Jasikevicius next for Cavs?

[Kori Ellis]

Marshall agrees; point guard next?
Euroleague's Jasikevicius expected to reach deal
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/11218522547150.xml&coll=2

Point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius is expected to become the latest free agent to agree to a deal with the Cavaliers, according to several league sources.

News of a verbal agreement between the sides could be announced in a few days. Friday is the earliest free agents can sign with teams.

Jasikevicius will join fellow free agents, forward Donyell Marshall, guard Larry Hughes and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas to bolster a Cavs team that has made significant strides during the off-season.

Jasikevicius, the best man at Ilgauskas' wedding, has been a Euroleague star the past four years. At 6-4, he is an outstanding 3-point shooter who was the Euroleague MVP two years ago. He led his Maccabi Tel Aviv team to the last two Euroleague championships, and last summer lifted the Lithuanian national team over the U.S. in the Athens Games.

More than likely, the signing of Jasikevicius and the addition of Marshall will eat up the rest of the $28 million the Cavs had available under the salary cap, which is projected at about $49 million. But under league rules, the Cavs can go over the salary cap by signing players to minimum contracts.

The NBA minimum is about $400,000 and the Cavs will probably fill out their roster by signing players from the summer league roster. The Cavs are not in danger of paying a luxury tax. Teams will have to pay a luxury tax if their salaries are above $60 million.

Marshall, meanwhile, agreed Tuesday to a four-year deal worth between $20 million and $25 million, a deal he is expected to make official Friday. Marshall, 32, is an 11-year veteran who played last season with the Toronto Raptors. He has averaged 12.4 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career.

"Coming to Cleveland is the right place at the right time because they're a team on an upward swing with other free agents and the re-signing of Ilgauskas," said Marshall's agent, Andy Miller. "Donyell's never had an opportunity to win before and he can be a contributing piece."

Miller said that several teams were interested in Marshall but LeBron James proved the best bargaining chip.

"The chance to play with LeBron was pivotal in Donyell's decision," Miller said. "LeBron was proactive in this process and that helped Donyell in [with] the decision."

Marshall will provide the Cavs with additional outside shooting. Marshall, at 6-9 and 230 pounds, is a career 35 percent 3-point shooter, and he shot 41 percent from 3-point range last season.

Marshall scorched the Cavs last season when he nailed 5 of 10 3-pointers that led to a Cavs' loss on March 20. That was also Paul Silas' last game as Cavs' coach. Earlier last season, Marshall's 12 3-pointers against Philadelphia tied him with Kobe Bryant for the NBA record for 3s in a game.

"Adding Donyell will stretch out the defense because of his shooting but he's also a good rebounder," said Cavs guard Ira Newble. "Right now, percentage-wise, he's our best 3-point shooter and he will cause match-up problems for a lot of teams . . . So far, I like our moves. The organization is going in the right direction.

"On paper, we have the talent to play with the top teams. It's just a matter of putting it together during training camp."

[timvp]

C Big Z
PF Marshall
SF James
SG Hughes
PG Saras

Damn. That's a good team.

I'd be shocked if they didn't make it to at least the second round of the playoffs.

[TheTruth]

Thats a pretty sick starting 5.

The Nets should be running out a pretty damn good one also

C-Kristic
PF - Sars
SF - Jefferson
SG - Carter
PG - Kidd.

Teams are getting better over in the East.

[Solid D]

Ferry is on fire. Mike Brown just needs to set the direction of the team, stay on course, and keep them all playing as a team...not easy to do in the NBA.

If draft pick Martynas Andriuskevicius makes the team this year (dinged-up in Summer League)...that would give the Cavs three players from Lithuania...and ALL from the same town (Kaunas).

[Streakyshooter08]

The East is getting better. I am still wondering if Hughes is a good fit for the Cavs. Cavs and Nets might look good on paper but the line-up does not say anything about their ability to play defense. They won't beat the Pistons, Pacers, Heat without defense.

[Karl Mundt]

So how much is Sarunas going to make? I had the impression they only had enough money let to get Marshall.

[Extra Stout]

Sounds like Ferry's line of "I operate this team the way Pop runs the Spurs, except I have LeBron James" is pretty convincing to free agents.

[Marcus Bryant]

Sounds like Ferry's line of "I operate this team the way Pop runs the Spurs, except I have LeBron James" is pretty convincing to free agents.


Just as long as the effective line isn't "You may be living in Cleveland but remember, it isn't San Antonio..."

[Solid D]

The East is getting better. I am still wondering if Hughes is a good fit for the Cavs. Cavs and Nets might look good on paper but the line-up does not say anything about their ability to play defense. They won't beat the Pistons, Pacers, Heat without defense.

