No Allen, No Redd....No AD?

OptionQB · Post by **OptionQB** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:17 am

One of the things that I truly enjoy is NBA free agency and the NBA as a whole. I would think that I have as good of a working knowledge of the inner workings of the NBA as most people here and the Collective Barganing Agreement which makes the NBA the most competitive professional sports league in North America.

As to how that relates to this on-going discussion with the Cavs, here you go. Nike also had a much-rumored "escalator" clause in Vince Carter's deal that triggered if he landed in NYC, Chicago, Houston and/or Los Angeles and maybe Philadelphia. The 5 biggest markets. The Nets count as NYC, especially with the impending move to Brooklyn.

Whether LeBron has a deal similiar to that in place or not remains to be seen. I would be a lot more concerned with LeBron's allegiances to Bad Boy Entertainment, headed by Jay-Z, part owner of the New Jersey Nets more than an escalator clause in his shoe deal.

The Cavs are partly protected in the latest season saving version of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Teams acquire what is known as a player's Bird Rights after a number of consecutive years of service. This became the Larry Bird rule named after the various contracts that the Celtics used to keep Larry Legend a Celtic.

According to the new deal . . . as evidenced by the Michael Redd debacle. The Bucks owned his Bird Rights and in an effort to give team's a chance to retain their players, the Bucks were the only team, barring a sign and trade, that could offer Michael Redd six years. The Cavs, by league rules could only offer 5. In a max contract that's the difference between $72-90 to $96 million depending on where the salary cap is set. Like Freak said, what's the difference once it gets that high? The difference is players are more than likely going to stay with their original team, b/c half of their rep(utation) or more is based on how much change you have in your pocket. Right now Michael Redd is in the upper 10-15% in the league with his Max contract. Meaning that was the maximum amount that the Bucks could offer based on the negotiated raises given per year.

Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett, Stephon Marbury, Kobe, Shaq and AI all signed their deals prior to the old CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and that is how they received the $100M+ deals that they have.

As for the Cavs financials right now . . . Larry Hughes was rumored to have signed for between $12-13 Million. His first year salary is what affects how much money they have left. Thanks to a few websites that specialize in this sort of thing, the Cavs came into the summer, second only to the Hawks, in terms of the amount of money that could be spent. The Cavs had roughly $28-30M based on where the Salary Cap is going to be set. Considering Hughes' deal, the first year salary is going to be around $8-9 Million dollars, with 10% raises and average $12-13M for the life of the contract. Meaning that the Cavs would still have somewhere between $18-20 Million left and the advantage of possibly signing and trading Z.

Any deals involving Eric Snow, Luke Jackson, Sasha Pavlovic, Ira Newble, Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao would be absored since all traded salary must be equal to 125% of what goes out has to come back in.

Z's sign and trade would count since he is a free agent.

Here are a few potential scenarios that could work themselves out. These trades actually all work under the terms of the new CBA, thanks again to the websites that specialize in this sort of thing.

Scenario #1- Based on the rumored sign and trade of Antoine Walker from the Celtics to the Sacramento Kings who in turn would send, for argument's sake either Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson or for our sake, the expiring Bobby Jackson contract and the expiring contract of Corliss Williamson. Obviously, the first scenario is much better in terms of talent, but acquiring expiring contracts would allow Boston to go and add another piece to the puzzle next year in free agency. Peja is very unhappy in Sac-Town the way it is and Sacramento needs a frontcourt upgrade following the trade of C-Webb to Philly. With Antoine Walker's 67 FGA/game coming to town, a defensive minded two guard would help matters since Bibby, Walker, and Brad Miller will command most of the shots.

*Cleveland trades Ira Newble and Drew Gooden to Sacramento for Peja Stojakovich . . . The free agency money is not used at all and for trading two projected starters the Cavs still come out way ahead by acquiring one of the more accurate 3pt shooters in the league. Peja, like most Europeans, doesn't play defense, but no one has ever accused LeBron of playing defense either so they're ok there. Hughes slides to the point where that is his natural position and LeBron is good enough to fake playing D on any 2 in the league as well as giving the Cavs a serious match-up problem for the opposition every night, no kidding.

*Cleveland signs Udonis Haslem or Stromile Swift, take your pick to a 5 year, $40-42 milllion dollar deal. We need a bruiser on the block. That is more up Haslem's alley, but Swift is a ridiculous athlete that is offensively raw and waiting for PT to allow his game to grow. I'll take either one. Both are young and will be bargains for that price 5 years from now.
Plus we still have between $10-12 million for other free agents.

