Category Archives: cleveland cavaliers

Gerald Wallace Declines Player Option, Becomes Free Agent

According to Legion Sports, Gerald Wallace will tell the Brooklyn Nets that he will decline his $9.5 million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent.

In what could be the worst trade this decade, the Nets traded Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur, and a 2012 top-3 protected 1st round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Wallace. The Nets’ draft pick ended up being #6, so it will be sent to Portland to complete the deal. The Nets gave up all of that for roughly 20 games of Wallace.

Now that the Charlotte Bobcats all-time leading scorer is a free agent, will Wallace go back there and become an icon or sign with a contender? I name a few teams that currently need his services and have the cap space to offer him a contract.

Wallace has a weird NBA contract. His contract ends 15 days before the NBA Draft, so theoretically the Nets could use that information and draft to fill the need. Unfortunately, Portland owns their first round pick and the Golden State Warriors own their 2nd round pick (#35 overall). They do own the Miami Heat’s 2nd round pick (#57 overall) and Draft Express currently has the Nets using that pick on Mike Scott, a 6’8 power forward from Virginia.

Even though Wallace is a free agent earlier than the rest of the class, he will still be under the same rules. He cannot start negotiating with a team until July 1st and will not be able to officially sign until July 11th.

Which teams are in need of Wallace and could afford to pay him?

The first team that comes to mind is the Charlotte Bobcats. Unfortunately, they have three ridiculous contracts on the books for 2012-13: Corey Maggette $10.9 million, Tyrus Thomas $8 million, and DeSagana Diop $7.4 million. Diop and Maggette’s contracts will come off the books after next season, but the Bobcats will still owe Thomas $18+ million. Maggette could be a trade piece mid-season, since he is still productive, but Diop and Thomas are unmovable. Charlotte could afford to give Wallace a deal, even with a couple bad contracts on the books.

My fingers are crossed that the Bobcats sign Wallace this offseason. It has been a rough season for my friend Ben Swanson. He is SBNation’s Charlotte Bobcats blogger at Rufus On Fire. It could heal the pain he has endured by being a Bobcats fan the last few years.

Depending on their selections in the NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers could be in the market for Wallace. A lot of mock drafts have them selecting either PF/C Andre Drummond (UConn) or PF Thomas Robinson (Kansas) with the #4 overall pick. If Bradley Beal falls to them, Wallace could be in play for Cleveland. He would be a nice complement to both Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson.

The Dallas Mavericks could end up poaching both of the marquee free agents from the Brooklyn Nets. All of the rumors point to Deron Williams declining his player option and signing with Dallas. In order to sign Wallace, Dallas would need to use their amnesty clause on Brendan Haywood. He is due to make $27+ million over the next three seasons.

The final team that I believe could go after Wallace would be the Boston Celtics. If Danny Ainge decides to go in a different direction and opts to not re-sign Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the money would be there for a few marquee signings. It is a long shot because of their need for a center and that Wallace does a lot of things that Brandon Bass could be doing for the Boston next season. Ainge is unpredictable and he could try to reconstruct the next ‘Big Three.’

The Brooklyn Nets find themselves in a bad situation. They are due to open their new arena in Brooklyn without a notable player to appear on billboards. Deron Williams is expected to decline his player option and will leave the Nets with MarShon Brooks as the face of their franchise. I would have said Brook Lopez, but the Nets have been throwing him out there as bait for both Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum over the last two seasons. I’m not sure if the fans actually see him as a player or just a trade commodity.

In the end, the NBA Draft will dictate where Gerald Wallace will end up. If a team misses out on a SF/PF scoring option, Wallace will end up on their wishlist.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

It’s Time For Cleveland Fans To Move On

I missed the game when it was on tonight because of a medical problem, but I found a feed online and watched Cavs/Heat game in its entirety. I knew it was bad when the Cavs starting lineup consisted of Joey Graham and Anthony Parker, guys who should be a #9 and #10 guy on a contender. The game could have been worse if Lebron didn’t sit out the entire 4th quarter. All Cavs fans should have tried to attend the game, because I hope everyone who watched this game got it out of their system, because it is now time to move on.