This is true...however they do have the ability to create TOs. They have the #1 and #3 ranked steals leaders in Larry and LeBron. They also have "Z" in the middle to discourage or alter shots, who ranked #8 in blocks per game.

[ducks]

I will be shocked if james trust his teamates after teh go on a lossing streak

[Joesteds]

Do you all think Marshall will start or come off the bench for Gooden? STSA guys were saying that Marshall would come off the bench and I can't see Gooden being ok with not starting, but I think Marshall makes that starting lineup better, unless he will be the spark off the bench. Either way, I like their 3 man rotation of bigs with Z, Marshall and Gooden.

[Mr. Body]

Jasikevicius gives them another tremendous outside shooter to go with Marshall, solving that problem completely, and it makes the Hughes signing even better. Larry Hughes is a utility guard who does a number of things well but no ranged jump shot. This lets him play off the point guard more.

Their problem will be defense. Getting steals is a flashy way of 'playing defense,' but as Spurs fans we know it's all about position defense.

[SpizdiStrann]

they will be strong team.. saras will run fast game.. you can expect killing run&gun every night. and a lot of atractive passes, and alley-oops..

[Rick Von Braun]

So Mike Monroe was pretty accurate after all...

[Spurologist]

how old is Sarunas?

29

[Marcus Bryant]

So far Ferry has done a decent job of surrounding James with some players who fit his talents. Better Boozer than Marshall but Marshall should be a nice fit for them.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Danny is having one hell of a first season as GM. Props to him.

[ducks]

yes but if james leaves he will be rembered as the gm that let james leave

BIG PROPS TO HIM THOUGH

[Extra Stout]

yes but if james leaves he will be rembered as the gm that let james leave

BIG PROPS TO HIM THOUGHJames only leaves if the Cavs are still spinning their wheels.

Ferry already has them in gear.

The national media was convinced Duncan would leave San Antonio in 2000 from the moment the Spurs won the lottery. They're still pissed he didn't.

[DON VITO]

Danny is having one hell of a first season as GM. Props to him.

Dude, Jim Paxson is the one who got the Cavs 28 million under the cap. Anyone can spend money, its just hard getting the money. Anyone of us could do what Ferry did.

[ducks]

tell that to the hawks

[Ocotillo]

Dude, Jim Paxson is the one who got the Cavs 28 million under the cap. Anyone can spend money, its just hard getting the money. Anyone of us could do what Ferry did.

Spending money doesn't guarantee you are doing the right thing......see Knicks, New York

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

yes but if james leaves he will be rembered as the gm that let james leave

BIG PROPS TO HIM THOUGH

Big props to Ducks for spelling "though" correctly.

[DON VITO]

Spending money doesn't guarantee you are doing the right thing......see Knicks, New York


yeah but only an idiot signs allan houston for that much. Layden anyone>?

[Spursdaone]

Who is a bigger idiot? Layden or Thomas?

[DON VITO]

Layden. Thomas has a plan, it is just gonna take a while. He got that team in a horrible state if u all remember. However he hasnt made it much better. THis year they will be a lot better, especially if they sign Larry Brown.

[DON VITO]

Maurice Evans >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Gerald Wallace

[Kori Ellis]

European star shows interest in Jazz
Swing guard: Jasikevicius, former EuroLeague MVP, could make decision today
By Steve Luhm

The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_2878431

The Jazz are in the running to sign European star Sarunas Jasikevicius, his agent told The Salt Lake Tribune on Wednesday.
According to Washington-based Doug Neustadt, Jasikevicius is "very interested" in playing for Utah, and his final decision could come as early as today.
"The Jazz are definitely being considered," Neustadt said.
Other teams known to have talked to Neustadt about the possibility of signing Jasikevicius (pronounced yes-uh-KA-vi-shus) include Cleveland and Indiana.
The Cavaliers, however, have used most of their salary cap space in agreeing to terms with free agents Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. So they might not be in position to meet Jasikevicius' salary demands.
Reportedly, the Lithuanian-born swing guard wants at least a three-year deal worth over $10 million to leave his European team, Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Because the Jazz have not used their $5 million mid-level salary cap exception, they are in position to comfortably make that kind of offer to Jasikevicius, who played college ball at Maryland and is a former EuroLeague MVP.
No matter which team Jasikevicius decides to join, however, he won't be able to sign a contract Friday.
The NBA's free-agent signing period has been pushed back indefinitely as the league and the players' union continue to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement.
The original target date of July 22 has proven to be overly optimistic, though both sides insist steady progress is being made toward a finished labor deal.
A union spokesman told Bloomberg News that the delay is not an indication of stalled talks and players expect the deal to be finalized by the middle of next week.
Two players the Jazz will not be signing are free-agent guards Antonio Daniels and Willie Green.
Daniels, who averaged 11.2 points in Seattle last season, agreed late Tuesday night to a sign a five-year, $30 million contract with Washington.
The 30-year-old Daniels, an unrestricted free agent, was a prime target of the Jazz and several other teams, including Miami, Toronto, Cleveland, Portland and the L.A. Lakers. But the Wizards' willingness to give Daniels a five-year contract might have been the difference-maker in his search for a new team.
Meanwhile, agent Noah Croom announced in Philadelphia that Green, a restricted free agent, has decided to remain with the 76ers.
Green agreed to accept a five-year, $20 million offer with a player's option after the final season.