*I personally would stay away from LeBron's preference of Eddy Curry from Chicago. Curry has a heart issue from last season that has since been cleared, but at 21/22 it's a scary thought. Plus, he's restricted so if you do sign him your money is tied up for 14 valuable negotiating days while the Bulls decide whether or not to match the offer sheet and you could wind up with nothing to show for it. So, I propose this . . .

*Cleveland trades Zydrunas Illgauskas and Eric Snow to Memphis for Lorenzen Wright, Bonzi Wells and Jason Williams or my perference a signed and traded Earl Watson.

Wells and Wright will both be traded in the offseason anyhow. They make a combined $12-14M. Bonzi can score with his eyes closed and according to Memphis plays the rest of his game that way too often. Wright is more than a servicable center and is only locked in for one year. (The value of an expiring contract) Watson would be signed for the Mid-Level exemption which teams who reach the salary cap can use to sign one more guy and create additional roster space. Watson and Snow's salaries cancel at zero, the are equal exactly. Z can still get a possible 4 deal at $35M with Memphis and make close to $10-12M in the first year coming close enough to the 125% threshold of Wells' and Wright's contracts. Watson becomes the back-up and a younger version of Snow. Wells is already one of the front-runners for Sixth Man of the Year and provides athleticism at the 3 that Peja cannot.

Lastly, barring hell freezing over and some GM losing their mind and offering a multi-year deal to Sagana Diop . . .

*Cavs pick up rookie option year on Sagana Diop.

Opening Day roster looks like:

PG- Larry Hughes, Earl Watson
SG- LeBron James, Luke Jackson
SF- Peja Stojakovich, Bonzi Wells, Sasha Pavlovic
PF- Udonis Haslem, Anderson Varejao
C- Lorenzen Wright, Sagana Diop

Add two college free agents or veteran minimum guys and this should be a very exciting, versatile team that could very easily compete in the East.

OptionQB · Post by **OptionQB** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:46 am

ESPN.com is reporting that Z agreed in principle (can't sign until July 22) to a 5 year/$55-60M with the Cavs. This is much higher than the original report of a 3 year/$10M offer.

Cavs reportedly after Z and Hughes still have $6M left to go and get a shooter or a PF like Udonis Haslem.

Germainfitch1 · Post by **Germainfitch1** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 10:01 am

"One of the things that I truly enjoy is NBA free agency and the NBA as a whole. I would think that I have as good of a working knowledge of the inner workings of the NBA as most people here and the Collective Barganing Agreement which makes the NBA the most competitive professional sports league in North America."

No. The NBA has only had 7 teams win the championship since 1979

Chicago, Houston, Detroit, San Antonio, Lakers, Celtics, 76ers. All from the top ten size markets in the country. The NBA is far from as competitive as pro football and even makes baseball...where small markets have recently won world series, look good.

population per city
New York, N.Y. 8,085,742
Los Angeles, Calif. 3,819,951
Chicago, Ill. 2,869,121
Houston, Tex. 2,009,690
Philadelphia, Pa. 1,479,339
Phoenix, Ariz. 1,388,416
San Diego, Calif. 1,266,753
San Antonio, Tex. 1,214,725
Dallas, Tex. 1,208,318
Detroit, Mich. 911,402

Lord_Byron · Post by **Lord_Byron** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 10:07 am

I think Dr. J and the Sixers won in 1983.

OptionQB · Post by **OptionQB** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:40 pm

Other than the "Jordan Rules" teams you will never see a team go up by 13.5 games over the second place team in its division at the All-Star break a la the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hockey is routinely won, when it's played, by the team that spends the most money, save the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Football is far from competitive as only a handful of teams are truly capable of winning a championship, where the league penalizes you for keeping guys like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Bruce Smith, Emmit Smith and others on your team that you have cheered on for 15 plus seasons.

So yes, in my opinion, the NBA is the most competitive league. I realize that the big market teams win, but Phoenix, a relatively, medium sized market won the regular season and teams like Denver and Seattle were very competitive all year long.

Germainfitch1 · Post by **Germainfitch1** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:09 pm

Phoenix is size 6 on that list. Football is built so small market teams an thrive just as easily as large market teams making the leagues popularity as a whole grow and allowing everyone to get more money. The utilitarian principle.