwork but him and his agent are making that concept seem overrated. The team could very well use that money for a much better player than Thompson.

LeBron James did profess his love to Tristan Thompson by saying that the latter should be a Cavalier for life and David Blatt is also enamoured by the bigman’s ability, but Thompson comes with very obvious flaws. He’s a borderline average shotblocker and an awful offensive option.

A max contract for Thompson is worth over $94 million. Despite the fact that the salary cap is set to balloon next summer, that amount is extremely huge for Thompson’s true value and considering the impact that it does to the Cavaliers’ flexibility going forward, the deal appears to be unhealthy. Keep in mind that Dan Gilbert is already pouring out money to three separate maximum deals for LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.

Tristan Thompson might leave Cavs, Who would sign him if ever?

Tristan Thompson
It has been reported that Thompson might leave if Cleveland would offer a 1 year deal, prior to this offer, Thompson and his agent turned down a four year deal of $60 million dollars. Reports are circling around the league that Thompson wants max deal. If you are to ask me since cap space will blow up in the next couple of years Cavs, should give assurance to Thompson the next 2 years at least same deal that Greg Monroe got from the Bucks. 
It maybe a push but Thompson is one of the reasons why they made it all the way to the finals despite losing Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. I am not a big fan of TT, however there are teams that would love to have him like Portland or maybe even LA and Dallas. It has been said that Lebron wants TT to be a with the Cavs forever it maybe a ploy to make TT stay, but if Kevin Love got a max offer of $110 million for 5 years, it would be an insult for Thompson if he gets anything less than $16M per year. Kevin Love is better offensively that is for sure but he is also a bit injury prone on the other hand TT was able to start all 82 games in his first 2 seasons with the Cavs and it maybe the same case this year in case Kevin Love is not yet back or if another team gets TT.
 Is he worth max contract maybe not but will LBJ be happy if Thompson leaves? The Cavs front office need to measure things because we all know that LBJ can opt out next year if he doesnt win it all.