2014 Free Agency Updates

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Do I think Cleveland helps out the Clippers by doing a sign-and-trade for Hawes? No, but the Clippers are certainly trying.</p>&mdash; Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi/statuses/486009572025331713">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Amid all this focus on LeBron/Melo/Bosh ... word is Atlanta continues to press for one of Miami's presumably out-of-reach targets: Luol Deng</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/statuses/486014250192613376">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Only Melo knows where Melo is going. Only LeBron knows where LeBron is going. Best I can give you right now.</p>&mdash; Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisPalmerNBA/statuses/486035048588513280">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

Marc Stein and Windhorst:

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Cavs believe James is open to pitch
Updated: July 7, 2014, 3:36 AM ET
By Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein | ESPN.com


After more than two years of planning, the Cleveland Cavaliers, believe they have LeBron James legitimately listening to their pitch to leave the Miami Heat and return to his home state in free agency, according to sources close to the process.

There has yet to be a firm indication that James actually is ready to leave Miami after four years and two championships with the Heat, but sources told ESPN.com that the four-time MVP is increasingly considering the Cavaliers as an option as he moves into the final stages of deciding which team to sign his next contract with.

A critical face-to-face meeting looms with Heat president Pat Riley on a day to be determined this week, sources confirmed Sunday night, so that James can hear the Hall of Famer's plans for the Heat's roster. But James' agent, Rich Paul, has already sat down with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert in what is regarded as the first formal step toward trying to shrink the gulf between James and Gilbert after the ocean of hard feelings stemming from James' departure from Cleveland in 2010 to sign with the Heat.

Sources say that the Cavs' pitch made to Paul last week -- which they also hope to make this week to James in their own face-to-face meeting -- revolves around Kyrie Irving and the other young prospects they have, in addition to the numerous options Cleveland possesses to add to the roster over the next year.

It is the second part of this pitch the Cavs hope will be the key selling point in getting James to choose them. While several teams like the Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets have cap space to make moves this summer, the Cavs hope to show James how they have collected and created tools to continue adding into the next few years.

The Cavs also believe they have made the greatest move yet this summer, convincing Irving to sign a five-year maximum contract extension in the first few hours of free agency. With No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins under control for the next five seasons as well, the Cavs are pitching youth and roster stability to James, who played on one of the oldest teams in the league last season.

The team also potentially owns three first-round picks in the 2015 draft, including the Heat's pick if they fall outside the top 10. They also have the Memphis Grizzlies' pick if it falls between Nos. 6 and 14 and their own pick. The Cavs believe they can use these as assets in potential trades to further upgrade the roster if James will come aboard.

The Cavs also made an unheralded trade late on draft night that has potential to become valuable next year, an aspect they intend to explain to James: as part of a draft-pick swap, the Cavs traded Alonzo Gee for Brendan Haywood in a deal that will be announced after July 10.

In addition to having size the Cavs need, Haywood has an unorthodox contract created when he was waived via the amnesty clause by the Dallas Mavericks. Haywood will be on the Cavs' books for $2.2 million this season but has a $10.5 million deal for the following season that isn't guaranteed until Aug. 1, 2015. This is one of the most unique contracts in the league, and the Cavs could use it in a straight trade or a sign-and-trade to add a major free agent next summer, even though they aren't positioned to have cap space.

The Cavs still have several hurdles to overcome. Rival teams are skeptical that James and Gilbert will be able to patch up their differences in the wake of James' televised "announcement" and Gilbert's subsequent open letter that attacked James' character and got him fined by then-commissioner David Stern. There has been a cooling of the tension between the parties in recent years, but James still harbors some ill feelings that both would have to attempt to settle before any partnership could be renewed, sources said.

On a more basic level, the Cavs currently don't have the cap space to sign James to the $20.7 million maximum contract he is looking for. They have some players on nonguaranteed deals they could waive but will want to keep Anderson Varejao, who has a partially guaranteed deal and is the lone holdover on the team from James' years in Cleveland.

The easiest way to get near the needed space would be to offload the $6.3 million salary of guard Jarrett Jack, and the Cavs have been in trade talks involving Jack for several weeks, sources told ESPN.com.

