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Cavs 06-07 season thread

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CPD

CAVALIERS INSIDER

Iverson won't be alongside James

Sunday, December 10, 2006 Branson Wright

Plain Dealer Reporter

Allen Iverson is on the trading block, and he will not play in a Cavaliers uniform. A source within the organization said it would not be a right move for the team.
But if the organization pursued Iverson, LeBron James would welcome him with open arms.
"He's a future Hall of Famer and who wouldn't want to play with a future hall of famer?" James said. "Anybody in the league would want to play with a guy like that."
Eric Snow played with Iverson for six-plus years in Philadelphia. He said Iverson's move will be a sad day for Sixers fans.
"It's unfortunate if he has to go somewhere else to play," Snow said. "I would've hoped he could have finished his career there, but things happen in this league and if it's best for him and the organization for him to go somewhere else, I'd rather him be happy and move on instead of prolonging something that probably isn't working anymore."
Hughes back:
Larry Hughes returned to action Saturday night. It was Hughes' first game back since injuring his right ankle against Portland on Nov. 15. Hughes recently told coach Mike Brown he was ready to return, but Hughes does not make the final decision.
"Sometimes a player may think he is ready and medically he may not understand the risk involved of re-injuring it if he comes back too soon," Brown said. "Our decision is based on how the player feels, but we also look to the medical staff. I make my decision after the player practices."
Big night:
The New Jersey Nets and the Phoenix Suns participated in the most explosive game of the season last week that resulted in a 161-157 double overtime win by the Suns.
Thirteen players scored in double figures and Steve Nash led all scorers with 42 points. James said playing in a game like that would give the defensive-minded coach Mike Brown fits. "A game like that would be fun," James said. "You can't play games like that all the time, but a game like that every now and then would be fun."
Go Blue:
Pacers forward and former Michigan star Maceo Baston wanted to see Ohio State and Michigan in the national championship game.
"That's a rivalry that has been going on for years, so putting it on as a national championship would make the game bigger than a game against Florida," Baston said. "We could've beaten Ohio State on a neutral site."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4671
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Dispatch

CAVALIERS NOTEBOOK
James wouldn?t mind seeing Iverson in Cleveland
Monday, December 11, 2006
Brian Windhorst
AKRON BEACON JOURNAL



CLEVELAND ? LeBron James made it clear that he wasn?t trying to start any rumors. But he sure wouldn?t say no to playing with Allen Iverson.
"He?s a guy you know is going to play hard every single night and give it his all," James said Saturday. "I?m not trying to stir up nothing around here. But he?s a Hall of Famer. Who wouldn?t want to play with a Hall of Famer? "
The Philadelphia 76 ers star is on the trade block after being sent home Friday. He expressed a desire to be moved earlier in the week, and the 76 ers will grant the request.
Team sources said the Cleveland Cavaliers are not pursuing Iverson, which isn?t a shock. They already have a franchise player in James. But James does feel for his contemporary. He has a relationship with Iverson ? they became close during the 2004 Olympics when both played for Team USA.
"It?s tough, you play your heart out for one organization your whole career and it has to end this way," James said. "You?ve been there ... and then they tell you to stay home. It is very difficult for him to swallow."
In the locker room

Larry Hughes and his foundation have donated a block of tickets to each Cavaliers game to charity in the name of his late brother, Justin. As is custom around the NBA, Hughes and several teammates already had bought blocks of tickets, with banners to mark each player?s section. Hughes now has his own section and one for his brother, dubbed "Justin?s Wing." ... Drew Gooden is the lone Cavs player who isn?t wearing special orange shoes on the team?s throwback jersey nights. Gooden doesn?t like changing his shoes for anything. While most NBA players wear a new pair every game or few games, Gooden will often wear the same shoes for 15 to 20 games and also uses the same pair for practices. ... Scot Pollard had been sporting the "faux hawk" this season, spiking his hair down the middle. He abandoned that approach Saturday, shaving his head into a Mohawk.
In the coach?s office

Despite lots of potshots being taken at the weakness of the Eastern Conference, four members of the Central Division are at or above .500. Last season, the Central was the only division to put all its members in the playoffs. Despite the strength of the Southwest Division ? with Dallas, Houston and San Antonio ? Cavs coach Mike Brown thinks the Central still is on top. "I thought last year it was the toughest division in basketball," Brown said. "We all started off a little slow this year. But the teams haven?t changed much; there?s the same talent as last year, which in my mind translates to the toughest division in the game."
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ABJ

