Cavs Offseason

[scumbag86]

This is going to be a huge off season for the Cavs. Dan Ferry and Dan Gilbert need to step up. Dan Gilbert if it requires u to lose 50 million dollars in the off season it doesn't matter. If you lose Lebron and not make him happy you lose 500 million. Do you realize how bad the Cavs are without Lebron. There are 5 things they should do.

1. Do everything that you can to try and get Elton Brand. We need a low post player that we can throw the ball to in the post and actually put the ball in the hoop.

2. Try to get a PG that can actually bring the ball down the court without turning it over so Lebron doesn't have to expend so much energy bringing the ball up every play.

3.. Trade the expiring contracts of Wally, Damon, and Eric. Then see what you can get for Andy and Sasha. Mike Miller hopefully.

4. Sign either Gibson or West only one of them though to be a backup point guard.

5. Hire an offensive minded assistant coach. Mike Brown has no idea how to coach offense. He is a great defensive coach. All we need is someone to come in and show the team how u don't just stand there and look at one guy while he does everything.

[CzBoobie]

If we somehow could get Brand, solid PG, Mike Miller and offensive coach, I say we're gonna win 5 rings in a row...

That's not gonna happen, even only one thing from your list is gonna be tough to get...

[mneezy1]

I swear if any combination of these scenarios actually occur, I'd probably cream myself.

1. Do everything that you can to try and get Elton Brand. We need a low post player that we can throw the ball to in the post and actually put the ball in the hoop.

Acquiring Elton Brand this off-season by any means necessary should be our #1 priority. I don't know his contract situation/the feasibility of such an acquisition, but adding him would give us the dominant Duke PF that we lost in Boozer. Elton is a great professional and plays excellent defense, and would instantly make us a Top-3 team in the East for a long time.

Look at how good the Lakers got when they added Gasol. DOMINANT BIGS WIN IN THIS LEAGUE! LeBron + Elton > Kobe + Gasol.

2. Try to get a PG that can actually bring the ball down the court without turning it over so Lebron doesn't have to expend so much energy bringing the ball up every play.

This is where I think we're set. Delonte West is going to work like a dog this off-season and try to be the PG that LeBron needs. We don't need a "pure" PG, but rather someone who can handle the ball when needed and get us into our offense. 12-14 PPG would be ideal as well. I'm really high on Delonte, so I want to see the improvements he'll make in his game to help this team win.

3. Trade the expiring contracts of Wally, Damon, and Eric. Then see what you can get for Andy and Sasha. Mike Miller hopefully.

Definitely. Mike Miller is a dominant SG, and is a very capable defender. Memphis is in rebuilding mode and wouldn't hesitate to make this move IMO.

4. Sign either Gibson or West only one of them though to be a backup point guard.

Sign both if possible. Both want to play here, and both we'll only continue to get better as they progress into their careers. Gibson definitely could have been the difference in yesterday's Game 7.

5. Hire an offensive minded assistant coach. Mike Brown has no idea how to coach offense. He is a great defensive coach. All we need is someone to come in and show the team how u don't just stand there and look at one guy while he does everything.

We need to. Mike Brown needs to swallow his whistle and have some hungry offensive genius come in and be inventive. LeBron is too good of a player to allow to go 1-on-5 every game. I actually like Mike Brown, but our offense is way too stagnant and predictable.

Here's an additional acquisition that I would like to see made: J.J. Redick for our 2008 2nd-Rounder. I know we have gotten into the nasty habit of trading away our picks, but I swear J.J. would be our Kyle Korver... someone who could come off the bench and knock down 3's. His trade value is low, and I'm sure Mike Brown could make him an adequate defender.

GET **** DONE FERRY!

[B Mac]

I agree with pretty much your whole post mneezy. As long as we resign Delonte and Boobie then I think we can focus more on PF and SG as the two areas to bring in that true second option. Obviously Brand and Miller would be way up on the list, although the list of guys to get at PF is much shorter than that for SG.

One thing though, we already traded away our 08 2nd rounder.... I think for Milt Polacio??

