From Wine & Gold:

Re: NBA Scouts on the 2011 Draft Class
Everybody is going to really be scouting hard the 1st pick, but, we'll eventually have another 1st I'm sure, towards the backend, and early 2nd rounders as well . I would like to see us find a way to land Travis Leslie. I see him as a kid that, with what we are building, would have a good chance with us. He's another of those limitless potential, physically gifted kids... and in the right system, with court opportunties ealry on in his pro career ...Cleveland would be the perfect team for him to land with, and for us to benefit from.

He's still raw, but has loads of untapped potential, and is showing that he's taking to coaching and improving sharply. Like him alot ..love the passion with which he plays with ...improving ball handling, and shooting. But, he's one of those kids that needs to be in the right system coming into the league to ultimately realize his potential and make it... That's why I'd love to see him in wine and gold.


Just a name to put in your memory bank..

Sullinger looks more like a Boozer type player than Barkley.

The Carmelo saga is just the newest version of the stars in charge of the NBA.

First Lebron, etc play out to FA, letting their current teams dangle in the wind.

The rest of the players have seen it play out in Miami and like it.

Now Anthony can force his current club to trade him to his chosen destination before he gets to FA. The team either takes what is offered back or gets the Lebron/Bosh compensation( better known as the short end of the stick).

Next up are Howard and Paul next season, whenever that starts.

I don't know that there are enough votes among the owners to get anything like a franchise tag for a player on their roster. The teams that can do the plucking( NY, Boston, Miami, LA) will be solidly against it. I also doubt the overall will is there among the owners or Stern because their primary concern is re-doing revenue distribution.

Very sad for the fans of the majority of franchises.

With AV and Hickson in the fold NO WAY do the Cavs take Sully in the draft...

Source: Hawks, Wiz near 5-player swap
ESPN.com news services

The Atlanta Hawks are making progress toward their first move of note in the Eastern Conference arms race.

The Hawks are negotiating the final points of a deal with Washington that would bring veteran guard Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta for the stretch run, sources close to the situation told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Sources told ESPN.com that the latest version of the deal would send veteran guard Mike Bibby, rookie guard Jordan Crawford, swingman Maurice Evans and a 2011 first-round pick to the Wizards for Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong.

Hinrich was brought to Washington to mentor prized rookie John Wall, but the former Bull has been coveted by the Lakers and other playoff teams since it became apparent that the Wizards would fall out of playoff contention early.

The Hawks have done very little to change their roster in a conference where Boston, Chicago, Miami and New York have made major upgrades since last season. Hinrich will bring some needed depth and versatility to Atlanta's backcourt as the Hawks try to make a run at a top-four seed in the East -- or at least ensure that they don't slip lower than No. 5 after New York's acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.

Information from ESPN.com's Marc Stein and ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher contributed to this report.

Sources: Clips, Cavs agree to trade
By Ramona Shelburne and Chad Ford
ESPN.com

The Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Baron Davis and the Clippers' 2011 first-round draft pick to Cleveland in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon, league sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

The deal saves the Clippers considerable money the next two seasons while giving them a younger point guard who made the All-Star team while playing with LeBron James.

Davis is still owed nearly $28 million over the next two seasons and the balance of his $13 million contract this year. Moon's contract expires after this season. Williams is owed the balance of his $9.3 million salary this season and, with player options of $8.5 million for each of the next two years, potentially could get out of his contract altogether. The savings should give the Clippers more flexibility in free agency the next two seasons.

The Clippers would give up a likely top-10 lottery pick to make the savings happen. "That just shows you how much we hate this draft," one Clippers source told ESPN.com.

But the lottery pick from the Clippers was exactly what the Cavs were after. A Cavs source told ESPN.com that the trade was made primarily for the draft pick.

"We know we're going to have to build this team through the lottery," the source said. "We hope Baron works out, but our primary focus was the pick. We really wanted two top-10 picks to infuse the team with young talent."

In Davis, the Cavs would get a veteran who, when he's engaged, is one of the top point guards in the league. But will Davis be engaged on a team with the worst record in the NBA?

"Baron won't be happy," said a GM who has had past dealings with Davis. "This is a worst-case scenario for him. He was just starting to get happy in L.A. playing with [Clippers rookie] Blake Griffin. There's not much to get excited about in Cleveland these days."

The trade agreement is a revival of discussions that began over the summer, when the Cavaliers scrambled to upgrade their talent to appease James, but those talks ultimately collapsed when Clippers owner Donald Sterling nixed the deal.

Neither Davis nor Williams suited up Wednesday night. Davis sat out the Clippers' loss to the New Orleans Hornets with swelling in his knee. Williams sat out Cleveland's loss to Houston, after returning from a hip injury before the All-Star break.

