Cavs 08-09 Season - Central Div Champs (official thread)

[Piney]

Lot of rumors flying around now, but nothing sounds like it's likely to happen. Let's see if anyone wants to cut some salary. 2.5 hours left.

C'mon Sterling... make the Clippers be the Clippers and want to trade Camby... please please please!

ESPN Cleveland radio reported rumblings with Phoenix, Shaq in exchange for Anderson and Ben.
Looks like Kerr and Ferry are trying to get something done after all.

Read Chad Ford's chat at noon. Deal is like Shaq for Wallace & Sasha. But he thinks that isn't something Cleveland wants.


But someone is going to flinch before the deadline, just hope the paperwork gets done in time.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland Cavaliers struggling to get right deal for Shaquille O'Neal - Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball NBA News - cleveland.com

Cleveland Cavaliers struggling to get right deal for Shaquille O'Neal
by Brian Windhorst / Plain Dealer Reporter
Thursday February 19, 2009, 1:17 PM

TORONTO -- The Cleveland Cavaliers proposed deal for Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal is not dead yet, but it's in trouble.

The Cavs are getting creative in trying to find a way to help the Suns save money on the deal and are trying to find another team to join the mix.

The original proposal involved the Cavs sending Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix in exchange for O'Neal.

O'Neal is paid what is left on his $21 million contract this season, plus about $20 million next year.

Wallace is paid $14.5 million this season, about $14 million next year.
The Suns are asking about Wally Szczerbiak because his contract expires after this season, but the Cavs don't want to lose Szczerbiak.

So it appears they are hoping to bring in a third team in order to help make the deal.

 

[exhawg]

ESPN Cleveland radio reported rumblings with Phoenix, Shaq in exchange for Anderson and Ben.
Looks like Kerr and Ferry are trying to get something done after all.

I heard Pavs and Wally for Shaq, but that was falling through. I wouldn't give up Andy or JJ for Shaq. As long as West and Kinsey are healthy I wouldn't have a problem sending Pavs, Wally, and Wright or Jackson if they want either. Pavs and Ben would be the best deal for Shaq from the Cavs end, but no way the Suns go for that.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

Come on Hawg... is this Shaq deal a good thing or bad for us? We need expert commentary

 

[exhawg]

Come on Hawg... is this Shaq deal a good thing or bad for us? We need expert commentary

I'd take him as long as they don't have to give up Andy or JJ to get it done. You would either start Shaq or Z in most games, but against the Lakers they would be able to play together and out big them. You still have your bigs of the future next year when Shaq, Z, and Ben's contracts run out as long as they resign Andy this year. A Pavs and Wally trade would make them very thin at guard so they'd have to hope to pick up someone decent from the waiver wire or D league. Mo, West, Boobie, and Kinsey are good enough at guard as long as they stay healthy.

 

[Piney]

Come on Hawg... is this Shaq deal a good thing or bad for us? We need expert commentary

It would really add to a Lakers v Cavs Finals wouldn't it?

Shaq vs Kobe
Kobe vs LeBron
Shaq comparing winning titles with Kobe & LeBron...
Shaq saying "Now that I have played with LeBron... he really is better than Kobe"

Gawd that would be a media playground!

Would it make the Cavs better? Z comes off the bench right? I am pretty sure Danny would have talked to Z before this since they are buddies, and Z said... DO IT!

I don't understand the Wallace for Shaq though. Unless they are really starting to love JJ to be the backup PF. But actually... it kinda makes sense. (If it is Wally and spare parts for Shaq)

Shaq, Wallace, LBJ, West & Williams. Gives us a big time post player and an imposing force on the defensive end. Z/Andy rotates in on the 2nd team. Z can basically abuse ANY backup bigs in this league. Crunch time Andy plays more than Wallace. With a Shaq/Z tandem at center they both can play 24 minutes and stay fresh.

It is starting to grow on me. I didn't love it at first. But thinking it through you can see the possibilities.

