Anthony Parker A Good Fit In Cleveland
In case you haven’t been paying attention, Twitter has pretty much become the ultimate place to find breaking NBA news stories, and it seems like these days it’s hard to post a story about the Cavaliers without crediting something we saw on Twitter. First, we had Brian Windhorst breaking the news about Anthony Parker:
Cavs have come to terms on a contract with guard Anthony Parker, the deal should be completed in the next couple days.
And then today we had Ric Bucher giving us the details of the signing:
Cavs fans, you got your athletic wingman. They’re close to a deal w/Anthony Parker. Two yrs, under $6 mill.
Now that we know the Cavaliers have agreed to terms with Parker and we know a rough framework for how much the deal is worth, we can begin to examine Parker’s fit and his role in Cleveland this season.
First and foremost, this is a really good signing by Danny Ferry. No, Parker is not the kind of stretch power forward the Cavaliers still need, but Anthony Parker can flat out play and he will be able to help this team a lot next season. At 6’6”, Parker is a long SG who has the athleticism and quickness to defend multiple positions. At 34 years old, he is a little bit older than the Cavaliers were looking for and he has indeed lost a step over the last couple years, but he’s still a swingman with a very good outside shot that can help spread the floor for the Cavaliers while not hurting them at all on the defensive side of the ball.
By signing him to just a 2 year deal, Ferry is trying to limit the age affect, and I think it’s a good move. After dominating the EuroLeague for years, Parker came back to the NBA in 2006 and he immediately made a strong impact for the Toronto Raptors, averaging 12.4 ppg and shooting 44.1% from three. Now as he enters the final stages of his career, Parker will look to help the Cavaliers in whatever way is needed. A starter for the Raptors at the 2, it’s probably a safe bet he will come off the bench in Cleveland behind Delonte West. One of the keys to keeping him fresh will be reducing his minutes a bit. In every season in Toronto he played over 32 minutes per game. In Cleveland, he will ideally have the luxury of seeing those minutes cut down with the goal of maintaining his legs all season long. In Toronto’s final 20 games last year, Parker shot 36.54% from three, down from the 39.68% he shot over the first 62 games. Hopefully by not having to be relied on so heavily in Cleveland, Parker will be able to stay fresh and keep knocking down outside shots all season long.
Defensively, Parker should be able to fit right in. As much as Mike Brown liked using Sasha Pavlovic last season due to his length at the 2, Parker not only gives Coach Brown that same length, but he gives superior defensive ability along with a more consistent and less turnover prone offensive attack as well. Whereas teams scored 5.3 more points per 100 possessions with Sasha on the court as opposed to on the bench, teams actually scored 0.9 fewer points per 100 possessions with Parker on the court less season. That 0.9 points doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s pretty impressive when you remember how pathetic Toronto was defensively as a team last year. The Raptors were 20th in the NBA in points against and 21st in the NBA in opponents’ FG% last year. In fact, Parker’s –0.9 Net Defensive Points rating was 2nd best on Toronto last year behind only Joey Graham, this despite Parker being 4th on the team in minutes per game. This shows you that despite his age, Parker was still a very good defender last year and he should be a nice asset for Mike Brown’s system in Cleveland this year.
Overall, Parker’s Net On/Off Rating of +3.5 was 2nd to only Chris Bosh on the Raptors last year. To give you a frame of reference on that rating, the 5 guys ahead of him in the NBA last year in that category were Paul Pierce, Beno Udrih, Al Jefferson, Chauncey Billups, and Ronny Turiaf. The 5 guys directly below him were Samuel Dalembert, Kevin Martin, Andray Blatche, Kyle Korver, and Joe Johnson. All of those guys can play, and lest anyone write off Anthony Parker because of his age, they should realize that Parker can still play and contribute as well.