Lebron James came back to Cleveland and was showered with boos and expletives. He deserved every decibel of noise the fans gave him. I’m not even a Cavs fan, but I can relate to a passionate fanbase that yearns for a championship, I’m a Chicago Cubs and Indiana Pacers fan. If Reggie Miller left to go to the Knicks during his prime, I would have been in the crowd the next time he played in Indianapolis and given him everything I could dish out. Saying that, after the initial visit, even by halftime, the boos should start to go away. The wound is very fresh in Cleveland, but look at your lineup, you have holes from 1-12. The team isn’t good and they are actually over-achieving right now. A record of 7-11 was not expected by any experts at the start of the season, some actually predicted that a record of 20-52 could be their season record. I’m sure the Cavs will make moves to improve their team and it will look quite different by the end of the season. Anderson Varejao looks like a player that many teams would like and Cleveland can get depth in return.

The Heat have looked mediocre at times this year and no one can be sold that they are a championship team this year. Any team with size dominates them in the paint and grabs a ton of second-chance points. Roy Hibbert looked like Patrick Ewing against the Heat last week. Two or three years down the road, the Heat will be a beast of a team and veterans will want to go there to win a ring and play for the league minimum. I know that’s the last thing Cavs fans want to hear, but we know this is true. This has been a trend for years, just look at how loaded from top to bottom the contending teams are. Contending teams are magnets for veterans looking for jewelry.

Cleveland fans has been battered, chewed up, and spat upon by Lebron and his entourage. I hope tonight was the start of your therapy sessions. It’s time to move on and think about the future. You will most likely end up in the Lottery in the upcoming draft (it’s not a bad thing, you need to reload). Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, and many other guys could be there when you pick. This year’s draft looks like it could be a pretty good class. Who knows maybe Ohio’s own Jared Sullinger will be your next savior.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

America’s White Boy at Sports Media 360

Hey guys, I just arrived in Cleveland, OH for the Sports Media 360 conference. I will be meeting up some fellow bloggers and hopefully get some useful knowledge from the great panels tomorrow. I will try to get some pictures up at some point this weekend. If you’re in the Cleveland area, stop by the Renaissance Hotel, it should be a pretty fun conference the next couple of days.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland hasn’t won a championship in any major sports since before the Super Bowl was even created. Shaq was brought there to deliver a ring for Lebron, but will this be the last year the King will be there? Can Delonte West avoid hiding guns in guitar cases this season or is he this generation’s J.R. Rider? A lot of pressure is on the Cavs to go out and dominate every night, but is the pressure too much? Here is my 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Additions/Subtractions – Cleveland made one of the biggest trades this off-season by acquiring Shaquill O’Neal from Phoenix. They made the trade without sending any contributors. They have all the pieces from last year, minus Wally Szczerbiak, who’s contract ran out. They added Leon Powe from the Celtics and Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and Rob Kurz all hope to make the team. I look for J.J. Hickson to get some minutes this year, since he had a year under his belt and he could be a nice addition to the rotation.

2009-10 Expectations – The Cavs are the NBA Championship or bust this year. They cashed in all their chips and this could be their last year with Lebron James on the roster. They can’t allow it to become a distraction, especially since Delonte West’s actions were enough to derail a team alone. They will need Mo Williams to become a more consistent offensive threat if this team wants to live up to their potential this season and get a ring on their finger. Shaq and Zudruna Ilgauskas are a nice two-headed monster at the center position and can match up with any team in the NBA. If the Cavs play up to their potential, it’s their championship to lose.

