CAVS RECORD: 19-63
Deadline Update #3: The Cavs Are Still Working on Phoenix and Washington
A long, loud, Internet-crazed week fat with Cleveland Cavaliers speculation . . . and lean on Cleveland Cavaliers information . . . is finally coming to an end.
And now that the trade deadline is only a day away (synchronize your clocks; time’s up Thursday at 3:00 P.M. Eastern) things are starting to come into focus. At least, for now.
Here are a few things that have become clear:
#1.) The Cavs’ first choice, now, is a trade with the Phoenix Suns for Amar’e Stoudemire . . . but the trade is only their first choice because it is such an insane steal that they can’t not want to do it.
I don’t have any inside knowledge, but I’d guess that Amar’e turned up when GM Danny Ferry was canvassing the league for possible trade partners weeks ago. It wouldn’t have been a huge surprise that Amar’e was available, but Phoenix’s clearance rack price no doubt was.
That’s because:
#2.) The Cavs’ first choice is really Antawn Jamison. He’s a more natural fit, and with the imploding state of the Washington Wizards, there was a real belief that he could be taken for Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ expiring contract. And that’s the only thing Ferry wanted to spend on this shopping trip.
Negotiations with the Wizards, though, were always expected to be a trip since Washington apparently still has that irritating vendetta with us. Ferry probably wasn’t looking forward to pursuing business with Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld . . . and covertly taking his temperature on a potential Z buy-out.
Would the Wizards really keep Z just to screw over the Cavaliers? It seems a little hard to believe . . . until you consider just how much of a favor a buy-out would be. Sure the Wizards could save some coin, and they may not really want Z as a player . . . but they’re going to be a player short (at least on a straight-up / picks trade) and they’d be trading another one of their Big Three, without anything in exchange for the fans that are coming to the Verizon Center to see “the Wizards.” And yeah, they’d also be doing the Cavs a big-time solid by cutting Z loose.
By the way, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson (who has been feeling his face for almost two years now) were just traded to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend.
That means that aside from Jamison, just three players are still playing for the Wizards from the 2007-2008 team (when the Cavaliers booted them from the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year). Those players are: Nick Young, Andray Blatche, and Dominic McGuire.
Only Blatche is still there from the first two years . . . and GM Grunfeld. So, if Jamison is coming to Cleveland in a trade, and they bait-and-switch to keep Z because of this blood feud . . . it would only be executed on behalf of Blatche, Grunfeld himself, and the Wizards fans that are still paying attention.
[Man, if this happens, then I will feel a little rivalrous.]
Then, Washington was reportedly demanding J.J. Hickson, which just became a problem.
That’s because:
#3.) J.J. Hickson came out of nowhere in mid-January . . . and finally started to look like he was “getting it.” His hustle was sure, the effort was continuous, his ‘concentration’ and ‘alertness’ switches were flipped to “on” . . . and his positioning, both on offense and defense was sharper.
Not only that, but the kid was playing with an edge and confidence that he’s never shown. He was contesting shots, both with horizontal and vertical athleticism, he was calling for the ball on cuts and fast-breaks, he was finishing stronger than ever, and was ready to make defenses pay for leaving him.
Before that, he looked like a perfect trade chip. He was a raw player, with an unknown ceiling, who played well in flashes . . . but seemed to need a lot of minutes to fully mature. He put up good numbers in November when Shaq was out, but it was his emergence in the last month or so (beginning, at least notably, with his 11-point, 14-rebound game against the L.A. Lakers on January 21st) that seemed to cause the Cavs to cool on trading him.
Obviously, he’s nowhere near as good as Antawn Jamison overall, but with the Cavs searching for longterm running mates to pair with LeBron . . . and not many means of obtaining them (at least in the near future) . . . J.J. started to look better and better. (And speaking of looking good, it was the on-court chemistry with LeBron that really seemed to throttle J.J.’s confidence and production.)
Ferry probably decided to put Grunfeld on ice for a while, and talk with other teams that may have a piece that would not require J.J. And that, in middle of last week, is when the Amar’e situation blew up.
Amar’e may not be what the Cavs were looking for . . . and he’ll force them to give up (at least) J.J. . . . but he’s such a tremendous steal for the price, that Ferry had no choice but to make him option #1.
And after a week of hyper non-activity, that’s where we are.
#4.) According to our very own beat-writer extraordinaire Brian Windhorst (of the “Plain Dealer”), the Cavs are in a holding pattern . . . awaiting word from Phoenix. From everything we’ve heard, the Cavs have offered everything they feel they can for Amar’e, which is believed to be Z, J.J., (at least) a first round draft pick, and possibly Danny Green.