[JDaWg1000]

wow even if we were to get either brand or mike miller plus the rest of that hapening we would be set.

mike and elton together would be great, but i think LAC would be looking for more for brand then just the expirings of Wally, Damon, or Eric, or the young talent of Sasha and Andy.

and yes we don't have a second round pic this year, we do however have two second rounders next year, i'd trade both if needed to get JJ, the guy could bring some instant offense off the bench.

also we should bring both boobie and delonte back at this point boobie is a shooter, maybe onceh he is further in his development he could be a PG, but right now, delotne as the starter and boobie off the bench with 3's and defense works fine

[LarBrd33]

Totally an outsider... but how do you figure you'll get Elton Brand? That seems a little ambitious... you guys don't even have cap room, right?

I was just screwing around with the trade machine for the heck of it. Most of you will hate this idea probably, but if the Cavs are desperate to surround LeBron with some actual talent... why wouldn't they do this?

Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Eric Snow to the Knicks for

Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford and Jared Jeffries

Obviously wouldn't be an "ideal" magical scenario like landing Elton Brand, but... that's at least a little talent, right?

As much as people RIP Zach Randolph, he's still a guy who averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds on 46% shooting. Crawford might remind some people of Larry Hughes, but he's probably the Knicks most consistent player... averaging 20 points and 5 assists last year. And you wouldn't really be giving up much....

Trot out Z at center, Randolph at PF... LeBron, Crawford and whoever you get as a PG...

Of course all 3 of those guys are signed on for like 3 more years. And obviously the reason the Knicks would do this would be to take on contracts that expire the year LeBron expires... so they can make a play for Bron.

Then just use Wally's contract to try to land a capable point guard. I don't see why Toronto does it, but maybe TJ Ford or something...

PG - TJ Ford or something
SG - Crawford
SF - LeBron
PF - Randolph
C - Z

[JDaWg1000]

crawford will not be traded, he is one of the guys mike dantoni wants to keep (it was in a wiretap article). and no to big zach, its not because of his stats its his off the court problems and weight problems, and work ethic

and the cavs organization is not going to do anything that will allow the knicks money to sign lebron

[LarBrd33]

crawford will not be traded, he is one of the guys mike dantoni wants to keep (it was in a wiretap article). and no to big zach, its not because of his stats its his off the court problems and weight problems, and work ethic

Yeah I get that maybe he wants to hang on to Crawford, but if i'm the Knicks i'm blowing up that whole team to bring on contracts of guys who expire the year LeBron (and Wade, etc) expire. All three of those guys (Crawford, Randolph and Jeffries) expire the year AFTER LeBron does. If it takes including Crawford to rid themselves of the other two... I'm sure the Knicks would do it. A contract like Ben Wallace shouldn't matter to the Knicks, because Wallace will be off the books when LeBron is on the market...

[girlygirl]

I disagree with West being the answer at PG. He had a solid series, but he is a combo guard who is actually more effective when he doesn't have to do a lot of the ballhandling/playmaking. He doesn't take any pressure off of LeBron when it comes to having to be the primary playmaker. He'd be a really nice 6th man for the Cavs.

The Cavs need a PF who can be a true scoring threat and a pass-first PG.

[DowJones]

1. We have no chance to great Brand. None.

2. It would be nice to get a new PG, but who is out there to be had? Nobody that is worth anything.

3. Mike Miller is good, but thios is the type of move that is made closer to the trade deadline. Memphis had the chance to dump him for salary last year, but they didn't. What makes us think we can have him for just expirings this year?

4. I would like to sign them both.

5. I completely agree.


Cleveland needs to look at Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Redd.

[gflem]

And last year Boston had no chance to get garnett, or ray allen, and pp was going to be traded. Point? Crazier things have happened unless you factor in that this is cleveland, where keith hernandez/wayne garland, and high % shooters like wally and jr bremer happen.

I would think al harrington would be a good fit, but Jermaine is too fragile. Brand would obviously be a great fit, and Ferry should sell his soul for him if that is what it takes. Its going to be an interesting offseason thats for sure, taking 2 steps back shouldnt sit well with anybody in the cavs front office.

[B Mac]

My top (semi) realistic PF's:
1. Elton Brand
2. AK47
3. Okafor
4. J O'Neal

My top (semi) realistic G's:
1. Redd
2. M. Miller
3. M. Williams
4. Maggette (more of a SF, but he goes here)

Adding one player from each list would go a looong way in making us the team to beat... just hopefully at least one of the players would be 1st or 2nd on their respective lists.

