Baron Davis and the amnesty clause.. Why?

[I LOVE YOU ABBY]

Baron Davis is the biggest fan drawer on the Cavs, I don't think that he will be amnesty clause'd. I don't seeing Gilbert cutting a guy that's putting butt's in seats and increasing TV ratings.

I'd have to think fans are more interested in seeing Kyrie and TT than Baron, I know I am..

 

[czvo]

Call me crazy, but I think the Cavs could actually get something of value from Baron. Especially with the new, relaxed trading rules.

 

[Oasis]

While Kupchak remained guarded with his answers, Lakers forward Matt Barnes was much more open when asked about the rumors surrounding his former teammate Howard.

"You know, I've been hearing Dwight. I've been hearing Baron [Davis]. I've been hearing stuff a lot lately," Barnes said. "I've talked to both of those guys and they want to be here, so we'll see what happens."




If BD is determined to get to the Lakers, then I could see him reverting back to the cancerous version in an effort to attempt to get amnestied. With the new amnesty bidding rules of the CBA it would appear unlikely, but it's not a good sign as to where his head's at.

Oasis

 

[KI4MVP]

wat?

a 32yo Baron Davis doesn't excite anyone.

did you not watch the end of the season last year? I was never a fan of Davis, he won me over after he got here. I really can't see us letting him go just to save a couple of million. The only way I see us using amnesty on him this off season is if we need to get under the cap to go after another player who was amnestied, such as an NBA caliber wing player that we desperately need.

 

[CleveRocks]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...angeles-lakers-likely-limited-free-agency-cba

Why not BD and Andy for Bynum and Shannon brown on a sign and trade?

I think both teams get better with the trade, and we get younger in positions of need. For those tankers in the crowd, we could limit Bynum to the last two weeks claiming to rest his knees on principle.

Perhaps we could do a three way and package sessions and brown to Memphis for Rudy Gay and a future first.

Edit:
Probballdraft Boobie Gibson could interest teams like MEM, Bulls, Lakers, or even Magic wanting to surround team w/ more shooters. But he makes lot of $
18 hours ago · reply · retweet · favorite

Ran across this goofing off this am... If Gibson is interesting to both lakers and Memphis maybe he is in the mid rather than sessions...

 

[Huber.]

Call me crazy, but I think the Cavs could actually get something of value from Baron. Especially with the new, relaxed trading rules.

crazy

 

[Douglar]

Call me crazy, but I think the Cavs could actually get something of value from Baron. Especially with the new, relaxed trading rules.

Agreed. Even if it's only a slim chance of getting something, the Cavs should not give up on that chance. It takes a lot of begging, borrowing, and stealing to put a contender together. You don't get there by waiving assets. Unless there's a clear and obvious path to gaining more talent by waiving him, the Cavs would be foolish to waive him now where there is a real chance that the Cavs can get something for Baron next summer or at the 2013 trade deadline.

 

[Huber.]

Agreed. Even if it's only a slim chance of getting something, the Cavs should not give up on that chance. It takes a lot of begging, borrowing, and stealing to put a contender together. You don't get there by waiving assets. Unless there's a clear and obvious path to gaining more talent by waiving him, the Cavs would be foolish to waive him now where there is a real chance that the Cavs can get something for Baron next summer or at the 2013 trade deadline.

When you guys say get something what do you think we will get? If we trade him to a contender the most we would get out of him would be a late first round pick or a scrub player.

 

[Douglar]

When you guys say get something what do you think we will get? If we trade him to a contender the most we would get out of him would be a late first round pick or a scrub player.

I'd be perfectly happy with a late first round pick and another large bad contract that can get flipped when it gets closer to expiring. Neither of those two assets are tremendously earth shattering by themselves, but they can both get used to improve future deals.

 

[sailfish]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...angeles-lakers-likely-limited-free-agency-cba

Why not BD and Andy for Bynum and Shannon brown on a sign and trade?

I think both teams get better with the trade, and we get younger in positions of need. For those tankers in the crowd, we could limit Bynum to the last two weeks claiming to rest his knees on principle.

Perhaps we could do a three way and package sessions and brown to Memphis for Rudy Gay and a future first.

Edit:
Probballdraft Boobie Gibson could interest teams like MEM, Bulls, Lakers, or even Magic wanting to surround team w/ more shooters. But he makes lot of $
18 hours ago · reply · retweet · favorite

Ran across this goofing off this am... If Gibson is interesting to both lakers and Memphis maybe he is in the mid rather than sessions...

If the Lakers have a legit shot at Dwight Howard, which, by all accounts they do, they have to save Bynum for a Howard deal. Bynum would unquestionably be the centerpiece of any trade for Howard. For that reason, I can't see the Lakers trading Bynum anywhere until all Howard deals are played out.