Let's play Match Game

Gibson's family works system, and it works for Cavaliers, too

By Brian Windhorst

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Ken Love/Akron Beacon Journal
Cleveland Cavaliers Daniel Gibson tries to save a ball from going out of bounds but ends up in the front row while playing the Toronto Raptors, Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006, in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Quicken Loans Arena in the first half of play.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Often the difference between a perceived gamble and a shrewd investment is a little bit of perspective. That and some quality inside information.
Such is the partnership between Daniel Gibson and the Cavaliers.
Just how Gibson, a promising rookie starting to establish a role on the team, landed on the Cavs roster is a matter of guts and intrigue that played out behind the scenes last summer.
No one on either side is apparently ready to tell the whole story or take credit for the early returns, which make it seem like a potential home run, because the process is still in its infancy. But there's a chance someone might end up having pulled off quite a coup.
Last year after having his position changed and his role somewhat diminished, Gibson decided to leave the University of Texas after his sophomore season. Some draft experts thought it was a mistake, that he was leaving when his stock was low and he should try to raise it by playing another season.
Gibson and his father, Bryon, saw it as an opportunity. Like buying low and selling high, the Gibsons formulated a plan that went against the grain.
``At first, I was like `I'm going to go to every workout with every team possible and I'm going to get into that first round,' '' Gibson said. ``But after a while you figure out that what you really want is to get into the right situation, a place you can flourish.''
Just when that epiphany came isn't clear, but it was probably after an afternoon in May when Gibson worked out for the Cavs at Quicken Loans Arena. After that workout, Gibson's father, who was acting as his agent at the time, called off a long West Coast trip he'd set up to showcase his son. It was decided that despite being a bubble pick -- anywhere from the late first round to undrafted -- no one else was getting a look.
Not even the hometown Houston Rockets, who repeatedly called him wanting to take a look after a preliminary workout. Gibson worked out for just two teams, the Rockets and the Cavs. And he wasn't returning the Rockets' phone calls.
``My parents and I sat down and decided we weren't going to work out anymore,'' Gibson said. ``Teams wanted me to come, but my father stuck to his guns. He told them they could draft me if they wanted, but they weren't going to get a workout.''
The Cavs had three picks in the draft last June and Gibson's family already had a relationship with Cavs assistant general manager Lance Blanks, who was formerly a star at Texas himself.
In fact, the Cavs had a 50-page dossier on Gibson. They knew all about him, his background, his family, and his game -- a game that perhaps was underused at Texas and then kept hidden from other NBA teams.
Meanwhile, Gibson was doing some research of his own. He was talking to players like Mo Williams of the Milwaukee Bucks, a point guard from Alabama who also came out of college after his sophomore season despite doubters. Williams was drafted in the second round by the Utah Jazz and after a strong season, quickly earned a long-term contract with the Bucks.
Williams told him that getting into a position to be successful was more important than being a first-round draft pick. He told him that thinking about your second contract could be much smarter than worrying about your first.
Then Gibson looked at the Cavs' roster. He didn't see a point guard on the team that was still in his 20s. Then he saw LeBron James, a guy close to his age with massive upside and the need for an athletic and sharp-shooting guard. Ideas started to swirl. Perhaps the Cavs would be a perfect place to play, especially long term.
Both sides deny there was a secret promise in place. But considering Gibson's willingness to drop all workouts and hide away, he sure seems like the Cavs wanted him and he wanted the Cavs, and the two sides did more than bat their eyes at each other.
The Cavs were willing to take him at in the first round with the 25th pick but jumped at Shannon Brown after he surprisingly slid that far down. There was no real fear of anyone taking Gibson. After all, no one had seen him play in weeks. And so it happened, with the 42nd overall pick on draft night.
The reward to Gibson was a favorable contract. The Cavs gave him two years guaranteed, worth about a million dollars, and did not insert an option for the third season. After next season, Gibson will be a restricted free agent. It is less money up front than all those first-rounders got, but Gibson will be on the open market two full seasons before most of the first-rounders will be. Plus he positioned himself to be on a team where he might be able to get more playing time in those first two years than maybe anywhere else.
In a way, it was probably the best contract landed by a second-round pick last summer, because it gave him both security and flexibility.
``In my heart, I knew that I could really make this situation pay off both for me and the Cavs,'' Gibson said. ``I knew I'd be able to help this team, and one day I hope that I am considered a steal.''
He's off to a promising start.
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That is a pretty interesting article on Gibson, and is the same reason why it is sometimes better to be undrafted than to go to a team late in the draft b/c you can choose the situation that might be better off for you...

So in all reality Gibson probably goes around the 20th pick or so if he works out, but we got him in the second round for less money. In the end it really benefitted us and Gibby.
 
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crazybuckfan40;685392; said:
That is a pretty interesting article on Gibson, and is the same reason why it is sometimes better to be undrafted than to go to a team late in the draft b/c you can choose the situation that might be better off for you...

So in all reality Gibson probably goes around the 20th pick or so if he works out, but we got him in the second round for less money. In the end it really benefitted us and Gibby.
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If it's anything like the NFL the second contract is the most important. Unless you're Lebron who is looking 3 or 4 contracts down the line.
 
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Agree with you CBF, that was a nice article. I remember alot of mock drafts had the Cavs taking him in the first. Alot of people said that was a mistake.
I would have been happy with him in the first, but when we got Brown, I figured no way Gibby's around with our next pick. It was a very nice pick to get him in the second round.

He looks like a little bigger version of TJ Ford, at least in looks. It is nice to have a pg that forces the opponent to put a body on him because he can shoot. (no offense E. Snow). I guess that can have a double meaning. It was meant as no uh-fence to ES. Of course he has no offense. Ok, that wasn't necessary.:)
 
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I still am scratching my head on the no call on LBJ. Chandler clearly hit him with with his forearm.

Then the thing that got me was the Hornets had the ball and one of their guys was injured, why no stoppage of play until they scored, and then blew the whistle when it was Cavs possession.

LBJ will still not assert himself down the stretch like he should. The only guy at this point that is making a case that he needs to be on the floor down the stretch is Gibby.
 
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Another ho-hum performance. I'm not overly concerned though. LBJ just needs that one big game to hit his stride, and we all know it's gonna happen soon. Gibson impresses me more with each outing. It's nice for the Cavs to finally dig up a sleeper. This kid looks like a possible star. Very athletic and can score, which is something we've really been missing at PG. This may be a little premature, but from what I've seen/read he looks like he could develop into a Tony Parker type. One can only hope.:biggrin: Give LBJ a good PG to run with and these guys could be scary.
 
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When the hell will LBJ stop taking those questionable shots during the last few minutes of close games? He forces some bad shots. There is NO excuse for a guy of his ability to get to the hole, to only shoot 1 free throw in a game, none!!

Why they don't drive to the hoop more is beyond me. 13 team free throws in a game is a joke.

Another nice game by Gibby. He's the only starter to hit a 3 and he was 3-6.

Nice game by Wild Thing, Too.
 
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