Cavs 08-09 Season - Central Div Champs (official thread)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

NBA FREE-AGENCY SIGNING BEGINS
Cleveland Cavaliers' focus turns to James Posey


Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Mary Schmitt Boyer
Plain Dealer Reporter

The dominoes started to fall around 10 p.m. Tuesday, about two hours before NBA free agents could officially sign contracts.
Forward Elton Brand shunned the Los Angeles Clippers and apparently accepted a five-year deal worth $82 million from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Former Clipper Corey Maggette reportedly agreed to a five-year contract with the Golden State Warriors worth about $50 million.
That means Twinsburg's James Posey now is in the driver's seat. Posey, fresh off helping the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship, looms as the biggest name in the free-agent sweepstakes.
The Cavaliers are interested, and Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledged talks with Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry and assistant general manager Chris Grant.
Posey waited until late August to sign with the Celtics last summer, but most don't expect him to wait that long this time around.
"I know he wants to make a decision quicker," Bartelstein said Tuesday night.

[NJ-Buckeye]

Maggette is NOT worth anywhere close to $50M

It's contracts like that that are destroying teams ..

Is there anyone on planet earth that thinks Arenas is worthy of a $111M contract.. sickening

[exhawg]

Originally Posted by NJ-Buckeye

Maggette is NOT worth anywhere close to $50M

It's contracts like that that are destroying teams ..

Is there anyone on planet earth that thinks Arenas is worthy of a $111M contract.. sickening

I would guess at least 1 person.

[Brutus1]

Originally Posted by exhawg

I would guess at least 1 person.

Don't forget to count Arenas. That makes 2.

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by Brutus1

Don't forget to count Arenas. That makes 2.

Arenas doesn't need to think he's worth that much to sign the contract.

[NJ-Buckeye]

Originally Posted by tsteele316

Arenas doesn't need to think he's worth that much to sign the contract.

I disagree...
Arenas knew the $120M he didn't take was totally friggin nuts
so he figured the $111M offer was only nuts..
so he went with the insane rather than certifiably insane GM

which makes me wonder if the parties to this contract are truly from earth
or finally proof we have been invaded by outer space and they life amongst us
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are on the trail of this GM as we speak

[crazybuckfan40]

The summer league roster is out...

2 draft picks

JJ Hickson
Darnell Jackson

UDFA

Mike Green - Really like him and hope that he makes the team...

2 guys on from the NBADL that were on the team at the end of the season...
Billy Thomas
Lance Aldred

Clay Tucker - Not sure if you guys remember him he is from Lima area, played at Wisconsin-milk...Would love to see him make the team, but don't see it happening...He is a 2g...

Tractor Traylor - Kinda surprising...Curious to see what he still has...

2 of LBJ's old teammates in high school...

Romeo Travis
Dru Joyce

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

76ers move on Brand, but Cavaliers are waiting during free agency
Thursday, July 10, 2008
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NBA teams got the green light Wednesday to sign free agents, and no one made a bigger splash than the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers became a bigger threat in the Eastern Conference after signing two-time All-Star power forward Elton Brand a week after Brand appeared ready to stay a Los Angeles Clipper.

The Cavaliers didn't dip their toes into the free-agent pool, and just how deep they can go is limited by their available cash.

The NBA set its salary cap for the 2008-09 season at $58.68 million, up about $3 million. The tax level is $71.15 million.

The Cavs currently are at nearly $80 million in salaries and have two restricted free agents they would like to re-sign ? guards Daniel Gibson and Delonte West.

Any team with a payroll exceeding the tax level must pay a dollar for each dollar it is over the amount.

The Cavs can use their mid-level exception of $5.585 million in pursuing free agents. Celtics forward James Posey, a Twinsburg native, remains a possibility. But a who's who of playoff teams are after him, notably, the New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers in addition to the Celtics.

Continued......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Cavaliers add a 'Tractor' to their summer team
Traylor joins team of first-year players
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
BY Chris Beaven
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

An interesting mix of veterans, rookies and a few familiar faces can be found on the Cavaliers summer league team.

The roster is highlighted by the two rookies acquired in last month's NBA Draft ? first-round pick J.J. Hickson of North Carolina State and second-rounder Darnell Jackson of Kansas. It also features former Akron standouts Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce, both of whom starred at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School with LeBron James.

The Cavs play five games in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, starting Monday against the Knicks. The games give Hickson and Jackson, a pair of forwards, their first crack at making an impression.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers remain in hunt for James Posey

Cavaliers remain in free-agent hunt
Thursday, July 10, 2008 Mary Schmitt Boyer
Plain Dealer Reporter

Free-agent forward James Posey of Twinsburg is likely to sign a multiyear deal in "a day or two," agent Mark Bartelstein said Wednesday evening.
Asked if the Cavaliers were still in the mix, Bartelstein said, "We're still talking."
Posey, who played a key role in the Boston Celtics' 2008 NBA championship run, remains the most attractive unrestricted free agent on the market after Elton Brand and Corey Maggette agreed to terms with Philadelphia and Golden State, respectively.
With his strong defensive abilities and 3-point shooting, Posey would be an interesting addition to the Cavs lineup, even if he's not the perimeter scorer or low-post presence many thought the team was looking to add.
Posey, 31, is believed to be seeking the mid-level exception, which will be $5.585 million for the upcoming season. Besides the Cavs, his suitors are believed to include the Celtics, the Lakers, New Orleans, Washington and Houston. Posey lives in Texas in the off-season.
The San Antonio Spurs, who had been interested in Maggette, are another possibility.
Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry also is negotiating with restricted free agent guards Daniel Gibson and Delonte West. Their agents have not returned phone calls.

