Utah has agreed to Carlos Boozer's 6 year 68 million dollar offer sheet. The only reason why the Cavs made him an unrestricted free agent is because they believed they would be able to sign him anyway. With this signing Utah has decided not to visit Kenyon Martin to talk about a possible move to Salt Lake City. Boozer would have made only $695,000 this year if he would have stayed in Cleveland.
Something has to be done to appease LeBron. He won't be happy if Paxson (if he remains in his position), doesn't do anything to get the team back up to where they were previously. I doubt, even if they clear cap room, that they will match Boozer's offer. They'll be bad blood there for years to come. Anyway, a couple of scenarios I'm looking at the moment are Cleveland trading Z to Atlanta for draft picks, convince KMart not to sign with Atlanta and then table their own max offer to Martin. Replacing Boozer with Martin and Z with Battie/Diop will see Cleveland return to play-off contendership. They could also S&T with New Jersey, Martin for Ilgauskas... which is probably equally probably as the above scenario. Another one, which is a long shot, is to clear caproom by again trading Z to Atlanta for future draft picks... clearing up approximately 16 million of cap room and tabling a 50 million/4 year deal to Rasheed Wallace. Yes, you read correctly... and its a huge longshot, but I doubt the Pistons would match it. It may also look like they're overpaying Sheed, but remember that all moves from here on in will be geared to appeasing LeBron. I've also seen a Z for Antoine Walker deal mentioned. This isn't too preferable, but it could be an option. If anything, Walker has an expiring deal, so if he gels they can re-sign, if not... play the 2005 free agent market.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting RiverspoonJones:</div><div class="quote_post">Something has to be done to appease LeBron. He won't be happy if Paxson (if he remains in his position), doesn't do anything to get the team back up to where they were previously. I doubt, even if they clear cap room, that they will match Boozer's offer. They'll be bad blood there for years to come. Anyway, a couple of scenarios I'm looking at the moment are Cleveland trading Z to Atlanta for draft picks, convince KMart not to sign with Atlanta and then table their own max offer to Martin. Replacing Boozer with Martin and Z with Battie/Diop will see Cleveland return to play-off contendership. They could also S&T with New Jersey, Martin for Ilgauskas... which is probably equally probably as the above scenario. Another one, which is a long shot, is to clear caproom by again trading Z to Atlanta for future draft picks... clearing up approximately 16 million of cap room and tabling a 50 million/4 year deal to Rasheed Wallace. Yes, you read correctly... and its a huge longshot, but I doubt the Pistons would match it. It may also look like they're overpaying Sheed, but remember that all moves from here on in will be geared to appeasing LeBron. I've also seen a Z for Antoine Walker deal mentioned. This isn't too preferable, but it could be an option. If anything, Walker has an expiring deal, so if he gels they can re-sign, if not... play the 2005 free agent market.</div> I think the Rasheed wallace deal is definately a long shot... But i do think the Kenyon Martin deal could work.. And if it did work, the cavs would cut their losses and get a more ferocious defender in martin (compared to boozer)... But if they lost Z, who could fill his shoes? No one currently on the cavs can fill Z's shoes, unless maybe if they still had chris mihm.. I just feel really bad for Lebron and the Cavs right now, this will go down as the famous "Boozer Scandel"
I really don't think a combination of Battie and Diop at center would be all that bad, considering they'll only be required to play defense. All the offense will go through positions 1-4, the big guys just to clean up the glass and maybe have some putbacks. Long-term, Diop could be an imposing defensive and shot-blocking presence in the paint next to KMart. With the Cavs current frontcourt of Battie and Ilgauskas, they'd probably take a step back next season... but if they could go for a signing to match Boozer's bluff, they could even be better next season, as I believe KMart is a difference maker, whereas Z won't impact W/L records.