As fans of the Cavaliers, we tend to selectively choose what rumors we want to believe. It helps further our beliefs that we will one day win a championship. Colin Cowherd hints that Chris Bosh should play in Cleveland? Where do we sign? Cavs to offer Rasheed Wallace $10 million per year? Oh, heck no.
While the former fantasy still exists, Brian Windhorst has come to the rescue on the latter with his latest analysis of said rumors. Perpetuated by SLAMOnline, we were confronted with the sheer terror of not only offering eight figures to Rasheed Wallace, but also the thoughts of having Zach Randolph as a fall-back plan.
On the first portion, Windhorst retorts with the following:
A report from Slam Magazine, a New York-based basketball publication, on Monday said the Cavs have opened negotiations with Pistons free agent center Rasheed Wallace on a two-year contract at $10 million per season. This is impossible and illegal; the Cavs do not have salary cap space to sign any player to a $10 million contract and any talks cannot begin until July 1.
It is likely the Cavs will contact Wallace at that time, as he’s probably going to be on their list of free agent targets. But he will not get a $10 million contract from the Cavs or likely any team in the NBA.
[Wipes sweat from forehead]
Most fans knew that the team could not legally deal with Wallace at this stage of the game. And we also knew that the team did not have the financial capability of offering that much money to ‘Sheed. However, knowing that this was not even a consideration (perhaps involving the dumping of salary to another team to facilitate said deal) is quite a relief.
And about that whole Zach Randolph nightmare:
The other part of the report said the Cavs would be interested in a “sign-and-trade” deal for Zach Randolph of the Los Angeles Clippers. Randolph is not a free agent, so calling it a sign-and-trade situation would seem to invalidate the entire report. When you consider the misinformation on the Cavs’ cap position, the report seems even more off base.
Now, realistically, the Cavaliers could do a “sign-and-trade” for the abovementioned Wallace. Randolph would have to be a straight deal, forcing the Cavaliers to take on his current salary ($33 million over the next two years). But as Brian reiterates, of all of the big men on the Clippers, Randolph would be the last on the Cavaliers’ “want list.”
Marcus Camby was targeted this past season. Chris Kaman could also be relocated, especially with Blake Griffin on the horizon. DeAndre Jordan is a very cheap answer in the middle given his upside. But Randolph is not exactly highly coveted by anyone; consider the fact that Portland wanted to get rid of him simply so he would not be a negative impact on Brandon Roy.
So, Cavs fans, feel free to rest easy for now. And if you want to continue dreaming of a Cavaliers jersey with “Bosh” on the back, I won’t be the one to stop you. Bryan Colangelo, on the other hand, may be a different story.
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Latest Cavaliers rumors improbable at best, impossible at worst [Cleveland.com]
Noooooooooooo! [WFNY]