 

[wuck]

How LeBron James' agent has given Cavaliers hope of King's homecoming
Adrian Wojnarowski
By Adrian Wojnarowski 6 hours ago Yahoo Sports

At the urging of LeBron James' agent, the Cleveland Cavaliers are pursuing a maximum contract salary slot to bring back the free-agent superstar, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Rich Paul, the president of Klutch Sports, has been funneling belief into the organization that the Cavaliers are in strong position to lure James from the Miami Heat, sources told Yahoo Sports.

For years, Paul has confided to people that bringing back James to Cleveland has been something of a mission for him, and he's encouraging Cavaliers officials to offer no restraint in the recruitment of James, sources said.

The Phoenix Suns remain determined to make a case to James, offering an excellent core of young players, a chance to bring a second max star with him, but everyone's at the mercy of Paul's agenda now. He's running James' free agency, and getting through to James won't happen without his childhood pal-turned-agent.

Paul will be joining James for a sit-down meeting with Miami president Pat Riley early this week, when there could come more clarity on James' future with the Heat. Riley has been recruiting free agents to join Miami, but has been limited in salary cap space to make competitive offers and limited in the ability to promise players they'll get to play with James.

"LeBron is the ultimate recruiter, but he hasn't been any part of this process," a league source tied to the Heat's recruiting efforts told Yahoo Sports. "The first question they all ask is the same: 'Do I get to hear from LeBron? What's he going to do?' "

The fact James hasn't been contributing to the Heat's pursuit of a supporting cast has troubled some and left them wondering: Just how committed is James to re-joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade with the Heat?

For the Cavaliers, the shedding of contracts to create salary-cap space isn't a tremendous risk. For James, a four-time MVP and two-time NBA champion, the stakes are far higher. If Paul gets up the hopes of the franchise and Northeast Ohio without delivering James' return, Paul risks playing a part in turning James into a villain all over again.

Nevertheless, the Cavaliers have little choice but to dutifully make the moves necessary to make James an offer. The biggest obstacle remains unloading the contract of Jarrett Jack. The Cavaliers have found a landing spot for Jack and his $6.2 million annual salary in the Brooklyn Nets, but only if the Cavs can find a third team to take on Brooklyn's Marcus Thornton, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Cleveland is offering Thornton and future draft considerations as incentive to absorb his $8.7 million expiring contract, sources said. The Cavaliers need to unload more contracts and have made 2013 first-round pick Sergey Karasev, among others, available in deals, sources said.

The Cavaliers have a young core of Kyrie Irving and No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, whom general manager David Griffin has gone out of his way to call a shooting guard – clearing the way for James to take over small forward. For Paul, the return of James would give the agent immense leverage in rookie contract extension talks for forward Tristan Thompson. The Cavaliers could have no choice but to pay Thompson – a serviceable young forward – far above market price as a giveback for Paul's part in James' potential return to the Cavaliers.

Cleveland will work to sign James, but, failing that, they'll try to divide the cap space among second-tier free agents – including candidates Channing Frye and Trevor Ariza – whom they believe can help get them to the playoffs, sources said.

Another Cavaliers option remains signing Utah restricted free agent Gordon Hayward to an offer sheet, although the organization expects it would offer him less than a max contract, sources said. Nevertheless, the Jazz plan to match a Cavs offer and keep him, sources said.

