Kori Ellis
09-29-2007, 02:53 AM
Pavlovic probably won't be at camp
Cavs said to be busy recently in trade talks
http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/10123666.html?page=all&c=y
CLEVELAND: Sasha Pavlovic's future with the Cavaliers is in serious doubt.
Don't call it a holdout, but when the Cavs open training camp Monday, the signs point to Pavlovic not being there.
The Cavs, meanwhile, appear to be preparing to move on by making free-agent moves and engaging in their most heated trade talks since July.
The sides have been far apart on a long-term deal for months. Now it appears the fallback option, a one-year so-called ''qualifying offer'' of $2.8 million, no longer seems to be an option.
Marc Cornstein, Pavlovic's agent, said Friday that Pavlovic is planning on letting the offer expire Monday. Pavlovic is in Europe with no plans to travel to Cleveland this weekend.
''It really isn't a holdout. If he doesn't have a contract, he's not allowed to come to practice,'' Cornstein said. ''Ultimately, it is Sasha's decision, and he is aware of all the circumstances.''
It is a rare scenario in the NBA for a restricted free agent to not accept any contract before the start of training camp. Usually, taking a qualifying offer is the last-minute resolution. Apparently, not in this case.
If Pavlovic follows through and lets the offer expire, the Cavs would retain his NBA rights, which can be traded. But he would not be assured of anything but the league's minimum salary if he wants to play this season.
''This is not the position we were looking to be in,'' Cornstein said. ''But we have a very different opinion of Sasha's value.''
The Cavs have made a contract offer to Devin Brown, a veteran guard who plays Pavlovic's positions, and probably will sign Brown this weekend.
Also, several league sources said Friday that the Cavs have been very active in trade talks the past several days. The two assets being talked about most are David Wesley with his partially guaranteed contract of $1.8 million and a $2.1 million trade exception that expires in two weeks.
Meanwhile, Cornstein said he's investigating options for Pavlovic to sign a contract with a European team. He referred to two NBA players, Lynn Greer and Sarunas Jasikevicius, leaving the league to sign in Europe this past week as a trend Pavlovic could follow.
Pavlovic is coming off the best season of his four-year career, averaging 9.2 points. It has been hard to determine his value, however, because no team has extended him an offer sheet and comparable swingmen have signed for as little as $1.1 million and as much as $5.3 million elsewhere this summer.
''I am still optimistic that we can find something that works,'' Cornstein said. ''It can still be a win-win situation.''
Varejao update
The Cavs and Anderson Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, met this week, but they are far apart. Several league sources said the difference is in ''the tens of millions'' of dollars. Varejao has the same option as Pavlovic, to sign a one-year qualifying offer. His is worth roughly $1.2 million.
Camp update
The Cavs will have several free agents in training camp next week. Expected to contend for a vacant big-man spot are Dwayne Jones, Noel Felix and Darius Rice. Guard Chet Mason, a Cleveland native, also has been invited.
Cavs said to be busy recently in trade talks
http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/10123666.html?page=all&c=y
CLEVELAND: Sasha Pavlovic's future with the Cavaliers is in serious doubt.
Don't call it a holdout, but when the Cavs open training camp Monday, the signs point to Pavlovic not being there.
The Cavs, meanwhile, appear to be preparing to move on by making free-agent moves and engaging in their most heated trade talks since July.
The sides have been far apart on a long-term deal for months. Now it appears the fallback option, a one-year so-called ''qualifying offer'' of $2.8 million, no longer seems to be an option.
Marc Cornstein, Pavlovic's agent, said Friday that Pavlovic is planning on letting the offer expire Monday. Pavlovic is in Europe with no plans to travel to Cleveland this weekend.
''It really isn't a holdout. If he doesn't have a contract, he's not allowed to come to practice,'' Cornstein said. ''Ultimately, it is Sasha's decision, and he is aware of all the circumstances.''
It is a rare scenario in the NBA for a restricted free agent to not accept any contract before the start of training camp. Usually, taking a qualifying offer is the last-minute resolution. Apparently, not in this case.
If Pavlovic follows through and lets the offer expire, the Cavs would retain his NBA rights, which can be traded. But he would not be assured of anything but the league's minimum salary if he wants to play this season.
''This is not the position we were looking to be in,'' Cornstein said. ''But we have a very different opinion of Sasha's value.''
The Cavs have made a contract offer to Devin Brown, a veteran guard who plays Pavlovic's positions, and probably will sign Brown this weekend.
Also, several league sources said Friday that the Cavs have been very active in trade talks the past several days. The two assets being talked about most are David Wesley with his partially guaranteed contract of $1.8 million and a $2.1 million trade exception that expires in two weeks.
Meanwhile, Cornstein said he's investigating options for Pavlovic to sign a contract with a European team. He referred to two NBA players, Lynn Greer and Sarunas Jasikevicius, leaving the league to sign in Europe this past week as a trend Pavlovic could follow.
Pavlovic is coming off the best season of his four-year career, averaging 9.2 points. It has been hard to determine his value, however, because no team has extended him an offer sheet and comparable swingmen have signed for as little as $1.1 million and as much as $5.3 million elsewhere this summer.
''I am still optimistic that we can find something that works,'' Cornstein said. ''It can still be a win-win situation.''
Varejao update
The Cavs and Anderson Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, met this week, but they are far apart. Several league sources said the difference is in ''the tens of millions'' of dollars. Varejao has the same option as Pavlovic, to sign a one-year qualifying offer. His is worth roughly $1.2 million.
Camp update
The Cavs will have several free agents in training camp next week. Expected to contend for a vacant big-man spot are Dwayne Jones, Noel Felix and Darius Rice. Guard Chet Mason, a Cleveland native, also has been invited.