Irregardless of Bynum, we could still see Varejao traded to the Lakers. It would likely have to involve a 3-way that would have us shipping Lamar Odom elsewhere. We could probably get a draft pick out of the deal as well.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

There is no feasible way to get Andrew Bynum here.

OTOH, Varejao and/or BD to the Lakers I would be all for if it meant a three way with another team getting Lamar Odom, us soaking up Luke Walton's contract and us picking up extra picks.

 

[wuck]

Tom Reed at the PD takes on this question:

Keeping Baron Davis a Cleveland Cavalier: The pros and cons
Published: Saturday, December 03, 2011, 7:34 PM Updated: Saturday, December 03, 2011, 7:34 PM
By Tom Reed, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Baron Davis spent part of the NBA lockout producing a documentary on the declining sartorial standards of the American men.

But what the fashion-forward point guard wears during the regular season's opening night is for now largely in the hands of Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. It's an important decision, and not an easy one.

Does the GM release the 32-year-old Davis through the amnesty clause, a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement, which would free up millions in salary cap space and turn over the point-guard duties to rookie Kyrie Irving? Or, does Grant retain Davis, who made the Cavaliers appreciatively better upon his arrival late last season, and let him mentor the league's No. 1 overall pick?

A compelling argument can be made both ways.

While nothing is finalized, the clause currently enables teams to cut one player with pay during the lifetime of the agreement, provided he was on the roster as of July 1, 2011. The player gets his money and becomes a free agent. The franchise gets relief for salary-cap and luxury-tax purposes.

However, a team must make its amnesty decision before a season starts. It's believed the Cavs will be methodical in approach, going into training camp, which opens Friday, before making the call.

Forward Antawn Jamison, in the final year of a deal that pays him about $12 million (post-lockout price), is another amnesty candidate. But Davis has an extra year on his contract and the Cavs have more depth at his position.

Keeping with league mandates, Grant cannot comment on CBA provisions until they are official. That won't stop others from debating the issue:

The case for cutting Davis

The 19-year-old Irving is a franchise building block and needs all the experience coach Byron Scott can afford him. It's going to be his offense to run eventually, so why not let him run it in a season when wins and losses are not as important as development?

Irving needs to learn clock management. He requires the ball in his hands as the seconds tick away and decisions must be made. He's playing for a coach who started point guard Chris Paul 78 games in his rookie season.

If Davis is on the floor at the same time as Irving he's going to command the ball and demand the offense runs through him. He has befriended Irving and offered to help him through his rookie season. But Davis is a 12-year veteran and a two-time All Star. He's not going to be satisfied either splitting time or playing shooting guard.

Davis might also do harm to the Cavs' chances of earning another top-5 lottery pick. They went 13-54 prior to Davis' arrival and 6-9 after it. The franchise needs another injection of high-end talent from the draft and a ninth- or 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference is going to supply it.

Releasing Davis -- owed roughly $26 million over the next two seasons -- provides tremendous financial flexibility. It also would bring the Cavs under the $58 million salary cap and make them eligible for the modified waiver process that gives such teams first crack at submitting bids for amnestied players.

The Cavs are wary of letting him become a free agent only to sign with LeBron James and the Miami Heat. But New York, Charlotte and the Los Angeles Lakers are rumored to be his most desired destinations, according to ESPN.com.

Thanks for an entertaining final month of the season, Baron, and good luck with the documentary.

The case for keeping Davis

Scott has a history of making dramatic improvements in his second season with teams. The 2001-02 New Jersey Nets enjoyed a 26-win spike en route to the NBA Finals. The 2005-06 New Orleans Hornets collected 20 more victories than the previous season.

In New Orleans, the franchise made its jump after Davis was dealt to Golden State. Coach and player have clashed, but the relationship has been repaired. It's believed Scott would be in favor of retaining the veteran.

Davis makes players around him better. He told The Plain Dealer in September he welcomes the chance to shepherd Irving through his rookie season. He knows the moods of the demanding Scott and could help his teenager teammate interpret them. There will be little practice time for Irving during a 66-game schedule crammed into four months.

Although the playoffs aren't a realistic goal, the Cavaliers have to avoid developing a losing culture, especially coming off a 19-win season. They don't want to morph into the NBA's version of the New York Islanders, a hockey franchise unable to abate losing despite a steady parade of high draft picks.

Davis's return would enable Grant to trade another guard, perhaps Ramon Sessions, for a player or future assets. If Davis plays well and Irving shows development they might also try dealing the veteran at the deadline, although next season's salary of $14.7 million is not exactly priced to move.

