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November 29, 2010
With trade rumors abound, a familiar name is back in the mix with regard to the Cleveland Cavaliers: Philadelphia 76ers swingman Andre Iguodala.
In a recent interview with AOL FanHouse’s Tim Potvak, Iguodala says that he anticipates that he will be calling another city home before this February’s trade deadline. And given last year’s interest in the athletic small forward, the Cleveland Cavaliers find their name in the hat of potential suitors.
Cleveland fans are in the midst of a rebuild, but have seen their New Expression Cavaliers beat the 76ers on more than one occasion this season. It was Phildelphia (currently 3-13) that helped break the team’s losing streak in the confines of Quicken Loans Arena – they allowed Anderson Varejao (8.2 ppg average) to score a season-high 23 points. It is also a rebuilding Philadelphia team that is rife with young, talented players like Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner that could ultimately force them to unload a veteran with a skill set like that of Iguodala.
The questions then remain: Would Iguodala be a good fit, and what would Cleveland have to give up to acquire his services?
To answer the first inquiry in an uncommitting fashion, yes and no. It is no secret that the Cavs could use a small forward that can not only score, but one who could also defend. Current Cavaliers small forwards have an average PER of 10.5, well below the league average. On defense, they are allowing opposing small forwards to amass a PER of 16.8; a differential of 6.3, easily the largest among the five positions.
Adding Iguodala would not only improve offensive production at the small forward position, but would seemingly clamp down on the opposition. Iguodala has racked up at least 130 steals in each of the last six seasons. Per 48 minutes this season, Iguodala is holding opposing small forwards to a PER of 13.7, representing greater than a three-point decline over what current Cavaliers small forwards are allowing.
The downside of the “fit” equation is two-fold. First, is Iguodala’s contract which not only pays him over $12 million for this season, but has his employing team on the hook for$13.5 million in 2011-12, $14.7 million in 2012-13, and a player option of $15.9 million in 2013-14. Not exactly a Danny Ferry-type deal, and one that would pay said player almost twice that of Mo Williams (a player who the team has considered moving due to contractual ties).
And secondly, the Cavaliers are rebuilding regardless of whether they wish to accept this or not. If we assume that the team gets him for an expiring contract and a portion of their current trade exception (for example), Iguodala would seemingly add approximately five wins throughout the course of the season – a number which can be prorated as time elapses. Five wins this season may not be, and should not be, worth a contract of Iguodala’s stature for a player who has never had a PER north of 19.
For referencing purposes, Daniel Gibson’s PER this season is 18.21 and he’s making just over $4 million. If Iguodala’s per-dollar production was a tough pill to swollow last season, it’s even more difficult this year. Of course, the Cavaliers also had another guy playing the small forward slot last season. This year presents a bit of a different equation.
And the answer to the second question may not even matter. While the Cavaliers are armed with expiring contracts, draft picks and a trade exception – three things which rebuilding team’s love to take on – other teams that could be in the hunt for Iguodala’s services (like New York, Houston or Dallas) have considerably more in terms of tradable assets. The Knicks could move Wilson Chandler, Houston has an expiring Shane Battier as well as Courtney Lee, and Dallas could trade an expiring Caron Butler, JJ Barea or even Roddy Beaubois.
It would not only be difficult for the Cavs to match or beat these types of offers, but it also may not be worth it. The trade exception which was acquired for LeBron James is arguably the team’s biggest chip. Is it worth flipping it for a player who commands a decent number possessions but has only led his current team to three wins?
Alas, while the rumor mill will start swirling as household names discuss the potential for their names being listed on the transaction wire, Cavaliers GM Chris Grant will likely exude even more patience than he did this past offseason. And, despite the Wine and Gold’s current struggles on the wing, this may not exactly be a bad thing.
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17 Comments
How close is Jamison’s salary to Iguodala’s, as he seems most likely to go in this situation?
Ya he’s a decent number two or three guy. I wouldn’t mind using this trade exception to get a few players. One guy isn’t going to make a difference.
Ugh. Hope he is never in a Cavs uniform.
Pass.
If his contract was more reasonable, maybe. But only then if we didn’t have to give up much. Never been a big fan of his.
