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

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Rumors, rumors everywhere

Posted by Dan Labbe, cleveland.com June 20, 2008 15:40PM


The Cavs are popping up everywhere in trade rumors lately. Of course there was the Jermaine O'Neal rumor, which has thankfully lost steam. Then yesterday Chad Ford dropped this nugget (scroll to the bottom) about a possible Anderson Varejao to Golden State deal. Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon Journal broke down the Varejao rumors in his blog and Bob Finnan of the Lorain Morning Journal gave great insight to some other rumors (as well as what he's heard about the Varejao rumors).
Of course rumors are just that - rumors. And anyone who's played a rousing game of telephone knows just how bad spreading rumors can turn out. But it does mean something that the Cavs keep popping up. It may not mean that Anderson Varejao will be gone. It may not even mean that the Cavs will do anything. But it does mean that they are being active in seeing what's available and what they can do this summer. It wouldn't shock me if the Cavs made a move this summer. But it also wouldn't shock me if all they did was add a minor piece and waited until mid-season to do another deal.
I still think Michael Redd's the way to go. But can the Cavs get something done with Milwaukee? Who knows?

Continued.....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Cavaliers' GM feels deep draft can provide help
But Danny Ferry still talking about moves
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
BY Chris Beaven
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

Instant help.

Every NBA team wants it. They look for it in the draft. They seek it out in a trade. And every once in a while, a team gets lucky and finds it.

Two trades in just more than a month last summer transformed the Boston Celtics from awful to NBA champions.

"That'll be the standard everyone is looking at," Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry said.

Can the Cavs be that team this summer? Their fans hope so. Reality, though, makes it look unlikely, which doesn't mean the Cavs think all is lost as they head into Thursday's NBA Draft.

Continued....

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cavs exploring options for NBA draft
6/25/2008, 2:00 p.m. EDT

By TOM WITHERS
The Associated Press
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) ? He's Danny Ferry, not Danny Ainge. And Cleveland's general manager has no illusions of matching what his colleague did last summer.

With two major trades, Ainge revived the Boston Celtics and turned them into NBA champions. He dumped a few contracts and players on Seattle to get Ray Allen on draft night a year ago and later acquired Kevin Garnett from Minnesota for five players and two first-round picks, a bold move that sent shockwaves through the league and that are still being felt.

As he prepares for Thursday's NBA draft, Ferry, whose flawed team pushed the Celtics to a seventh game in the Eastern Conference semifinals, doesn't feel any pressure to match Ainge.

"It was a perfect storm for Danny," he said. "Obviously it worked out very well with a combination of assets and picks that he made two pretty special things happen. He made all of us look bad and that will be a standard that everyone will be talking about for a while. I'm not so sure it can be duplicated what he did."

Ferry has shown he's not averse to a blockbuster trade. He dealt half his active roster at the trading deadline in February, sending starters Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden along with four others to acquire Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Joe Smith.

There's a chance the Cavaliers, who have the No. 19 overall pick in the first round and a second-round selection, could pull off a colossal swap but Ferry, whose staff brought in 50 players for pre-draft workouts and interviews, indicated that he's more inclined to ride into next season with his current roster.

"I like our team," he said. "I like the makeup of our team. We're not a perfect team but I think this team, this year is capable of beating anybody."

Continued...

I hope that Ferry does not like the current team that much that he doesn't think any moves need to be made in order to make the team more competitive.

The article also talks about the possibility of the Redd trade--nothing new.

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Cleveland.com


I hope that Ferry does not like the current team that much that he doesn't think any moves need to be made in order to make the team more competitive.

The article also talks about the possibility of the Redd trade--nothing new.

Unfortunately, Ferry doesn't have a lot to work with trade-wise before the season. I've stated how much I'd love for them to find a way to bring Redd in, but I'm not holding my breath. At least he showed he's willing to go out and make moves this past season.

