Likely use of Haywood contract?

[Douglar]

Haywoods contract needs to get waived before the end of July, so it can't be saved until the trade deadline. Teams looking to avoid luxury tax usually don't start making moves until the winter once they realize that their roster is fubar.

Because of the jump in the salary cap and the team salary floor, there probably won't be a lot of bottom teams looking to dump salary just to save money. They have to pay the salary anyway, might as well wait to see if they can get assets later in the year for what talent they do have.

If the Cavs do use the Haywood contract, the most likely trading partner would be a team that is trying to clear space to make a run at a big dollar free agent but doesn't want to give up draft picks to a team with cap space like the Cavs had to do last summer.

 

[MirORich]

That July 1st deadline is one of the nice things about the Haywood contract from an immediate gratification standpoint. In less than 6 weeks, from the Cavs end of things, that who scenario will be resolved. The only question is how. Does Gilbert sign all our [layers to massive deals and just waive Haywood? Does Haywood get traded for an equal salaried player? Does he get traded for a combo of players? Do we somehow get a pick back in a deal? Lots of variations but we'll find out sometime in between draft night and July 1st.

 

[TopGun]

Why is everyone suggesting going after ONE $10 million player with the Haywood contract when two $5 million players would probably work better for this team? I could see us targeting more PG depth and a defensive wing to spell LeBron.

Because teams are more likely to trade a talented player with a bad contract than two players making average money.

 

[MoFlo]

There are no shortage of options here. Don't be surprised, as @shoes22 said, if we nab two players with this contract and not just one.

This is our biggest asset & best way we can improve the depth this coming off-season, so I'd expect a move for a couple players.

I've mentioned this before, but either directly (traded for it) or indirectly (traded for assets, who will be swapped for it), I fully expect them to improve the depth/bench with this contract.

 

[Lee]

If Kevin Love re-signs, I personally think we let it expire. We aren't letting Shump or Tristan walk, and I think JR comes back to give a full season with us to up his value and be a free agent in the big contract year.

SO my guess since I believe Love is coming back is we do nothing with the contract, but that wont be a bad thing if everyone comes back. Remember we have never had the depth of having both Mozgov and Andy healthy. Add a first round pick, Miller and Jones coming back and a vet min contract or two, and we are an even deeper team than the one going into the playoffs.

 

[Simon]

Is Stephenson worth the risk (even with the 9th pick)?

He had about as bad a year a big free agent signing has had without being injured.

Not sure if he would be a great fit.

Don't him and LeBron hate each other?

 

[kovanovich]

My working hyphothesis has been that retaining Haywood has been insurance in case one of the free agents leave (most likely either Love or Smith).

@MoFlo has consistently suggested the Cavs will use the contract to improve their depth, and I am glad he is still saying this in view of the salary ranges we are now hearing for Tristan and Shump.

If the Cavs do retain all of their own players AND use the Haywood chip, we are talking about a team salary well over $110M, maybe approaching $120M. By comparison, Brooklyn's is highest this year at $88M.

@Douglar seems skeptical that many teams will be motivated to dump salary, but I think every team will have different motivations. We have already heard San Antonio might wish to dump Splitter to clear cap space. I can't imagine the Clippers won't want to dump Spencer Hawes to increase their flexibility in rebuilding their bench. Why wouldn't Orlando want to dump Channing Frye? Would free up that money to overspend on a younger player. Ilyasova is another fairly obvious example. David Lee makes too much, so the Cavs would have to add a smaller salary (though I believe the only real option would be Miller). I'm not saying any of these options I have listed are great, or that the Cavs should have interest, but I think they are feasible.

If the Cavs are willing to include their 2015 pick (player would be traded after selected), then it's not unreasonable to think the potential options would increase.

Another thing. If the Cavs do use Haywood's contract, they wouldn't need to use the taxpayers MLE. That would be some savings, at least versus my projections.

 

[enigmatic]

Delly and JJ aren't going anywhere. JJ is LeBron's boy and he'll be here as long as he can play or he'll retire. Delly has proved just how much he's worth on the court this playoffs in both LeBron and Blatt's eyes.

Shump just got a huge shout-out from LeBron in game 2 and is reaching almost elite-staus in D and is only 24. JR may be the most in flux of all of them but unless he flames out on and/or off the court and doesn't ask for crazy money he'll be here, too. Unless Love has been lying to everyone in the FO and the team he is staying. Dan will pay the money; he's promised LeBron that he would and there's no way he goes back on his word w/o tremendous fallout.

The Matrix, Miller, Perk for sure are goners. so is Haywood's contract.

That's 4 spots to fill for next year. with a 1st rounder to add and Haywood's contract to pick up 1/2 rotation guys we're in good shape.

I think most people are operating under the assumption most of our guys are going to be retained - and I'm not 100% sure of that.

The only guys I don't see coming back for sure are Perkins & Marion (Haywood only if we can't move him).

I think Delly & Jones (and possibly Miller) are guys that, despite recent play, are still on the fringe for next year.

I also think one of JR/Shump could possibly be on the move.

