Cavs 06-07 season thread

[NJ-Buckeye]

we can certainly get rid of Damon Jones and Newble... but who'd take them?

 

[Brutus1]

No one.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Cavaliers report

Wesley joins deep backcourt

GM expects veteran will be solid presence in Cavs' locker room

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Over the last two years, the Cavaliers have worked to build a roster with interchangeable pieces and versatile players.
They added another Tuesday by signing veteran guard David Wesley. The 35-year-old got a one-year guaranteed deal, believed to be for just less than $2 million, with a partial guarantee for next season.
Team officials hope Wesley will become a valuable role player. He averaged 9.9 points and made 99 3-pointers in 71 games with the Houston Rockets last season. He mostly has played shooting guard in his career but also can play point guard.
General Manager Danny Ferry hopes that Wesley fits in with players like LeBron James, Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and even rookie Shannon Brown, all of whom can play more than one position in the backcourt.
Wesley also has a reputation of being a solid presence in the locker room, another trait the Cavs make a priority when bringing in new players.
``He'll bring something to the locker room and to the practice floor,'' Ferry said. ``With the combination of the X's and O's and the intangibles, I really think this is a good signing for us.''
The other side of the story is that the backcourt is now packed, especially with draft picks Brown and Daniel Gibson. Last season, coach Mike Brown usually only played three guards.
``How it all unfolds and who plays will be up to the coach,'' Ferry said. ``There's going to be some sacrifices like there are on any team.''
After signing his contract Tuesday morning, Wesley worked out with new teammates Brown, Gibson, Eric Snow and Donyell Marshall at Quicken Loans Arena. He's hoping to fit in quickly.
``I'm looking forward to being out there, spotting up and waving my arms waiting to catch and shoot,'' Wesley said. ``It feels nice to be in a situation where I'm wanted and needed and can contribute.''
The Cavs signed Wesley with part of their $5.2 million midlevel salary-cap exception. They also used a part of it to sign Scot Pollard to a one-year, $2.2 million deal last month. Once Drew Gooden's three-year, $23 million deal is signed -- Ferry said the contract language is being finalized -- the team will be just below the $65.4 million luxury tax line.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

PRO BASKETBALL
Cavs turn to Wesley for his grit, shooting
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Tom Withers
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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CLEVELAND ? The Cleveland Cavaliers decided to get tougher this summer. After being bullied at times last season and pushed around by Detroit during their NBA playoff series, they had no choice.
Yesterday, they added some teeth.
"I?m like a pit bull," guard David Wesley said. "I?ll bite a leg if I have to."
Wesley, a 14-year veteran and excellent defender, outsider shooter and leader, signed a two-year contract with the Cavs, a deal that gives coach Mike Brown a multitude of backcourt options.
Wesley averaged 9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 71 games ? 59 starts ? for Houston last season. With the Cavs, his main role likely will be as a backup point guard.
However, the 35-year-old is also an effective three-point shooter and tough-nosed, get-down-on-the-floor defender, something the Cavs didn?t have enough of last season.
"He?s going to be a great addition to our team from an X?s and O?s standpoint, adding shooting and adding defense," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said. "But with David it?s more than that. He?s a pro?s pro. He?ll bring something to the locker room, something to the practice court, traveling, whatever it is."
Ferry used some of the club?s midlevel exception money to sign Wesley and forward/center Scot Pollard, another role player who isn?t afraid to do the little things to win.
"Both of those guys bring a little edge on the court that can help make us better and something we needed to add," Ferry said.
Wesley?s addition temporarily gives the Cavaliers more guards than they have room for on their roster. He joins Eric Snow, Damon Jones, Larry Hughes, rookies Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson, Stephen Graham and Eddie Basden. The club also has swingmen Sasha Pavlovic, Luke Jackson and Ira Newble.
Ferry, though, isn?t worried about the perceived logjam and is confident playing time will be sorted out by Brown and his staff. Wesley?s scoring average last season marked the first time since his second year in the NBA that he didn?t average double digits. But he made 99 of 271 three-pointers.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Cavaliers report

