Cavs '05-'06 wrap up

[Piney]

I LOVE THIS!!!

Actually LeBron is making one of the smartest but unknown moves of any NBA player in a while.

LeBron will be here to stay and is helping the Cavaliers in the process!!! Here is how.

LeBron signed a 3 year extension. So meaning he has 4 years left on his remaining contract. Funny thing both Z & Hughes signed 5 year contracts last year, meaning both have 4 years left on their contracts. So what does that mean? MASSIVE CAP SPACE!!!

A nice theory as long as nothing changes, eh? (ie we dont trade Hughes & Z and we dont sign any huge contracts for 4 years). So then wouldn't we have bird rights on both Hughes & LeBron? So we could use our cap space to sign as many big name free agents as we want and then give max contracts to LeBron and Hughes if we want to.

Heck, it would be even bigger if Gooden only signs a 4 year deal as then all signs point to something huge happening in 2010. Either we sign a bunch of players to make a run at the NBA Championships (or better yet retool to win another championship) Or if LeBron leaves we have so much cap space we won't fall off the face of the Earth.

 

[exhawg]

The thing that proves Lebron is just making a smart business move rather than trying to bolt Cleveland is that Melo and Wade are going to sign the same type of deal as Lebron rather than the 5 year.

 

[OH10]

Nah - by the time his contract expires, Nike will have colonized the moon, and LeBron will sign with the lunar expansion team - because it's in his shoe contract.

Jesus Christ, you guys are crazy. I as a lifetime Daytonian, I just happen to be a fan of two teams from Cleveland. Do you know how it can be spending your whole life as a sports fan telling everybody you know that you're not a jackass like the rest of the fans of the teams you root for?

While I resent your condescending tone, I must agree that I am a little crazy about the situation. But, any REAL Cleveland fan would be pessimistic. This city hasn't won a championship since 16 years before I was even born. In the middle... heartbreak.

Am I happy Lebron is signing what, in essence, is a two-year extension? More happy than i would be if he weren't. But I reserve the right to be disappointed when it could have been a four-year extension.

The Cavs have all the bargaining power right now. Lebron's choice was 2 one-year deals or an extension. And the Cavs allowed Lebron's agent to bargain them down. The Cavs caved and could have had the max extension. So I'm not happy about that. I'm not happy that Lebron would rather have a shorter contract in Cleveland.

On second thought, I don't think that's all that crazy.

If you want to find the real idiot Cleveland fans? Look at the assholes that were booing players (including Lebron) this year. What fake, bandwagon trash they are.

 

[Brutus1]

Actually, in essence, it's a 3 year deal, assuming he opts out after the third. That gives next season, plus the following three , as LBJ's next 4 years.

While the Cavs have all the bargaining power now, even they're not dumb enough to try to force him to sign the max deal. Clearly, the reported 3 year and opt out contract is what he wants. They have NO WAY of getting him to sign the 5 year. If they tried, he would just say screw it and play for the next 2 years than leave as an unrestricted f.a. There's not a thing the organization could do so I'm not sure how you can fault them.

I would think that you would feel better about the situation, knowing that Wade changed his mind and will sign the same type of contract.

Dorm, let's just enjoy the next 4 years, and hope that he will indeed stay after that (I believe he will).

 

[OH10]

Actually, in essence, it's a 3 year deal, assuming he opts out after the third. That gives next season, plus the following three , as LBJ's next 4 years.

It's a two-year deal really. If Lebron doesn't sign the extension, the Cavs exercise their option for 06-07, and he becomes a RFA in Summer '07. The Cavs can match any offer, so it's not likely Lebron would come to terms with any other team for a long-term deal if he wanted out of Cleveland. Therefore, he would be forced to sign a one-year deal with Cleveland to become an UFA in Summer '08.

As the new deal has it, Lebron is still playing under his rookie deal for 06-07, and the extension kicks in 07-08. The deal ends 09-10, and Lebron becomes an UFA in Summer of '10 if he (likely) passes on the option year.

Then it becomes a money issue. The Cavs would be able to offer a (slightly) bigger deal than the Nets, Lakers, or Bulls. Any team would pay the luxury tax to get Lebron. The x-factor is Nike. Do I believe that he has incentives in his contract to play in a larger market? Not at the present. But his deal runs out around the same time as his deal with the Cavs (or shortly before). Nike is not precluded from adding those incentives in, and to be fair, why wouldn't they attempt to lure their biggest client into a large market city?

So it's really a two-year deal.