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting RiverspoonJones:</div><div class="quote_post"> Anyway, a couple of scenarios I'm looking at the moment are Cleveland trading Z to Atlanta for draft picks, </div> there is no way in hell atlanta takes that contract and gives up future draft picks. those draft picks will be top 5 for the next half decade or so. if i were atlanta, you would have to give me z and wagner and a future first round pick and cleveland recieves nothing in return. or they could trade mcginnis and diop to houston for part of their trade exception to get under the cap enough to match. cleveland, if they do intend to deal, will have to trade away some value and recieve nothing in return to get under the cap. like in the rockets-jazz deal last fall, rockets needed more cap space so they sent rice and a future first rounder to the jazz. or the pheonix deal last year, in order to get under the luxury tax threshold, the suns sent googs and 2 number 1s to utah for free agent to be keon clark who they knew would never suit up for them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting lost_elephant:</div><div class="quote_post">there is no way in hell atlanta takes that contract</div> Which expires at the end of the season. I really don't think they'd care... and they sure are, at last calculation, 12 million under the salary cap minimum. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting lost_elephant:</div><div class="quote_post">and gives up future draft picks. those draft picks will be top 5 for the next half decade or so.</div> The picks would be most certainly second rounders. One or two, whatever. Hardly skin off the teeth for Atlanta. They also have the option to re-sign Z if he works out well for them, or have a crack at the free agent market next year. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting lost_elephant[/quote:</div><div class="quote_post">like in the rockets-jazz deal last fall, rockets needed more cap space so they sent rice and a future first rounder to the jazz. or the pheonix deal last year, in order to get under the luxury tax threshold, the suns sent googs and 2 number 1s to utah for free agent to be keon clark who they knew would never suit up for them.</div> The key difference is that Ilgauskas is actually going to give something to the Hawks, whereas Glen Rice was simply viewed as a contract. As I said, the Hawks need something like this to reach the minimum - unless they want to sign Sura and Stephen Jackson to 6 million per. Cleveland may have to tag a future-first rounder onto the deal, but I doubt they'd care about adding that either. All they want to do now is produce a team that will please LeBron in 04-05. This deal achieves that.
The Cavs do have a huge hole at the 4 spot but I don't like the idea that Z has to be moved in order to fill it. I still go by the saying that "You can't teach height" and Z provides that and much more. I would love to see KMart in a Cavs jersey but at the expense of Z I would be a little leery of doing that deal <font size="1">(I don't think a deal will be worked out but in the case that it does...)</font> I guess it's a choice for Cavs fans whether they would want to see KMart or Z in a Cav's jersey. Personally I would want to keep Z.
I guess the question is, which frontcourt is going to impact your W/L record more: Tony Battie and Zydrunas Ilgauskas or Kenyon Martin and Tony Battie/Sagna Diop I honestly believe that the Cavaliers will go backward with the first, but could keep their head above water, or improve, with the second. Something that just has to be taken into account is what combination of players LeBron would rather play with, and I don't think that question is too difficult to answer.
Surely they could release some of their free agents. Ruben Bourntjie-Bourntjie hasn't played a game for them since he first was signed, Eric Williams and Lee Nailon are both pretty useless now that they got Luke Jackson and Aleksandar Pavlovic. They should get rid of at least two of these players, which should give them enough salary cap room to offer Boozer a better deal.
u guys should read the si article, it slams boozer and his agent. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...ozer/index.html
maaaan the Cavs got played on this Boozer deal...they should've been certain that there was a 100% chance of signing him before releasing him out of his previous deal...i dont think Kenyon will end up there, and they'll likely have to settle for a second-tier PF, or even worse, a journeyman... i think i was hearing talks of them being involved in possible deals with the Rockets, and there was one that made sense: Cavs trade Wagner, Ollie and Battie for the Rockets' Trade Exception (6.9 mil) and Mo Taylor, who would be the instant offense for the Cavs frontcourt...I'm not sure what u Cavs fans think of this deal, but if I was Houston, I'd take it in a second...