[B Mac]

My top (semi) realistic PF's:
1. Elton Brand
2. AK47
3. Okafor
4. J O'Neal

My top (semi) realistic G's:
1. Redd
2. M. Miller
3. M. Williams
4. Maggette (more of a SF, but he goes here)

Adding one player from each list would go a looong way in making us the team to beat... just hopefully at least one of the players would be 1st or 2nd on their respective lists.

While Im at it I figured I'd also throw out some more names of guys thatpossibly could be available this offseason (not that we would have a chance on most of them):
Jefferson, Carter, Jamison, Arenas, B. Davis, Deng, Gordon, Iguodala, J. Howard, Carmelo, Randolph, Calderon, Ford...

[Benedict_Boozer]

Man all this talk has me worried that Ferry will blow it...he hasn't really made a BAD trade yet, so that gives some hope.

But if he screws up this summer, we won't have another chance with Lebron..this is basically our last chance to build a contender around him..now or never

[B Mac]

Man all this talk has me worried that Ferry will blow it...he hasn't really made a BAD trade yet, so that gives some hope.

But if he screws up this summer, we won't have another chance with Lebron..this is basically our last chance to build a contender around him..now or never

Yes and no. This might well be Ferry's last chance, but also looking at our salaries over the next few years it seems he might get one more shot. The summer that LeBron can opt out (which he will do, but thats a good thing) we could have up to 36 million in expirings coming off to play around with either the summer before or right before the trade deadline. Of course everything depends on what happens between now and then but Wallace's 14 mil will be coming off, and Pavs 5 mil will be coming off for sure. If Z sticks out the last year of his contract and doesnt retire before his 11.5 mil will be coming off that summer as well.

As of now LeBron is the only one locked up beyond the 09/10 season and even his is a PO. Of course that will likely change this offseason with West and Gibson plus a draft pick and whoever else we get, but it does indeed look like Ferry (or whoever is our GM) will get one last chance that summer to make the right moves to our team. Although if we havent found the guys that put us over the top by the 2010 offseason then we might as well kiss LeBron goodbye at that point.

[JDaWg1000]

i don't think this is our last chance but it is getting close, and b mac your right any guy from each cateory on that list put with lebron would be amazing.

also another note when it comes to guys like emeka and elton who could be free agents, do u think we could sign them, or would we have to do a sign and trade with their respective teams

[B Mac]

i don't think this is our last chance but it is getting close, and b mac your right any guy from each cateory on that list put with lebron would be amazing.

also another note when it comes to guys like emeka and elton how could be free agents, do u think we could sign them, or would we have to do a sign and trade with their respective teams

Unless we somehow shed ridiculous amounts of salary, or one of them decides to sign for the MLE and gives up literally 10's of millions there is absolutely no way we could sign either of them outright. The Cavs already have the 4th highest payroll in the league so we are definately way over the cap even before we make any moves this offseason.

[JDaWg1000]

so i guess they would have to be signed by their teams then traded. man i hope danny ferry can somehow pull off a sign and trade for brand then another trade for redd or miller

[kiwibrindle]

DO you think the Knicks would give up their number 5 pick for a shorter contract somehow like

Q-Rich and Zach and their number 5 pick for wally and Ben. About the same $$ for a lot less time.

Then turn this into a three-way offering the Clippers the number 5 Damon and Eric for Brand.

In the end we start :

West
Q-rich
Bron
Brand
Z

I know, no knicks, but I propose using them to get Brand

[Icness]

I don't think making even more changes is going to make the team any more likely to win a title. Let this group all get healthy, actually practice together and get some chemistry, and they'll automatically improve. Change for the sake of change is not what this team needs.

To get anything of value, the Cavs would have to part with value. The only realistic hypothetical deal I've seen that makes the team definitively better is the Z-for-AK47 deal. And that makes the frontcourt scoring a real problem. You have to pair Big Ben with a scorer or else Ben becomes a serious liability, and Joe Smith can't play more than about 20 MPG anymore.

I don't think there's any chance for Brand, Okafor, JO, or anyone from Milwaukee. What does Cleveland have besides Lebron, Boobie, and Varejao that helps the Bucks accomplish their goals?