About the Cavs...
Most fans know the Cavs need a guard who can create his own shot. If the season opened today, the starting backcourt would probably be Delonte West and Sasha Pavlovic, with Wally Szczerbiak, Damon Jones and Daniel Gibson coming off the bench. None of them would be starting for a serious championship contender. All can help off the bench, to different degrees. So it's no surprise the Cavs have been examining trade possibilities for Baron Davis, Michael Redd, Kirk Hinrich and other guards.
Joshua Gunter/The Plain Dealer
There's plenty of reasons why Anderson Varejao figures to be part of any trade talks the Cavaliers have during the summer.But what also concerns the front office is the age of their big men. On opening night, Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be 33, Joe Smith 33 and Ben Wallace 34. Yes, Anderson Varejao will only be 26, but he can opt out of his contract at the end of next season. Given Varejao's holdout last year and his hard-driving agent Dan Fagan, it's doubtful he will re-sign here. That's why there will be lots of trade rumors about Varejao. Also, the 6-10 forward/center is one of the few attractive players the Cavs have to use in a deal.
Because NBA rules say Varejao can't be traded until Dec. 5 without his approval, that means the new team will probably have to sign Varejao to an extension in order for his agent to OK the trade. So the Cavs must: 1) Find a team that needs Varejao; 2) Get the team to give value in return; and 3) get Varejao to agree to the trade, and possibly sign him to a new deal. It's not impossible, but it is complicated.
It also means that at the end of the 2008-09 season, the Cavs have only Ilgauskas and Wallace under contract, in terms of big men. The underrated Smith will be a free agent in the summer of 2009, joining Varejao. That's why the Cavs, who have the 19th pick in this week's draft, have been looking at big men such as Georgetown's Roy Hibbert. Yes, they are considering OSU's Kosta Koufos, but Hibbert may have more appeal because he's played four years of college and is a legitimate 7-1, 270 pounds. He is has some inside post moves (especially a short hook), and he blocks shots, which will appeal to coach Mike Brown.
Some fans want the Cavs to make a move on Jermaine O'Neal, because he wants to be traded. But he has two years and $44 million left on his contract. He is 30 years old. In the last four years, he has averaged only 51 games played -- meaning he misses 31. The breakdown is 44-51-69-42, showing his physical problems, primarily with his knee. In the last two years, he has shot under 44 percent and he has been hobbled. If the Cavs do build a package of expiring contracts such as Szczerbiak, Jones, etc. to deal for O'Neal -- that's it, they have used their main assets to attract a high-priced player.
It makes more sense to package Varejao and Szczerbiak (about $18 million in combined salaries) to build a deal for Redd, Davis or someone who can make an immediate impact. Davis also has an worrisome injury history, but he did play all 82 games last season. The Clippers' Elton Brand has one year and $16 million left on a contract, and he can elect to be a free agent this summer. He is coming off an Achilles injury, but you can be certain the Cavs will check him out. He is a much safer gamble than O'Neal. Brand would probably have to be part of a sign-and-trade, and that gets tricky.
The Cavs don't have a second-rounder, but I look for them to trade for a lower pick. They have worked out more than 50 players and have plenty of open roster spots. A few teams have multiple second-round picks and are willing to trade. GM Danny Ferry did grab Daniel Gibson in the second round, so he might want another crack at the draft after No. 19.
My pick for No. 19, if he is available, would be Brandon Rush. I talked to former Warriors and Kings head coach Eric Musselman, who spent a few weeks with the Kansas team this season. He raved about Rush's attitude, court intelligence, leadership and shooting. "He'd be a great fit for the Cavs," said Musselman, who attended Brecksville-Broadview Heights High when his dad Bill coached the Cavs.
6/22/08
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