Cleveland Cavaliers 2009-10 Thread

[Straight forward]

So that's the 'moral basis' of Cleveland and Ilgauskas which was so important when Z wanted to play for Lithuania in Olympics 08. Now Ferry only put few words like "he was a good player, good luck". And for these shitty capitalists Ilgauskas gave up his whole international career and never even played with a decent point guard. Ilgauskas was the biggest NBA "sold out" issue in Lithuanian BB history and I hope that won't happen again ever.

[rikhardur]

The "problem" for Ilgauskas was Shaq getting in the team. He would start and be the main centre no matter what. Even if Ilgauskas had given a title to the team with a last second shot or something. Shaq is unquestionable in the NBA and he makes sure he is. Still, Cavaliers management showed little respect for Ilgauskas, that's for sure.

[mvblair]

Still, Cavaliers management showed little respect for Ilgauskas, that's for sure.

Rik, if the Cavs get Z back this year, do you think that will still be disrespectful? I'm not sure either way. The truth is Z is one of my favorite players and has been for a long time. I hate to see him traded just for money, even though I think Jamison will be very productive.

[rikhardur]

Rik, if the Cavs get Z back this year, do you think that will still be disrespectful?

No

[JGX]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/17/AR2010021705872.html

Don't show up at Verizon Center looking to see Big Z firing up three-pointers from the right corner. He'll be here about as long as Drew Gooden, who was in the passenger seat Wednesday night when Jamison drove away. Gooden clearly needed a ride to Dulles to catch a flight to Los Angeles, where he'll presumably join the Clippers who were the third party to the Washington-Cleveland deal. Actually, Big Z probably won't show up in Washington at all. The Wizards can buy him out and he can sit out 30 days, then rejoin the Cavaliers for the playoffs. You think the Cavaliers are crazy enough to not have a veteran big man backing up Shaq?

[Dtown]

Yeah those 30 day buyouts are common place now, the Cavs will likely get Jamison for just a late first round pick, while Z gets a 30 day paid vacation. Win, Win. Cavs favorites for the Finals in the east, if they get there and are competitive I can't see them losing Lebron.

[mvblair]

Yeah those 30 day buyouts are common place now, the Cavs will likely get Jamison for just a late first round pick, while Z gets a 30 day paid vacation. Win, Win. Cavs favorites for the Finals in the east, if they get there and are competitive I can't see them losing Lebron.

Still with the ring avatar, D? Come on, man. You're living in the past.

Yeah, I can't see LeBron going anywhere else besides Cleveland. He's in a great situation. It's his hometown team and they've got a great cast of players around him.

[Dtown]

Still with the ring avatar, D? Come on, man. You're living in the past.

Yeah, I can't see LeBron going anywhere else besides Cleveland. He's in a great situation. It's his hometown team and they've got a great cast of players around him.

Of course I'm living in the past, have you seen the Pistons this year?

Also explains my sig

[silnismo]

Cavs get Jamison!

[mvblair]

Of course I'm living in the past, have you seen the Pistons this year?

Also explains my sig

Hah, hah, hah!!

Well, I got my first glimpse of Jamison yesterday afternoon. He looked great. He had 19 points on 9-14 and hit his only three point attempt. Unfortunately, Mo Williams missed 8 shots. Orlando shot 50% and won the game pretty handily in the fourth.

[mvblair]

We might be in trouble...

Denver Post Article -- February 25, 2010, Denver Post, by Benjamin Hochman

The Nuggets are making a strong push to acquire coveted big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who likely will soon be bought out by the Washington Wizards.

"There hasn't been a day go by that I haven't heard from Mark (Warkentien, the Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations)," Herb Rudoy, Ilgauskas' agent, said Wednesday. "He had a great relationship with 'Z' (back in Cleveland). Mark has been very aggressive to convince me to convince 'Z.' "

Ilgauskas is currently at his home in New York City, waiting to hear what happens next. He was traded by Cleveland near the trade deadline to the Wizards. And the plan is for the former all-star center to get bought out of his contract so he can sign with a contender.

"He wants to win a championship," Rudoy said.

The 7-foot-3 big man averages 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds this season.

The Nuggets have a coveted facet to this deal too — the biannual exception, which pays a player $1.99 million. That's what Denver would use, if the center agrees to sign with Nuggets, the No. 2 team in the Western Conference.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Article -- February 25, 2010, by Michael Cunningham, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

...The feeling in the Hawks locker room is that Ilgauskas would be a good addition.

“We need a guy like that,� said Hawks center Al Horford. “I hope our people can make that happen because he would be a big key for us.�

Ilgauskas would add three elements the Hawks need: size (he’s 7 feet 3, 260 pounds), shooting to stretch the floor and playoff experience (64 games).

“He’s a guy that is good with shooting on the pick-and-pop,� Horford said. “He’s a big body. We already have some of those but you need as many as you can get for the playoffs, especially an experienced guy like that.�

Adrian Worjankowski wrote an interesting commentary on the 23rd about Big Z's situation. Basically, Worjankowski says that there probably was a "wink, wink," behind-the-scenes deal for Z to go back to Cleveland, even though it's illegal according to NBA rules. He says this kind of stuff goes on all the time, whether it's with these players who have their contracts "bought out" or with potential free-agents. "NBA officials can’t catch teams. Truth be told, they don’t want to catch teams. This is a league full of side deals," Worjankowski writes. I think he's probably right.

[eliooo93]

Shaq's regular season could be over

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/02/28/shaq.thumb.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2

[rikhardur]

USA - LeBron to wear number 6 next season

CLEVELAND (2010 FIBA World Championship for Men) - Team USA star LeBron James will have several big decisions to make regarding his future in the coming months, but one thing is certain - he will be wearing a different number once the 2010-2011 NBA season tips off.

James told Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer that he has filed the necessary paperwork with the NBA to drop his trademark '23' and instead wear '6' in the autumn.

"I've done it. I already sent it in. I'm going to be number 6," he said.

The 25-year-old has worn number 6 while helping the USA take the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The number is also symbolic as it is part of the birth dates for both his sons - Lebron James Junior, born on 6th October 2004 (06/10/2004) and Bryce Maximus James, born on 14th June 2007 (14/06/2007).

Despite his status as the most sought-after free agent in the class of 2010, James hopes to find the time to wear his number 6 Team USA jersey in Turkey this summer and help the Americans as they bid for their first FIBA World Championship for Men crown since 1994.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star is turning in his number 23 as a tribute to Michael Jordan.

James first came up with the idea last November and called on others who wore the number to give it up so that the NBA could then retire it across the league in the honour of arguably the best basketball player in history.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/38753/arti.html

[mvblair]

Call me cynical, but I think this is a good way to sell some more jerseys.

LeBron James is an amazing basketball player -- one of the best on the planet -- and he wants to make his money.

[nic39]

shaqs injury is really sad i hope hell be able to play in the playoffs..