[TheTruth]

The Jazz? Would he start of Derron Williams?

[Ozzy]

Hmm, Slovenian online newspaper is reporting that Saras has agreed to go to Cleveland... Don't know where they got this info though...

http://sportal.siol.net/default.asp?article_id=10041010507211106340

Šarunas v Cleveland

Ljubljana - Litovski košarkar Šarunas Jasikevièius bo v prihodnji sezoni igral za NBA moštvo Celeveland Cavaliers, kjer bo združil moèi z rojakom Zydrunasom Ilgauskasom.

Šarunas Jasikevièius je bil v zadnjih sezonah gotovo eden najveèjih zvezdnikov evropske košarke. Organizator igre, ki je eno sezono navduševal tudi v Tivoliju, je nazadnje nosil dres Maccabija iz Tel Aviva, s katerim se je dvakrat povzpel na evropski klubski prestol. Tako je izraelski velikan izgubil enega stebrov ekipe, kar pa se je že nekaj èasa napovedovalo. Zaradi tega so vodilni možje kluba že pred èasom podpisali pogodbo z ameriškim organizatorjem igre Willom Solomonom.

Po minuli sezoni je Jasikevièius namreè vse bolj na glas zaèel razmišljati o selitvi v ligo NBA. Zanimanje za tega atraktivnega košarkarja z odliènim metom za tri toèke je bilo precejšnje, èeprav so bili Amerièani sprva skeptièni glede njegove kakovosti. A so po olimpijskih igrah v Atenah spremenili mnenje. Nazadnje je litovski reprezentant izbral Cleveland, ki bo v novi sezoni oèitno precej moènejši.

Jasikevièius bo tako zaigral skupaj z rojakom, centrom Zydrunasom Ilgauskasom, s katerim sta tudi dobra prijatelja, prvi je bil drugemu tudi poroèna prièa. Skupaj z mladim superzvezdnikom LeBronom Jamesom pa bi ''Šaras'' lahko tvoril eno najbolj udarnih branilskih navez v ligi. Cleveland bo imel v novi sezoni oèitno visoke cilje, saj se je okrepil še s krilnim igralcem Donyellom Marshallom in branilcem Larryjem Hughesom.

(Quick) translation: (with some of my comments in italic)


Sarunas to Cleveland

Ljubljana – Lithuanian basketball player Sarunas Jasikevicius is going to play for the NBA team Cleveland Cavaliers, where he will join forces with his countryman Zydrunas Ilgauskas, next year.

Sarunas Jasikevicius was certainly one the biggest stars of European basketball in last seasons. A point guard, who has also been entertaining fans in Tivoli (the home of Olimpija Ljubljana) for one year, was wearing a jersey of Maccabi Tel Aviv lately. With Maccabi he climbed to the top of Euroleage twice in last two seasons. With departure of Jasikevicius the Israeli giant lost one of its key players, but the move was expected. Therefore the management of Maccabi Tel Aviv has already signed a contract with American point guard Will Solomon.

After last seasons Jasikevicius started thinking out loud about the move to the NBA. There was vast interest for this attractive(as in higlight prone, not beautiful) basketball player and a great three-point shooter, although the Americans were a bit sceptical about his quality at first. But they changed the opinion after the olympic games in Athens. At last the member of the Lithuanian national team chose Cleveland, a team that is going to be much stronger in the coming season, as his destitantion.

This decision will allow him to play along a compatriot Zydrunas Ilgauskas with whom they are good friends (Sarunas was also best men at Ilgauskas wedding). Together with superstar LeBron James "Saras" could create one of most striking "guard lines" in the league. Cleveland is certainly going to aim high next season after they also added a wing player Donyel Marshall and guard Larry Hughes to their roster

[TheTruth]

cool, thanks ozzie.

looks like the cavs keep getting better.