Thunder Dan
08-28-2008, 01:13 PM
Pat's Beside the Point: Superstar gazing
Cavaliers aligning themselves for a running mate for LeBron
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Sunday, Aug 24, 2008
It's time to change our thinking about the future of LeBron James, time to turn the viewpoint that James will leave Cleveland on its ear — for good reason.
Because the Cavs seem to have something very slick and important up their sleeve. And that is to keep James and give him a superstar-caliber cohort as a teammate.
The vision — and it's not a pipe dream — has James staying and playing on the same team as Dwyane Wade. Or Chris Bosh. Or Josh Howard. Or Amare Stoudamire. Or any of the other big-name NBA guys who can become a free agent in the summer of 2010.
Don't laugh.
There is only one NBA team positioned to sign two superstars in 2010, and that's the Cavaliers.
That's because there's only one team with a superstar and the cap room to sign another.
Everyone has been focusing on the cap space of the New Jersey Nets or the New York Knicks or Athens, Greece, but the Cavs quietly have manipulated themselves to the point that they have more salary-cap room than anyone for that offseason.
The Cavs have almost $30 million in cap space — and that counts James' salary, which will go away when he opts out of his final year.
As of today the Cavs have four players under contract (sort of) in 2010-11: James for $17 million (though he's probably going to be a free agent), Maurice Williams for $9.3 million, Daniel Gibson for $4 million and J.J. Hickson on a team option for $1.5 million.
That's it.
Wally Szczerbiak's contract expires after this season.
Ben Wallace goes after two seasons.
So does Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Other players surely will be added to the roster, but the Cavs won't add anyone who will compromise their ability to bring in talent in 2010.
This, apparently, is what General Manager Danny Ferry always talks about when he says he wants to maintain future roster flexibility.
The Cavs realistically will be able to re-sign James and add another top-caliber player, as well as the other pieces and parts needed to make a team.
All they have to do is sign the other free agents first, then sign LeBron. Because NBA rules state a team can go over the cap to sign its free agent.
Another team might want to add James, of course. But no other team will be able to add James and another max contract. To do so, a team would need $40 million or so in cap room. The cap is projected to be $60 million in 2010, which means a team would have two guys with max deals and a bunch of other ''guys'' who would average, at the most, $2 million a year.
Which means it would be a bunch of Developmental League guys and two stars.
The myth of NBA free agency is that a standout will leave his team willingly.
The reality is that it doesn't happen that often. The perception grows because it is a huge story when someone like Steve Nash or Shaquille O'Neal changes teams. Most of the time, a player stays where he can make the most money for the longest number of years.
So the thinking should be to expect James to stay.
But the reality is that he could stay, and the Cavs — not the Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers or the Miami Heat — could add another star to go with him.
Enough with the angst already.
As the Cavs no doubt are thinking — and if they're not thinking this way, they're nuts — it's not about James leaving Cleveland in 2010. It's about what superstar will join him in Cleveland.
http://www.ohio.com/sports/mcmanamon/27328589.html?page=2&c=y
Cavaliers aligning themselves for a running mate for LeBron
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Sunday, Aug 24, 2008
It's time to change our thinking about the future of LeBron James, time to turn the viewpoint that James will leave Cleveland on its ear — for good reason.
Because the Cavs seem to have something very slick and important up their sleeve. And that is to keep James and give him a superstar-caliber cohort as a teammate.
The vision — and it's not a pipe dream — has James staying and playing on the same team as Dwyane Wade. Or Chris Bosh. Or Josh Howard. Or Amare Stoudamire. Or any of the other big-name NBA guys who can become a free agent in the summer of 2010.
Don't laugh.
There is only one NBA team positioned to sign two superstars in 2010, and that's the Cavaliers.
That's because there's only one team with a superstar and the cap room to sign another.
Everyone has been focusing on the cap space of the New Jersey Nets or the New York Knicks or Athens, Greece, but the Cavs quietly have manipulated themselves to the point that they have more salary-cap room than anyone for that offseason.
The Cavs have almost $30 million in cap space — and that counts James' salary, which will go away when he opts out of his final year.
As of today the Cavs have four players under contract (sort of) in 2010-11: James for $17 million (though he's probably going to be a free agent), Maurice Williams for $9.3 million, Daniel Gibson for $4 million and J.J. Hickson on a team option for $1.5 million.
That's it.
Wally Szczerbiak's contract expires after this season.
Ben Wallace goes after two seasons.
So does Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Other players surely will be added to the roster, but the Cavs won't add anyone who will compromise their ability to bring in talent in 2010.
This, apparently, is what General Manager Danny Ferry always talks about when he says he wants to maintain future roster flexibility.
The Cavs realistically will be able to re-sign James and add another top-caliber player, as well as the other pieces and parts needed to make a team.
All they have to do is sign the other free agents first, then sign LeBron. Because NBA rules state a team can go over the cap to sign its free agent.
Another team might want to add James, of course. But no other team will be able to add James and another max contract. To do so, a team would need $40 million or so in cap room. The cap is projected to be $60 million in 2010, which means a team would have two guys with max deals and a bunch of other ''guys'' who would average, at the most, $2 million a year.
Which means it would be a bunch of Developmental League guys and two stars.
The myth of NBA free agency is that a standout will leave his team willingly.
The reality is that it doesn't happen that often. The perception grows because it is a huge story when someone like Steve Nash or Shaquille O'Neal changes teams. Most of the time, a player stays where he can make the most money for the longest number of years.
So the thinking should be to expect James to stay.
But the reality is that he could stay, and the Cavs — not the Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers or the Miami Heat — could add another star to go with him.
Enough with the angst already.
As the Cavs no doubt are thinking — and if they're not thinking this way, they're nuts — it's not about James leaving Cleveland in 2010. It's about what superstar will join him in Cleveland.
http://www.ohio.com/sports/mcmanamon/27328589.html?page=2&c=y