Varejao drawing anger

Greek player reportedly planning lawsuit against Cavs forward for elbow

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->Within the Cavaliers' fan base, Anderson Varejao has become a favorite for his hard-working game and his on-court flair.
After an incident last month in the FIBA World Championship, while Varejao was playing for the Brazilian national team, in certain corners of the globe he's seen as a villain.
In a preliminary-round game in Hamamatsu, Japan, on Aug. 23, Varejao elbowed Greece guard Nikos Zisis as he was dribbling through the lane. The blow fractured Zisis' face in several places. He spent a week in the hospital.
An angry war of words followed, and now, according to a European basketball Web site, Zisis and his lawyers are planning to take legal action against Varejao.
How that is possible is unclear, considering one party is a Greek who plays professionally in the Italian League and the other is a Brazilian playing in the NBA and the incident happened in Asia.
FIBA declined to take any further action than the foul that was called on Varejao. He played in the Brazilians' next game against Lithuania, a loss that knocked them from the tournament.
Replays showed Varejao moving from his position in the middle of Brazil's zone to guard a driving Zisis. As the Greek guard passed the ball, Varejao turned with his left elbow high and struck Zisis on the right side of his face. At the moment of the hit, Varejao was looking in the other direction following the pass, but there was no doubt his elbow was raised.
Several members of the Greek media who attended the game told the Beacon Journal that Varejao and Zisis started feuding earlier in the game, when Zisis drove and Varejao attempted to take a charge.
A week after the hit, on his personal blog, Zisis called Varejao an ``animal'' and said the hit was meant to ``kill me.'' He also said the Cavs forward didn't show remorse after the game when the two passed in the hall.
After the game, message boards on the Cavs' Web site were flooded with threats against Varejao and members of his family. He currently is resting in Brazil and is expected to arrive in Cleveland for training camp in three weeks.
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[BuckFanAtAkron]

Gooden finally puts pen to paper on three-year, $23M deal

 

[Smooth Olaf]

All these signings are great and all, but the fact remains that as of right now, Eric Snow is still our starting point guard. This is not good.

 

[Brutus1]

I think we'll see less and less of Snow at the point and more of Brown at the 2 and either LBJ or Hughes bringing the ball up.

We CANNNOT have another full season with Snow getting the majority of the time at the point. The liability on O is too severe.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Gooden finally signs contract

