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Sasha Blinks, Varejao Continues Stand Off

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Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Europe isn't ready for the behind the back dribble in traffic....They just aren't.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

chiefwahoo56 said:
Typical agent scare tactics. Sasha would be an idiot to leave this situation, playing alongside the best player in the NBA for the next few years. That would be a brilliant career move.
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How do you figure? If a Euro team is willing to pay him more now and guarantee it, why would he want to play farther away from his home for a pittance and risk getting Flip Murray'd?

Everyone keeps bringing up how it's going to be a crowded FA market next year and assuming that's an incentive to sign a long-term contract now. Well it is, but nothing says it has to be with the Cavs.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

^ Jon, all I'm saying is that they are trying to force the Cavs' hand. Do you REALLY think Sasha will go play overseas in an inferior league? After working so hard to finally crack the rotation and start next to LeBron?

As you pointed out, next year there will be a huge number of FA's out there going after the same pool of money. The big paydays won't be there for Sasha or AV. The only tactic left for the agents is to threaten going overseas. I'm not buying it and I hope Ferry isn't either.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

chiefwahoo56 said:
^ Jon, all I'm saying is that they are trying to force the Cavs' hand. Do you REALLY think Sasha will go play overseas in an inferior league? After working so hard to finally crack the rotation and start next to LeBron?

As you pointed out, next year there will be a huge number of FA's out there going after the same pool of money. The big paydays won't be there for Sasha or AV. The only tactic left for the agents is to threaten going overseas. I'm not buying it and I hope Ferry isn't either.
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Why do you think Sasha (and particularly his agent) give a flying F**k about where he makes his money? I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him give the bird to the Cavs if he could make more money in Europe. And if he is interested in something more than money, like being a star, his chances of getting that status in some European league is a whole lot better than it is in the NBA. I'd like him to remain a Cav, but let's not forget that stardom in the NBA is not going to happen for Sasha Pavlovic. I'm not sure he'd even start for the Cavs if he resigned.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Those who believe the bluff need to find some precedence of a player who is NBA ready who chooses not to play in the NBA.

Tarpley was banned for substance abuse before he fled the U.S. Roko Ukic, like Danny Ferry, was a rookie when he refused to get low-balled by the Clippers/Raptors. Both were uninterested in playing for crap teams while being unprepared for the NBA and underpaid. Anthony Parker was a late-first round bust who couldn't make a roster when he went across the pond. There are rumors Jasikevicius will do the same, but again, he has proven that he is no more than a 10th man in the NBA.

Sasha could start or be a top reserve for many teams in the NBA. There is no precedence for someone with his talent level at his age volunteering to go overseas instead of competing in the NBA. The union is too powerful. Much like what Herrman and Scola have recently overcome, his future earning power would be too greatly affected. Some Euroleague team might give him a 4 million dollar offer, but if he improves his game here in the U.S., he has the ability to make much more than that.

Listen to Flava Flav. Its a bluff. Don't believe the hype.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

It will be an interesting year if Sasha goes overseas and AV signs only the QO.

I bet we'd regress this year and next year our team could look completely different: i.e. if this team doesn't win a title or go as far as last years we got a lot of expiring deals coming up.
Deals expiring after the 08-09 year:
Gooden
Damon Jones
Marshall
Snow
That is about 22 million in expiring deals available for trades
Even Hughes and Z become very tradeable as they have contracts which last a year longer only. Stevie Francis type buyouts become possible. If nothing happens this offseason and season that doesn't mean we're not in for some fireworks next year.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

There's a first time for everything. Plus... nothing is stopping him from coming back to the NBA if he negotiates a short term contract or adds a buy out clause.

American upstart leagues haven't had a problem attracting young stars from the more established leagues by dangling money. There's lot to be said for being the big fish in the little pond even if you aren't getting paid more, let alone when that pond is in your home country. Also sometimes a bluff isn't a bluff. It just depends what's important to that player. Does Sasha wanna be LeBron's bag boy? Or the next Euro-Jordan?

I think it's a much more viable threat since Sasha and Anderson are both international players to begin with. It wouldn't be much of a shock to them to go back overseas.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Jon, you are being a contrarian. (predicted response: no I'm not!) Of course it would be a shock if a young, emerging NBA player on a championship caliber team leaves to play in the minor leagues for a measley million or two more dollars on a short contract. The very fact you said: "there's a first time for everything" contradicts "it wouldn't be much of a shock"... unless the possibility of monkeys suddenly flying out of your rectum isn't too shocking. Hey, there IS a first time for everything.

