A lot of people out there are starting to predict that because the Cavs are playing so well right now that they won’t trade Wally Szczerbiak and his expiring contract. Now, I understand that kind of chatter, but let me just send this message to our good friend Wally. I want you to meet a few friends of mine. This is Brent Barry, and this is Antonio McDyess. While everyone in the Cavs’ system has to look you in the face and tell you certain things because of rules and regulations in the NBA trade market, I do not.
Now, I must preface this. I hate the fact that teams can trade a player, the player refuses to play for that team, negotiates a buyout and re-signs back with the team that initially traded them for significantly less dollars, all in time for a playoff run. I hate it. But, as long as we are going to live in a world where the Spurs can trade Brent Barry, and the Pistons can trade McDyess and those players can negotiate buyouts before returning to their teams then the Cavs should play that game too.
So, back to you, Wally. Please pay attention here. Don’t take it personally. Go ahead and buy a house here in the Cleveland area. We are going to trade your ridiculous salary to bring in some talent. You are going to look at that new GM square in the face and say, “You better buy me out, because I am not going to play here.” If you are too nice a guy to do it, then make your agent or a lawyer do it. You pay them a percentage for a reason, Wally. Make it happen, and then you can re-sign with the Cavaliers just in time to make a deep run into the playoffs and hopefully win your first (of many) championships in a Cavaliers jersey.
Again, Danny Ferry can’t say it to you, but look closely and you might just see him wink and nod. No, he isn’t hitting on you. He is telling you exactly what you need to do. Now, make it happen.
Author: CraigLyndall
Craig Lyndall has been writing about all the Cleveland sports teams at WaitingForNextYear since September 2008. When he isn't, you can find him selling insurance or playing music. Follow WFNYCraig on Twitter.Craig Lyndall has written 338 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
I feel like I heard Windhorst say he had talked about this with Wally and that he thought it very well could happen. Then again it was a while ago, so I may be off on the specifics of what BW said. But regardless this better happen. It’s about time a weird rule worked in the favor of Cleveland sports.
I wish I could find a job where things work like in the NBA – where insider trading happens.
Me too… Oh, wait…
Martha thought the same thing.
/Mark Cuban
Scott, you work for a financial instituion, so you could’ve just signed it with your own name.
Are you sure Danny isn’t hitting on him? Wally is awfully dreamy.
Wally seems like Danny Ferry’s type of guy too…
Yes! Make it happen.
That would be a disgusting act!!!
Great article. Wally’s contract is too big a weapon in Ferry’s war chest for him not use by the trading deadline. That being said, I think the Cavs are a better team with Wally and for a number of reasons, I would like to see him on the Cavs’ playoff roster.
By any means necessary, I guess..
Windhorst has also mentioned on his podcasts the possibility of Joe Smith returning to town after a possible OKC buyout. Obviously that’s a different circumstance, but I’d definitely take Smith back.
As for Wally… this is right on the money. If it’s not shady enough for the Spurs and Pistons to stop doing, then why shouldn’t we play the game too?
LOL, nicely done, Craig. I like it. The closer we get to the deadline, the more and more we’ll see teams looking to desperately dump a high-profile superstar for just cap relief and nothing more. $13 million off the books is quite a bit, and it’s one of the reasons why Ferry made the trade back in February.
The Cavs are worried about their team chemistry, but if they can pick up a guy like Andrei Kirilenko for Wally’s contract and nothing else, then sign Wally back at a massive discount 30 days later, you basically just pluck AK-47 out of Utah for free, like some sort of Minor League call-up or something just in time for the stretch run.
I could see this. Remember a buyout is sort of like the “price” another team would pay to be out of future years of whatever contract they trade to the Cavs. My question is who? Who out there matches Wally’s contract and won’t overburden the cavs to many years into the future. EX. Do they trade for a guy whose contract takes the Cavs into the 2010 season. That would effectively remove the Cavs from the big names in 2010 free agent market. (Depending on what they do with Andy)