Long process completed in agreement with Cavs

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - After months of methodical talks, the Drew Gooden contract process finally reached an end.
The Cavaliers officially announced Gooden's new deal Monday after he signed it over the weekend. Gooden's agent, Calvin Andrews, said the contract was for three years and $23 million, though that figure is believed to include several million dollars in team-based incentives.
The two sides agreed to general terms last month, but it took several weeks for the final details, especially the payment schedule, to be worked out. It is believed the Cavs structured the deal unconventionally to ease luxury-tax burdens in the next two seasons.
Gooden averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds in 79 starts last season. He's been the Cavs' leading rebounder in each of the last two seasons after coming over in a trade from the Orlando Magic.
Because Gooden was a restricted free agent, his representatives and the Cavs bobbed and weaved over this contract for more than a month. Gooden's agents attempted to find sign-and-trade deals, and the Cavs interviewed potential replacements. In the end, the two sides ended up agreeing on a shorter deal.
The Cavs have 16 players under contract and about $64 million in salaries committed for the upcoming season, although that number could be lower, depending on certain incentives in various players' contracts. That puts them just below the league's luxury-tax threshold.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Ferry feels a passion for GM job
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Mike Popovich REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]
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CANTON TWP. - Danny Ferry?s rise to Cavaliers general manager came quickly.
Ferry won the NBA title as a player with San Antonio three years ago. At the time, he never saw himself in an executive role.
A couple of years as director of operations for the Spurs changed Ferry?s mind-set before he was hired by the Cavs in June 2005.
?I found a passion for what I?m doing now,? Ferry said Monday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club?s first meeting of the year.
As the basketball staff?s top decision maker, Ferry?s goal now is to help lead the Cavaliers to glory.
The Cavs won 50 games and came within one victory of appearing in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1992 last spring. The priorities this offseason were to sign LeBron James to a contract extension, bring back Drew Gooden and have a successful draft. All three goals were achieved.
Ferry has done so much so soon. However, building a championship team is a continuous process. Players and coaches know they must step up.
Ferry and his staff also know they must be at the top of their game.
?Hopefully when we make decisions, they?re not emotionally based decisions,? Ferry said. ?Hopefully, they?re in line with all the other things we put together throughout the year.
?I have people around me who I trust and are obviously talented. I?m not making these decisions by myself. I, with a group of people who can work real hard and, especially over the past year, build a scouting infastructure that I don?t think was necessarily here to the best it could be. We?ve worked pretty hard. We still have a long way to go.?
Ferry is a second-generation NBA executive. His father, Bob, was general manager of the Washington Bullets for 17 years. He helped lead the Bullets to the league title in 1978 and an appearance in the finals the following year.
As a father and successful general manager, Bob Ferry is one of his son?s best advisors. He worked for the Cavs as a consultant and scout last season.
?It has been real fun sharing this experience with him,? Ferry said. ?Obviously, the perspective he brings on our team, I?m going to listen to. He also adds some great knowledge and experiences to back up and help me with.?
Despite fishing just a win shy of the conference finals last year, the Cavaliers did not stand pat. The signings of Scot Pollard and David Wesley add veteran leadership and toughness. The team also looks forward to what draft picks Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson can add this season.
Can the Cavs win an NBA championship this year?
?I don?t know,? Ferry said. ?But it?s possible.?
Gooden deal finalized
The Cavs said Monday that Gooden has signed his multi-year contract extension with the team.
Gooden, a restricted free agent, agreed to terms on the three-year deal with a reported $23 million last month. He averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds in 27.5 minutes last year. He was the only player in the NBA to average at least 10.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in less that 28.0 minutes.
?Drew was an important player for us last year,? Ferry said. ?He was a guy you could count on for double-doubles. And keeping him here and showing some stability to our group as we?re working to make the next step was important.?
Gooden has averaged 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game since the Cavs acquired him from Orlando at the start of the 2004-05 season.
Next week?s speaker will be Rayfield Wright, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame?s Class of 2006. Reach Repository sports writer Mike Popovich at (330) 580-8341 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Cavaliers report

Plenty of effort in Gooden's contract

Veteran forward thinks work ethic serves him well now and in future

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Drew Gooden has been burdened with many labels since he came into the NBA four years ago, most of them with a tinge of negativity.
Now a veteran and nearly 25 years old, Gooden thinks he has earned a new tag, and he has a new contract to prove it.
``There's been a lot of perceptions and things said about me, but I worked very hard to become a good pro, and I think I've put myself in a great position to have a great career,'' Gooden said Thursday in his first interview since his new contract with the Cavaliers became official.
``I think now people honestly say when you play against Drew Gooden you're going to have to work.''
The term workhorse fits Gooden well. It's the best way to describe his play since he came to the Cavs in a trade two summers ago. He often does the grunt work of rebounding and providing scoring when the offense breaks down.
Rarely has he drawn praise; more often he'll get criticism for his shortcomings. At times he has been a sounding board for frustrated teammates, who take advantage of his propensity to listen instead of speak in games.
Above all, Gooden has proven to be a quality big man (6-foot-10, 242 pounds) who possesses youth, athleticism and a history of good health. In the NBA, those traits have extreme value. And just as important on the Cavs' priority list, he is solid in the locker room.
``I've been through it all, I can list about 10 different head coaches. I've seen GMs change in the middle of the season. I've seen ownership change in the middle of the season,'' Gooden said. ``This summer, I really got to understand the business side of the game, and all of it has been a learning process for me, and I think all of it has helped me mature.''
The business side came from the contract talks, which dragged on for months as the search for his market value and what the Cavs could afford under the luxury tax played out.
In the end, league sources said the Cavs signed Gooden to a three-year contract worth $20.25 million guaranteed with a potential of $3 million more in bonuses. He will make $6.6 million this season. It will dip to $6.4 million next year and then jump to $7.1 million in the final year.
The maturity, Gooden hopes, will lead him to more money but also continue to build on his improving reputation and the Cavs' growing success.
``I feel like I've put myself in a position to earn more money down the road, but that's not what I'm focused on now,'' Gooden said. ``I've learned to be a pro and this is my job, and you have to work at it every day. I'm working every day to help get us to a championship in these next three years.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Power forward, power lunch

