May 24, 2013

NBA News: Cavaliers Gee may opt for Unrestricted Free Agency

July 24, 2012 by 24 Comments

Could Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Alonzo Gee be an unrestricted free agent in 2013?

With the Las Vegas summer league over and teams still scooping up free agents, Gee, dubbed a priority just one month earlier, remains unsigned. The Cavaliers extended a $2.7 million offer sheet to Gee, but the NBDL pick-up-turned-starter has yet to receive an offer from any of the other 29 NBA franchises.

The Cavaliers presently have the leverage in the situation as teams continue to spend what little salary cap money they have available, allowing Chris Grant and company to offer Gee a multi-year deal at a lower per-year salary than maybe originally estimated, but if Gee forgoes this option and signs the qualifying offer, he could be an unrestricted free agent come next summer. Per The News-Herald’s Bob Finnan, Gee’s agent Andre Buck has not returned any messages on the matter. Earlier this month, it was reported that Gee was a bit unhappy with the lack of discussion from the Cavaliers.

In his first season as a primary rotation player, Gee averaged 10.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, starting in 31 of the team’s 66 contests.

 [Related: NBA Trade Rumors And The Dan Gilbert Narrative]

(Source: Bob Finan)

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  • The_Real_Shamrock

    I don’t understand this on the Cavaliers part to me Gee was one of the few bright spots and definitely fills a need. They haven’t done anything in free agency. Not resigning Gee for me is a mistake. I hope they get together and get a deal done.

  • porckchopexpress

    Technically he is resigned for next year. If no one else puts an offer in on him he can choose the Cavs multi year deal at 2.7 mil or take less money on the qualifying offer and hope to strike it big next year on the unrestricted f/a market. Either way the Cavs have him signed. The problem is that there was this assumption that someone (PHX) would offer him about 4 mil a year. When that didn’t happen and no other offers materialized the Cavs were in the driver’s seat. Why would they offer him 4 mil if no one else in the league is going to?
    Now to me the big risk is that if he comes out and has a blow up year 4 mil might actually be cheap. If he puts up 17 points and plays great D someone could throw 7-8 mil at him next summer. Gee should give Ramon Sessions a call to find out the downside of passing up guaranteed money for the open market.
    I would personally like to see them offer him something like 3.5 over 3 years with some incentives that would push it up another milion per year if he exceeds expectations.
    Oh and somewhere Jon Leur is weeping in his pillow over your “done nothing in free agency comment” :)

  • http://twitter.com/GreatestHurley Jason Hurley

    He may have been a bright spot…but, he’s not a franchise-caliber player. They’re not going to break the bank for him when trying to retain as much financial flexibility as possible. They’re bidding against themselves if they do.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Break the bank? Breaking the bank wouldn’t be necessary on Gee but you do have to spend to retain players at some point otherwise you will become the Cleveland Indians. They have more then enough financial flexibility I for one am tired of hearing this as excuse #1 when it comes to sports teams in this town doing nothing. It’s incredible it’s spread to every single sports franchise in Cleveland despite a pair of very wealthy owners in Lerner and Gilbert.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    I obviously meant the extension but just like Bynum it’s in Gee’s best interest not to resign and play it out ala LeBron James. I don’t like the chances the Cavaliers will have at resigning him then especially if he shows more improvement this upcoming season.

    Jon Leur is the Cavaliers Aaron Cunningham. Harangody is Damon.

  • mgbode

    we claimed Leur off waivers, he can save his tears :)

  • mgbode

    as PCE mentioned, there’s a downside for Gee too. he is not LeBron, so he’s not guaranteed to make more $$ next offseason than the Cavaliers current multi-year deal. there is security and stability into accepting a multi-year $3mil+ contract from the Cavs.

    plenty of former fringe players have had a string of NBA success just to fall apart again. i hope that is not Gee, but he needs to weigh whether it is worth the risk of not accepting a longer term deal.

  • steve-o

    Gee’s performance last year might be viewed an outlier. Decent stats on a bad team can sometimes be the result of not having anyone better to put out there. Gee would be a 6th man type logging 25 minutes at the 3 or 2 on most teams. I’m guessing he’ll get offered something like 10M over 3 yrs, and if so, should not settle for the 2.7M. He’d be nuts to turn down an extra guaranteed 7M when an injury could easily take away his shot at a better contract. Plus he may see fewer opportunities to pad his stats if Waiters does what they expect.