This signing is not a mere consolation prize. Sure, there are question marks. You have to at least consider his age, and you have to consider the fact his 3P% has declined every year since he’s been back in the NBA, and his PER fell from 14.69 in 2007-08 to 12.16 in 2008-09. Worse than that decline in PER, though, is that the decline was actually projected by ESPN’s John Hollinger, who predicted a 12.64 PER for Parker last year. Beyond just the falling numbers, some people will feel this pickup lacks the sexy name appeal that a Charlie Villanueva, Ron Artest, or Trevor Ariza might have. But remember that Ariza’s Net On/Off Rating was –0.3 last year and Villanueva’s was –1.4 last year. Parker shoots better from outside than Ariza and averaged more points per game than Ariza. Even as much as people credit Ariza’s defense, his defensive On/Off rating was –0.6 last year, and that was on a good defensive team. The biggest thing Ariza has going for him over Parker is his size, youth, and potential for further improvement.
Sure, a guy like Ariza might be a slightly more efficient player overall, but is that difference big enough to warrant the cost difference? When you consider the fact that Ariza would have used up all of the Cavaliers’ Mid-Level Exception, it’s also a bonus for the Cavs that they were able to get Parker for just under $3 million per season average, if the reports are true. As Chad Ford reported on ESPN.com today, the Cavaliers now hope to use the remainder of their MLE to sign Channing Frye. A move like this would be huge for the Cavaliers. Not only is Frye a young stretch power forward with a good ability to operate in the pick and pop scheme and who can knock down mid range jumpers. Beyond that, though, it would still leave the Cavaliers with their Bi-Annual Exception to use on someone like Matt Barnes or maybe even a guy like Joe Smith if he would be willing to take that kind of pay cut.
For the Cavaliers, the Parker signing leaves them still with plenty of options and flexibility to maneuver. With both Jawad Williams and Tarence Kinsey carrying fully unguaranteed contracts, the Cavaliers can simply buy out either one at any time if they need the roster spot. They can also use their Bird Rights to re-sign Wally Szczerbiak and then trade him as an expiring contract, as is rumored in the Gerald Wallace scenario (Wally Szczerbiak would have to consent to any trade under this scenario, according to the CBA). The point is, unlike the Anderson Varejao signing, where Ferry left the Cavaliers with few options (as that is a pretty untradeable contract at this point) and little flexibility (if the cap in 2010 is $52 million, Varejao’s contract could potentially take up as much as 15% of it by itself), the Anthony Parker signing actually still leaves the Cavaliers with plenty of options and flexibility moving forward.
In the past couple seasons, Cavs fans have had to suffer through guys getting meaningful minutes who didn’t deserve them. Bringing in a guy like Anthony Parker is a very substantial upgrade for Cleveland, especially for how little the cost to the team. Parker can play meaningful, significant minutes if they need him to, and when he is on the court, he is a guy who can play and contribute and do some of the things the Cavaliers need in order to become a better team. Again, he doesn’t carry the name recognition of a guy like Ron Artest, but Anthony Parker is a very solid basketball player and the Cavaliers made a very nice acquisition in picking him up.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
UPGRADE!
July 9th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
At least he’s better than Pavlovic. And at age 45, Parker will probably be better than Pavlovic.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Solid upgrade for our backcourt. Windhorst tweets no truth to the Wallace rumor.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
@EZ: Saw that Tweet after the article was written. Too bad….that would have been quite a team.
Oh well, thanks for the heads up.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
As always, great analysis, Rock.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
This ruins my dreams of Marvin Williams, but if we add Frye to the mix, I’m relatively content.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
okay, well… back to being a tad optimistic. Thanks for the in-depth look.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Yes definitely an upgrade. Not fancy, but a nice fit.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
great article. makes me optimistic, although i already liked the signing, you brought up some good points about things i hadn’t thought about.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Man, how much money did Trevor Ariza make for himself this June? he went from a guy nobody thought about to someone with “sexy name appeal” that gets the full MLE.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
RockKing…….excellent piece, thanks.
I like the cap value of this signing; if we indeed get Channing Frye (or Matt Barnes for that matter) with the remainder of the MLE that would be outstanding in maximizing what we had this year while keeping flexibility for the big market next year. Parker is a sweet shooter with size, and Frye is very mobile with range for a 6′11″ forward.
Go Cavs!
