Cavaliers disappointing in Free Agent Market

by CLEBlogger

As the Boston Celtics get Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and the recipe for a championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers sit idly by watching all the players they were interested in slip away to playoff or even finals opponents.  Derek Fisher was one player all of us in Cleveland were hoping to get, as we are in dire need of a point guard who can get the ball into LeBron’s hands.  Fisher seemed interested in Cleveland for a while, a good team, and great facilities for his daughter with the Cleveland Clinic in his backyard, but we sat and watched him become a Laker. 

The Cavs are yet to even resign Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao.  Pavlovic and Varejao have been solid for the Cavs. Pavlovic offers somewhat of a 3 point threat, and Varejao plays like he’s just drunken 50 red bulls.  But the Cavs almost let him go to Memphis.  And we’ve heard nothing about Pavlovic’s situation.  If Cavs GM Danny Ferry is just going to let us get swept in the finals, and do nothing to improve our team at all. Many are hoping for a possible return of local hero Earl Boykins, a standout at a local high school, but were losing hope in that deal to.  If the Cavs want to get back to the finals, they better add someone.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

846 days ago

Score 1

Derek Fisher is not good. If it wasn't for his daughter getting cancer and him playing everyone would still think he's an overpaid not that talented player. What he did coming back after his daughter's surgery was a great moment, but it doesn't change that fact. Pavlovic and Varejao Aka Varejohn (thank you Hubie Brown) will both be back, Ferry knew they were both restricted, so let them play the options and resign them at a lower price. Pietrus is on the market though, Cleveland should definitely look into him.

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LocknessmonsterDraft Pick

846 days ago

Score 0

Fish isn't a star by any means, but he would have helped Cleveland. Gibson looks like he'll develop into a pretty good point, but a veteran like Fish would have helped him get there quicker. Plus, his toughness on defense would have fit right into what the Cavs are trying to do, and his ability to hit the occasional big shot is something Cleveland sorely needs.

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RomiezzoLegend

846 days ago

Score 0

AMEN!!

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Twins15Varsity Captain

846 days ago

Score 0

Well the Cavs didn't have a whole lot of cap room to do much (IIRC)... a deal for a legit shooter alongside LeBron would have been nice for them, but again they just don't have a lot to offer. At the very least the improvement of Daniel Gibson and the continued improvement of LeBron should make them a little better next year.

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LocknessmonsterDraft Pick

846 days ago

Score -1

It seems like everyone but Ferry knows the Cavs need to get better. Strange, since the Spurs teams he won titles with were constantly tweaking their complementary players.

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

845 days ago

Score 2

Please, stop with they hyperbole already. You do not speak for "all" Cavs fans. Have you talked to Danny Ferry and had him tell you that he's deliberately not trying to make the Cavs better? If you haven't, then stop trying to impugn his motives. I'm not convinced that Derek Fisher is any better than anything we have at the price we would have paid for him. And Danny Ferry, as has been mentioned, is hamstrung by the cap. He's doing the same thing with Pavlovic and Verajao that he did with Gooden - letting them test the market to see that the only team that can pay them the money they want is the Cavs, and that everyone else is as strung out on the cap as the Cavs are. The only way the Cavs are going to get better is by trading, because they're not likely to find someone with the mid-level exemption who can make a significant better. And, chances are, the only way we can get better by trading is taking back somebody else's cap liability for one or more of our own. Finding that right fit is tough - it takes two GMs to deal. That doesn't mean he's not on the phone every day trying.

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Ggruber66JV Squad

845 days ago

Score 0

While you're right about the fact that the Cavs need to do something, you're wrong about Fisher/Pavlovic/Varajeo. Let me tackle those in order. Fisher is a nice player, but as far as Gibson's development, there is nothing about playing PG that Eric Snow can't teach him. Snow is much more fundamentally sound, albeit his skill level all but precludes him from being on the floor. As for Sasha and AV, I think Ferry is playing this right. They're both RFAs and going nowhere. No rush to sign them. The longer he waits, the lower the price. Ferry's playing the game. The Cavs real problems are the millstones around their necks with the contract for both Larry Hughes (3 years/$38M to go) and Donyell (MLE). Nobody wants those players and neither are performing to the level that they should.

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InsanMajor Leaguer

845 days ago

Score 0

"drunken"? is that even a word? What the Cavs are doing is obvious. They're going to wait until the deadline to get a PG. I sense a Hughes for Kidd trade in the making. The Nets are screwed now that the Celts and Knicks upgraded. Their trio isn't going to get it done so they are going to look to make moves during the deadline. At that point, the Cavs will step in and make a deal.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

845 days ago

Score 0

lol... kidd for hughes... that's a good one. one of the best point guards ever for a guy who can't stay healthy and isn't all that good when he is healthy.

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InsanMajor Leaguer

845 days ago

Score 0

Kidd is 34 years old, Hughes is 28. Plus the Nets have Marvin Williams. If the Nets can't contend before the deadline, Kidd isn't going to be there.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

845 days ago

Score 0

Marcus Williams...

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Ea34Div-I Stud

845 days ago

Score 0

Cleveland's done a good job of not overpaying to lock up Varejao long-term when they don't have to. Had he been unrestricted, someone would have dramatically overpaid for him on the open market and Ferry has been smart not to do that.

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Ea34Div-I Stud

845 days ago

Score 0

I agree that Kidd will be shipped out if the Nets are out of contention before the deadline, but you're overlooking two things: 1) New Jersey will initially look to trade him to a Western Conference team and 2) I am absolutely 100% certain that there will be MULTIPLE offers for Kidd that are more enticing than Larry Hughes.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

845 days ago

Score 1

agreed... he may go, but i think they can do better than hughes.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

845 days ago

Score 1

there's no way they're out of contention by the deadline though... not unless multiple guys get hurt.

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