And that’s likely the best they can do, considering the fact that they’re 66% of the way through a title-contending season. (In other words, they can’t afford to give up any real talent at this time.)
So unless we hear otherwise later, if this deal doesn’t end up happening, it isn’t because of a lack of effort from the Cavs. Instead, it was just a balk from the Suns, which may or may not have been the case when the Cavs talked with Phoenix about Shaquille O’Neal in last moments of last year’s trade season.
As far as we know, the deal is still on the table.
Phoenix is reportedly stalling while trying to work something out with Miami or Philadelphia or any other team willing to give them more than cap relief, a pick and J.J. Hickson for Amar’e. But so far, the Cavs offer is the only one that can get the Suns under the luxury tax threshold. So they have that going for them.
Since it sounds like Ferry is willing to be patient with Phoenix, buckle up, there’s a good chance this thing may go down to the wire. The Cavs may also have set up the framework for at least one back-up plan that they could make at the last minute if Phoenix flakes.
As of early this morning, the latest word is that the Cavs spent a lot of time talking to the Wizards yesterday . . . and according to Yahoo! Sports that they made “progress” on deal for Jamison that would notinvolve J.J.
Washington would give up Jamison and Mike James . . . a bottom-of-the-barrel, $6.5 million point guard, whose contract, thankfully, comes off the books after this season. Cleveland would give up Z, Jamario Moon, (at least) a first round draft pick, and possibly another young player.
To be clear, no one’s saying that deal is in the bag or anything.
Again, I don’t have any inside knowledge, but you can assume that Ferry will have ongoing talks with a number of teams up to the deadline. But remember, don’t be bummed if nothing is consummated. We’ll be OK.
And now, a few random highlights from elsewhere on the Internet . . .
#1.) If you’re game for more Amar’e risk/reward talk, Truehoop’s Kevin Arnovitz put together this great video from a recent game, in which he points out Amar’e's strengths and weaknesses. It’s a must see:
#2.) Michael Curry at the Cleveland.com blog, Cavs HQ, points out a potential parallel between Stoudemire and the Shawn Kemp disaster. He also argues:
“Amar’e Stoudemire is selfish, injury-prone, underachieving and overpaid. That doesn’t mean that the Cavs should not trade for him, and it doesn’t mean that he will be a disaster if he comes to Cleveland. But it’s important to keep all of those things in mind as the Cavs consider just how much they’re willing to give up to add Stoudemire to this team. It is also fair to consider that, if Cavs GM Danny Ferry and Suns GM Steve Kerr are unable to arrive at a deal by Thursday’s trade deadline, that it might end up being the best thing that ever happened to the Cavaliers in both the short and long term.” [Full Story]
#3.) Last but not least, WaitingForNextYear put up a fascinating statistics-analysis post comparing Stoudemire, Jamison, Indiana’s Troy Murphy, Z, and J.J. Hickson in categories like shot selection, scoring, defense / rebounding and intangibles. Check it out. [Full Story]
Hey, Cavs Fans: Be Sure to *Not* Let the Trade Deadline Bum You Out
So . . . is anyone sick of the trade deadline hysteria yet?
Every day, there’s a whole gamut of: proposals and denials, excitement and anxiety, ups and downs, twists and turns, and chutes and ladders. Names of “available players” are flying around like, well, flies.
And at some point, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been or will be linked to each and every one of them. Best of all, absolutely no levels of absurdity, pointlessness, impracticality or impossibility are off limits. It’s an exciting free-for-all!
For each name, there seems to be a pattern like: the suggestion, the anonymous source tease, the “confirmation,” the competition (from other teams), the doubt (from the trading partner), the denial (of any of one or more of these things), the re-suggestion (with or without a new wrinkle), rinse and repeat.
In a way, it’s sort of like if every Cleveland fan suddenly became obsessed with 24-hour celebrity gossip. You know, like: “Do you think Angelina Jolie might adopt a kid from Panama?” “A so-called ‘source’ says she will adopt a kid from Panama.” “‘Star’ magazine has confirmed that Angelina is adopting a kid from Panama!” “But other ‘sources’ say she may be adopting from Costa Rica, not Panama.” “‘Sources’ in Panama say the country prefers to keep all of its orphans.” “Angelina’s rep has denied the ‘Star’ report, and says she has no plans to go to Panama.”
And then: “Do you think Angelina might send someone to Panama to adopt a kid for her?”
