Indians All Star Break Analysis – The Bullpen
July 15, 2010Delonte West Gets Sentenced, Awaits NBA’s Decision on Suspension
July 15, 2010With the Cavaliers looking to improve the current roster and being armed with little in terms of leverage against their peers, Shaquille O’Neal continues to have his name floated about the rumor mill as he appears destined to play anywhere outside of Cleveland, Ohio.
Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer has mentioned Shaq in rumored scenarios for most of the last seven days; the 38-year-old center appears set to play for his fourth team in as many years. Potential suitors for the big man have included the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. O’Neal’s camp has hinted towards the Hawks and Spurs, but as of Wednesday evening, the Hawks and Knicks appear to be the only teams interested in adding the veteran center to their roster.
O’Neal is said to be looking for at least a two-year contract that would pay him more than the mid-level exception. Possessing his bird rights, the Cavaliers can in fact work a deal that would get O’Neal what he wants, but it would only be in the event that they could then move him to a team that would be willing to actually be responsible for paying his new salary.
The Hawks are now looking for value-type plays after signing Joe Johnson to a maximum contract earlier this month. Long been looking for a center, the Hawks could add O’Neal and move Al Horford to a permanent role at the power forward position. But with O’Neal’s contract demands, the team has also entertained the idea of signing a player along the lines of Brad Miller, Kwame Brown or Kurt Thomas.
The Knicks, though owners of plenty of leftover money, seem like an ill fit for O’Neal, but this should not thwart the Cavaliers’ attempt to move him there. Comprised of mostly newly acquired players (Amar’e Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf to name a few), it remains unclear what the Knicks could trade back to the Cavaliers in such a transaction. A current player of interest could be guard Toney Douglas who averaged 12.5 points, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.9 three-pointers in less than 30 minutes per game over the final two months of the 2009-10 season. Unfortunately, many feel that Douglas is slated to be the point guard of the future in New York and may be unavailable.
A source reported by The New York Post’s Marc Berman stated that he “didn’t think it would work on all kinds of levels.”
With specific regard to Atlanta, the Cavaliers continue to be linked to 24-year-old forward Marvin Williams. Though many are turned off by Williams’ regression last season, there are thoughts that if given the opportunity to be an integral part of an offense, Williams could prove that he was in fact worth being the second overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. The former North Carolina Tar Heel averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game during the 2008-09 season, but saw his minutes decrease during what was Atlanta’s most successful season in quite some time. Unfortunatley for Williams, a move to Cleveland would also provide undue pressure to fill in the shoes of the recenty-departed LeBron James.
—
(Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)
29 Comments
I don’t think Marvin Williams would face much pressure if he came to the Cavs even if it was technically to succeed LeBron James’ position. The Cavs aren’t going to contend and would likely give him all the playing time he could possibly want.
At this point beggars can’t be choosers….get what you can if anything for him and send him on his merry way.
Quite a wake-up call from a week ago when we were all talking about the Cavs holding on to assets to make a big move *after* the draft…
Windy tweeted about Delonte..saying no jail time. Any idea if we’re going to be able to move him? or will he just flat out be released?
If we could get Marvin Williams for Shaq, I say do it. Right now this team has no one even halfway decent to play SF. I don’t think Williams would really be under all that much pressure as the expectations for the Cavs will be very low.
I’m seeing a second round draft pick in our future.
Jamario Moon can easily be a starting SF in this league if surrounded by the right pieces. Questions just remain about those pieces…
I would love to see Shaq on the Spurs. I have tons of respect for that organization, and Shaq has tons of respect for Tim Duncan. I’ve always thought Duncan is better suited as a PF than a C, so the pairing could certainly work. Although, if Shaq can help a team in the East beat Miami, I’d prefer that.
I’m not sure what we could get back for him, but I like that we’d get something
If Shaq went to Atlanta, and Horford moved to PF, where would Josh Smith go? He can’t play the 3 because he has no perimeter offensive game. Put him on the market, and the Cavs should swing the S&T with Shaq for him. We need runners and freak athletes for this team. If we’re gonna advance in the playoffs, we better look freakin’ fun trying to get there.
@9- We are not getting JS.