While the Cavs have all the bargaining power now, even they're not dumb enough to try to force him to sign the max deal. Clearly, the reported 3 year and opt out contract is what he wants. They have NO WAY of getting him to sign the 5 year. If they tried, he would just say screw it and play for the next 2 years than leave as an unrestricted f.a. There's not a thing the organization could do so I'm not sure how you can fault them.

I would think that you would feel better about the situation, knowing that Wade changed his mind and will sign the same type of contract.

Lebron would have been taking an awfully big risk playing under 2 one-year deals. I'm not saying he wouldn't have done it, but it would have been a big risk.

Only Wade and Lebron could pull this off, because they're that good, they change the dynamics of the usual bargaining chip the teams have to play with. Carmelo tried. And if the reports are correct, he failed, because the Nuggets know he is not a transcendant superstar and could trade him for equal value somewhere. You can't do that with Lebron and Wade.

I can't say what went on behind closed doors, so my criticism of Ferry may be premature. But it can't be disputed that Lebron asked and bargained for a shorter deal in Cleveland.

Dorm, let's just enjoy the next 4 years, and hope that he will indeed stay after that (I believe he will).

If he leaves, this franchise leaves. That's what I'm concerned about. Imagine trying to compete as a small market team in four years with teams led by Lebron, Wade, Oden, and Mayo - and not having one of those guys on your team - in a city that had proven itself the decade prior to Lebron's arrival to not care about a losing NBA team.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to keep the team in Cleveland if he left. Cleveland fans are bandwagon fans. Look at the Indians. They broke the consecutive sellout streak, and can't bribe fans for a sellout now. The Cavs would have even less support than that.

I would have liked to have seen a show of faith from Lebron that he wants to maximize his efforts in Cleveland - that he wanted to show the fans, his teammates, and other free agents that this is where he wants to be for his career. If he's looking to maximize his bank account, while limiting the risk, he made the right deal. If it's about loyalty, hometown, and championships, he fell short.

 

[Piney]

Dorm - You need to relax. LeBron is here for another 4 years. Can't we just enjoy at least the next 3 years without thinking that LeBron is leaving???

And like I said in 4 years when LeBron can choose his option is also the year that Hughes & Z come off the books. So in theory we can offer Wade the max contract to come play with LeBron and still have plenty of room to sign another All-Star type player and then offer LeBron the max deal.

Also, in reality if in the next 4 years the Cavs win 2 NBA championships would you even care if LeBron leaves?

 

[Bob Saccamano]

Also, in reality if in the next 4 years the Cavs win 2 NBA championships would you even care if LeBron leaves?

Actually-- that's the thing.

If we do win 2 championships, then he is staying. Even one might even be a lock. I don't really know how much he expects.

I wish we weren't stuck with these Hughes and Z contracts. We definatley shouldn't have signed Z for that long, and also maybe tried a bigger push at Joe Johnson.

Hopefully it all turns out well.

 

[OH10]

Also, in reality if in the next 4 years the Cavs win 2 NBA championships would you even care if LeBron leaves?

I would rather not win a championship in the next four years if Lebron signs a long-term deal in '10, than win 2 and have him leave.

Or, since I'm the doom-and-gloom guy, why don't I perpetuate my persona, and paint a different picture for you. Say we don't win a championship in the next four years. Then Lebron leaves and signs with a another team, and wins multiple titles - and the Cavs bolt town. That's a nightmare scenario. I'm not saying I'm predicting that, but it's an open door.

I actually do believe the Cavs will win a title in the next four years. But it would seem cheap by my standards if the guy that brought us the title then bolted for a bigger market.

And like I said in 4 years when LeBron can choose his option is also the year that Hughes & Z come off the books.

I'm not seeing the correlation. So you're saying we can overhaul the franchise in '10? It doesn't change the deal we would offer Lebron. It doesn't make the team more enticing, because there would still be that level of uncertainty.

Now say that Lebron signs the five-year extension (really 3-4 year extension), then we still have a lot of cap-space in '10. We could buy some quality players, and they could play with Lebron for a year or two before Lebron decides on where he is going - thus eliminating the uncertainty.



I'm done ranting. I'm not as pleased with the deal as some are. I'm concerned about the message Lebron is sending by bargaining for a shorter deal. But, as pointed out by others, it's not worth spending all day arguing about.

 

[Piney]

I'm not seeing the correlation. So you're saying we can overhaul the franchise in '10? It doesn't change the deal we would offer Lebron. It doesn't make the team more enticing, because there would still be that level of uncertainty.

What I am saying is after the 2010 season Larry Hughes & Z's contracts are done. And then LeBron can announce to the world that he is not renewing his 4th year option to be an unrestricted free agent and says he WILL resign the max deal with the Cavaliers no matter what.