July 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
“A lot of people are killing the Cavs for the Varejao deal. I didn’t think it was that bad. The last year is a partial guarantee, the per-year numbers aren’t ridiculous (he starts under $7 mil this year), and if they pushed it much lower OKC or Portland could have made a push for him — remember, he was unrestricted. He’s not a scorer, but he’s an elite defending big who can rebound. Historically, teams have paid for that.” John Hollinger in a chat going on at ESPN.com right now
July 9th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
@#12Ricky-agreed, BIGS are expensive, and Andy is 26 years old and can play both PF AND center (and can start at either as needed). He’s only going to get better, has desire and hustle to burn (which is not easily available), and just has great chemistry with Lebron and this team.
If you take this deal out to 5/6 years forward it’s a bargain in my opinion. Another year with more teams caps available and the Cavs wouldn’t have been able to get this done.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
And……with the CAVs aging frontline, Andy provides long-term depth and insurance.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I think a lot of people are confusing the issues some of us have with Andy’s contract. I know what Andy gives this team, and I have been saying all offseason that I thought the Cavaliers HAD to re-sign him. I wanted him back, and I’m glad he’s back.
But there is no doubt in my mind the Cavaliers were bidding against themselves. Fegan says they had offers of $10 million per year? That’s a joke. Portland only has $8.9 million to spend. I can’t see Oklahoma City going to $10 mil for AV. The market for Andy was in the $6-$7 million per range, and the Cavaliers went into the $7-$8 million average range, and they thus landed themselves an untradeable contract if anything ever goes wrong. That’s the problem I have with the deal. Not with the concept of bringing AV back. Very happy to have AV back on the team.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Rock….to the Cavs it was worth it getting this deal done NOW versus dragging it out with Andy, and this allowing them to finalize things with another player instead of backtracking to fill a big void.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I don’t disagree with that Isis, but it’s very short-sighted on the Cavs’ part. I guess the bottom line is that if the Cavs win the Championship this year, then none of us will care about this contract whatsoever anymore. If they don’t, it’s going to be a thorn in their side next offseason.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I thought Channing Frye was going to the Suns
July 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Rock….not meaning to disagree, but I agree with the Cavs and here’s one final negotiation piece why: Andy V. made $6.2M last season, the reality is that the Cavs were NOT going to be able to sign him without a raise, particularly with length of years. It is reasonable to conclude (again, in my opinion) that $7M was the starting point and over the length of 5/6 years it’s really not much more than that. I personally think the deal is about right for Andy’s age and what he can and will contribute given the age of the Cavs frontline.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
When you consider what Pachulia, Villanueva, and Gortat got, it is clear that AV’s contract is way out of proportion. That’s all.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Parker is a great pickup! Very good article and accurate.
Have space now for Frye and Barnes. If we can get both that would be sweet. Depending on how they play we could even trade Z and just have andy play as backup.
I agree with rockking except one thing. I don’t even think Andy even worth the MLE. Antonio Mcdyess had more offers then Andy.
This must be the first time fans actually thought of saving money LOL. Ironic
The thing is LBJ is gonna be very expensive next season because NY will throw the book at him. They are willing to pay the luxury tax etc… just to get him. Contract with Andy kinda hurts.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I don’t know. The Cavs overpaid for Boobie too because he’s close with LeBron. Andy is very close with LeBron.
As isis pointed out, Varejao opted out of a deal with like 6 million – so he OBVIOUSLY wanted a raise. And while the Cavs may have been bidding against themselves, what good does it do to say: “we’re not giving you more than the MLE” and Feagan go “Ok, then we’ll take the MLE from a DIFFERENT TEAM since you low-balled us”. Kinda like what Ariza did to LA.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
When the Cavs signed Boobie, executives around the league snickered at his agent. It was widely believed that the Cavaliers got an absolute steal in Boobie. It only feels like the Cavs overpaid for him now because of how awful he was last season. In reality, though, when the Cavaliers signed that deal it was a GREAT deal for the Cavaliers.
http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/?p=1620
July 9th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Also, why does everyone feel like just because AV was overpaid before that now it’s ok for the Cavaliers to keep on overpaying him? Seriously, compare him to other role player PFs with sub-15 PERs and see what they make. It’s nowhere near what Andy makes.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Rock,
Andy relative to …
Gortat: $1 mill more, 1 year less, worth it
Villanueva: same price, meh we slightly overpaid
Pachulia: $2 mill more, 2 less years, this is out of proportion
He got a little more than market value (not a lot more). If 6th year is partially guaranteed team option this contract isn’t going to haunt us (easily said after we’re ditching Wally $15mill, Wallace $15mill, and Shaq/Z next year).