[By the way, even though I obviously just made all that up . . . and wrote "I obviously just made all that up" . . . I wouldn't be surprised if some gossip site stumbled on this, and reported it as a new rumor.]
[Case in point: Apparently, I started a mini freak-out in some Cavs forum because, in a post on this site, I suggested a Daniel Gibson + Delonte West for Corey Maggette trade . . . while poking fun at Chad Ford's Cavs-could-revamp-their-entire-roster article . . . and while I was mocking freak-outs in forums.]
It’s all madness. And it can be too much, at least for me. It’s addicting, it’s emotionally-wrenching, it’s exciting, it’s exhausting, and it’s upsetting . . . in alphabetical order.
Hopefully, you know when too much is too much . . . and can step away.
But in case you don’t . . . and judging by some of the comments I’ve seen, some of you may not . . . I put together a fun test that will let you know if the trade deadline has you out of your mind.
Here it is:
#1.) Would you be devastated if the Cavs were not able to make a significant trade by the deadline? (Meaning, they aren’t able to bring in Amar’e Stoudemire, Antawn Jamison, Andre Iguodala, or anyone else rumored for Zydrunas Ilguaskas’ expiring contract.)
#2.) Would you be devastated if the Cavs traded J.J. Hickson with Zydrunas Ilgauskas (his contract, and maybe body, too) for Stoudemire or Jamison? (Not including the Troy Murphys and Corey Maggettes of the NBA. If we traded both Z and J.J. for those guys, devastation is expected.)
#3.) Do you feel the Cavs need to make a move to be a title contender? (Notice I didn’t say anything about a guarantee. That’s because there are never any guarantees. Not when the 2007 Cavs team somehow made the Finals, and not when the 2009 Cavs team somehow didn’t. If there were, the season wouldn’t be any fun . . . and the games wouldn’t need to be played.)
#4.) Do you feel that a trade for Stoudemire or Jamison would have such a negative impact, that the Cavaliers would no longer be a title contender? (Adjustment periods can be overcome, like they were several times in 2008, in 2009, and this past November and January.)
#5.) Do you consider any deal the Cavaliers could make better than no deal? (Is the mere notion of definitely making a move more important than who it’d be for / who’s actually available?)
#6.) Do you consider every deal the Cavaliers could make as destructive as any deal? (And for those on the opposite side, is there no move, at all, that you’d be willing to consider?)
#7.) Did you dream about Corey Maggette last night?
#8.) Did you dream about Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski last night?
#9.) Do you think LeBron’s decision to leave or stay in Cleveland hinges completely on what Ferry does before Thursday? (Of course, that’s assuming Ferry doesn’t do something impossible either way . . . like trade for Chris Bosh or make some sort of gutting / Isiah Thomas trade, involving all of the following: J.J., Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams. Attention forums: Those are NOT real trade rumors.)
#10.) Would a trade or non-trade affect your ability to enjoy the rest of the season?
And Extra Credit: Are you able to read Cavaliers trade rumors, speculation, analysis and denials . . . with reasonable amounts of excitement, disappointment and concern . . . without becoming completely worked-up, infuriated, exasperated and/or infatuated? (To the point where it affects your real life?)
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you should take a timeout . . . of maybe an hour for every “Yes” you answered. Don’t worry, if the Cavs trade for Stoudemire, or if Phoenix GM Steve Kerr announces that he’s not trading Stoudemire, you’ll hear about it when you get back. I promise.
You may even get lucky and completely miss a whole trade rumor cycle. Personally, I could’ve gone without hearing the Corey Maggette one. You may have really enjoyed that one, I guess, and may have wished you never heard the Rip Hamilton one. Or whatever.
The point of all this is to remind everyone that as recently as last Thursday . . . when the Cavs were beating up on the Orlando Magic, for the second time this year, without Mo Williams . . . the idea that weneeded to make a trade to have a shot wasn’t there.
A month ago, even with a few rocky games out West, not many people thought a Z-for-anyone trade would be necessary to keep LeBron James in Cleveland. In fact, before Shaq’s emergence over the past month, most of the fans I talked to didn’t even want to consider losing Z for 30 games, let alone risking losing him for the season.
Now, before the Amar’e bandwagon crashes through my door, you should know that I’m not saying we shouldn’t make a trade. Not at all. If there’s a steal to be made . . . anything from petty theft to grand larceny . . . we should (and will) take advantage of it, provided it makes our team better.