 

[Bucks21]

According to what I have read the suns want Wally instead of Ben because Wally's contract runs out this summer and Ben's doesn't run out till next summer. The Cavs would prefer to keep Wally because they would be pretty thin at the guard/3 position if they traded Wally and Pavs. I'm hoping Ben and Pavs for Shaq happens. You can't play Shaq a ton every night but come playoff time he would be a huge asset. Pluto has a pretty good write up right now on cleveland.com on the positives and negatives of bringing in Shaq.

Right now I don't see anything getting done but it seems as though the Cavs are trying to be pretty aggressive.

 

[exhawg]

Unless the Suns really want Pavs out of this deal and the Cavs don't mind losing some tax relief they could trade Wally and Snow for Shaq. The Suns can cash in Snow's insurance policy right now and clear a lot of cap space and the Cavs keep a backup 2/3 in Pavs. I think Gilbert really wants the Snow money back, but that would be the best deal for the Cavs if the Suns won't take Ben.

 

[aurorabuckeye13]

I definitly like the deal for Shaq if it is for Ben and Pavs. The deal makes sense for the Suns if they are going back to their uptempo style where Shaq really does not fit.

I think if Wally is put in the deal the Suns would probably kick in someone like Barnes to make the salaries closer and give us a wing player. Shaq qould give us another big even though Wallace would be going out, but he would be a big that can score with his back to the basket.

Shaq is also a very good passer out of the post so you would have 3 very good passers out on the floor with LeBron, Shaq and Mo. I can see Lebron coming down the lane with Shaq in the post as he throws up an alley oop that LeBron throws down... I think we would be better with this deal, but we will still be OK without it if everyone gets healthy.


Looking at ESPN though, this deal looks unlikely to be finsished by the deadline.

 

[jlb1705]

I don't understand the Wallace for Shaq though.

They're going for improved free throw shooting. :tongue2:

 

[jlb1705]

I can see Lebron coming down the lane with Shaq in the post as he throws up an alley oop that LeBron throws down...

You mean like what happened last night, but with Z instead of Shaq? Shaq is a good passer - Z is no slouch himself.

 

[Mac]

I'm not a big fan of Sasha, so if we get rid of him and Ben for Shaq, I wouldn't mind it. Just means Z would tear it up on the opponents 2nd teamers. Plus with Delonte coming back soon, man this team could really put a hurting on the East

 

[jlb1705]

Trade Deadline Buzz (UPDATE) - CBSSports.com

UPDATED 2:39 p.m. EST: Brian Windhorst of the P-D is back with another nugget on the Cavs' efforts to obtain Shaquille O'Neal from the Suns. The talks are on life support due to the Suns' apparent request to receive Wally Szczerbiak and his $13 million expiring contract in the deal. Windhorst reports that the Cavs are trying to involve a third team, but a rival executive tells me this is all window dressing. "I think they?re swinging for the fences knowing that they're probably not going to get a pitch to hit," the exec said. "Then LeBron sees that they're trying to do stuff."

 

[exhawg]

I definitly like the deal for Shaq if it is for Ben and Pavs. The deal makes sense for the Suns if they are going back to their uptempo style where Shaq really does not fit.

I think if Wally is put in the deal the Suns would probably kick in someone like Barnes to make the salaries closer and give us a wing player. Shaq qould give us another big even though Wallace would be going out, but he would be a big that can score with his back to the basket.

Shaq is also a very good passer out of the post so you would have 3 very good passers out on the floor with LeBron, Shaq and Mo. I can see Lebron coming down the lane with Shaq in the post as he throws up an alley oop that LeBron throws down... I think we would be better with this deal, but we will still be OK without it if everyone gets healthy.


Looking at ESPN though, this deal looks unlikely to be finsished by the deadline.

I've always liked Tucker as well (even given our hate for Badger bball right now) if the Suns would give us another wing player along with Shaq. I think the Cavs can win the East with their current team, but adding Shaq would give them a better shot at the Lakers. That would be the sole reason for trading for him.

 

[redbenn]

Roundup: Latest trade talk on Vince Carter, Kirk Hinrich - ESPN

POSTED: Feb. 19 -- 2:47 p.m. ET
J.A. Adande: I've been told Shaq isn't going anywhere.