Tag: Joe Johnson

BREAKING NEWS: Cavaliers Overhaul Roster

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

With just over an hour until the NBA trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers made multiple, big, somewhat surprising moves. After only having played 15 games this season with the Cavaliers, Isaiah Thomas has been shipped out of town….

Lakers Get: Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavaliers’ 2018 1st-round pick

Cavaliers Get: Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson 

Yesterday, Thomas was asked about how he felt playing for the Cavaliers. This question came in reaction to Thomas’ comments earlier in the week:

“That’s been our biggest problem all year, adjusting. Teams are going to make adjustments, and we have to do the same thing too, and we’re not that good at that right now.”

Yesterday’s response:

“I want to play where I’m wanted. I like it here. I’m tired of being traded.”

Apparently, LeBron and company weren’t too fond of Thomas’ original comments. That. Or his inability to play defense. Either one. In Thomas’ defense, he wasn’t afforded a lot of time to adjust to the Cavaliers’ system. Here’s a guy (Thomas), missing the 1st 38 games of the season due to injury, and after just 15 games, is sent packing.

Now, it’ll be a miracle if Thomas can lock down a big contract at the end of the season.

With Thomas and Frye both becoming unrestricted free agents at season’s end, the Lakers have cleared enough salary cap space for 2-max contracts. Did LeBron just mastermind this deal in order to create cap space for himself???? And Paul George too????

The Cavaliers, however, received young talent in Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.

The Cavaliers didn’t stop there. Evidently, they’re going for the record for trades at a single deadline.

The Cavaliers are also sending Dwayne Wade back to the Miami Heat for a heavily protected 2nd-round pick.

AND, the Cavaliers are ALSO sending Iman Shumpert to the Sacramento Kings, as well as Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose to the Utah Jazz. In return, the Cavaliers will receive Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz and George Hill from the Kings.

Take a deep breath, and try to keep up….

The Kings will also receive Joe Johnson from the Jazz.

To recap….

Cavaliers Added:                                             Cavaliers Subtracted:

Larry Nance Jr.                                                Isaiah Thomas

Jordan Clarkson                                              Channing Frye

George Hill                                                        Iman Shumpert

Rodney Hood                                                    Jae Crowder

                                                                               Derrick Rose

                                                                               Dwayne Wade

The Cavaliers tax bill will jump to $50 million with the acquisitions of Hood and Hill. Without a commitment from LeBron James beyond this season, this seems silly. They must think these moves gives them a shot against the Golden State Warriors. They would be wrong.

Once your head stops spinning, check back for more updates on the wild, 2018 NBA Trade Deadline….

 

What do you think of these trades?? Tell me in the comment section below.

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Brooklyn’s Finest

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

If you missed that game in Brooklyn last night, you missed a thriller. The Brooklyn Nets pulled out an overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks thanks to Joe Johnson’s heroics. Let us rewind to the last two minutes of regulation. The score had been stuck on 101-100 (Milwaukee) since there was two minutes and nine seconds left in the 4th quarter. With just under thirty seconds left, Deron Williams drove to his left, drew two defenders at about five feet from the basket, and found Andray Blatche under the hoop. Blatche threw two pump fakes up before he got fouled going up to the basket. Blatche stepped to the free throw line and knocked down both free throws, giving New Jersey a 102-101 lead with twenty seconds left (Blatche came up huge in the 4th quarter scoring 10 points). Coming out of a twenty second timeout, Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings (Jennings had a great game with 34 points) took the ball to the basket and missed a right handed lay-up, but Larry Sanders was there for the put back right at the rim. This gave Milwaukee a 103-102 lead with ten seconds left. After a twenty second timeout, the Nets inbounded to Deron Williams at half court. The ball was inbounded off a defenders leg and should have been a kick ball, however it went unnoticed. With Monta Ellis well within Williams’ three feet of personal space, Williams swung the ball past Ellis’ face and inadvertently struck him in the jaw with his elbow. The referee made an insanely late call, not blowing the whistle until Williams had passed the three point line. Now, I am in the minority that believes that fouls are fouls no matter when they occur. A foul in the first ten seconds of a game should also be a foul in the last ten seconds of the game. However, this call on Williams was a HORRIBLE CALL!! And on top of it, the call was made two hours late. This gave Milwaukee two early Christmas Presents, ahem, I mean free throws. Ellis knocked down both free throws, and put the Bucks up 105-102 with six seconds left. After another twenty second timeout by the Nets, the ball was advanced to half court. They inbounded to Deron Williams who quickly swung the ball to Joe Johnson at the top of the key, who caught the ball in stride, stepped up, and knocked down a three with one second left on the clock!! The crowd in the Barclays Center erupted!! With the Nets in celebration mode, the Bucks inbounded the ball and heaved up a three-quarter court shot that banged off the side of the rim nearly stealing an improbable victory. Off to overtime they went. It was a back and forth overtime, and Keith Bogans of the Nets kept them in the game with two huge three pointers in the extra frame. We’ll fast forward to a tie ball game (111-111) with five seconds left. Even though everyone and their mother knew Joe Johnson was going to take the last shot, the Bucks still allowed him to get the ball off the inbounds. Johnson drove the ball to the right, put a crossover through his legs back to the left, and off of one dribble he rose from 17 feet and drained a jumper right at the buzzer!! The crowd went wild, and the New Jersey Nets won a thriller over the Milwaukee Bucks 113-111.