[jwinslow]

There are at least 200 people in line, I can't see the end of the line. Great idea coming out here. not waiting in this nonsense.

[billmac91]

Is Danny Ferry being serious in the above article?

Delusional is the only word that comes to mind if he is.

There's a chance the Cavaliers, who have the No. 19 overall pick in the first round and a second-round selection, could pull off a colossal swap but Ferry, whose staff brought in 50 players for pre-draft workouts and interviews, indicated that he's more inclined to ride into next season with his current roster.

[billmac91]

From the akronbeaconjournal.com - couldn't link the article because of a weird format.

As always, trade rumors are rampant in the hours leading into the draft. The biggest one surrounding Cleveland involves Milwaukee shooting star Michael Redd, a player the Cavaliers pursued but couldn't sign as a free agent a few seasons back.
Redd, who this week was named to the U.S. Olympic team along with Cavs All-Star LeBron James, could be had for the right price. He has three years and $51 million left on his contract, and Ferry would need to give up some key parts _ perhaps Daniel Gibson and Anderson Varejao _ along with some top picks to bring Redd to Cleveland.
Bucks general manager John Hammond indicated he would listen to offers for Redd, who averaged 22.7 points last season for one of the league's worst teams.
"We have to consider what's best for our organization, for our team," Hammond said. "There have been many, many great players traded at some point in their careers, some have gone on to be Hall of Fame players that have been traded."
Adding Redd would bring needed firepower to the offensively challenged Cavs, and finally give James a running mate to help make another title chase.

I really think the Cavs/Danny Ferry are working their asses off to bring Redd in. There was a rumor during the playoffs that a deal was done for Redd. Apparently bull[censored], but I think both sides are close on this one. It may come down to Boobie which I would still do. LeBron and Redd would be an amazingly effiecient combo.

[tsteele316]

well, gibson would need to be a sign and trade at this point to get redd.

the problem with AV is that he can reject any trades, and has been rumored to have rejected the notion of going to the Bucks because they have two big men that would start over him.

any deal for redd probably won't get done until close to the trade deadline.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

What can the Cavaliers do to help LeBron?
They can pick at No. 19 in tonight's draft, deal for help or trade up
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Four things the Cavaliers can do today

The Cleveland Cavaliers are scheduled to pick 19th in tonight's NBA Draft. Who the Cavs take or even if they will still be at No. 19 when the selections begin are up for debate. Here are some options Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry may beconsidering, in order of most likely:

1, Draft a big man

The Cavaliers get older as they get closer to the basket. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is 33 but has a lot of NBA miles. Ben Wallace will be 34 before the next season starts. Joe Smith will be 33. Anderson Varejao is 25, but remains a defensive specialist who is little more than a scrapper and rebounder on the offensive end. Players still available at No. 19 could include Roy Hibbert of Georgetown, Robin Lopez of Stanford, DeAndre Jordan of Texas A&M and JaVale McGee of Nevada ? none exactly being a quick fix.

BEST OPTION Hibbert seems the most NBA-ready at least on the defensive end. Lopez is seen by many as another Varejao.

2, Draft a scorer

Quick, name the Cavs' No. 2 scoring option? Ilgauskas? Daniel Gibson? Delonte West? None of those players strike fear into the heart of opponents double- and triple-teaming LeBron James. Even as a group, Cavaliers not named LeBron have disappeared for quarters at a time. Someone who could create off the dribble and off the pass to both give James a break and make teams pay for playing three-on-four defense include Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis and Courtney Lee of Western Kentucky.

Continued.....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Cavaliers Notebook: Cavs 'one and a half' away
James says Cleveland is close to title team
Sunday, June 22, 2008
BY Chris Beaven
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

Making the media rounds this past week, LeBron James answered two questions that have dogged the Cavs since their season ended.

What do the Cavs need to win a title? Is James determined to opt out and leave Cleveland in two years? James dealt with both topics on ESPN 850 WKNR's "Munch on Sports" Wednesday.