#21,
The thing is LBJ is gonna be very expensive next season because NY will throw the book at him. They are willing to pay the luxury tax etc… just to get him. Contract with Andy kinda hurts.
This doesn’t make any sense at all.
1) The luxury tax is higher than the salary cap, you can’t get over the SC by signing a free agent, so them paying LT is irrelevant.
2) The cavs will pay LT
3) We have LeBron’s Bird Rights, so this contract has no effect on re-signing LeBron
4) The Cavs can offer more money than NY
July 9th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I would take Gortat, Pachulia, or Villanueva….any of those 3 at those costs over Varejao. Without even thinking about it. And so would pretty much anyone else who isn’t a Cavs fan, at least based on all the analysis of these moves that I’ve been reading.
I’m done talking about this now. I’ve said my 2 cents. I think the Cavs overpaid for him, but I’m happy to have him back. Bottom line.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Parker and Barnes were actually on my early wish list………I can’t say the same about Frye.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
#21
“The thing is LBJ is gonna be very expensive next season because NY will throw the book at him.”
This doesn’t make any sense either, there is a maximum you can pay players (it is based on how many years they have been in the NBA).
It should be obvious that Lebron will be receiving the maximum.
The difference is that we can offer 6 years with a 10% increase each year while other teams can only offer 5 years with an 8% increase each year.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Wil, we need an entry passer to shaq which fry can do and if his man double teams shaq frye at 6-11 can hit the 10 footers all the way out to the 3’s Which not only benefits shaq but LBJ.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Wil you forgot about incentives
for LBJ
July 9th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
@ 30 – You can’t have incentives on a contract that is already for the maximum dollar amount you can pay that player. Anyone trying to lure LeBron is going to offer the maximum. As others have stated, the Cavs can offer more money and more years because they have his bird rights.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I agree with rockking completely. These 3 players are better then Andy and he’s getting a better deal LOL. What rockking is saying nobody even wanted Andy at MLE! Nobody was publicly even interested in Andy period. That speaks volume. What Andy did was play you cavs fans as fool. He knew the only thing that the cavs can afford is a MLE and a bi-annual and he’s the only PF option you guys have with the bird. Nobody in the league was willing to even pay more then 2 million or bi-annual for andy. They would rather waste their mle on other players.
# 26 RockKing Says:
July 9th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I would take Gortat, Pachulia, or Villanueva….any of those 3 at those costs over Varejao. Without even thinking about it. And so would pretty much anyone else who isn’t a Cavs fan, at least based on all the analysis of these moves that I’ve been reading.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
AMC incentives can come in many ways. commercials and endorsements etc…
Going to NYC will bring him more fame, money, celebrity, etc…. Big city lights lure alot of ppls. All through the years Lakers get a lot of players more then other willing to play for cheaper.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
One more thing. Your state tax sucks big time for wealthy players. Your should look that up. Another reason a lot of players don’t want to go to Ohio. They get more money playing for other teams with lesser pay because of you high taxes.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Good point Shaqfan If LBJ went to NY, maybe he could be on the cover of Vogue, or GQ, or Fortune. Instead he toils in obscurity in Cleveland.
That makes about as much sense as claiming no one will pay more than the bi-annual for Varejao.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Is that John Cougar Mellencamp (# 35) posting on WFNY?
Glad to have you back Andy, now help LBJ get a ring.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Ohio has high taxes – one of the most laughable things I’ve heard in a while. Thanks sir. You insinuating that NYC taxes are much lower? Or DC? Or LA? Ha.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
1)JCM tell me a team that is willing to pay more then the mle for Andy. Put your money where you mouth is and prove it.