Danny Ferry will take care of that. He knows the team better than anyone – more than the ESPN correspondents and analysts . . . even the ones that have seen more than five Cavs games this season.
He knows what his coaching staff thinks of the pieces we currently have . . . which problems can be fixed in-houe . . . and what facets of the team could be solidified, and how much we can afford to give up to do that.
He’s willing to take calculated risks, and knows the extent of the damage they could incur if they don’t work out.
He and owner Dan Gilbert also understand the stakes of LeBron’s big summer decision more than anyone . . . and realize that the Cavs can drastically sweeten LeBron’s best (and maybe preferred) option with a title this year. Ferry knows what he’s doing.
So, relax.
Just don’t allow yourself to be disillusioned. Don’t let yourself be suckered into thinking that this season, the championship, LeBron James, and the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers will all be decided by this Thursday . . . particularly if the opposite of what you’ve come to believe is essential ends up happening.
By playoff time, the team chemistry (with a smart trade) will be fine . . . and by playoff time the team performance level and preparation (without a trade) will be fine. Trust me. We’re going for it.
The Cavaliers have spent the last month on a 13-game winning streak. Their record is 43-11 . . . the best in the NBA. And as Shaq recently said, “Even though we lost 11 games, you guys know we gave away eight of [them]. We’re a close-knit group. Everything is going perfect.”
They are 2-0 against the Magic, they are 2-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and they are 2-0 against Atlanta. They lost to Boston once, in their first game with Shaquille O’Neal.
They’re legitimately nine players deep now . . . and by the end of the month, they’ll have Mo back, and Leon Powe will be making his big debut. That’s 11.
Rest assured, this will all be over on Thursday afternoon at 3:00 PM. Eastern. (But you knew that. You probably don’t remember your sister’s birthday, but you knew that.)
Later Thursday night, the Cavs will resume their season at home against the Denver Nuggets. And regardless of how the deadline turns out . . . remember that you were pretty amped about this team before all this insanity reached a fever pitch. And you should still be.
Don’t let what did or didn’t happen bum you out.
Trade Deadline Update #2: Some Random Links on Cleveland and Amar’e
Nothing is official yet (at least, as of early this morning) but it’s looking more and more like the Phoenix Suns will trade Amar’e Stoudemire to the Cleveland Cavaliers for . . . whatever it is that they’re getting.
(We’re assuming that is Zydrunas Ilgauskas, J.J. Hickson and possibly a first round draft pick.)
That would be quite a colossal move by Danny Ferry . . . one that comes with both big-time risks and big-time rewards. It’s the kind of game-changing, over-the-top move that Cleveland is not used to seeing from their GMs when their teams are on the brink of a championship.
But again, since there isn’t anything definite to report . . . and we’re all a little exasperated with the good-fit / bad-fit speculation . . . here’s a rundown of some of the interesting things we found when we tore up Google early this morning.
#1.) ESPN’s Chris Broussard says that Phoenix is still holding out hope that the Philadelphia 76ers will offer them a package including Andre Iguodala for Amar’e . . . but Philly isn’t too sure they want to trade their best player for Amar’e.
That’s definitely understandable. A lot of Cavaliers fans aren’t too thrilled about trading our least important rotation player, J.J. Hickson, for Amar’e.
Sources also tell Broussard that while Amar’e is cool with LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal, he’d prefer to play in Miami where he lives in the offseason . . . but since Phoenix isn’t interested in Michael Beasley, the Heat have nothing to build a deal around, at least without another team being involved.
Naturally, it’s hard to characterize and contextualize what “sources” say . . . and there’s a good chance that they’re not accurate anyway . . . but I’d question the mind-set of any player that would turn down the chance to join the Cavaliers right now, in February of 2010. I mean, seriously. [Full Story]
“Even if the Cavs get Stoudemire, they might attempt to do a secondary trade to obtain [Antawn] Jamison or [Troy] Murphy to fill the need for a 4 who could stretch the floor with his shooting.
“Given that the Cavs have concerns about how well Stoudemire and Shaquille O’Neal would fit together, the team would consider moving Shaq if it acquired Amar’e. For instance, the Cavs could swap O’Neal and their first-round pick to Washington for Jamison and Mike Miller. They could send the same package to Indiana in a deal for Murphy and Mike Dunleavy.”
Oh! And we could also flip Daniel Gibson and Delonte West to Golden State for Corey Maggette!!!
This sort of reminds me of 2004, when I’d go into the forums . . . and some people were wondering why then-GM Jim Paxson wouldn’t trade Lucious Harris, Eric Snow and Ira Newble to Philadelphia to get Allen Iverson. After all, it did work out in the Trade Machine.