"We're one and a half players away," James said in regards to how close the Cavs are to winning a title.

One and a half?

James didn't really elaborate. But from here, that means another legitimate All-Star level player and perhaps a promising rookie who contributes by the end of next season. More on those options below.

Continued.....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cavaliers' preferred strategy to improve is trade market, not the draft

Posted by Mary Schmitt Boyer mschmitt@plaind.com June 25, 2008 20:07PM

Categories: Cavaliers

Mark Duncan/Associated Press file photoDanny Ferry has gotten plenty of advice from fans and media leading up to Thursday's NBA draft.

If the Cavaliers actually make a selection with the No. 19 pick in today's NBA draft, chances are it is as a last resort. This is not to disparage any individual who might be available at that point, for it's possible they'll be able to get a youngster who will develop into a solid NBA player, as Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry likes to say.
But the fact of the matter is the Cavaliers don't have time to wait for a young player to develop. They are a team one year removed from the NBA Finals that came within one quarter of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals and a chance to play for a title for a second straight season.
Say what you will about coach Mike Brown or the offense, but the fact is that for the past two seasons the Cavaliers have been one of the best teams in the NBA, one potentially on the verge of greatness.

Continued....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cavs' Mike Brown discusses offense, defense and being close to a championship

Posted by Terry Pluto terrypluto2003@yahoo.com June 25, 2008 19:46PM

Categories: Cavaliers, Terry Pluto columns
John Kuntz/The Plain DealerMike Brown has his sights set on the improvements that must be made to get the Cavaliers back to the NBA Finals next summer.


Here's what Mike Brown was thinking on the eve of the NBA draft. I don't necessarily agree with everything the Cavaliers coach said, but it's worth hearing his view of the Cavs' 45-37 season and their loss to Boston in Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs.

The Cavs next year: Even with the current roster, the coach insists the Cavs can win 50-plus games and be a championship contender. He added he didn't mean the team "should just sit tight." He expects [GM] Danny Ferry to do everything he could to improve the roster. But he thinks "we can get a lot better just from within."
Playoff lessons: The Cavaliers "are close" to a championship-caliber team. That they gave Boston the toughest series of any team. That the Cavs even averaged more points than Boston -- it was 85.1 to 84. His point was defense wins in the playoffs, as Boston showed against the Lakers in the Finals. His biggest disappointment was losing Game 1 in Boston, 76-72, "because we had several chances to win and that could have changed the entire series."

Continued.....

[exhawg]

Originally Posted by tsteele316

well, gibson would need to be a sign and trade at this point to get redd.

the problem with AV is that he can reject any trades, and has been rumored to have rejected the notion of going to the Bucks because they have two big men that would start over him.

any deal for redd probably won't get done until close to the trade deadline.

I think a sign and trade has to be a one for one deal. Boobie doesn't make the same money as Redd so it can't happen. I'd say Wally, Andy, and 1 or 2 first rounders. for Redd and one of the Bucks bigs. Andy isn't going to start in Cleveland either so it seems like he would be better off going to the Bucks if they are willing to send CV to Cleveland. They would have a nice 3 headed monster at the 4-5 and he would get his minutes.

[crazybuckfan40]

I am still really not sure what to do with the draft pick tonight...

It truly depends on how they feel their chances are with Redd...If they feel they will get him they go big all the way...The guys I like are McGee, Arthur, and Thompson...

If not and they feel they might trade for a big or something then they go with CDR, Batum, or Rush IMO...

[Napoleonbuck]

Picking Batum would be a bad pick IMO. He's not really proven at all and he'll take a while to develop.

I say that unless a good big(i.e. Kosta or maybe a JJ Hickson) falls to us, we should take CDR. From everything I've seen he should be there for us, so I think we should do it, even if we get Redd.

I really don't want us to take a project or a stiff(Hibbert).