Who do you want the Cavs to keep after this season?

[ThirdEyeSharp]

Wayne Ellington
Shaun Livingston
Mareese Speights
Daniel Gibson

I'd like to keep Livingston and Speights around and I like Ellington as he can replace Gibson with better defense/more length.

Livingston is a good player to run the bench, while I wish he had a jumpshot he has played well.

And Speights is the only big on our team who we can give the ball and expect a basket to come from it. I don't think we'll keep him as much as I want us to.

[B Mac]

Well I think when asking the question you really have to look at salary first and take the 2014 offseason into account.

Ellington has a qualifying offer for next season of just 3 million which means it will have no effect on 2014. with the glaring need for swingmen on this team I see no reason to not pick it up. I would assume he'll be back.

Speights has a player option of just 4.5 million which he is almost certainly going to opt out of. Seeing as how he is looking for a longer deal at a bigger price I dont see the Cavs going out of their way to re-sign him. I personally wouldnt mind having him back, but after a torrid start for us his play has really regressed to his mean so you have to be wary of what he is asking for. All things being considered, its probably better to let him walk and not worry about him eating into our 2014 cap space.

Livingston is an interesting case. He has to be looking to finally get a guarenteed deal after bouncing around for so long. Simply because of his influence on Kyrie and because of how much Coach Scott loves Shaun, I could see Grant offering him a low salary, two year deal with the second being a team option to help maintain flexibility.

Gibson is as good as gone unless he signs for a vet minimum deal. I really cant see him choosing to return to Cleveland and see either his home state of Texas or somewhere close to Atlanta or LA as a better option for him and Keyshia. Sadly, one of the most recognizable Cavaliers and one of just two links to our former glory is likely gone. I suppose it's possible that the Cavs could also offer Gibson a two year deal with the second being a team option but I wouldnt count on it.

Other guys who's deals are up at the end of the year:

Walton has been a very suprising veteran precense. After struggling early on, he has really stabalized our bench bunch. If he accepts a small deal then I wouldnt be opposed to him staying on to continue to help our young guys gel.

Casspi has a qualifying offer, but there is no way in hell the Cavs pick that up. I frankly wouldnt be shocked to see Omri cut before the season is over. What a dissapointment he has been.

Miles has a team option for next season and I'm nearly confident that it will be picked up. There is no reason to not bring him back for one more season and then either let him expire or try to get creative with his contract in our 2014 offseason shenanigans.

Kevin Jones and Josh Selby? There is always a place at the end of the bench for guys like this, but they are also easily replaceable. I wouldnt be opposed to letting them compete in training camp to make the roster again next season.



What's interesting is that we have up to 9 players who may not be on the team next year! 9! That is a huge roster turnover. Being conservative I think it's fair to estimate that we keep about 3-4 of these guys for the 2013-14 season, which leaves plenty of room for us to bring in a couple of new draft picks and a young vet or two to help us make our playoff push next season.

[tidho]

Lots of good content above.

It doesn't seem like Speights will fit their likely salary preferences.
Ellington is a no brainer and because of that....
Boobie is gone.
I think they'll keep Livingston, and don't mind giving him money into 2014 as long as its role apropriate.
Hope they let Casspi and Walton walk too, no upside there.

[Harper4Ferry?]

Ellington and Livingston, assuming they each get between 2-3 million dollars on a small contract.

Spieghts at anything around 3/20 or 4/27.

Next year you have a rotation of

Irving
Waiters
Hopefully not Gee
Thompson
Zeller

and a bench rotation of like Livingston/Ellington/1st round rookie/Spieghts/Verejao til he gets hurt.

And we fill the rest of the roster with our other first round options, a 3rd string PG, and hopefully Gee cause he's been upgraded. Seriously just get a bunch of young guys on attractive contracts, cause looking back we may have been able to flip Waiters, some picks and maybe Andy for Harden and Perkins but we didn't.

[KuruptedCav]

Irving, Waiters, Thompson, Waiters, Gee, and Varejao are under contract, so it's likely they are back.

Miles has a TO for next year and Ellington with. QO. I expect both to be extended and signed.

I think Livingston is most important, but he is also a journeyman backup PG at this point. My guess is he comes back on a 2yr $4 million dollar deal, with only the first one fully guaranteed.

Mo will likely decline his PO and get to choose between one year and more one-year cash from CLE or a multi-yr deal elsewhere.

Boobie & Casspi are goners.

I expect Selby's TO to be declined.

I think Walton comes back on a one year deal.

Stability being the key development piece next year and the need for a standings improvement going into the summer of 2014, I think they will keep the team mostly together at a higher short-term cost.

[B Mac]

Looks like we are on the same page Kurupted.

[ThirdEyeSharp]

I think we should choose between Ellington and Miles.

While CJ is more explosive and when he's hot he sinks everything, Ellington is more composed and a better defender. Makes for a tough choice, but with us hopefully looking to add a wing in the draft I'd want to move one of them before Gee.

[fart]

Not Miles. The guy is the biggest chucker I've seen in a while. The guy shoots it almost everytime he touches it. it's ridiculous and he would be riding the bench on many other teams for doing this. I hate watching miles play.

[wenzi]

Not Miles. The guy is the biggest chucker I've seen in a while. The guy shoots it almost everytime he touches it. it's ridiculous and he would be riding the bench on many other teams for doing this. I hate watching miles play.

Most important is CJ is too inconsitent

[Harper4Ferry?]

We also need to get our payroll up to 54 million I believe(90% of the cap)

[kiwibrindle]

[quote="Harper4Ferry?"]Ellington and Livingston, assuming they each get between 2-3 million dollars on a small contract.

Spieghts at anything around 3/20 or 4/27.[/quote]

I agree with the contract ideas above. But don''t think me crazy but if Walton came back for a small contact too. I'd be okay with that also. He's a good asset to teach the young guys the game out on the floor I'm shocked he's accepted a role with a very positive effect the young guys on the bench have bought into as a veteran teacher.

I'm more worried however that Irving needs to win and make the playoffs next year or will not be happy here. The bigger question to me is which FA to go after at with position with the cap money we have to spend.

We need a 5 and a 3 to help lighten the load on Andy with him getting hirt so often and as an opgrade respectively. Yes I would offer a max deal to Howard even though you know he will not come here and is a winnie, but who else (even not at the 3 and the 5)?

Monte Ellis?
Millsap?
Maxiell?
Al Jefferson?

Again at what Price.

[ThirdEyeSharp]

Honestly, free agents are slim this year and I don't want to overpay for a player who won't help us win.

Iggy is the only player in this entire FA class I'd want, outside of Howard.

I wouldn't mind Walton coming back either tbh..lately he's picked it up and while I don't think he should play significant minutes, his demeanor and overall knowledge of the game is valuable to a young team like ours.