It’s going to take almost the rest of the regular season to integrate Stoudemire into the team . . . because he isn’t just going to be used in Hickson’s so-called “Cedric Ceballos” role. We wouldn’t be utilizing his talent in that role, and there’s probably no way he’d accept it anyway. So the offense will need to be revamped.
Also, whether it’s solely the product of playing in Phoenix . . . or not . . . Stoudemire isn’t exactly a defensive juggernaut. It’s going to be imperative for him to fit seamlessly into our defense come playoff time. No matter how good he is on the offensive end, the Cavs title hopes rest on their defense.
It’s not a knock on Amar’e. Any time you add an impact player as significant as he is, it’s going to take a long time to recalibrate. High-functioning teams may be able to sneak a role player into the rotation without too much turbulence . . . but if you’re adding an All-Star, you’re at the drawing board.
My point: If the trade goes through, Mike Brown, LeBron James, Amar’e and the rest of the Cavs are going to have plenty on their plates. The last thing they need is more new spare parts.
One starter (and at least 30 days of an important man off your bench) for another, better starter is enough to absorb. There’s no need to completely overhaul a lineup that is 43-11, has the best record in the NBA, and is still on a 13-game winning streak.
Not every trade that looks good on paper . . . or works in the Trade Machine . . . is something that will work in real life. [Full Story]
#3.) The ”Arizona Republic” reports that the Suns have recently taken another stab at trying to keep Amar’e in Phoenix. Supposedly, they’re still taking his temperature on a possible extension. The paper reports:
“The Suns and the Stoudemire camps exchanged contract extension proposals Friday in Dallas with the Suns offering an additional two years beyond Stoudemire’s $17.7 million player option for the 2010-11 season.”
Virtually everyone on the Internet (and there’s a lot of people on the Internet) expects Phoenix to trade Stoudemire to someone . . . so it’d be surprising if they suddenly backed down and decided to take their chances at being able to re-sign him.
Also, “Plain Dealer” beat-writer Brian Windhorst has said that Amar’e wants a max contract . . . and the Suns are reluctant to give him one considering the serious injuries he’s dealt with over the years.
For what it’s worth, the ”Arizona Republic” also says Danny Green may be included in the deal. [Full Story]
#4.) In his latest sensationalist column, Yahoo Sports! writer Adrian Wojnarowski suggests that even a trade for Amar’e may not be enough to keep LeBron James in Cleveland. He says:
“James has given the Cavaliers no promise that trading for . . . and retaining . . . Stoudemire would assure that he re-signs this summer. Acquiring Stoudemire could help, but James and his inner circle continue to privately insist they’ll explore free agency in July before making a final decision.”
On one hand, this is nothing new: LeBron isn’t going to make a final decision until this summer. He’s consistently said that for years. He’s going to take a look at all his underwhelming options before re-upping with the wine and gold, who have had contending teams for years now, and have never shied away from doing whatever it takes to improve the team (for both now and the future).
On the other hand, this is ridiculous. Can we stop insisting that there’s some hidden secret to keeping LeBron in Cleveland that the Cavs are too inept to discover or execute? He wants to win championships. That championships. He will look for the best opportunity he has to do that, now and in the future.
Right now, it’s Cleveland . . . and a title this year would be a huge statement.
If the Cavs don’t make a trade, LeBron isn’t going to see it as a sign that the Cavaliers aren’t doing enough for him. They’re doing everything for him, trade or not, and he is well aware of that. [Full Story]
#5.) And forget about Stoudemire, CBS Sports columnist Gregg Doyel would like to see LeBron go somewhere to pair up with Dwyane Wade. Because he deserves it. Here’s his argument:
“The two of them could play again. Permanently. And I don’t mean the 2012 Summer Olympics, though in 2012 they are sure to reprise their roles of Batman and Robin . . . or Batman and Batman . . . during the United States’ gold-medal run of 2008. I’m talking about the 2010-11 season, when one or both of them could be playing for a new team. For years, as the potential disaster of losing LeBron has loomed for the Cavaliers, I’ve fought for Cleveland, and for Ohio. We can’t lose LeBron. He’s ours. That’s been my position.
“Now, my position is this: I want to see LeBron play with a great teammate (and sorry, Mo Williams, but neither you nor half-a-Shaq count). I want to see that because I want LeBron to fulfill his destiny as the greatest player in NBA history, and he can only do that with championship rings, and he can only do that with better talent around him. Maybe he and Wade can go somewhere together, swallow some pride and save their next team some money and play together knowing damn well that a series of NBA rings would lead to more millions in endorsements and other opportunities than whatever they’d lose in salary.”