Continued.......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cavs left waiting while the East gets better

Posted by Dan Labbe, cleveland.com July 09, 2008 08:57AM



James Posey.

The Cavaliers have a problem.
Imagine you're the owner of an NBA franchise. It's July. Tickets haven't gone on sale yet. The schedule's not even out.
Got it?
Now imagine what it would do to your bottom line if you traded an All-Star caliber player for a bunch of expiring contracts. Sure, in the long run it might be the right move, but you're in a high-stakes business. You've got tickets to sell and a fan-base to appease and essentially throwing in the towel in July or August isn't going to do it.
And therein lies the problem for Danny Ferry and the Cavaliers.
Those expiring contracts he has aren't worth much in July. And the best talent he has to trade is either unsigned (Daniel Gibson) or has complications when it comes to doing a deal (Anderson Varejao). Meanwhile, Philadelphia just landed Elton Brand. Baron Davis is off the market. Corey Maggette's staying on the West Coast. Milwaukee traded for Richard Jefferson, so how much sense would it make for them to trade Michael Redd? Jermaine O'Neal was traded north of the border.

Continued.......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Cavs sign Hickson, Jazz sign Koufos to NBA contracts
By Beacon Journal staff report
POSTED: 04:53 p.m. EDT, Jul 10, 2008
First-round draft choice J.J. Hickson of North Carolina State agreed to a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, General Manager Danny Ferry said today.
In Utah, the Jazz said they have signed center Kosta Koufos to his first NBA contract.
Per league policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
The Cavaliers selected Hickson with the 19th overall pick.
The 19-year-old played one season with the Wolfpack, earning All-Freshman Team honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
He will play with the Cavaliers' summer team in Las Vegas.

Continued......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cavaliers sign J.J. Hickson to 2-year deal

Posted by Mary Schmitt Boyer July 10, 2008 18:42PM

Categories: Cavaliers
Karl DeBlaker/Associated PressJ.J. Hickson will earn between $2.29 million and $2.74 million over the next two seasons after signing his rookie contract with the Cavaliers on Thursday.


First-round draft choice J.J. Hickson of North Carolina State agreed to terms with the Cavaliers on a contract Thursday, one day before leaving to play with the summer league team in Las Vegas. Hickson, a 6-foot-9, 242-pound forward who was the 19th player selected, signed a two-year deal believed to be worth between about $2.29 million and $2.74 million. According to the pre-determined NBA rookie salary scale as determined in the collective bargaining agreement, Hickson would receive salaries of $1,107,900 for 2008-09 and $1,191,000 for 2009-10. It is believed the Cavs gave Hickson the maximum 20 percent bonus permitted, bumping his salary to $1,329,480 and $1,412,580, respectively.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Cavs aren't shopping in Posey's price range
Bob Finnan, RFinnan@News-Herald.com
07/11/2008

James Posey is a hometown "favorite."
Just don't equate that with hometown "discount."
Posey is one of the top free agents available on the market. The 6-foot-8, 217-pounder, who prepped at Twinsburg High School, has drawn interest from at least six teams. Included in that group are the Cavaliers.
"Yes, we are talking (to the Cavs)," agent Mark Bartelstein said on Thursday.
Posey, 31, is expected to get the full mid-level exception - starting with $5.6 million in 2008-09 - for three years. Sources say the Cavs might have to extend it out four years in order to land Posey.
And, therein lies the problem. Most teams don't want to give him a four-year contract, including Boston. The Cavs lived to regret giving four-year deals to Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones.

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[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cavaliers add former St. Ed (and North Carolina) star Jawad Williams to summer team
Posted by Mary Schmitt Boyer July 11, 2008 19:32PM
Categories: Cavaliers


Jawad Williams was an important member of North Carolina's NCAA championship team in 2005.OK, Jawad Williams will admit it. He's excited about being invited to play with the Cavaliers' summer league team in Las Vegas next week.

"Being from Cleveland, it would be a great accomplishment to play in Cleveland," said the former St. Edward High School star. "I want to play for the home team."

Williams was working out in Chapel Hill when he got the call. The Cavs wound up with an opening after former Kansas star Wayne Simien opted to accept an invitation to play with the Atlanta Hawks summer league team instead.

"Jawad participated in our minicamp and we wanted to give him an opportunity to play in Vegas," said Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry

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