Now, before he actually signs though the Cavaliers have a HUGE amount of cap space available. It is very similar to what happened last summer. Hughes had to sign first and then Z resigns.

So you are the best Free Agent PG, SG, PF or C in the market and LeBron just announced he is coming back to the Cavaliers who happen have enough cap space to pay you. Who you going to sign for?

LeBron is a very smart man surrounded by smart people. I am sure that is the scenario they are looking at. Throw in the CBA changing that summer and possible cap changes it is all about Business. The business of making him the most money possible and to bring a winner at the same time to his home town.

You just got to have faith Dorm, we have at least 4 more years left. I don't want to spoil the 4 years watching him by always wondering when he will leave town.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/13/06

Gooden seeking market value

A sign-and-trade deal seems strong possibility

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->LAS VEGAS - The Drew Gooden-Cavaliers contract talks are moving into a new stage with an uncertain destination.
After a meeting in which the two sides exchanged numbers this week showed a wide disparity, Gooden's representatives are beginning to believe they might have to explore a sign-and-trade to get what they perceive as Gooden's market value.
Gooden is a restricted free agent, which gives the Cavs matching rights and bargaining control. But they also don't want to lose him for nothing, a legitimate prospect if Gooden rejects their offers and becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, playing out a one-year contract when the Cavs can't make a trade without his permission.
``We're going to continue to remain optimistic that both sides can get to where they want to,'' Gooden's agent, Bill Duffy, said Wednesday at the Vegas Summer League. ``We have to work together to do that.''
But working together on a contract and working together on a trade are two different things.
Almost two weeks into free agency, there's been little progress in reaching a dollar figure. The two sides aren't at an impasse, but there seems to be a rather large disagreement as to what Gooden is worth.
The Cavs see him as a key role player who works hard and is a team player who doesn't worry about stats. They also have three players under contract who will be making between $10-15 million starting in 2007 (LeBron James, Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and they have to maintain some fiscal responsibility.
Gooden's case is that he's more valuable than his numbers, because he doesn't get plays run for him and his playing time dwindled after the arrival of Donyell Marshall and the maturation of Anderson Varejao. Plus, athletic big men who put up near double-double numbers have been getting paid big money because they are hard to find.
And, it is proving, hard to keep.
Brown impressing
It is still just July, but the Cavs couldn't be more pleased with first-round draft pick Shannon Brown in the summer league. After scoring 12 points in the team's 78-70 win over the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Brown is averaging 13.3 points, three rebounds and three assists in four games.
Monday, Brown, a shooting guard, was pressed into point guard duty when fellow rookie Daniel Gibson missed a game with a sore knee. He handled it very well, hinting he could play some minutes there during the regular season.
``He still has a way to go and he's got to prove he can sustain this level of play when we get to training camp,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ``But what I've seen so far, I've been very impressed.''
Gibson returned Wednesday and scored 10 points and is averaging 9.3 points and four assists in three games.
James honored
James was awarded the NBA's Community Assist Award for June on Wednesday. His second annual bikeathon in Akron was a great success, involving more than 3,000 children.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/14/06

Pavlovic hearing criticism in Vegas

Serbian's status with Cavs more important than playing for nation

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->LAS VEGAS - The midday temperature in Sin City this time of year is about 110 degrees, but that's nothing compared to the heat Sasha Pavlovic is taking a half a world away in his native Serbia and Montenegro.
In a country where national basketball stars might actually be more famous than soccer stars, Pavlovic's name has recently become mud. He is one of a number of NBA players who infuriated the nation's basketball federation and its proud fans by deciding to skip playing for the Serbian entry in next month's World Championships in Japan.
First came a bad showing in the 2004 Olympics, when many thought Pavlovic and his teammates were outside favorites for the gold, yet earned no medals.
Then came bitter disappointment in last summer's European championships, in which players were rumored to have fought with each other in the locker room. The problems have driven Pavlovic away, and instead he's sweating it out playing for the Cavaliers' summer-league team.
``They're killing me back there about it, too,'' Pavlovic said. ``But I needed to come here; this is a very important time for me in my career.''
Pavlovic is going into the final year of his rookie contract, and the Cavs currently have no intention of extending his deal. He also faces stiff competition on the roster for playing time, which makes it pretty important how he shows up for training camp in October.
Picked up in a trade two years ago, Pavlovic has shown some flashes of his potential but has mostly been inconsistent in playing time. During a stretch last season, after Larry Hughes was injured, Pavlovic was in the starting lineup and playing well. But some defensive lapses cost him playing time and, after Flip Murray was picked up, his spot in the rotation.
He ended up averaging 4.5 points in 53 games, 19 of them starts.
Murray isn't expected back, but Shannon Brown, the Cavs' first-round draft pick, plays Pavlovic's shooting guard position and is a good defender, which will ultimately curry him favor with coach Mike Brown.
The combination of all those realities has brought Pavlovic back to the U.S. much earlier than usual, and he plans on staying and working out. He's hired a trainer and will be a regular at Quicken Loans Arena the rest of the summer.
After he took some time off and went home, Pavlovic's game is showing rust in the Vegas Summer League. Working mostly on his outside shot, he is shooting just 30 percent through four games but is averaging 11 points.
``I'm going to work out four hours a day,'' Pavlovic said. ``I'm hoping for a big season.''
Banks remains an option
The Cavs are still maintaining interest in free-agent point guard Marcus Banks. Banks' options have been limited, as three teams that were in contact with him -- the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Atlanta Hawks -- have gone in different directions by picking up point guards or using cap space. But it doesn't seem as if anything is imminent in Cleveland.
``We're not talking much about it right now; the Cavs have some other priorities to deal with,'' Banks' agent, Michael Higgins, said Thursday. ``Marcus is interested in the Cavs; he likes Mike (Brown).''
Banks averaged 10 points and 3.8 assists with Boston and Minnesota last season.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[Brutus1]