For now, the Cavaliers await the next directive out of Rich Paul, and perhaps will soon find out where an agent's agenda meets a superstar's intent.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Until I hear from *LeBron* himself, I refuse to believe anything or anyone RE: Miami, Cleveland, or anywhere else. Fool me once.......</p>&mdash; Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric__Smith/statuses/486146383531888640">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>For 4 years, Dan Gilbert's letter after LeBron's decision has been on team website. It appears it was removed today: <a href="http://t.co/O256mqVtNs">http://t.co/O256mqVtNs</a></p>&mdash; Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN/statuses/486149389845798912">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Phills14]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Atlanta is among the teams the Cavs have recruited to take Marcus Thornton from Nets in deal that would unload Jarrett Jack, source says.</p>&mdash; Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/statuses/486167305349779456">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Charlotte's Josh McRoberts emerging as serious free agent candidate for Miami, sources tell Yahoo. Realistic option at mid-level exception.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/486192740079001601">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Yahoo Sources: Chris Bosh had first direct conversation w/ Houston, Rockets clear frontrunner if Heat unravel. <a href="http://t.co/ffdnzlrNKG">http://t.co/ffdnzlrNKG</a></p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/486218914167554049">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Seeing how Bulls, Rockets and Mavs are all engaged with other free agents sure suggests they buy premise Melo is down to Knicks and Lakers</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/statuses/486200494621458433">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: Rockets offer Bosh max deal of 4 yrs, $96 million. After weekend convo with LeBron and low offer from Heat, Bosh considering offer</p>&mdash; Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard/statuses/486208988053139456">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Mavs, Cavs, Lakers and Heat are pursuing Wizards free agent Trevor Ariza, league sources say. Ariza seeking deal starting at $9-$11m.</p>&mdash; Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/statuses/486207030462799872">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ESPN learned that Josh McRoberts has verbally committed to sign with the Miami Heat</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/statuses/486223420406136832">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ESPN has learned that McRoberts will receive Heat's full midlevel for the next four years ($23 million) with a player option after Year 3</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/statuses/486224389462294528">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Free agent Danny Granger has agreed to a two-year, $4.2 million deal with the Miami Heat, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/486232867635482627">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Granger will take the bi-annual exception with Miami, and hold a players option on the second season, source tells Yahoo.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/486233872280346624">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Douglar]

Interesting to note that these moves are not getting announced as cap space deals.

I guess than answers the question about how much of a pay cut the big three were willing to take.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Cavs especially active in trade talks today, I'm told. &quot;We are going to make some moves, soon,&quot; says team source.</p>&mdash; Sam The Bullshit Whisperer (@SamAmicoFSO) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/statuses/486237786660671488">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Channing Frye has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with the Magic, source tells Yahoo Sports.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/486268899235602433">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Douglar]

http://msn.foxsports.com/ohio/story...e-expect-to-make-move-soon-sources-say-070714

• The Cavaliers are talking to several teams about potential trades, as they try to .. add size to the roster, sources told FOX Sports Ohio on Monday. It is believed the Cavs are exploring deals they feel would benefit them with or without LeBron James.
• Naturally, only a few deals could actually be pulled off before learning of James' next move. One of those deals, as reported by FOX Sports Ohio, would involve sending Jarrett Jack to the Nets. LeBron or no, the Cavs expect to trade Jack.
• The Cavs sense they will know of James' decision on where he will sign by Wednesday, sources said. Right now, the Cavs do not have a solid feel for what James will do.
• All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has reached out in effort to recruit James to the Cavs, sources said. ESPN reported Irving as telling LeBron the Cavs will get him all the help he needs in Cleveland.
• As for their own moves, the Cavs are standing firm in trying to upgrade the roster and not dealing assets "just to deal," said one source. The Cavs have specific targets, sources said, but aren't "just jumping into anything," said a source with knowledge of the talks.
• Meanwhile, the Heat announced agreements with free-agent forwards Josh McRoberts (Hornets) and Danny Granger (Clippers) on Monday. While McRoberts is no All-Star, sources say his signing might actually appeal to LeBron. McRoberts plays power forward and it's widely known James does not like to defend that position.
• The Heat may announce another signing of a free agent outside their own by the end of the day, sources said. "Get ready," said one source, indicating another move is on the way.
• That said, it is believed bigger name free agents such as Paul Gasol (Lakers), Trevor Ariza (Wizards) and Luol Deng (Cavs) are not interested in the reduced salaries the Heat are offering, just to possibly play alongside James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
• James and Bosh reportedly connected over the weekend, and sources said Bosh is now contemplating a contract offer of four years and $88 million made by the Rockets on Monday.
• One interesting note from an NBA source: If James returned to Cleveland, he would wear No. 32. He wore No. 23 with the Cavs before and No. 6 with the Heat. The source also indicated James is close to announcing his decision.
• One Western Conference general manager told FOX Sports Ohio a lot of people around the league are actually hoping the Heat's Big 3 returns intact. "One thing (Miami has) proven the past four years is they can't add any real talent around those guys," the GM said. "Their run will be over in two years, and it may already be. I'd be considerably more scared of LeBron in Cleveland or Phoenix."
• The GM laughed and added, "And what how will Pat Riley answer when he meets with LeBron and LeBron asks who the starting at point guard is?"
• Las Vegas sports books have improved the Cavs' odds of winning the NBA championship from 60-1 to 12-1.