  • Kekoa

    Do not overpay, period. Especially now that we have all the leverage. He is a wonderful six man on a good team, don’t give him starters money. He will cave and sign, no worries. Nice 4 year 16 Million team friendly deal will get done.

  • BenRM

    I like when middling players forget that they’re middling players and want a contract larger than a middling player should receive. (middling)

  • mgbode

    he was actually hoping for that $16mil over 4yr deal. noone gave it to him, so now it’s more likely a $9mil/3yr deal IMO. push it over $10mil to make him feel like he “won” negotiations and that is that.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Gee is worth $4 or $5M a year when a scrub like Gibson has been carried on this roster for doing less. Last week I even read the dreaded words “bring him back” which to me is insane. If the Cavaliers can do that then can most assuredly pay Gee.

  • BrownsFanSF

    I really feel not enough people are excited about the Leur signing. The guy is a sophomore big who posted an above 15 PER. Maybe not sexy, but talk about a low risk, high reward move

  • Harv 21

    you do understand that the Cavs don’t completely control why he’s not signed. Both the team and player’s agent decided to let the market dictate his value and then the Cavs would match his offer from another team, or not. But no one bit. So, what is his value? We don’t know who wants what. You can’t blame the team without knowing what his agent is demanding. Maybe it’s a contract he hoped would be extended by another team but was not.

    I think the Cavs are playing this smart. The pressure is on Gee, who is a nice player but not irreplaceable at a fair cost.He could blow out his knee or have his role reduced this year and then be a UFA looking for just a roster spot in 2013. And after years as a peripatetic fringe guy he must want guaranteed money very badly, right now while his value has increased. Grant was smart to cool the market by announcing that the Cavs would match, and now it’s a question of just how big a risk Gee and his agent want to take.

    I’m guessing he signs for 2 years plus an option. But we’ve heard nothing that puts his current unsigned status on the Cavs.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    We shall see, we shall see.

  • mgbode

    claiming him did sort of kill the Kevin Jones vibe. Leuer should be a slightly better version of Kevin Jones (doesn’t mean he will be, but they are likely fighting for the same roster spot).

    the fact that we will likely cut one of them and keep Luke Harangody bugs me as well.

  • mgbode

    past contracts signed don’t matter (otherwise why not give him $13mil/year – he’s better than Larry Hughes afterall). the Cavs are in the business of trying to field the best team possible and that does include locking their current parts in at the best prices they can get. no outside market for Gee means that he is a bit “stuck” unless he wants to gamble on a 1yr deal.

  • TeddyRoos

    By next year we better have a better option at 3 then Gee. Sign him for a low end. Players will screw the team if they have the power.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    I disagree about the past contracts not meaning anything especially when discussing Cleveland sports teams. I understand and realize what the Cavaliers are doing I’m just saying for a young team with a lack of overall talent it would be a shame to risk losing a player who has worked to improve and was one of your few bright spots all to nickle and dime when you have a plethora of money saved. If I’m Gee though it probably makes sense to take the risk because I’ll guarantee you there will be a team throwing money at him next year.

  • Kyle

    He hasnt signed his qualifying offer yet, thats his choice and the reason hes not signed. The QO was predetermined by the CBA based on what he made last year and time in the league so its not like they lowballed him. Also and more importantly they cant offer him a multi year deal until he either signs his QO or an offer sheet from another team. So the Cavs literally are just waiting for him to make a move.

  • BrownsFanSF

    It’s common NBA knowledge that a NBA champion needs at least one towel waving white guy on their bench – Scalabrini, Miller, Cardinal, Walton. I think the front office expects ‘Gody to be that guy

  • mgbode

    i thought that’s why we “demanded” Walton to be included in that deal. to get an experienced towel-waver. what? is walton just here to teach harangody the ropes?

  • BrownsFanSF

    That’s got to be it. Like bringing in a mediocre veteran quarterback (not named Seneca Wallace) to show the young guy the ropes. Walton has towel waived his way to what, 5 championships?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Max-Forstag/706995181 Max Forstag

    To keep this in perspective, Danny Ferry signed Damon Jones (or ‘Amon Ones’) for 4 years, $16 mil. We don’t think our projected starting SF is worth $4 mil a year? I do.