[quote name='redscoon']The Cavs can't protect Eric Williams because he is an unrestricted free agent. Also, although I don't have a link to back it up, I'm pretty certain I read a piece on ESPN way back describing how the expansion draft works and it stated that you can protect an unrestricted free agent, because the Expansion draft precedes the date in July when the contract year rolls over and the players eligible become free agents.
As far as the offseason goes... I think we make the playoffs and Toronto does not, which leaves us with no picks (not a bad thing). I think we will pick up McInnis and Boozer's options and let Bremer, Boom-Boom, and E-Will walk. As far as the expansion draft. James, Z, Boozer, Wagner, McInnis, Diop, Kapono, Battie get protected and Brown/Ollie/Newble do not. However, I don't think the Bobcats will take any of them (except maybe Brown) so that leaves us with 11 players on the roster and sufficient money to pick up a free agent (Chris Andersen or Stephen Jackson perhaps) Or it we could sit on the cash.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CBBI:</div><div class="quote_post">As far as the offseason goes... I think we make the playoffs and Toronto does not, which leaves us with no picks (not a bad thing). I think we will pick up McInnis and Boozer's options and let Bremer, Boom-Boom, and E-Will walk. As far as the expansion draft. James, Z, Boozer, Wagner, McInnis, Diop, Kapono, Battie get protected and Brown/Ollie/Newble do not. However, I don't think the Bobcats will take any of them (except maybe Brown) so that leaves us with 11 players on the roster and sufficient money to pick up a free agent (Chris Andersen or Stephen Jackson perhaps) Or it we could sit on the cash.</div> If we make the playoffs this year we will not sit on the cash saved by letting Williams walk, Bremer and Boumtje Boumjte as well as no guarenteed money from a first rounder! So we make the playoffs and are bundled out of the first round. Everyone expects moves to be made to take this tem to a new level. We dont want to be like Minessota and be first round fodder year after year. So chase a free agent.
If McInnis and Boozer's options are picked up and all the free agents (Williams, Bremer, Boom Boom) are let go... we should be around 37 million dollars in salary. Would that 7-8 million dollars be enough to attract one of the better free agents or should that money go toward signing a couple of lesser FA like last season (Stephen Jackson and Chris Andersen as possibilities)
What makes you think that Denver is going to give up Anderson? I know that the Hawks won't have enough money to resign Jackson so he is a possiblity but Anderson has had a great year, and I don't see the rich creamy nuggets not resigning him.
Jackson isn't leaving the Hawks because they can't afford him, he is leaving because he doesn't want to be there. The Hawks will have plenty of money in the offseason, as they have been slashing salary by trading away guys like Ratliff and SAR.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Amherstcavsfan:</div><div class="quote_post">What makes you think that Denver is going to give up Anderson? I know that the Hawks won't have enough money to resign Jackson so he is a possiblity but Anderson has had a great year, and I don't see the rich creamy nuggets not resigning him.</div> What do you mean the hawks wont have enough money. There whole playing roster is pretty much a free agent come seasons end! They could offer Jackson 15 million if they wanted! But Jackson will be unrestricted and he pretty much wants to go to a winner, which rules out taking up his player option with the Hawks! As for Anderson, he would be a great backup center/ power forward, but I wouldn't offer him too much. He is a backup at best. He would be nice if we packaged Battie and Wagner in another deal!
^ Point taken!!! I'm never going to the NBA yet it would take some convincing to pull on a Hawks singlet! Still I say chase Stephon Jackson!
Not that it looks like we'll have a draft pick but.... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"Scouts are buzzing about 19-year-old Pavel Podkolzine, a 7-5, 305-pound Russian center who is playing for Metis Varese in Italy. He's expected to enter the NBA draft this summer, and insiders say the Cavaliers would love to have him as a backup to Ilgauskas or a replacement if Ilgauskas leaves as a free agent when his contract expires next season. But to some skeptics, Podkolzine looks more like the second coming of Darko Milicic, who was taken by the Pistons with the second pick in the 2003 draft and has barely played for Detroit." Chicago Sun-Times</div>
From what I've heard Podkolzine is extremely raw on the offensive end. If we were to go after a big man, I'd think about a more polished college player that may have a lower ceiling. How about Araujo(sp?) from BYU or Harrison of Colorado if he leaves? Of course it's not really necessary that we take a center this year anyway. We can basically take the best player available and work around it because of our flexibility (LBJ's ability to play 2 & 3, McInnis's option, Z's impending Free Agency, etc.)
I would hope that the Cavaliers learned a lesson about "raw centers" when they drafted Diop. I don't want another guy that is going to sit on the bench for years and do nothing put grab a few boards and get a block here and there. The foreign player hype machine is getting out of control. For every Nowitzki and Peja, there are 2 or 3 other foreign born players that totally flop (Bruno Sundov anyone?).
And the way it is looking we will not get a draft pick anyway! What is the status on our second rounder??? Word has it we owe it to Toronto from that Lamond Murray trade!!! So that could mean no picks at all! If we do get our second round pick, it will be damn low so we may as well look at a project!
draft scenarios If you want to check out all the possible draft scenarios click here. Basically, Toronto owes the Cavs a first round pick (lottery protected) from the Lamond Murray deal. If Toronto doesn't make the playoffs, we don't get it. We owe the Suns a lottery protected first round pick from the Wesley Person deal, so if we make the playoffs they get our pick. In the 2nd round, the Cavs have a future 2nd round pick coming from the Celts in the Jumaine Jones deal, however, Boston is supposed to get our 2nd round pick this year from the Ricky Davis deal. These will offset one another though. We owe Toronto a 2nd round pick this year from the Lamond Murray deal, so that will leave us without a 2nd round pick. It's confusing I know, but I hope that sheds some light on things.
That makes sence Redscoon.... Thanks! The way this season is panning out, draft day will be a non event for Cavaliers fans! Although I'm on the sign Stephon Jackson bandwagon, I dont mind the thought of Turkoglu being wooed here! As a starter he is averaging 10ppg while hitting at 50% from the outside! He is a good ball handler to and fine passer! Has played badly off the bench for the Spurs, but has been on a tear of late! Thoughts...........
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CBBI:</div><div class="quote_post">If McInnis and Boozer's options are picked up and all the free agents (Williams, Bremer, Boom Boom) are let go... we should be around 37 million dollars in salary. Would that 7-8 million dollars be enough to attract one of the better free agents or should that money go toward signing a couple of lesser FA like last season (Stephen Jackson and Chris Andersen as possibilities)</div> Plus, subtract K Brown, Neble, or Ollie from that 37 million figure. Kedrick would seem the most likely to be selected and he was drafted 10th or 11th a few years back so he's probably slated to make about 1.5 to 2 million next year.