And then . . . LeBron could finally be playing the most exciting basketball of his career, be a legitimate title contender, a shoe-in for the MVP award, have his team sitting with the NBA’s best record at the All-Star Break, and also have led his team to 13 straight victories . . . with some mesmerizing clutch performances, as a creator and as a finisher.
What a dream. [Full Story]
Finally, if you haven’t listened to Brian Windhorst’s 20-minute interview on WKNR from yesterday, you should. It’s packed with perspective on what kinds of risks and rewards you can expect if the Cavs do end up making a deal for Amare. Here’s the link to the podcast.
Amar’e Stoudemire to Cleveland Speculation Surfaces . . . So Why Can’t I Get Excited About the Trade Deadline?
There are 24 days until the NBA trading deadline.
I know this because when I woke up this morning, I opened the #24 window on my NBA Trading Deadline Advent Calendar.
Pretty exciting right?
Well, at least it’s supposed to be. (That’s why I have the NBA Trading Deadline Advent Calendar in the first place. No one enjoys counting down to something inconsequential . . . like Groundhog Day. Ooooh, snap! I know, cue the rage.)
Plus, there’s a decent to more-than-decent chance that something will happen . . . to some degree . . . because of the “all-in” mode that the Cleveland Cavaliers are in right now. On top of that, it looks like they’re actually in a good position to do a little thievery.
Are the Cavs one puzzle piece away? Is that puzzle piece out there? And if the missing piece is discovered (say, in the collection bag of a household vacuum), would the Cavs be able to acquire it with reasonable (or more than reasonable) expense and without creating too much of a dust-up?
(Because the Cavs have company coming, and they need to have the house ready . . . regardless of whether or not the puzzle is finished.)
See? How can you not be feeling the early pangs of NBA Trading Deadline excitement?
Here’s a list of the Cavs liquid assets:
In Zydrunas Ilgauskas, they have a large, $11.5 million expiring contract. (They also have a bigger one, at $20 million, in Shaquille O’Neal . . . if you’re someone who believes they’d be open to trading him.)
In J.J. Hickson, Daniel Gibson and (apparently) Jawad Williams, they have young talent that is ready to make an impact on most teams.
In Darnell Jackson and Danny Green they have intriguing prospects that have already made significant steps toward becoming NBA players. And speaking of horizon assets, the Cavs also have their full set of future draft picks that they’d be able to trade if necessary.
In Danny Ferry they have a creative General Manager, who has made big, bold, and well-thought out moves in the past . . . and who is well aware of the stakes LeBron’s uncertain future has created.
And . . . here’s the big one . . . in Dan Gilbert they have a passionate owner who’s willing to invest whatever smart money is required in order to bring a championship to Cleveland, and to retain LeBron.
And there has already been a lot of speculation on several potential targets: Antawn Jamison, David West, Troy Murphy, Andre Iguodala, Corey Maggette, Andre Miller, etc.
All that being said . . . what if I’m not excited? If I don’t feel the pangs. Is that bad?
Maybe it’s still too early for me . . . or maybe the right name hasn’t been seriously (and at least somewhat legitimately) discussed yet . . . or maybe something’s just wrong with me, and I should get it checked out.
For example: Last night, “Cleveland Plain Dealer” beat writer extraordinaire Brian Windhorst reported that there was credible word that the Cavaliers have (at least) had trade talks with the Phoenix Suns regarding Amar’e Stoudemire . . . with Golden State and Minnesota also in the picture.
He writes:
“The natural trade that makes sense here would be Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson for Stoudemire. The Suns could also ask for draft picks. The Cavs and Suns talked about Hickson [in] the O’Neal deal but the Cavs wanted to keep him. So the Suns have a history of interest in Hickson.
“Straight up, this type of deal would save the Suns around $3.4 million off their payroll ($6.8 million including luxury tax). However, the Suns currently are a little more than $5 million over the luxury tax line. It is then possible they could then negotiate a buyout with Ilgauskas and get below the tax, which would probably enable such a trade to save them around $10 million in real money.” [Windhorst Beat Blog]
[Hit up that link. Brian talks about how Shaq and Amar'e have already been teammates, somewhat unsuccessfully, in Phoenix . . . and about how an extension for Amar'e, who can opt out of his contract this summer . . . would play a part in this deal, if it got real.]