Cavs interested in signing David Wesley. I didn't realize he was still in the NBA. Maybe Walt Wesley will be available also.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/15/06

First-round pick scores with Cavs

Shannon Brown averages 14 points, displays poise and positive attitude during Vegas Summer League

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->LAS VEGAS - There are numerous reasons why NBA teams take part in summer league, but perhaps the most important is to get a good evaluation of new draft picks.
The Cavaliers wrapped up their Vegas Summer League experience Friday with a 70-65 victory over the Toronto Raptors to finish 3-2. But the win didn't put smiles on the Cavs' officials faces -- the play of first-round pick Shannon Brown did.
Brown scored 17 points in the victory and finished the five games averaging 14 points on 50 percent shooting, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Those stats look nice enough, but their value is somewhat superficial as well.
What lit up Cavs coach Mike Brown was watching his new guard's attitude, technique and poise.
Like how Shannon Brown knew how to attack pick-and-rolls in spells when he was at point guard, not a style he was used to at Michigan State. Or how he would pick things up quickly in practice. And how he wanted to win and delivered when games were on the line, as he did in leading a late comeback Friday.
``Shannon did some things that are hard to teach,'' Mike Brown said. ``He was impressive in a lot of areas, especially some you wouldn't think this early in his career.''
Second-round pick Daniel Gibson looked solid in his time on the floor, mostly spent at point guard. He averaged nine points and 3.5 assists and showed some good instincts. He was selective in his shots, which helped him shoot 54 percent from the field.
Free-agent forward Brandon Hunter, who starred at Ohio University and has played two years in the NBA, might have played his way into a training-camp invitation. He averaged 9.6 points and 9.2 rebounds and looked very strong around the basket.
Last year's second-round pick, Martynas Andriuskevicius, missed the end of the league with a calf strain, but the coaches said they saw some improvement in the 20-year-old.
The standout player, though, was Shannon Brown. On offense, he looked strong. On defense, his work ethic matched his reputation.
``People have always said that I'm not a true point guard or a true shooting guard and what I can't do,'' he said. ``I don't pay attention to that. I just want to compete and that's what I tried to do here.''
Wesley interest
Published reports Friday linked the Cavs to free-agent guard David Wesley, who played last season for the Houston Rockets. The 35-year-old veteran averaged 9.9 points and shot 40 percent in 71 games (59 starts) for the Rockets last season. Wesley was in Las Vegas, as were Cavs officials, during the past week.
Waiting on Ugboaja
Cavs lawyers and the NBA are working with the State Department in an attempt to secure a visa for Nigerian second-round draft pick Ejike Ugboaja. Ugboaja has had his applications denied by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria.
He's attempting to come to the United States this month with the Nigerian national team in advance of the World Championships.
The Cavs don't plan on signing Ugboaja this year, but were hopeful he could come and work out in Cleveland.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

The Pistons inked Flip Murray to a two-year deal worth $3.6 million.

 

[exhawg]

The Pistons inked Flip Murray to a two-year deal worth $3.6 million.

Hmmm I thought he would make more than that. I guess Flip didn't have the options that he was hoping for since he went to a team where he will be the 6th man at best. This is a good move for the Pistons since fatigue seemed to be a problem for them at the end of last season. Murray can give them 30+ minutes a night to keep the other guards rested.