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Bob Finnan said:Contrary to popular opinion, Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry is not sitting around sipping Mai Tais this summer.
He's working the phones, trying to find the right deal for the Cavs.
He did notice the phones aren't ringing as much after his team advanced to the NBA Finals. Teams must think the Cavs are going to stand pat on last year's squad. That's anything but the truth.
"We are exploring all of our options out there," Ferry said. "Whether it's a trade or free agency, we're very active on the phones every day."
Sure, Ferry would have liked to tweak the roster, but it might not happen. He learned a long time ago that you can't coerce a team to do anything in the NBA.
"With the salary-cap rules, free-agent rules and the trade rules, you can't force anything," Ferry said.
Even though nothing has been accomplished this summer, it's not for a lack of trying.
"You try 100 things and hope to find one thing that makes us better," he said.
Sources said the Cavs made a pitch for ex-Timberwolves forward/center Kevin Garnett, who was traded to Boston for five players, two first-round picks and cash considerations earlier in the week. The Cavs didn't have a piece like emerging star power forward Al Jefferson to dangle in trade talks, and they didn't have a bloated expiring contract like the Celtics had to offer in Theo Ratliff.
Dallas, Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers were also involved in talks, even though a source said there wasn't a close second in the deal.
There was no truth to a story that circulated last week that had the Cavs sending power forward Drew Gooden to Golden State for the Warriors' trade exception.
There's a possibility the only things the Cavs do this summer is re-sign free agents Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic. Even though they want both players to return, there are no guarantees they'll be back in the fold.
As previously written, the Cavs might not use their mid-level exception because they are already at the luxury-tax threshold. Varejao and Pavlovic could accept the Cavs' qualifying offers and become unrestricted free agents next summer. But because they are currently restricted, the Cavs can match any offer sheet they sign. However, neither has gotten an offer from another team.
Varejao's case could drag on into the fall. Nothing could be done until September, if agent Dan Fegan's track record follows its normal course. Varejao wanted to play for Team Brazil in the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas this summer, but as of right now, he's not going to play.
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If your phones aren't ringing shouldn't you start making phone calls?