But, I don’t know if I’m feeling this right now.
In addition to the Shaq + Amar’e workability and the contract situation, there’s also chemistry and personality issues. He currently averages over 14 shots per game, but can he be cool with being the second to fourth option on offense? Will being on a title-contending team inspire him to pick up his effort on the defensive end, or will he initiate breakdowns in the Cavs’ rotating help defense?
He’s also had some health issues in the past. A few years ago, he had microfracture surgery on his knee . . . and last season he suffered a detached retina, an injury that could have threatened his career.
Assuming the trade is as billed, the Cavs would lose Z (for at least 30 days, if not permanently) . . . and J.J. Assuming the trade will require more talent than that (which seems realistic from the Suns’ perspective, considering it’s possible that Amar’e doesn’t leave Phoenix after the season), the Cavs would also lose another player.
OK. Before you worry about my sanity, yes . . . if Phoenix offered Amar’e straight-up for Z and J.J., Phoenix agreed to buy Z out, Z agreed to come back, everyone involved thought Amar’e could play with Shaq in Cleveland (and some serviceable defense) and Amar’e agreed to some sort of extension with the Cavs . . . you just have to do this deal.
Even if one of the above doesn’t happen, you strongly consider it.
Amar’e is a star, and would definitely make a huge impact on the team. This should be an exciting possibility . . . but for some reason, I’m thinking about the “huge impact” from the other side.
I’m thinking about all those things that need to come together just to make a trade like this work . . . and that’s before you have any idea whether it’ll be a success, a wash, or a detriment.
In any potential trade, there are two intangible things to think about:
#1.) As of yesterday, the Cleveland Cavaliers (34-11) have the best record in the NBA. Obviously, it’s January . . . and the team hasn’t always looked as dominant as that record would suggest. Still, they do have the best record in the NBA.
(And yes, I realize this was the line of thought that may have stopped us from making a trade at the deadline last season. Notice I still didn’t delete it.)
#2.) With the uncertainty surrounding LeBron, you want to be cautious about trading for contracts that limit your future flexibility and trading for old guys. I believe LeBron will be thinking most about future championships this summer. So ideally, you’d trade for someone who could be a part of a young core with LeBron.
Amar’e (27) would be a fit there.
And he may be “the piece” . . . or a ”the piece” . . . I mean, you’d think he would be.
But you just never know. (For the record, even though both Phoenix and Cleveland are reportedly putting feelers out there . . . it definitely doesn’t mean anything serious yet. There may not even be a trade to be made there.)
That’s why I think I haven’t become too excited about the trade season yet.
Maybe I’m sensing some of the pressure that Ferry is under (not necessarily to make a deal, but to to make sure that whatever you do is the right thing to do) . . . and feel a little queasy about the goodness or badness of “huge impacts.”
Fortunately, it seems like the stars are aligning in a way that Ferry may be able to snag a nice piece in one of those “financial cap/tax relief deals,” without giving up much of anything at all.
If that ends up being the case, something tells me my excitement will be building.
For Better or Worse, the Stephen Jackson Option Is Gone
Stephen Jackson is not coming to Cleveland . . . not tonight, when the Golden State Warriors visit The Q, nor via trade, which is something that has been speculated about a lot recently.
Yesterday, Golden State traded Jackson to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic.
Half of the Cavaliers fan base was relieved . . . and the other half was disappointed. That’s because Jackson, like a lot of players that are available in mid-November, is a fairly polarizing player. In fact, he was probably the most polarizing player available not named Allen Iverson.
Jackson’s talent in undeniable. He’s good. And he would look great in a Cavs uniform. But he also has an undeniable . . . let’s say, aura . . . that can be used for both good (intensity) and evil (volatility).
Maybe it isn’t fair to bring up past off-the-court and just-off-the-court issues . . . but there are several significant ones. And then there’s his mercurial attachment to the team that’s writing his paychecks.
But he and Mike Brown have a close relationship, and a mutual respect. When Brown was an assistant, Jackson played for him both in San Antonio and later in Indiana.
Do I think Jackson would have been a success in Cleveland? Yes. Do I think he would have been a problem in Cleveland? No. Did I want them to trade for him? Well . . . that depends.
“Cleveland Plain Dealer” beat writer Brian Windhorst reports that the Cavs were only offering Golden State an opportunity to dump Jackson’s salary on them; they weren’t offering any real talent in return:
“According to some league sources, the Cavs indeed had an offer into the Warriors for Jackson. The two sides, I am told, talked about Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West and even a sign-and-trade for Wally Szczerbiak among other things.