If Sasha had outstanding success in the NBA playing with LeBron James for a year, he would be looking at a contract far above the MLE. If he has any success in the minors, he is just a pretty good player who shouldn't have been in the minors and is a pain in the butt to negotiate with. His status as a native European would still doesn't change the fact that the move unprecedented. In case you didn't know... Brasil is closer to the United States than the Euroleague, so the whole "International anyway" makes no sense at all for AV.

I wonder if we would still retain Pavs' rights if they took an offer from Tel Aviv (He is still our RFA). Again, the whole thing is unprecedented.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Randolphkeys said:
Jon, you are being a contrarian. (predicted response: no I'm not!).
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Incorrect... Jon will hit you with one of the following:

*Sigh* or *Shrugs*

Sasha isn't going back to Europe.. However, some players that have come over here in recent years from europe and really haven't had the opportunity, have decided to head back over to europe to play ball...

None of which applies to Sasha.. Thus, I don't see him leaving the NBA to head bak over to Europe...

Although, I could definitely see a player doing this in the future.. Perhaps a more established star that just wanted to test the league, but felt content with playing near home..
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

I have to agree with Randolphkeys here and say that this is the biggest bluff... With Pavlovic's company having no leverage against the Cavs they have to take advantage of the sudden surge or players saying they'll play overseas... I mean honestly, if you were the agent you would do the same thing to try to get the Cavs to talk to you and maybe even pony up to the contract that you want...

But at the same point, it's a shame how long this has drawn out and at a point I think it starts to become insulting to a player because if a team really says how much they want you and think of you highly, wouldn't they have signed you already? I mean I know Ferry is trying to get the best deal possible but at some point both sides need to come to a middle ground, unless Sasha's camp is being outrageous and refusing to budge which could be the point or vice versa...
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

It is just business. Nothing personal either way. Both AV and Sasha will be in camp probably signed to a reasonable multi year deal. Dan and Danny will make it happen.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Money speaks volumes, and they're just trying to get a taste of the "big bucks".
Andy loves it here, but if he has a better offer, he's gone.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

Randolphkeys said:
Of course it would be a shock if a young, emerging NBA player on a championship caliber team leaves to play in the minor leagues for a measley million or two more dollars on a short contract.
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Obviously someone would have to make it worth his while.

Maybe you're too young to remember when the USFL outbid the NFL and signed Herschel Walker? Perhaps you've heard of the ABA and some of the players that came from that? Heck, they probably used to call the Brownies a minor league team when Graham, Motley, Groza, and Paul Brown led them to an NFL championship in their first year.

Everything changes, sooner or later. If some team offers Sasha or Andy enough $$$ it'll be sooner. That is unless there's some sort of collusion that'd prevent international teams from bidding on NBA RFA's. But even cheating only works for so long.
 
Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

I posted this in the Tidbits thread, but it fits here, as well.

_amon _ones said:
Has anyone considered that just maybe the Cavs are in a win-win situation with this? We are all looking at the doom and gloom, but remember this: the free agent market next year is crawling with players. Not just players, but really good players. Besides retaining Bird rights to both, maybe the Cavs are banking on the larger, much more talent rich free agent pool for 2008. There are plenty enough UFAs and RFAs next season who are better than Sasha and Andy. They will be lucky if there is enough money to go around with the likes of Duncan, Arenas, Marion, Brand, Jamison, Iverson, Baron Davis, Maggette, Artest, Jermaine O'Neal, and Chris Duhon all potential UFAs.

And, for Sasha to threaten to go to Europe for a season, well, that's just going to lower his value in a potentially huge FA market, as most will feel he wasted his season in Europe instead of developing more against the best competition.

Andy, on the other hand could possible see a windfall, but I doubt it, as there are plenty of PF in the 2008 FA class, and he will not get to showcase his abilities, as the Cavs obviously wouldn't trade Drew this season if they couldn't have another young PF locked up for a few years, and he'll be sharing time.

The Cavs have several options here, sitting and waiting it out. There is no reason to pull a panic move or do something, just to do it. They have several expirings (such as Marshall, Damon, and Snow) that they can trade away before the 2008 class, to swap in a S & T for an RFA such as Herrmann, Calderon, Ellis, Gomes, or Turiaf.

So, again I say, that maybe, just maybe, Ferry may be thinking ahead to more than just the next season and keeping this team viable for years to come. He did graduate from Duke, which isn't necessarily just known for basketball...they do graduate a few scholars.
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Re: Sasha Pavlovic Considers Playing In Europe

chiefwahoo56 said:
Typical agent scare tactics. Sasha would be an idiot to leave this situation, playing alongside the best player in the NBA for the next few years. That would be a brilliant career move.
Click to expand...

I think this sounds familiar unfortunately...
 
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