Mike Monroe: Cavaliers' improvement highlights major summer moves

[Kori Ellis]

Mike Monroe: Cavaliers' improvement highlights major summer moves
Web Posted: 07/17/2005 12:00 AM CDT

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...e.12ab808.html

San Antonio Express-News

A premature look at some of the NBA's major summer moves, some of which we expect to become official Friday, or shortly thereafter:

The Cavaliers have made the greatest improvement. General manager Danny Ferry proved that he learned a lot from his Spurs mentors — Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford — when he convinced owner Dan Gilbert it was important to bring back center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and then got Ilgauskas to agree to return for relatively modest money ($55 million over five seasons). This was after Ferry got a commitment from Wizards' guard Larry Hughes on a five-year deal, at a reported $70 million.

Ferry also had courted the Bucks' Michael Redd, but got lucky when the Bucks made Redd a maximum offer that Redd accepted. The Cavs are better off with Hughes. When Ferry got an agreement from Lithuanian guard Sarunas Jasekevicius, he made the Cavs one of the top three teams in the East.

The Suns have gotten better, too, as long as owner Robert Sarver doesn't renege on his promise to GM Bryan Colangelo and coach Mike D'Antoni to match any offer free-agent guard Joe Johnson gets. If Johnson is back with Phoenix, the additions of Kurt Thomas and Raja Bell are going to make the Suns tougher for the Spurs to get past in next season's Western Conference playoffs.

The Sonics are in free fall, even if they did manage to get Ray Allen back in the fold. Jerome James is gone, and Antonio Daniels has all but a couple of toes out the door. And owner Howard Schultz is about to find out how important it was to have a coach all his players were willing to give their all for.

The Bucks have been spending like Mark Cuban is signing the paychecks, but how much better will they be? They are grossly overpaying both Michael Redd and Dan Gadzuric, and new coach Terry Stotts is going to have to figure out how to make optimal use of Desmond Mason and another overpaid new player, Bobby Simmons.

The Knicks continue to be a joke, still unable to decide on a head coach and losing most of their interior toughness in the Kurt Thomas trade.

The Heat did what it had to do to bring back Udonis Haslem and will get Shaquille O'Neal back at a discount. But what's up with all the speculation about Pat Riley returning to the bench? Thus far, we've had nothing but non-denial denials. If it happens, feel free to speculate it was something O'Neal wanted.

The Spurs have done what they always do: Find ways to improve without breaking the bank. Robert Horry will return with a well-deserved raise, but still at a bargain price. Adding relatively bargain-priced Argentine center-power forward Fabricio Oberto gives them precisely the kind of flexibility they needed on the front line, not to mention some flexibility as they examine trade offers that come in and involve Rasho Nesterovic.

When will most of these moves be finalized? Some general managers have gotten edgy about a message attached to recent e-mails from the league office indicating a possibility the projected signing day for free agents could be extended a while from July 22.

This is what happens when the final details of a collective bargaining agreement are turned over to teams of lawyers.

Nobody expects the signing date to be pushed back very far, if at all, but the date is of most interest to the Hawks and Suns. The Hawks, of course, are expected to make a maximum contract offer to Johnson on the official signing day, after which the Suns will have a week to match the offer or let Johnson leave.

Since that decision is apt to have a domino effect, with other free agents anxiously waiting to see whether or not the Hawks will have the Johnson money to throw at them, you can bet they don't want the anxiety of their free-agent summers to drag too far into August.

[timvp]

Ferry also had courted the Bucks' Michael Redd, but got lucky when the Bucks made Redd a maximum offer that Redd accepted. The Cavs are better off with Hughes. When Ferry got an agreement from Lithuanian guard Sarunas Jasekevicius, he made the Cavs one of the top three teams in the East.

Uh, when did that happen? Is Mike Monroe trying to predict the future?






P.S.

J-A-S-I-K-E-V-I-C-I-U-S

[Kori Ellis]

Weird. I didn't think there were any agreements with Sarunas yet. Maybe Ferry told Monroe and he forgot he wasn't supposed to publish it.

[Solid D]

I haven't seen anything on it either...

but as mentioned in here before they signed Z, I have been expecting it.

[Rummpd]

Not sure Cavs yet that improved - see story I wrote on Yawn - Hughes and Z will help but doubt it will get into top 4 teams East yet.

[Mr. Body]

There hasn't been a single major move this summer, so that part's untrue. There have been some minor moves and a handful of middling-level. Otherwise, pretty boring so far.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'd say Hughes leaving Washington counts as a major move. Same for Nate moving south.

And the Kwame-Butler trade is a major move - it further cements LA's lotto status.

[Mr. Body]

I know we're quibbling, but those are middling-major. Players moving from marginal teams... but anyway, it's been a sleeper summer so far. And given general parity in the league, that'll likely stay at that level.