“[But] the Warriors made it known they wanted some talent in return and didn’t just want to clear Jackson off the books.
“The Cavs were not willing to give up any of their size for Jackson and that was simply a road block. The only way they were willing to give up Ilgauskas is if there was an agreement to buy him out and have him return in 30 days, which is permitted under current rules. [...] Frankly, [Charlotte was offering] more than the Cavs apparently were willing to offer. Wanting the talent first, it makes sense that Golden State made this deal.”
Meanwhile . . . Smooth at Cavalier Attitude analyzes the possibility that Golden State took a lesser offer with Charlotte, because they didn’t want to do Stephen Jackson any favors:
“Jackson, when he demanded a trade earlier this year, said he’d like to play for New York, Cleveland or one of the three Texas teams. Jackson wanted to win or go to a situation he was comfortable with.
“With the Warriors knowing that and with all the troubles he had caused them, they sent him to Charlotte. They did it intentionally, sending him to the Bobcats who have no chance of making the playoffs and will end up in the lottery once again. They sent him to a terrible team with a coach [Larry Brown] who’s not easy to play for. They gave him his trade but made sure to make him miserable for as miserable as he made them.”
See what I mean by polarizing? Is he more of a steal or more of a risk?
Jackson went from being a playoff hero in Golden State . . . to someone they purposely wanted to make miserable. And although the Warriors are a mess, they did give him a three-year extension last year . . . an extension that won’t even start until next year.
But if the Cavs were merely offering the things Windhorst mentioned . . . Delonte, a Wally sign-and-trade, and Z with a pre-arranged buyout (to balance the salary numbers) . . . that would’ve been worth doing.
Sure, the Cavs would be taking on over $28 million over the next three-and-a-half years . . . which, if LeBron re-signs, would take away a lot of cap flexibility for years to come.
But the Cavs would have Stephen Jackson . . . and like the Shaquille O’Neal deal, we wouldn’t be losing any of our current core players. If the Warriors were interested, it could have worked out on our end.
And it would’ve had to, by the way, because if we learned anything from this whole dust-up . . . it’s that Stephen Jackson (and his contract) are not regiftable commodities. If we traded for him, it was for keeps. (Although, I guess Danny Ferrywas, miraculously, able to shed Larry Hughes’ contract.)
It’s a risk . . . and one worth taking . . . as long as we’re not giving up anyone we want.
Yeah, that’s a little ignorant. It’s like when people expect trades to be available because they work in a salary-balancing calculator. Another team usually wants more than the spare parts you’re willing to give up. But the difference here is . . . we don’t need to make any trades.
So why are we talking so much about this, since it isn’t happening???
There’s a nerve here, and it goes beyond Stephen Jackson. Here’s the gist of it:
The Cavaliers are an elite team now. They added some players in the offseason, and it’s too early to determine just how good the team is . . . and what all their rotation strengths and weaknesses will be.
There’s also The Uncertainty Surrounding Delonte West, which at this point, should become his full legal name. Until we hear otherwise, he could always be back tomorrow . . . and ready to play out the rest of the season, arguably putting the Cavaliers over the top . . . or he could never be back.
At some point between now and the end of February, Danny Ferry will have to decide what he’s going to do with this roster . . . if anything.
Do you convince free agent Antonio Daniels to accept a job at the end of the bench in exchange for a guaranteed contract? Do you keep inquiring about minor trades involving Delonte, Szczerbiak and possibly Ilgauskas? Do you wait until the trade deadline on the off-chance of hitting a homerun to pick up a bigger, younger name? Or if the Cavs are flying though the regular season again, do you stand pat with what you have and save your money for the 2010 free agents?
It’s the same “going all-in” debate all over again: What’s more important, pulling out all the stops to put the Cavs in the best possible position to win the Title this year . . . or leaving the team in the best possible position to win multiple championships?
Think about it this way: Is LeBron more likely to leave if we fall short of the Championship this year . . . or if the future of the team is locked up without any salary / roster flexibility to continue infusing the team with strong, young talent?
These are the difficult questions that Ferry has to consider.
Obviously, you’d want both . . . but that’s not always realistic. Ferry can’t trade away his young talent and future first round draft picks to bring in expensive, aging veterans . . . and not expect it to heavily affect the growth of the roster over the next few years.
The trick is for Ferry to find the happy medium. You want to seize any opportunity to improve your team . . . but you also don’t want to be seduced by quick fixes, who will overstay their welcomes.