@9
Chris Wallace and David Kahn laugh at a Shaq for Josh Smith trade.
Marvin Williams has an Anderson Varejao type of contract, and doesn’t produce nearly as much. I really don’t like that move. If I’m trading to Atlanta, I’m doing everything I can to get draft picks/Jeff Teague. Neither of those is very likely, but taking back Marvin Williams just makes no sense.
That said, Shaq in Atlanta would be very interesting. It would suddenly make the Hawks match-up with other teams that they’ve had problems with. Now, it forces Rashard Lewis to guard Al Horford, or Chris Bosh to guard him. It also moves Josh Smith to his natural position of SF.
HA! What the hell would the Knicks want the Zombiefied Corpse of Shaq (ZCoS) for? Just to screw up their cap again?
D’Antoni wants to run up and down the floor, he has Amar’e and two young 7′ guys with low skill and high potential to back up the 5. I wouldn’t trade Eddy Curry’s expiring for the right to sign ZCoS to a two-year deal at $7MM+.
I would like to trade Shaq to Atlanta. We all know that Shaq will destroy Z. So, let’s prevent the cHeat from winning the East. lol
I hope we can get more than Williams. Maybe a pick or two.
@ 14 Mattyfos -Ahhh, I cringe, but love that comment all at the same time!
The cHeat have set themselves up for failure. They should have attempted to get Shaq instead of Z. Howard and Shaq are too tough for Z. We all saw Z ruin our chances of making it out of the East during the ECF in 08.
YES!!! Teague!! I can’t see how it would happen, but that would be a great pick up. The little turd can play
Didn’t Shaq go from Orlando to the Lakers via free agency years ago?
How does he still have Bird’s rights if he has already been a free agant. I acknowledge now that I don’t really know how those rights work.
@19, your most recent team gets Bird rights every time you become a free agent. It’s not a one time deal
@10 and 11: Yeah I don’t really think we’re getting him either. I’m trying this optimism approach to the offseason. Hopefully it won’t end in me changing to an abject depression approach.
“Didn’t Shaq go from Orlando to the Lakers via free agency years ago?”
It’s based on a three-year rolling window. As long as a player does not get waived/released or changes teams due to free agency within three years, his last employer has his “rights.” Case in point, Cleveland did not have rights to Zydrunas Ilgauskas as he was released by Washington and signed as a free agent. O’Neal has simply been traded multiple times, all under the same contract.
MattyFos- Love it.
helped me realize the heat are weak at shooting threes and could be soft inside. I really hope they lose in the 2nd round or the ECF.
What #1 said.
I guess Josh Smith wouldn’t be any worse as a SF than Marvin Williams… neither of them has a perimeter game, and with Smith, Horford, and Shaq crashing the boards, that doesn’t leave many second chance opportunities for… well anybody else. I have doubts about Josh Smith being able to guard some of the faster perimeter-oriented 3’s in the league though. A guy like Danny Granger or Andre Iguodala would abuse him.
Shaq to Milwaukee for CDR.
(I understand there is 0.0001% chance of that happening)
The hawks would be the most balanced team in the east if they get shaq i mean think about the starting lineup they would have. Bibby or teague (it should be teague),Joe Johnson (perennial all star), Josh Smith(could be an all star when moved back to his natural position of sf, Al Horford (all star and would completely dominate at pf thts his natural posistion too), and Shaq who is still an above average and gives them size too match up with Orlando. They will still have Jamaal Crawford on the bench whose a dynamite scorer and was 6th man of the year last year. I am a hawks fan and sending marvin to cleveland is definitly worth it to get shaq. We will win the east if we do this deal.
It seems as if Shaq has little chance of getting the MLE from anyone. The Spurs have no interest in O’Neal unless he’s willing to play for the vet minimum.
Thanks guys for the explanation on Shaq’s Bird’s rights. I knew what they were, just didn’t know you could have them multiple times.
So if Z signs with Miami and then plays with them 3 years, they get the new Bird’s rights of a very old Z, right?
shaq will be good fit with boston but he will be a great fit with the Mav’s.Shaq has every thing the mav’s need to get over the hump: toughness,a real low post presence and he still draws a double team.