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

aurorabuckeye13;1475577; said:
no he meant actually trade for the real superman.

superman.jpg
FIFY

Supermanflag.jpg
 
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Excuse my ignorance but I have read this article a couple times and the more I read it the more confused I get except that it gives me a lot of respect for Ben Wallace.

Am I to assume that if he retires and does not take the $14 mil that the money still counts against the Cavaliers salary-cap and that the only way that the Cavaliers can get relief from his contract is by trading him to a team that wants an expiring contracts but that really doesn't make sense because his contract will expire next year if he remains a Cavalier. I guess if he is traded that would give the Cavaliers immediate salary-cap release but I still don't understand the retirement part.

Cleveland.com

Cavaliers Insider: Fatigued Ben Wallace ponders retirement, says 'passion' has dwindled
by Brian Windhorst/Plain Dealer Reporter
Sunday May 31, 2009, 9:58 PM

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Ben Wallace is hurting. Mixed with the end of season blues, he's wondering if he's played his last game in the NBA.


The Cavaliers forward said Sunday he is considering retiring, even though there's one season and $14 million left on a contract that he seems surprisingly willing to walk away from. He is planning to sit down and discuss the issue with his family in the coming weeks.

The emotion stems from an injury-plagued season. Wallace was sidelined by a laceration on his arm suffered when he went through a car window playing football over the All-Star break, then suffered a broken leg and developed tendinitis in a knee that required painful shock wave therapy.


"I've got to sit down and talk with my family and see what I feel," Wallace said. "It isn't getting any easier for me. It is tough going out there every night with something hurting and not being able to give the effort you want to give. I love the game and respect the game too much to be going out there half-hearted."

Continued
 
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NFBuck;1475365; said:
I don't know. That article makes it sound like it sound like he has nothing around him and needs another star to me, which is a load of bullshit. Mo Williams and Delonte West had a very up and down series. It happens, but I'm very happy with them as a backcourt. They compliment LBJ perfectly. Help is needed up front, but I don't think they need another star the calibre of a Stoudamire or a Bosh IMO. They just need a capable defensive presence that can handle maulers like Howard. Of course I'd be ecstatic to get a Bosh, but I'm not sure if Stoudamire would mesh with LBJ or the way this team is built. This team isn't as far off as that makes it sound.

NFBuck;1475400; said:
That's my concern. I don't think they will tank at all, but I think at the very least reaching the finals next year is huge.

There are several things to give me reason for at least a little optimism. The impending Chinese deal to ficilitate breaking into another culture, the financial flexibility to add another star in '10 along side him (and really, if LBJ re-ups, who wouldn't be interested in joining him?), the hometown angle, an owner and GM with a strong commitment to winning. The opportunity to bring a title to a town so championship starved...

That said, yeah, the Knicks are a mess right now, but they will also have the financial flexibility to add another big name along side LBJ in '10. Boston proved last year, teams are often closer to winning than may appear.

I don't want to get too into it. Right now, I just want to enjoy the ride while he's (definately) here.


Absolutely, but I've seen people calling for his head, which is just silly. He's limited as a head coach, but this year they made the right move and brought in some assistants to lighten the load and until this series, it worked brilliantly. If you're going to heap blame on Brown, you have to give some to them as well. They did do a very poor job of adjusting at times, but at least some of those times, the magic were so hot, I don't know what could have been done. One bad series does not negate what they did up until that point. Again, coming into this season, I thought they were maybe the 3rd best team in the East behind Boston and Orlando. They surpassed all my expectations and won 66 games and got to the conference finals. I think we all ignored some obvious weaknesses by getting wrapped up in a very enjoyable season. There's still work to be done, but this team is very close.

It seems like you think LeBron doesn't need help now, but he will in '10. Is this just because you feel we need to replace/upgrade Z?

I agree that Mo and D-West are more than capable as complimentary pieces to LeBron but if you look at both conference finals the Cavs were the least talanted of those teams.

Top 5 players from each team:
Cavs: 1. LeBron 2. Mo 3. D-West 4. Z 5. Andy
Lakers: 1.Kobe 2. Gasol 3. Odom 4. Ariza 5. Bynum
Magic: 1. Howard 2. Nelson (i) 3. Turk 4. Lewis 5. Pietrus
Nuggets: 1. Anthony 2. Billups 3. J.R. 4. Martin 5. Nene/Anderson

Although I'd say the Nuggets talent is nearly equal to the Cavs, I'd give the advantage to them because they are younger and more athletic.
 