 

[enigmatic]

I'd love to get Stephenson here and would have no doubts that LBJ and Lance would put whatever beef they had behind them, especially if Lance wants a ring.

Tell you the truth, I'd love to get Paul Pierce here next year but that's me just dreaming.

Not sure if he would be a great fit.

Don't him and LeBron hate each other?

 

[*L-Train*]

If Kevin Love re-signs, I personally think we let it expire. We aren't letting Shump or Tristan walk, and I think JR comes back to give a full season with us to up his value and be a free agent in the big contract year.

SO my guess since I believe Love is coming back is we do nothing with the contract, but that wont be a bad thing if everyone comes back. Remember we have never had the depth of having both Mozgov and Andy healthy. Add a first round pick, Miller and Jones coming back and a vet min contract or two, and we are an even deeper team than the one going into the playoffs.

i agree. we all know Gilbert is willing to spend but the payroll will be absolutely insane even if we don't use the contract. i don't see a scenario where they let TT and Shump go, those two have played too well in these playoffs and both will get big raises and i expect both Love and JR to opt in:
3 max contracts, TT will probably make ~14, Shump 7-9, Andy 9.6 (that one hurts), Moz 4.9, JR 6.4....

i expect us to have the highest payroll in the entire league (by a pretty wide margin) even if don't use Haywood

 

[nikolajz1]

I really down we use Haywood's contract for anything. By my calculation were gonna be at a 115 million dollar salary next year which I think might be close to an NBA record.

 

[natedagg]

I think the vision will be too alluring for the free agents to want to leave: either "it's payback time" on Golden State or it's "we are all young and can build a dynasty. Plus you just brought Cleveland a championship, you are a demigod here forever." These players will get paid well here, and that will demonstrate Gilbert's commitment to extended excellence. We are a pretty young team here...

Can we trade it for a draft pick? If so, what are the rules?

Here's the thing - I speculate that we'll see some patience during this iterative process. It'll be a lot of feelers, and a lot of draft research. Putting on my GM hat, where are we lacking?
I will skip the starting 5 because our numbers after our trades were excellent.
I happen to think Delly is the PERFECT backup PG, plus we have other ball handlers.
Assuming Pipe and Shump Day are back, the 2 is locked down, no matter who starts.
If our backup bigs are TT and AV, then wow. I mean, we don't know where AV will be at physically, but people quickly forget how skilled he is (reminder: he is quite skilled).
So the biggest need is going to be the backup 3, no? This is a LeBron minutes reduction play for career extension, as well as an opportunity to completely shift the offense back to a PG initiated one with KI/Delly, which totally changes the defense's responsibilities. Wesley Matthews would be an absurdly good fit, IMO, barring full recovery. I love Batum too, but I am no expert. Other than that, getting picky I would also like to look at Jennings, but does he need the ball too much? He fills that quickness void really well.

The only other thing that I would consider is what if we keep our eye toward the dynasty (or consistently having an opportunity to be a top 3 team, depending on your philosophy) and roll with trading up for a draft pick using our first rounder or just acquiring more draft picks. That would require LeBron approval (what wouldn't), but if we can get an MLE ring chaser worth a damn, and LeBron's pick of player (to sign with his agent of choice, lol), then said player could really step into a catalyzed career. If we did this, I would hope that we had someone specifically targeted, not some sort of "we need a smart athlete" type of play.

It's pretty scary to think of our lineup at full health entering the playoffs as is. It will quite interesting to see which direction we head, what happens around the rest of the league and how it affects us, etc. But no more focus on this now, it's time to start pre-gaming for tomorrow.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Good post nate. I guess if Andy and Jennings made it back to full strenght, Oprah should probably have them on for an emotional joint achilles injuries graduation party.

I hope what you are saying is true. Kevin Love played with Andy, although Bron immediately favored Varajao, Kevin is smart enough to realize that Anderson Varejao is a fan freakintastic option as your 4th big guy.

Tristan, Timofey, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao. With LeBron James, Shumpert, Pipe, Dellavadova and Kyrie Irving.

If that team is fully healthy. Championship. I'll bet my right nut on it.

 

[natedagg]

Good post nate. I guess if Andy and Jennings made it back to full strenght, Oprah should probably have them on for an emotional joint achilles injuries graduation party.

I hope what you are saying is true. Kevin Love played with Andy, although Bron immediately favored Varajao, Kevin is smart enough to realize that Anderson Varejao is a fan freakintastic option as your 4th big guy.

Tristan, Timofey, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao. With LeBron James, Shumpert, Pipe, Dellavadova and Kyrie Irving.

If that team is fully healthy. Championship. I'll bet my right nut on it.

Now put this in your pipe and smoke it: what will it look like when out of left field we decide to go BIG on teams with our full squad? Like if either your 2 or 3 is limited offensively, imagine the possibilities with say JR, LBJ, Love, TT, and Moz. 3 scorers, 3 passers, and a whole lot of muscle.

 

[Omar The Horse]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Jennings and LeBron are on the best terms....

I also don't see SVG bolstering a divisional foe. He's already got enough to deal with Chicago, Indiana, Cavs, and Bucks already having much better rosters.