I like him, maybe not his contract.
The guy is an athlete though. I think he would do well in Byron’s system, more-so than a guy like Jamison. I haven’t looked at the contracts but if we could get Iggy for Jamison in some fashion, I’d be ok with that.
I totally agree with C@5, but why would Philly want Jamison?
They could probably get much younger players AND salary relief with some other team.
Agreed, I would only want Iguodala if we can move Jamison and his unwieldy contract… maybe in a 3-team trade, but that seems unlikely. I would definitely miss having Jamison-the-person on our team though. That guy is a pro.
[…] over at WFNY discusses the pros and cons of the Cavs (hypothetically) making a play for Andre Iguodala, who the 76ers are placing firmly on the trading block. Iguodala’s a fine player and all, but […]
He has had a PER of 19.09.
He’s an elite defender and pretty good at everything except shooting. he’s not a 1st banana scorer, and that’s what the position he’s been in in Philly. His contract may be too much, but he’s better than Rudy Gay who just got a max deal. I think he would add more than 5 wins to the Cavs. I think the Cavs are a playoff team with AI. He LOVES the transition game and for all the running the Cavs do, they really don’t have many great finishers at the rim with LBJ and Delonte gone.
I feel that A.I. would be a perfect fit for Byron Scott’s tempo. Iggy’s best seasons came when Philly was a run up and down the court team that excelled in the open court and off of turnovrs. To think that his team’s record is a reflection on his game is incorrect. He’s been put on the back burner in Philly for the youngsters to play. I don’t think Philly would be interested in Jamison though, as a rebuilding team such as them, has no need for an aging veteran who is not on an expiring contract. Also, I would be a huge fan of the Cavs getting Battier from Houston if available somehow, even though the article says he’s on the last year of his contract.
I do wonder who else is going to become available on the trade market in the next few months. I haven’t read much about who might be on the trading block from various teams. I would like to see Stephen Jackson from Charlotte or Chris Kaman from the Clippers. I think either of those two would be great additions to the Cavs if it were possible.
Andre’s contract is not the problem… Jamison’s is.
Mo, Gibson, Iggy, Hickson, Varejao is a nice 5 to close out the 4th quarter most nights. Yes we have undersized guards but we’ve been playing those two together all season. I’m frankly just tired of the AWFUL SF play. It’s gotta go.
if we trade Jamison to Philly for Iggy, I’ll be laughing hard. That would be grand (no extra salary, better player at a position of need).
as mentioned above, exactly why would Philly do that?
otherwise, trading young players and expiring deals for guys like Iggy is exactly how you end up the #6-#10seed every year.
We really need a SF, and I like Iggy, but don’t want to give up too much and hurt the franchise like we did with Jamison.
Iggy can guard SF (he used to match up with LeBron) but he’s really a hyper-athletic SG @ 6’6″.
I really wished we had gotten Iguodala last season instead of Jamison. I don’t know if it would have changed LePippens decision, but I think our odds of keepign LePippen would have been better with a younger more athletic player like Iguodala instead of Jamison. On top of that, our biggest position of need last season was SG. We were and still are undersized at SG, and no matter what stat you use, whether PER, EFF, +/-, etc, we were also most deficient at SG.
Would the 76’ers prefer Parker’s contract and his 3pt shooting in a trade along with cap relief via TPE? We aren’t getting Melo, Wade, or Kobme, so who better is available at SG?
At SF, I think I’d rather have Gerald Wallace. So make that happen Chris Grant. Then, next season Bryon Scott can lure his old buddy Chris Paul to the team. Paul/Sessions at PG, Iguodala/Gibson at SG, Wallace/Iguodala at SF, JJ/AV/Powe at PF, AV/Hollins at C is not a bad team.
I agree that Cleveland SHOULD trade for Andre Iguodala. First, they should do this to improve at the SF or SG which ever is best at the time just until Christian Eyenga is developed enough to play SG so he can play SF. Second, they should trade Andre Iguodala for J.Wiliiams, Moons, Powe, and maybe a second round pick for him. If that despite not work make it some type of trade for that to work.
If it were my decision id give y’all iggy for the trade exception and hickson what u think bout that