2)Talk to me about LBJ next year. That’s why Kobe openly said he’s staying with the Lakers and signing a extension with them on july 18. Did LBJ make this commitment to cleveland?
July 9th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Denny, it’s almost he same as LA. Actually last year your sales tax was higher then LA. Let me choose between Ohio or LA, NYC which would I choose.
That’s why the story broke out about Ariza claiming LBJ says he staying beyond this season was retracted by your very own LBJ source.
I’m not a Ceveland Fan until shaq came into play. Everybody knows that LBJ is gonna leave if you don’t win a ring this year. If you do win a ring then you have to pick up another super star to make up LBJ happy and then he will strongly consider to stay. NYC is willing to pick up two superstar and pay the luxury tax and do whatever it takes to get LBJ. Whenever LBJ played in the garden for 2 season in a row they cheer for him like it was the finals. Can’t say the same about your beloved ceveland willing to do the same.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Nobody in the league was willing to even pay more then 2 million or bi-annual for andy.
JCM tell me a team that is willing to pay more then the mle for Andy. Put your money where you mouth is and prove it
First the biannual, now the MLE. Pretty soon you’re going to be talking about real money.
Have you forgotten that the contract Andy just opted out of was originally offered by Charlotte?
July 9th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Right, my ‘beloved ceveland’ didn’t cheer for LBJ like it was the finals.
Cleveland, however, did.
Ceveland – hard ‘C’ or soft ‘C’?
And obviously sales tax is the only tax that there is. Governments wouldn’t tax property, income, investments, or anything like that. Sales tax it is!
July 9th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
@ shaqfan – did the Cavs overpay slightly for Andy? Yes. But I would argue they had to. There’s no way that Fegan would have allowed Andy to opt out of a $6.2 million option year with the Cavs and then turn around and sign a deal at the MLE. OKC, or possibly Portland would have offered money at least at the MLE if not more. You would have gotten into a situation where Andy walked like Ariza walked from the Lakers, even though Ariza signed for the same amount with Houston as the Lakers offered. In the case of Houston, Ariza got the most the Rockets could offer, that wasn’t the case with the Lakers. Ferry had to bring Andy back because of dwindling options. I don’t love that he overpaid a little but I think it was a necessary evil. If Andy’s offensive game continues to evolve, I think it will be well worth it.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
@ shaqfan
maybe lebron isn’t telling everyone he is staying this year because the novelty of his commitment to CLE for luring free agents will much better utilized with the FA market next year than this? (i.e., bosh, wade, et. al. vs. artest, ariza, etc). why use your strongest recruiting technique for a mediocre FA market?
keep everyone guessing… mass media hype, etc. then “oh lbj’s staying in CLE after all this time we spend hyping him leaving?
” wow, maybe i should check out CLE…”
nonetheless as every Cavs fan in American has stated over and over again: lebron will be with the team that is most promising to win a championship… whether that’s the Cavs, Nets, or freaking Clippers it remains to be seen… regardless of taxes, market size, etc… he will be paid the MAX no matter what, and lbj attracts his own fans and sets his own endorsement rates no matter where he is. the only thing that matters for him leaving is where can he win ring after ring.
can’t wait for this season. Cavs are looking pretty decent on paper right now.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I think it’s more likely Lebro hasn’t said he’s staying because he loves to be the center of attention. Let’s face it, all this talk about him staying or going is good for business.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Shaqfan, teams routinely overpay for bigs all the time. Eric Dampier gets 11 mil next year and 13 mil the year after that, Eddy Curry is getting 10 mil next year and 11 mil the year after that. Samuel Dalembert is getting 11 mil next year and 12 mil the year after that. I could go in. Is Andy (or any of these guys I mentioned) worth 10 mil a year? IMO, no, but it is not out of the question to think that some GM would.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
ShaqFan 2 things
1) AMC incentives can come in many ways. commercials and endorsements etc…
Going to NYC will bring him more fame, money, celebrity, etc…. Big city lights lure alot of ppls. All through the years Lakers get a lot of players more then other willing to play for cheaper.
