There is no rest for the weary as the Cleveland Cavaliers know that regardless of how you look at it, either the 2015 season is still going or the 2016 has begun and that is evident by a second consecutive free-agent signing period that has all the fireworks of the NBA Playoffs. Beginning with the draft, granted there will always be surprises, but the Lakers passing on Okafor with the 2^nd pick knowing that they may never get that close to getting a big man out of the draft for another 30 years, and taking guard D’Angelo Russell set the wheels in motion for the frenzy and a bidding war as it was clear they wanted to go after LeMarcus Aldrige and potentially Kevin Love. It has only increased in fervor since then and we’ll try to keep pace with deals as they come across the tape.

As quickly as it started with a typical meeting in Los Angeles, by the pool with bikini clan women in the background, the King decided to take the meeting himself rather than send a Lieutenant to a poolside meeting at the WHotel seemed to pay strategic dividends. Kevin Love posted on his web page that he will re-sign with the Cavaliers, immediately putting them back in contention and perhaps the favorite to represent the Eastern Conference again next year. The is a reported 5-yr $110 million dollar deal which is more than the Lakers or any other reported team was willing to commit to. True, KLove didn’t put the same ink on the stat sheet that he did when he was with Minnesota but 18 and 11 is respectable and if you don’t think those are worth 22 million per year then get used to the theme of this off-season because that will be the norm, and when the new TV contract impacts the Collective Bargaining Agreement next season, it will even be higher, the 60mill contracts you see now will be closer to 90. Also keep mind that Chris Bosh’s numbers were way off when he went to the Heat a few years back, playing with LBJ and being part of a “Big 3” can do that to you. Lastly, that is why LeBron is expected to re-sing for a one-year max deal for the same 22 million that they are giving Love but in lieu of where things are going next year, it may be a very strategic business decision.

Lastly, before we could even post this, it has hit the wire that there is a deal on the table that would bring Tristan Thompson back for 5-yr 80 million dollar deal. That’s 16 million per year non-starter, did you ever think that you would see that? Ok, I realize that he would probably be a starter on most clubs in the Association, and being in the top 5 in rebounds in each of the last 3 seasons is respectable but that’s a large number being that you still need to get some other pieces to come back like Shumpert. It certainly puts a question mark on weather or not they’re going to re-sign JR smith. As it turns out, Thompson make the right deal last year when most thought he was crazy when he turned down a 4-yr 52 million deal last year. Times, they are a changin’ and faster than ever.