Next date: Letterman

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

LeBron James had a burger, fries and milkshake last week with a money manager whose license plate reads: ``Frugal.''
James gave him a personalized Cavaliers jersey and, in return, the host picked up the check.
Seems routine enough, except James wasn't the more famous one at the table and, in comparison, he's the pauper.
James had lunch with Warren Buffett, said to be the second-richest man in the world, and Buffett's daughter in Omaha, Neb., on Friday. It was one in a series of enriching activities on the Cavs star's itinerary in his final weeks of summer vacation.
This Friday he'll be a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman, and last week he made an appearance on the new MTV show SportsBlender.
The Omaha World Herald reported James and Buffett ate at the Crescent Moon Ale House. He isn't the first superstar athlete to pick Buffett's brain; last January, the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez was Buffett's guest at the same restaurant.
The market value of such an afternoon was set in June, when a California businessman paid $620,000 in a charity auction to lunch with Buffett.
Four years after he turned down Letterman's request for an interview during his senior year in high school, James will be the lead guest for Friday's show.
On SportsBlender, which spoofs sports interview shows, James promoted Powerade and joked with the hosts about everything from being a millionaire to his thoughts on the Chrysler LeBaron.
Soon, James' thoughts will return to basketball, as Cavs training camp opens Oct. 3.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Cavs put single-game tickets on sale
Saturday, September 23, 2006


CLEVELAND - Single-game tickets for the Cleveland Cavaliers? 41-game home schedule will go on sale Sept. 30 at 10 a.m.
Tickets are available in the $50, $35, $25 and $10 price ranges. Premier games, designated matchups between the Cavaliers and other top NBA teams, will be priced at $60, $50 and $40.
The premier games are: Nov. 25 vs. Philadelphia, Dec. 21 vs. Detroit, Dec. 29 vs. Milwaukee, Feb. 4 vs. Detroit, Feb. 9 vs. Miami and Feb. 11vs. L.A. Lakers.
There wll be an eight-ticket limit per customer, per game Sept. 30. The restriction will be lifted Oct. 1.
Tickets can be purchased at the Quicken Loans Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 4-NBA-TIX or (330) 945-9400 and online at www.cavs.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Cavaliers Insiders, subscribers to the team?s free e-newsletter, can buy their single game tickets Thursday beginning at 9 a.m. through Friday at 11:59 p.m. Current and new Cavalier Insiders are eligible for the presale. To sign up, visit www.cavs.com. An increase in the number of season ticket holders, 21 and 10-game ticket plans, and advance group ticket sales have reduced the number of tickets available for single-game purchase this season.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