The Cavs sold 15% of their company to Chinese corporations this year. That was for the sole benefit of LBJ so that he could do more commercials and sell more merchandise there.
2)”NYC is willing to pick up two superstar and pay the luxury tax and do whatever it takes to get LBJ.”
This again makes no sense, NYC would NOT I repeat would NOT be able to go over the salary cap by signing to Max players and say they would just pay the luxury tax. That is not how the salary cap works.
You need to study the salary cap and luxury cap and then you can make better educated comments.
Look up Mid-level Exception, Bi-Annual Exception, Larry Bird Exception, Early Bird Exception, and No Bird Exception. These are the ways a team can go over the salary cap.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Their are plenty of players that are getting over paid. Look at shaq. I’m just saying with the current FA maket not the pass which is totally different. Andy and his agent just got the most out of ceveland and took advantage of your situation with being over the cap and only having your MLE and your Bi-annual to use which was need to fill other positions. I just feel that ceveland could have just low balled him and he still would be crawling back and wouldn’t have a chip on his shoulder that he made the right choice by opting out.
The truth is beside him being a backup center I don’t see him playing with shaq at all with LBJ driving in the lanes and shaq himself already crowded the middle. Unless he can hit the mid range shots accurately. I hate the idea of having him for defense only because this will lead to LBJ being double team and andy running around wild looking like he’s doing something but everybody in the league ignores this guy offensively.
That contract was when? 2007? Do you know why alot of players didn’t opt out of their contract this year? I’ll tell you No Money! Andy was the not so bright ones that did and ceveland should punish him instead rewarded him.
40 jcm Says:
July 9th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Have you forgotten that the contract Andy just opted out of was originally offered by Charlotte?
July 9th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Denny, it’s almost he same as LA. Actually last year your sales tax was higher then LA. Let me choose between Ohio or LA, NYC which would I choose.
I work for a company here in Columbus that also has offices in Boston and the northern New Jersey area. When I tell my colleagues there what my mortgage payment is, they all get mad because what I pay a month for a 3 bedroom house barely gets you a one-room loft in those areas.
Taxes might be the same. Cost of living? Not even close.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Wil, I don’t know why you are trying to fight me on this. Your Salary cap is not the only way a players can make money. Knicks have publicly said they will do everything to get LBJ. Look, don’t think I’m a fool and think the knicks can offer him more then what the ceveland can offer with the bird exception. Do you know shaq still makes 15 million in endorsement which is higher then kobe, how can that be?
July 9th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
NYC now has a special Millionaire’s Tax.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
ShaqFan, I may be stating the obvious here……but Rape allegations hurt your endorsements.
Also on that note, Lebron makes the 3rd most in endorsements of any athlete in the Country (and more than any basketball player) ……..how Can that be? He’s still in cleveland.
Nice try though.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2009/
July 9th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Just to say one thing also, with the salary cap dropping to approx. 50-53 mil next year, there is no one who would be able to sign 2 young superstars. If the players (LBJ, Bosh, Wade, etc) are smart, they will pick up their last year option and go into the summer of 2011 and hope the economy comes back up.
Also, not trying to be a homer, but I don’t think that LBJ will leave, because right now Cleveland is the best way for him to reach his goal as a Global Icon, and for him becoming a billionaire.
As for the FA talk, I really think that the cavs need to look at a trade instead of getting more mediocre role players. Sure maybe Frye and Barnes may help, but I think to go over the top they need something more then that.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:02 am
Do you know how much LBJ can make if he went to NY? Hmm…. You seriously think that he will be making the same in Endorsement in Ohio compare to NY then I have nothing more to say to you.
Bobby the only trade I can see is Z and I don’t think Cleveland is willing to take on a huge long term contract without getting assurance that LBJ is gonna sign with Cleveland.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Would someone please take away this guy’s right to talk about the salary cap and luxury cap? He has absolutely no idea what he is talking about.
We really need an “ignore user” button on this site.