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OState29;1476134; said:
It seems like you think LeBron doesn't need help now, but he will in '10. Is this just because you feel we need to replace/upgrade Z?
No. I'm saying this team can win it all without adding that type of player next season. I'd love to add a player of Bosh's calibre this season (extremely doubtful), but I don't think it's necessary to be legitimate title contenders. I think a defensive presence is definately necessary in the middle though. If they come up short again next year, then that (adding another superstar) is something they'll have the flexibility to explore. In other words, I don't see it as a necessity this offseason, but if you have the room to do it in '10, why not? Z is getting up there in years and probably doesn't have much left in the tank, so more offense in the middle may very well be necessary in the middle by '10.
 
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The Cavs need 1) a big man capable of BOTH boxing out AND going up after the rebound, and 2) an athletic, tall 2/3 that can either create his own shot or hit the 3.

Wallace should be done. I don't know how much value Wally, Sasha and Boobie have. Andy stays. And Cleveland lets Z finish in Cleveland (even if it has to be in a 6th or lesser role).
 
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LitlBuck;1475998; said:
Excuse my ignorance but I have read this article a couple times and the more I read it the more confused I get except that it gives me a lot of respect for Ben Wallace.

Am I to assume that if he retires and does not take the $14 mil that the money still counts against the Cavaliers salary-cap and that the only way that the Cavaliers can get relief from his contract is by trading him to a team that wants an expiring contracts but that really doesn't make sense because his contract will expire next year if he remains a Cavalier. I guess if he is traded that would give the Cavaliers immediate salary-cap release but I still don't understand the retirement part.

Cleveland.com

If Wallace retires, they could negotiate a buyout with him, which would take his salary off the books.
 
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OHSportsFan9;1476197; said:
Just in these playoffs, names like Ariza, Pietrus, and Rashard Lewis would all be great assets for the Cavs. No clue on the feasibility of any of them, but those are the type of players that could really help.
Lewis is untouchable, he's a key piece in Orlando. I think Ariza is a FA. I don't see Orlando parting would part with Pietrus, especially to a rival. I'd love to add a proven 3 pt threat to come off the bench like a Kapono as well. Boobie is just too damn inconsistent.
 
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NFBuck;1476202; said:
Lewis is untouchable, he's a key piece in Orlando. I think Ariza is a FA. I don't see Orlando parting would part with Pietrus, especially to a rival. I'd love to add a proven 3 pt threat to come off the bench like a Kapono as well. Boobie is just too damn inconsistent.

If we could somehow pull Bosh and Kapono that would be huge.
 
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There's Boozer to Detroit rumors floating around out there. I'd love to be able to whoop that cocksucker's ass several times a year. My most hated player in the league playing for my most hated team? Perfect...
 
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It's time to blow it up. The only untouchable is Lebron, with Mo and Delonte not far behind.

Don't get me wrong because I love Z and AV. But the former is over the hill and the latter will be asking for far too much.
 
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OH10;1476212; said:
It's time to blow it up. The only untouchable is Lebron, with Mo and Delonte not far behind.

Don't get me wrong because I love Z and AV. But the former is over the hill and the latter will be asking for far too much.

Blow up a 66 win team? I think that might be a bit of an overreaction. This team is close. It just needs to add a player or two.
 
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OH10;1476212; said:
It's time to blow it up. The only untouchable is Lebron, with Mo and Delonte not far behind.
Sarcasm?

This team was a solid post defender from playing for it all.

I'd like to add that and a legit 3 point shooter to come off the bench. Z can still provide offense, though hopefully in a more limited capacity, and Andy's offensive game seems to be really improving. I don't think they're far off at all.
 
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NFBuck;1476216; said:
Sarcasm?

This team was a solid post defender from playing for it all.

I'd like to add that and a legit 3 point shooter to come off the bench. Z can still provide offense, though hopefully in a more limited capacity, and Andy's offensive game seems to be really improving. I don't think they're far off at all.

You want to pay Andy 10 mil/yr? If we could somehow convince someone to take Z's expiring deal, you wouldn't want him off the books at 10 mil/yr? Neither one of those guys is essential to this team at those prices.
 
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