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Chucky Atkins?
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Posted on Wed, Jan. 25, 2006
Cavaliers notebook
Search ongoing for point guard
Anticipated problems in playing time steered Atkins away from Cavs
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers are apparently actively looking to add a point guard.
Chucky Atkins, signed Monday by the Memphis Grizzlies, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the Cavs seriously pursued him when he became a free agent last week. Atkins, who reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards after falling out of their rotation, said he picked the Grizzlies over the Cavs and Detroit Pistons.
Atkins, a veteran who became displeased about his playing time after being traded from the L.A. Lakers to Washington last summer, is known as a good defender and decent outside shooter. The Wizards tried to trade him for two weeks before giving up and reaching a buyout package.
Atkins said he liked what the Cavs had to say, but saw potential playing-time problems in Cleveland as well.
``I didn't want to just jump into a bad situation. I have a lot of respect for Cleveland but they have Damon Jones and Eric Snow,'' Atkins told the paper. ``That would have put me back in the same situation.''
With Mike Wilks getting increased playing time at backup point guard and recent rumors that the Cavs were in talks with the Boston Celtics about trading for point guard Marcus Banks, it seems General Manager Danny Ferry has come to some realization that Jones isn't the complete answer behind Snow.
With Larry Hughes out with a finger injury, Jones has been seeing more time at shooting guard. But he's had trouble defending quicker point guards and hasn't exactly been an offensive catalyst, averaging just 1.7 assists in about 26 minutes per game.
Artest issues
For a few hours, it looked like the Cavs were going to be the first team to get a good look at the new Indiana Pacers. Numerous media reports suggested the Pacers and Sacramento Kings had agreed to a deal that would've sent disgruntled forward Ron Artest to the Kings for Peja Stojakovic.
Not only would the deal have altered the face of the Central Division and the race for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, which the Cavs owned by a game over the Pacers heading into Tuesday night, but also the Cavs would've potentially seen Stojakovic in his first game when they visit the Pacers on Friday.
Cavs players and coach Mike Brown were already commenting to the media how much intrigue it would add to the game on Friday as well as the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
However, the Pacers and coach Rick Carlisle refused to comment when they arrived at Quicken Loans Arena, sending a mixed message. Then ESPN and the Indianapolis Star reported that the deal had fallen through, with Artest not willing to play for the Kings.
So the saga, which has lasted for 22 games for the Pacers, continues.
Cavaliers notebook
Search ongoing for point guard
Anticipated problems in playing time steered Atkins away from Cavs
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers are apparently actively looking to add a point guard.
Chucky Atkins, signed Monday by the Memphis Grizzlies, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the Cavs seriously pursued him when he became a free agent last week. Atkins, who reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards after falling out of their rotation, said he picked the Grizzlies over the Cavs and Detroit Pistons.
Atkins, a veteran who became displeased about his playing time after being traded from the L.A. Lakers to Washington last summer, is known as a good defender and decent outside shooter. The Wizards tried to trade him for two weeks before giving up and reaching a buyout package.
Atkins said he liked what the Cavs had to say, but saw potential playing-time problems in Cleveland as well.
``I didn't want to just jump into a bad situation. I have a lot of respect for Cleveland but they have Damon Jones and Eric Snow,'' Atkins told the paper. ``That would have put me back in the same situation.''
With Mike Wilks getting increased playing time at backup point guard and recent rumors that the Cavs were in talks with the Boston Celtics about trading for point guard Marcus Banks, it seems General Manager Danny Ferry has come to some realization that Jones isn't the complete answer behind Snow.
With Larry Hughes out with a finger injury, Jones has been seeing more time at shooting guard. But he's had trouble defending quicker point guards and hasn't exactly been an offensive catalyst, averaging just 1.7 assists in about 26 minutes per game.
Artest issues
For a few hours, it looked like the Cavs were going to be the first team to get a good look at the new Indiana Pacers. Numerous media reports suggested the Pacers and Sacramento Kings had agreed to a deal that would've sent disgruntled forward Ron Artest to the Kings for Peja Stojakovic.
Not only would the deal have altered the face of the Central Division and the race for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, which the Cavs owned by a game over the Pacers heading into Tuesday night, but also the Cavs would've potentially seen Stojakovic in his first game when they visit the Pacers on Friday.
Cavs players and coach Mike Brown were already commenting to the media how much intrigue it would add to the game on Friday as well as the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
However, the Pacers and coach Rick Carlisle refused to comment when they arrived at Quicken Loans Arena, sending a mixed message. Then ESPN and the Indianapolis Star reported that the deal had fallen through, with Artest not willing to play for the Kings.
So the saga, which has lasted for 22 games for the Pacers, continues.