2009-10 Prediction – I don’t want a lot of hate mail from Cleveland fans, but I don’t forsee a title in their future. They will coast in the regular season, but they will have to go up against Boston and possibly Los Angeles in the NBA Finals and it’s going to be a tough. Shaq had a miracle season last year just by staying healthy and I don’t see that happening this year. A lot of pressure is on him to produce and deliver Lebron a title. If they don’t get a ring this year, Mike Brown could see his way out and Lebron could even leave for a better chance at a championship. I would like to see Cleveland win the title this year, but even though they look very good on paper, I am not sure if they will be able to do it.

2009-10 Win Total – 65-17

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Why "Shaq To Cavs" Could Be Bad For Lebron

The rumor mill is busy tonight with a pending Shaquille O’Neal trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs will send Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix for basically two expiring contracts. Shaq resurrected his career last season and wants to win another championship before he retires. He got into great physical shape, thanks for the Phoenix Suns trainers. This trade is great for Cleveland, but is it good for Lebron James?

Cleveland is Lebron’s team from the first day he grabbed a wine-colored jersey. He has been hyped as the “next great player” and a championship would be a given. He has flourished with the talent around him, but never seemed to have enough talent to get him a ring. Lebron has never had a true big man, even though Big Z is a good player, he isn’t much of a physical presence in the paint. Shaq will help Cleveland and probably land Cleveland a championship.

Do you remember the talk about Kobe Bryant won a championship with Shaq and didn’t win one without Shaq until this past season? All the talk on sports radio and with fans never really recognized that Kobe even won any championships, since they were just with Shaq. Will the same argument be made if Lebron wins a championship with Shaq and then struggles the next couple seasons?

The Cavs do need a big man, it’s a no-brainer. The way that Dwight Howard man-handled them and scored at will, even with the offensive post-moves of a toddler. The Cavs need a tall-wing player more than a big man. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu hurt the Cavs more than Dwight Howard, it’s not even close. The backcourt in Cleveland are short and fast, but not physical. If the Cavs made a trade for Vince Carter or maybe even sign Trevor Ariza. A tall wingman isn’t available in this year’s draft. If Lebron James is Michael Jordan, he needs a Scottie Pippen. It’s going to be hard when you 2nd best guard is Mo Williams, a guy who seems to disappear in big games.

If things go rough the first month of the season, expect Shaq to throw out a couple of Tweets that will bash Lebron or Mike Brown. Shaq is a fun-loving guy, but when he’s on a contender, he tends to be not so light-hearted. You are always gambling when signing Shaq, I’m not saying that he’s like Terrell Owens, but you have to worry a little. The Phoenix Suns training staff is the best in a league and works miracles on guys. If Shaq and Grant Hill play more than 90% of games in a season, you know that they are doing some special. When Shaq leaves the training staff, is he still going to be motivated enough and stay healthy for a full season?

Can a season with Shaq, turn Lebron into a bitter Kobe-like player? If Cleveland wins next season, will Lebron leave and try to win in another city without Shaq? There are so many question marks with this trade. The Cavs are smart and realize that they may only have one season to make a run with Lebron, but I’m wondering if the cons outweigh the pros for Lebron James.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

What If: NBA Team In Columbus, OH

The rumors of many NBA teams having financial problems have been floating around for the last few months. The NBA borrowed tons of money to try and keep the league afloat during the economic depression that we are facing. I personally think that they could rid themselves of the WNBA and get companies to sponsor NBA jerseys and the league would be as stable as the NFL. Many of the teams that could be moving look towards cities with a new NHL stadium as an easy fix. Columbus, Ohio has a great NHL stadium and was even in the conversation when the Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City (sorry Bill Simmons). What would happen if a team would move to Columbus, Ohio?

First I wonder what they would name the team. I think when the city of Columbus was given an NHL team, they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get “Blue Jackets.” I can’t think of a logical team name right away. I would think that the term “Buckeyes” would work, but The Ohio State would like that very much. Here are a few names that I would like, but probably never get past the first brainstorming meeting.