I guess the Cavs simply werent willing to offer Boozer well over 10 million a year like Utah did. But, IMO, Boozer was an already solid player who was showing signs of only getting better, and eventually developing into one of the best PFs in the league. Now, the Cavs go from a very young team on the rise, with a solid 2 and a solid 4, to a team that will have to have Tony Battie starting. I know trading Ilgauskus could fix the problem, but it leaves them without another problem at Center, because Z is one of the top centers in the league. As for signing K-Mart, I highly doubt it. The Cavs will probably just play with some decent players at PF just like they did with their SF spot last year. PS: Great signing by the Jazz.
I think if they got K-Mart they would definitely in the top 5 seeds in the Eastern Conference, but if they don't get a good Power Forward, they could miss the playoffs again.
boozer is dumb as a rock he went to duke u would except he would have learned more or at least learned from coach k and STAYED WHERE HE WAS look at this line-up dajuan wagner at the point, lebron james at 2 guard, luke jackson at small forward, boozer at power foward, and ilgaukis at center wake the **** up boozer that team looks super nice even paul silas said in slam he would resign u wat arer u doin in utah boozer ur lookin quite dumb
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">The Cavs do have a huge hole at the 4 spot but I don't like the idea that Z has to be moved in order to fill it. I still go by the saying that "You can't teach height" and Z provides that and much more. I would love to see KMart in a Cavs jersey but at the expense of Z I would be a little leery of doing that deal</div> If you could guarantee getting Martin, then you have to give up Z. Z, although one of the best centers in the league and a good, loyal guy (then again, we thought Boozer was a good, loyal guy), is, simply put, a lot less valuable than Martin. Z is 29 with a history of foot injuries. Martin is only 26 and already one of the best PFs in the game. And compared to Boozer? Offensively, Martin is better than Boozer. Defensively, Martin is MUCH better than Boozer. Diop could play center. While his offensive game tends to make him look silly at times, he showed signs of becoming a real defensive presence last season. Diop would have to step it up though, because he'd have to start. We'd have to start McGinnis/LeBron/LJax/KMart/Diop. However, I doubt we have any chance of getting Martin anyway. And I wouldn't give up Z unless I knew 100% we could get Martin. Denver is ready to offer Martin a big contract anyway. So he's likely either going there or staying with the Nets.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I guess the question is, which frontcourt is going to impact your W/L record more: Tony Battie and Zydrunas Ilgauskas or Kenyon Martin and Tony Battie/Sagna Diop</div> Diop/Battie locking down the center position? Pass the bong dog. Z isn't going anywhere. I would love to see Kenyon be here but it is VERY unrealistic. The best we can do is probably Antonio McDyess or Vin Baker. If we can't afford to match Boozer's contract how the hell are we going to offer the MAX 7 year deal to Kenyon? The guy wants 80mil for Christ's sake.
Diop/Battie holding down the center position is more preferable to Battie holding down power forward, surely. Kenyon Martin gives you a legit All-Star, a player better than Carlos Boozer and with a point to prove. Every successful NBA team has a great PF, and those that don't have a great center... and I think you'd agree with me that Zydrunas Ilgauskas is nowhere near the Shaq/Yao level, nor ever will be. Now that Atlanta has Al Harrington, the Ilgauskas to Atlanta trade is a lot more attractive to the Hawks (giving them Terry/Diaw/Childress/Harrington/Z), and LeBron gets a running partner for the long haul. You can table a max deal to KMart if Zydrunas is offed, and IMO that's the only way to save face in this whole calamity.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kaillou:</div><div class="quote_post">I guess the Cavs simply werent willing to offer Boozer well over 10 million a year like Utah did.</div> Cleveland are over the cap, and can't offer anymore than the exception, which is around 40 mill over six years (with a likely player option after the first two seasons or so). Solid enough signing for the Jazz, but they are IMO overpaying for a guy who has only proven himself as a big man in the East, and is not a good defender.