If the Cavaliers decide to use the provision they should cut Jamison. Meanwhile, Davis stays and invites Irving as his VIP guest to the premiere of "American Schlub" right here in Cleveland.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2011/12/keeping_baron_davis_a_clevelan.html

 

[Scholar]

While Reed suggests some locations that Davis is interested in, it isn't going to matter. If we were to amnesty him, someone is going offer something over the league minimum when he goes through the waiver process. That team is the team that will make out in all of this. Not the Cavs. Next draft rolls around and they have Davis available at a salary of say 3 mil and he is an expiring. Couple that with the fact that he'll be playing for probably his last contract. We all know how players perform in contract years. They'll get at minimum a first round pick for him from one of the contenders.

 

[raisen]

Kyrie Irving hopes to start for Cavs

By Marc J. Spears

With all due respect to Baron Davis(notes), Kyrie Irving(notes) wouldn’t mind taking over the Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting point guard job in training camp.

The Cavs have the option of using their amnesty clause on Davis to waive him and remove the $28.7 million he’s owed the next two seasons from the team’s salary for cap and tax purposes. If Davis stays, Irving said he’d welcome being mentored by the veteran. The Cavs could decide to start both in the backcourt with Irving, the No. 1 pick in the June NBA draft, at point guard.

“It would be a great opportunity, but a little hard to see Baron go just based on having a veteran point guard there to help you make your transition,” Irving told Yahoo! Sports. “That’s something that I’m going to lose. But having the keys to the franchise is something that I’m excited about if it does happen. Either way, it will be a great opportunity with Baron or without Baron.”

When asked specifically if he’d rather take the point guard job now or learn under a veteran, Irving said: “I’d rather try to have the ability to go. I’ve been waiting for so long that I just want to jump right in, learn on the fly and just see how it goes.”

Irving’s now glad he decided to declare for the 2011 draft after just one season at Duke. When it looked like the NBA’s lockout could cause the entire season to be canceled, he second-guessed his decision, especially when he was taking classes at Duke during the summer. He tweeted his frustration after watching Duke beat Michigan State on Nov. 15 to give Mike Krzyzewski the NCAA men’s Division I record for coaching victories.

“There were definitely a couple points, but I never really regretted my decision,” Irving said. “I knew things would get better. It’s just about being patient. Honestly, any kid that left school early and loved it as much as I did and you see your teammates all the time and the coaching staff and they’re doing well, it’s going to bring up a whole ball of emotions like it did for me.

“There were bad times. But me being able to be the No. 1 pick, reach my dream and take care of my family is something I can live with for the rest of my life.”

Irving awoken by two of his friends early on the morning of Nov. 26 to tell him the NBA had reached a new labor agreement.

“It took a lot of weight off my shoulders,” he said. “Now I really don’t have to play the waiting game anymore or kind of explore other options to compensate for me not being able to achieve my dream. Being able to have this deal done is a sense of relief, a big sense of relief.”

Had the lockout continued, Irving was going to check out his overseas options. Now he plans on finding a place to live in Cleveland. He says he’s in “pretty good shape” from working out over the summer and claims he’s completely healed from a toe injury that limited him to 11 games last season.
The Cavs also won’t be facing many expectations this season after winning just 19 games last season.

“It will be a great opportunity to learn on the fly and get as much experience as possible in the first year,” Irving said. “It is a rebuilding team, so there are going to be some good times and some tough times. Everything is not going to happen overnight and that’s the attitude I have to go in with.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...O2KHK8vLYF?slug=mc-spears_kyrie_irving_120311

 

[I.K.W.T]

EyeOnBasketball: Matt Barnes says Dwight Howard and Baron Davis have said they want to come to the Lakers. http://t.co/D7oEBiU2 Yeesh.

Barnes says Dwight Howard wants to come to L.A.

Posted on: December 5, 2011 10:07 am
Edited on: December 5, 2011 10:16 am

By Matt Moore

Interesting element in play right now. The lockout is still in effect, which means players can't be fined, which means Matt Barnes can say whatever he wants.

Like, oh, say, telling the press that both Dwight Howard and Baron Davis have talked to him and said they want to play in L.A.

The key quote?

"I've talked to both of those guys and they want to be here, so we'll see what happens."

Technically, Barnes isn't tampering anyway. He's just saying that both of those guys have said they want to be here. Davis is at least a candidate for amnesty, so he's a possibility if he'll take a reduced salary. But Howard of course is under contract.

The bigger problem is this continues a pattern. It's easy to pass this off, to say this is just one roleplayer saying Howard wants to come to L.A. and there's more to it. But we keep seeing the same things, whether it's talk of LeBron wanting to play with Wade, or Chris Paul toasting to playing in New York, there are rumors and whispers and small elements that seem to light the way for a small market star headed to a bigger one, and then it happens. And then everyone acts surprised.

Howard will deny it, and say he loves Orlando, and all the while, the same pattern will keep spelling Howard to the Lakers. Maybe Matt Barnes was just messing with the media. But in the meantime, Magic fans have to be sick with the fact that everyone keeps laughing about how obvious it is, that they're about to lose their second franchise center in fifteen years to the Lakers.

Well ain't this interesting.