NBA INSIDER
Cavs' moves draw Anthony's praise


Sunday, September 17, 2006

Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter

While many fans are upset by what the Cavaliers did not do in the off-season, ESPN/ABC analyst Greg Anthony likes the moves the team did make.
Anthony believes the addition of first-round pick Shannon Brown along with the signings of free agents David Wesley and Scot Pollard are positive moves. Fans wanted the Cavs to make a major trade or free-agent signing to upgrade the point guard position or obtain a shot-blocker, and fear the team has been passed by some Eastern Conference rivals.
But the Cavs did add depth as Pollard gives them a backup on the front line, and Wesley and Brown join the Cavs' large stable of guards.
Anthony said the team did not need to make major changes.
"You don't want to make too many changes because you want to allow what you have to grow," Anthony said. "Last year was [coach] Mike Brown's first year, so he has to figure out everyone's strengths and the team has to figure out who he is."
The Cavs will use training camp to find out what players such as Brown and Wesley will bring to the roster. Anthony said Wesley and Brown will be great complements to LeBron James.
"Wesley and Brown both have play-making abilities," Anthony said. "They're not pure point guards but on a team like that, you're not necessarily going to have a pure point guard because your decision-making is going to come from LeBron more often than not. What you've got to have are guys that can make decisions during critical situations, and that's an area where Damon Jones really struggled last year. That's where a guy like Wesley can help, and Damon will improve on that."
Anthony recently participated in Eric Snow's Shoot 4 the Moon celebrity golf outing and silent auction that raised close to $85,000 for the foundation's efforts to strengthen and support families in Cleveland, Canton and surrounding areas.
Gooden plenty:
Despite weeks of talks and what at times seemed like a new address was on the horizon, Drew Gooden's mind remained on playing for the Cavs.
Gooden signed with the Cavs last week nearly a month after agreeing to a three-year deal worth about $23 million.
"It was a relief," said Gooden, about signing his contract. "Danny [Ferry] and coach Brown told me at the end of the season that they wanted me back, and that was in the back of my head all along. I knew I'd remain in Cleveland no matter what."
Gooden had options. If things didn't work out, he could've signed a one-year deal and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. But Gooden remained committed.
"I told other teams I wanted to be a Cavalier," Gooden said. "We finally came to a conclusion and I'm ready for the upcoming season."
Last season, Gooden averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds as he helped the Cavs advance to the playoffs for the first time since 1998. The Cavs were one rebound away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Gooden is thinking beyond that this coming season.
"When you think big, big things happen," Gooden said. "This year, we're shooting for that [championship] ring. I'm so excited because we're capable of doing that."
Back in the game:
Former Cavaliers assistant coach Stephen Silas was hired this week as the third assistant on the staff of Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson.
Silas, the son of Paul Silas, was an assistant on his father's staffs in Charlotte, New Orleans and with the Cavs. For the first time, Stephen will be on the bench without his father.
"It's important to be [in coaching] apart from my father a little," Silas said. "This gives me the chance to learn different systems and different ways of doing things. Who better to learn [more things] from than the second winningest coach in NBA history?"
Paul Silas and Nelson were teammates with the Boston Celtics.
Late night:
James will be a guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman." The show will air on Friday.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4671

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

<H1 class=red>Hey, Branson!

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Sunday, September 24, 2006



Got a Cavs question? Send it in. Plain Dealer Cavaliers beat writer Branson Wright will choose several to answer each Sunday. Submit your question to: www.cleveland.com/heybranson. Read Branson's answers each Sunday in the sports section. Branson's answers will be archived online.

Q: Hey, Branson: I read your reply to Eric Snow's use for the upcoming season. I must agree and disagree. No, he won't serve well in a backup role but for what he gave us last year as a starter, and being a year older, I would wager that David Wesley will be the starting PG, and Snow might be listed as a backup, but finish the season on the coaching staff. Your view? - Dave Guy, Bedford.

A: Hey, Dave: One day Eric Snow will become a coach or gen eral manager but not now. David Wesley is better suited at the shooting-guard position. Snow is a better point guard than Wesley. Yes, Snow is older but he still has something left in the tank. His coaching days are down the road.
Q: Hey, Branson: With the Central Division improving this year, where do you think the Cavs stack up against their competition in the division?- Q.C., Cleveland.

A: Hey, Q.C.: The Central Division certainly became stronger, especially when the Chicago Bulls signed Ben Wallace and the Milwaukee Bucks helped themselves by acquiring Ruben Patterson and Charlie Villanueva. And you can't forget about the Pistons, despite losing Wallace, they still have enough talent to win the division. Indiana lost the most and they'll probably finish at the bottom of the division. But you asked about the Cavaliers. The Cavs will finish behind the Pistons and Bulls in a tight race.

- Branson