– Columbus Hop (named after the Gallery Hop)
– Columbus Not Buckeyes
– Columbus Construction (see High Street)
– Columbus Twitter (first ever NBA team named after a company)
– Columbus Capitols

There are really no great names for a team here, but I do think that they should have a company buy the team’s name. Unfortunately for Columbus, Nationwide Insurance, Ohio Health, and Huntington Bank are three major players in town and none of them sound like a good team name.

I can’t see an NBA team flourishing here in Columbus. It has taken the city 10 years to really get behind the Blue Jackets. It took one season of making the playoffs for it to happen, but this city loves a winner. They kind of turn their backs on teams that don’t win, the people here are used to Ohio State winning football games.

Columbus is too close to Cleveland and with Lebron still there, I don’t see the Cleveland fanbase in Columbus jumping ship. Columbus would have to get a phenom in the first 2 or 3 drafts in order to stay here.

I do agree that Columbus is a great short-term fix for an NBA team that is struggling (New Orleans, Memphis, Milwaukee), but Kansas City would be more of a longer-term city to maintain an NBA franchise. I went to KC last month and walked by the new Sprint Center. It looks like a mix between a UFO and a diamond. I would like to throw out a name for a Kansas City….The KC Masterpieces. You like?

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

NBA Trade Frenzy : Pack Your Bags

In between Christmas and the trade deadline in February, expect many NBA teams to jockey for position by making a few trades to improve their teams going down the stretch. A lot of contenders have some key players, and more importantly, expiring contracts, to dangle out there for the best deal. Who will make the trades and what players will go? Who will clear more cap-space for the 2010 free agency period? Here are the top eight expiring contracts likely to be traded before the deadline.

8. Ben Gordon – Chicago Bulls ($6,404,750) – Chicago could make a starting line-up filled with guards, and need front-court help. They have just a one-year qualifying offer and it will be hard to trade Gordon since he had what is the equivalent of a “no-trade clause,” since he would get Larry Bird rights at the end of this season. It will be hard to trade him, but I have a hard time believing that if Chicago lines up a trade that would put Gordon on a contender, that he would decline the trade.

7. Bobby Jackson – Sacramento Kings ($6,487,888) – The Sacramento Kings are off to one of their worst starts in the team’s history and looked like they have already packed it in. Their coach was already fired and appears to be playing for more ping-pong balls in the lottery. The Kings could move Jackson to clear cap space for 2010 and maybe get a draft pick in the process. He has been a deadline gem the last fe seasons and it seems like that could be the case again this season.

6. Andre Miller – Philadelphia 76ers ($10,333,334) – Philadelphia had high hopes coming into the 2008-09 season with a positive showing in the playoffs last year and the signing of Elton Brand. The season didn’t start off as they hoped and their coach was fired just a few weeks ago. The 76ers aren’t going to be players in the 2010 free agency bonanza, so if they move Miller, it would be a move to build for next year. Philadelphia would be looking for first round picks and maybe a young point guard, something similar to the Devin Harris/Jason Kidd trade last year.

5. Lamar Odom – Los Angeles Lakers ($14,148,596) – The Lakers could be looking to make a move if some other Western Conference teams start improving their rosters. Odom, who hasn’t played well in the playoffs, is now the Lakers sixth-man and looks like the most movable piece. Odom seems like he is content with his role with the team, but that could change with a more prominent 4th quarter role for Andrew Bynum. If Portland, New Orleans, or Boston make some moves, look for the Lakers to dump Odom to compete.

4. Eric Snow – Cleveland Cavaliers ($7,312,500) – Eric Snow is basically the Keith Van Horn of this season. He hasn’t played in a game this year, but with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, it could be worth dangling out there for teams looking to make a run at free agents this off-season (Carlos Boozer) or the coveted 2010 off-season. Snow’s contract isn’t Cleveland’s only expiring contract worth-noting as you will find out later.

3. Shawn Marion – Miami Heat ($17,610,000) – Miami has had its share of deadline trades and Marion’s move has been rumored since the end of last season. The Heat are currently floating around .500 and in the Eastern Conference its good enough to make the playoffs, but probably not get out of the first round. Marion is the biggest impact-players currently on the market and I’m positive that a deal will come across Pat Riley’s desk that will be too good to pass up. Shawn Marion will not be in South Beach by mid-February.