The notion of Davis' being reunited with Cavaliers coach Byron Scott would be met with skepticism after the two clashed earlier in their careers in New Orleans.

However, a source with knowledge of the situation said that their relationship has improved somewhat in recent years and a potential reunion "has to be OK" because the trade talks have progressed to this point.

There also is a question of how the trade would affect Griffin, who seemed to be developing a chemistry with Davis.

"I think anything's possible," said a source with knowledge of the talks. "I mean, would Utah really trade Deron Williams?"

Ramona Shelburne is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Chad Ford is an NBA Insider for ESPN.com.

i That just shows you how much we hate this draft,

Would the Cavs be wiser to deal for 2012 picks? Those of you who know the college crop, is it better next year?

Cavs are in a great position to get at least one real impact player out of this draft.

If the Clipper pick comes in the top 7 or 8, there should be another very good player available.

Two solid pieces to start the trend back to being a good team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired center Semih Erden and forward Luke Harangody from the Boston Celtics on Thursday in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Erden has played in 37 games, starting seven, and has posted 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per outing this season, his first in the NBA after being selected 60th overall in the 2008 Draft.

Harangody, also a rookie, is averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in limited action over 28 games. He was taken with the 52nd overall pick in last year's selection process.

"Semih and Luke are two young players that we've liked dating back to their respective drafts," said Cleveland general manager Chris Grant. "Each has worked hard, continued to grow and proven themselves on the court this season. They also understand what winning culture is about and we look forward to their continued growth with us."

The Cavaliers also waived forward Leon Powe on Thursday.

Powe was averaging 5.0 points and 2.7 boards in 14 games this season, his second with the Cavs. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the Celtics.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/24/2 ... z1EygvX4Ak

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cavaliers completed one more deal before the 3 p.m. trade deadline, acquiring center Semih Erden and forward Luke Harangody from Boston in exchange for a 2013 second-round draft pick, according to a league source.

Erden, a 6-11 center from Turkey, will serve as a back-up center for a Cavaliers team lacking in size. Erden is averaging 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in this, his rookie season.

Harangody, also a rookie, is averaging 2.3 points in 8.6 minutes per game for Boston. The 6-7 forward played for Notre Dame and was Big East Player of the Year in 2009.

The Cavaliers give up Minnesota's 2013 second-round pick, acquired last year in the deal that sent Delonte West to the Timberwolves.

The Cavaliers explored talks throughout the day to trade veterans Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker, but ultimately didn't make any deals and will keep both.

This trade with the Clippers is a great example of Gilbert being willing to open up his wallet to upgrade this team. Basically bought a lottery pick with this deal.

Hooray for Gilbert. Look for lots more moves towards youth after the season.

rocky - listening to David Stern talk about negotiations with the union this summer, I would be VERY surprised if there isn't a franchise tag AND other things to bolster the lesser markets in the league.

Sources: LeBron James upset by boast
By Brian Windhorst
ESPN.com

MIAMI -- Once friends and teammates, the relationship between Heat forward LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson was strained again Saturday following a party proclamation and a brief Twitter battle.

It began at a birthday party for Gibson and Cleveland-based DJ Steph Floss on Friday night. During the event, two witnesses told ESPN.com that Gibson made a reference to being the new king of Cleveland during a toast.

According to a source close to Gibson, James became upset upon hearing about the boast. The source said James and Gibson later resolved the issue because Gibson didn't mean to insult James.

But not before the drama unfolded in front of their more-than-1.5 million combined Twitter followers.
James tweeted Saturday afternoon: "I wake up this morning to hear somebody got real fly at the mouth at their party lastnight [sic]. I see where we stand now even though I sense it!"

He followed with: "Get out your feelings."

Meanwhile, Gibson posted several references to the incident on his Twitter feed, saying: "complaining about someones [sic] tweets is like complaining about the channel & you got the remote in your hands."

Gibson then wrote: "Life is too short to worry about what others feel & think about you.. So have fun #DoYou & Give em something to talk about [sic]."

A few hours later James posted the message: "The Air is Cleared."

This is not the first time James and Gibson have clashed.

After Cleveland and Miami first met in December, Gibson became defensive when he was asked about smiling at James as he was talking to the Cavs' bench during the Heat's 118-90 win. Gibson indicated their friendship had been hurt by the comments James made that night during the game.

However, after speaking with Gibson on the phone two days later, James said everything had been patched up. Now, it seems like it has happened again.

Brian Windhorst covers the Miami Heat for ESPN.com.

That is a very interesting story. I do hope they all get along like nice ladies and genetlemen

Battling tweets. Really? I hated isiah, but at least he battled you on the court. Lebron is a punk.