Other Transactions That Happened On The Day Lebron Went Back To Cleveland

By Joey Figueroa on July 14, 2014

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[Photo Credit: Boxden]

If you logged into Twitter, opened Yahoo, or watched ESPN for just 30 seconds yesterday, then you know that Lebron James has taken the righteous route back to his home state of Ohio to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers back into relevancy.

James is being absolutely praised by the media and is even being called “the most beloved athlete in any sport today” by various people over at ESPN. I’m not quite buying into that, but I guess it is a little harder to hate on Bron Bron now.

Many have said that Lebron has matured immensely during his four years in South Beach, and his decision to come back home was a decision only a true man could make. Yeah he’s great, yadda yadda yadda.

If I were a Cavs fan I’d have a hard time accepting Lebron back to the team that he spurned so mightily just four years ago. Maybe I’m just too prideful, or don’t fully know what it means to have the greatest player in the NBA on my team, but even with his detailed, heartfelt announcement letter, I would still have a bad taste in my mouth as a Cavs fan.

I’m sure there are Cavs fans out there that feel the same way, but of course, that bad taste will be gone after King James’ first breakaway dunk, chase down block, or flashy pass that made Cleveland fall in love with him in the first place. And suddenly all of the baggage, emotions, and politics disappear, and it just comes down to basketball.

The Cavaliers once again have the NBA’s premier superstar playing for them, which apparently already makes them the favorites to win the NBA title in 2015. I’m not sure about that, but it definitely spreads out the talent in the Eastern Conference and makes the 2014-2015 NBA season as anticipated as ever.

While all of the Lebron hooplah was the only news ESPN could bear to report yesterday, other free agency moves were being made. Just like everyone expected, once big names like Lebron and Carmelo Anthony started falling, dominoes would start falling. So here are the other transactions from the day that will forever be known as the day Lebron went back to Cleveland.

Chris Bosh signs five year, $118 million contract extension with the Miami Heat

Welp, that was quick. Within hours of Lebron’s big announcement, Chris Bosh said good riddance to the king and remained in Miami for one heck of a pay raise. Bosh had been linked with the Rockets for weeks and looked to be close to signing with Houston until Pat Riley said, “screw it,” and dished out a max contract to the big man who helped the Heat win two titles in four years.

I’m not sure how smart this is basketball-wise, but Bosh has become a fan favorite in Miami and even across the league for his goofy antics and seemingly distant relationship with Lebron and Dwyane Wade. His numbers weren’t spectacular the past four years with the Heat, but they took an obvious dip, as Bosh went from the number one option in Toronto to the number three in Miami.

The way things are shaping up in Miami, Bosh could very well be the number one option once again, which gives him the opportunity to return to his 20-point 10-rebound form.

Houston Rockets trade Jeremy Lin and future first round pick to Los Angeles Lakers for cash considerations and rights to an overseas player

This was simply a cash dump for Houston, as they were finally able to unload Lin’s overpriced contract. The Lakers have all the cap space in the world right now, so Los Angeles was a perfect dumping ground for Linsanity. Clearing Lin’s contract will allow Houston to match the max offer sheet that Chandler Parsons signed with the Mavericks earlier in the week, while also having enough money for another key addition like Trevor Ariza or Luol Deng.

The Lakers receive a point guard who has the talent to be a low-end starter in the league, but has gotten a bad rap for how much he’s paid compared to his value on the court. And there’s no doubt Lin is excited to leave Houston’s bench for an opportunity to start alongside Kobe Bryant.

Nick Young signs four year, $21.5 million contract extension with Los Angeles Lakers

Swaggy P isn’t leaving the Los Angeles limelight any time soon. After an impressive season for a very unimpressive Lakers squad last season, Young had many suitors, but decided to stay in Los Angeles to see what it’s like to actually play with Kobe for a full season.

If all goes right, Nick Young could be a sixth man of the year candidate annually. If all goes wrong, Nick Young lets his Swaggy P alter ego get the best of him, higs the ball, and gets the boot from Kobe.

Jordan Hill signs two year, $18 million dollar contract extension with Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers had themselves a bit of a spending spree yesterday, and Jordan Hill looks to be the biggest beneficiary. Hill had a quietly effective season in his second full year in L.A., averaging nearly 10 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes on the court.

At just 26 years of age, Hill still has a lot of upside, and with Gasol departing L.A. he could be in line for a starting spot at power forward. The Lakers see the upside, but were smart to keep Hill’s contract short, as bigger and better things could come in the 2015 and 2016 offseasons.

Isaiah Thomas, Kings agree to four year, $27 million sign and trade with the Phoenix Suns

[Photo Credit: Celtic Fan Chat]

In this sign-and-trade deal, the Suns receive little scoring machine, Isaiah Thomas, and the Kings obtain a $7 million trade exception and the draft rights to Alex Oriakhi.

This is a real head-scratcher considering the Suns have Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Ish Smith, and Tyler Ennis: all point guards. That backcourt becomes even more crowded and smaller, as the 5-foot-9 Thomas joins the mix.

I’m guessing this means the Suns won’t make it a priority to match offer sheets signed by restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe, but I don’t like Thomas as his replacement. Sure, he averaged 20 points on 45 percent shooting for the Kings last season, but he does not match Bledsoe’s size or defensive ability, which was essential to playing alongside Goran Dragic’s scoring and playmaking ability.

Thomas is way too small to play shooting guard, so unless Phoenix is looking to trade Smith and Ennis to make Thomas a very overpaid backup point guard, this was a bad move in my book.

Kent Bazemore signs two year, $4 million contract with Atlanta Hawks

Great move. Bazemore has a winning personality and is determined to prove himself in the NBA, and the Hawks nabbed him for a great price.

When Bazemore was traded to the Lakers midway through last season, he saw full-time for the first time in his career and played great, averaging 13 points on 45 percent shooting, three assists, and three rebounds in 28 minutes of play. That’s just a small sample size of what the Hawks hope this kid can provide in the long-run.

Vince Carter signs three year, $12.2 million contract with Memphis Grizzlies

One of the oldest teams in the NBA just got even older, as Vince Carter will be signed with Memphis until he’s 40 years old. It’s not a very inspired move by the Grizzlies, as they’re positioning themselves to be right back towards the bottom of the Western Conference once again.

However, Carter has made about two three-pointers per game over the past two seasons, and that’s something Memphis has desperately needed. He may not be Vinsanity anymore, but Carter could bring a lot to the table with his size, veteran defense and leadership on the bench.

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