2. Wally Szczerbiak – Cleveland Cavaliers ($13,275,000) – It’s amazing that Wally Szczerbiak actually signed a contract where he is getting paid this kind of money, but worst contracts have been signed. He is still a great shooter and can put up 20 points on any given night, but Cleveland doesn’t need him and can use him to obtain a player to help them win a championship. Rumors of a possible deal with Milwaukee for Michael Redd could be where Szczerbiak lands. His contract is the ace up Cleveland’s sleeve, the other elite teams (Boston and L.A. Lakers) can make a trade and improve their club as much as the Cavaliers.

1. Raef Lafrentz – Portland Trailblazers ($12,722,500) – Once the apple of Mark Cuban’s eye, Lafrentz is relegated to the bench. His expiring contract could lead to a large power shift in the Western Conference. Portland is a young, explosive team and a trade of Lafrentz could land them some veteran leadership that they desperately need. A veteran point guard would be first on their list, someone to spell Rudy Fernandez and can maximize their offensive ability, since they have some great defenders in the low-post. If Portland can get a veteran or two in a trade, the Blazers instantly jumps up a few spots and could guarantee a spot in the playoffs.

The trade activity this season has only just begun. I think there will be more trades this season than in year’s past and will change the playoff landscape. I wonder if Keith Van Horn will make a comeback for some of this action?

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Home Sweet Home

Home-court advantage has played a very significant role in the NBA playoffs this season. In the conference semi-finals the home team is 15-1 (the Orlando Magic had to mess up the perfect record). The Celtics did look like the team to beat, until they arrived in Cleveland. Boston appeared like they had too many 23 cent pizzas on thursday and look sluggish. Lebron James hasn’t played very well at all, yet they tied the series 2-2 tonight. The Celtics are getting flashbacks of the Atlanta series, but Cleveland is an actual NBA team, not an NBA D-League team that currently plays in Atlanta. Ray Allen has disappeared and Pierce looks like Antoine Walker lately. If the trend of home teams winning stays true, this series should go seven games.

The New Orleans/San Antonio series looked like a possible sweep after the first two games. Tim Duncan played like Jerome James and he wasn’t getting help from Manu Ginobli’s bald spot or Mr. Eva Longoria. Chris Paul was playing his best in the biggest games of his career so far. Peja Stojakovic was forgot that he was washed up and playing like he did while with the Kings. Unfortunately for the Hornets, Duncan woke up and the Spurs had hard to beat at home. The Hornets/Spurs series appears to be a possible seven game series.Kobe Bryant at the Lakers have their hands full with the Utah Jazz. The Jazz didn’t show up in Los Angeles, but Utah only lost four games at home all season. Kobe injured his back in Game 4 and had to stand up during the post-game conference. If Kobe isn’t 100% for Game 5, I think Utah could sneak a win and clinch the series in Utah. David Stern will probably hate to see Utah advance, but Andrei Kirilenko started actually playing again and he will break you.

The Detroit/Orlando series will not go seven games. Orlando is a good team, but Detroit’s experience is proving to be too much for them to handle. The Magic will be a contender next season, but Dwight Howard needs another big man to help him in the low-post. Howard’s offensive skills start and end with his dunking ability. If they draft or sign a free-agent who can score 15 a game and can hit a 20-foot jumper, Howard will benefit. They need a player like Mehmet Okur, who can take shots from the outside that would leave Howard one-on-one to fight for the rebound.

I would like to see Jazz/Hornets and Celtics/Pistons Conference Finals, but I am afraid I couldn’t stomach another Pistons/Spurs in the NBA Finals. They are both good teams and deserving to be there, but I would like to see something new and fresh. I feel like the NBA Finals have been stuck on repeat the last few seasons and I want to push the shuffle button and see what happens.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.