And anyone who repeatedly and purposely misspells CLEVELAND on a CLEVELAND site should be considered a troll and treated accordingly in my humble opinion.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Hey ShaqFan,
Welcome to Cleveland sports. Please go back and read every Cavs post on WFNY from the last two years before you try and explain to us what LeBron is or isn’t going to do, what it’s like to live in Cleveland and the future of the franchise.
It may surprise you but people have been thinking/talking about this longer than the last 6 weeks (i.e. before Shaq).
July 10th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Shaqfan… did you see the trade last summer coming (Essentially Damon Jones for Mo Williams)?
Im not saying take on a ‘huge long term contract’ but they need to find someone to help this year, and ultimately comes as insurance next year if LBJ decides to leave.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Fantastic analysis. This is one of the few deals this off-season that I think is the perfect fit for the player and has the team paying the right price.
One quick note: There’s a small likelihood that this signing won’t actually happen. Bryan Colangelo is still trying to retain Parker, as the Turkoglu sign-and-trade means that the Raptors have his bird rights. BC did say that it’s unlikely that it’d happen at this point, but they’re still trying.
Audio Here
July 10th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Latest info – Raps couldn’t get him, AP is coming your way: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/from-deep/its-official-ap-is-gone/article1213552/
July 10th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Shaqfan,
So how come there are no New York Athletes ahead of him on the list?
The NBA is the 3rd most popular sport. Why isn’t Eli Manning ahead of him?
What about A-Rod? I know Jeter is high on the list……….but Lebron is still higher.
Glad to see you had nothing to say back to my comment about why Kobe’s endorsement money is less than Shaq’s.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Solid post. Well done.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Rap your so funny!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3866598
Glad to see you had nothing to say back to my comment
I would also like to see Andys offer of 10 million RETARDS
# 53 Shaqfan Says:
July 10th, 2009 at 2:02 am
Do you know how much LBJ can make if he went to NY? Hmm…. You seriously think that he will be making the same in Endorsement in Ohio compare to NY then I have nothing more to say to you.
# # 59 Wil Says:
July 10th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Shaqfan,
So how come there are no New York Athletes ahead of him on the list?
The NBA is the 3rd most popular sport. Why isn’t Eli Manning ahead of him?
What about A-Rod? I know Jeter is high on the list……….but Lebron is still higher.
Glad to see you had nothing to say back to my comment about why Kobe’s endorsement money is less than Shaq’s.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
“Do you know how much LBJ can make if he went to NY? Hmm…. You seriously think that he will be making the same in Endorsement in Ohio compare to NY then I have nothing more to say to you.”
Lebron is a global icon, the big endorsement money is in global markets and the companies that operate on that scale (hence the Chinese interest in the team), not local markets.
Hoy
July 11th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Lebron leaving would have as much to do about winning a championship as it does about getting the money he feels he is worth…
with that said – according to ESPN, the cap is going to decrease yet again next year – meaning the lofty aspirations of teams like the Knicks to cut their salary in order to sign 2 big stars is not going to happen – they’d only have enough to sign just 1…. so in essence, you’d have Lebron in NY, surrounded by 4 scrubs for the foreseeable future… for Lebron, that’s going back to how the Cavs were when they drafted him – and if there is one thing we know, 1 man can’t do it alone…
so i say, if Lebron’s motivation is to win a championship – then why would he leave Cleveland, knowing that Shaq would still have 2 years left – Varejo is locked up for another 5, Parker for another year, and possible returns from West, Williams or Gibson – plus with cap room, the Cavs could make a move for a high profile free agent. Why would he go to another team, and start completely over, when a great team is being assembled around him right now – it doesn’t make sense.
the only way it would happen, is if he really doesn’t want to win anything, and cares more about the money… which don’t get me wrong, money is nice (especially his money) but when he is 50 something looking back on his career – money wont replace the personal glory of winning a championship……
NY may be the bigger market, have the biggest lights and the biggest attention – but that also can be a curse as well…. Chicago from an NBA standpoint was nothing until Jordan showed up – then they exploded… the same i feel is happening to Cleveland.
Lebron doesn’t need NY to become a global icon, he already is one in a Cavaliers uniform.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
With all these new players, who will be dropped off the roster ?