YOU PLAY the GM!!! who, and how much Do you PAY ?

[PIP]

ALRIGHT GUYS, PRETEND YOUR THE GM. and answer these questions.

#1 would you give the max to any of the 4 potential available sg's ?

#2 what would you offer JOE JOHNSON ? , and would it be the same as you would offer REDD, ALLEN or perhaps hughes ? (the bigger names)
considering he is restricted, would you offer a huge deal for JOE ?

#4 how about the other free agents ? pg, c ect.......

i keep hearing we have somewhere between 20-22 million-- YOU SPEND IT and make a 05-06 ROSTER for our beloved cavaliers..

I'M not as cap smart as some on here, so i thought this would be a neat idea for the non cap smart people like myself to see what we could possibly look like for next season.

 

[Wine and Gold]

I'm in the camp where you don't go out and grab one big name for a huge contract. This team has multiple holes to fill, and I think we'd be best served to go out and spread our money around a bit. Putting all our eggs into one high priced basket could ultimatley kill us. Here's the guys I'd go after, and why.

#1. Team Leader. More than anything this team lacks a playoff proven team leader who has the stones and the ability to get in stars (Lebron's) face and tell him what he needs to do to win. It has to be a player he respects. I think that player, although shortterm, is Garty Payton. He's a strong, winning personality, who is very close to Lebron, but also.....has that strong, leadership and winning personality that thisteam needs when things start to go bad. He'd also be a guy that will demand defensive effort ...and when he sees guys like Gooden and James slacking and not doing their jobs ....hasthe presence to get in their faces and set them straight. Within the player ranks, we've not had that in a while, and it is an element that all winnin teams have. Lebron has been the team leader the past two years...on and off the court. And no 20 year old has that ability. Gary Payton would be agreat adition at an affordable pricetag. I'd try and move Snow for anything that can get his salary off the books. If not, live with the contract ....but, I think it's possible. If Kemp could be moved ...Snow definitely can be.

#2, Bobby Simmons. Tough defender who has developed his shot. Late bloomerm but ahard worker at his game who stepped up big this last season. He would come at a pricetag that will allow us to be flexible in getting other pices neededto compete for a title eventually.

#3, Trade Drew Gooden get a highdraft pick,grab Jarret Jack to groom behind Gary Payton for a couple seasons

#4, Donyell Marshall. Again, an affordable guy that will open up the floor in the halfcourt for Lebron to get into the post, where he is most effective. And it allowsJames another option on the wing to kick it out for a three whenhe's doubled down low. I know it's not a sexy name or big money name ...but, this is a TEAM game and Marshall's atttributes will blend nicely with what Iam putting together throughout the team. Plus, he's another good veteran presence with a winning background that we need. Jim Paxson was always bringing in career losers ...guys that never had a history of winning or playoff style basketball. We need that type element on this team.

#5, we should still have enough cashto get our big man. This is where I do the sign and trade with the Lakers. I'm thining of packaging Snow and Ilgauskas to the Lakers for Lamar Odom and Chris Mihm.

#6, Dan Gadzuric to team with Mihm down low.

#7, trade or release Traylor.


PG- Payton/Jack
SG- Simmons/Jackson/Pavlovic
SF- James/Odom/Newble
PF- Odom/Marshall/Varajao
C - Gazuric/Mihm/Varajao

Gives us grerat flexibility, and multiple looks ...numerous offensive options both in and out. Perimeter presence, plus the ability to drive and dishor post up given what the defensive plan ison us. Plus a much much tougher dfensive mindset up and down the roster. To me, the toughest part of the plan is the sign and trade with the Lakers ...that's the one that would be the toughest to make happen. Everything else is very doable.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Here's what I think.......I'd let Z go and offer that money to Samuel Dalembert(restricted i think). He has great potential, young, athletic, rebounds, blocks, and could run with LeBron. Z has hit a plateau and I love him but it's time to part ways.

I lean toward Joe Johnson, shoots a high % from 3, good size, and would be a team player. Allen would be nice but i think he just wants a max deal.

 

[jason436]

I would start by offering Z a contract for 10 mil or less. I'm a little torn between Johnson and Redd. From an offensive standpoint I think Redd is probably the best fit but Johnson is a better defensive player. When you factor in the restricted status I think I'd go after Redd. I also heard that the Bucks were exploring sign and trade deals so I'd offer Gooden for Redd and their 2nd round pick. I know we'd be trading Gooden for a player we could just sign but we would also free up more cap space. So if Redd get's a deal starting at 9 mil we could subtract off Gooden's salary and the net result would be an increase in payroll of 5 mil. So after signing Z and Redd there'd be approximately 8 mil to offer other players. My first target would be Chandler from Chicago. He hustles, plays defense, and could play some minutes at center. Then if the Bulls match our offer, they'd use up some of their cap space and we could turn our attention to Swift.

 

[Mac]

Redd isnt a RFA, so they cant explore any sign and trade deals because they have no leverage.

Maybe a team with no cap space would be interested in that, but they wouldnt get anything in return and they cleared so much cap they wouldnt be interested in taking on big contracts.

We gotta get Z back, regardless of what he wants we have to give it to him.

The only thing that is up for discussion is the amount of years. WIthout Z this team would be taking three steps backwords. There is nobody out there on the market that can bring anything that he brings to the table for us, I think Z is smart enough that Cleveland is his best option and would hope that two or three milion a year wouldnt sway him to another team. $12 mil per for three or four years is what Id hope for, $10 we are dreaming and $14 he is pushing it.

This team doesnt need an all-star next to Lebron. It needs a guy that is capable of hitting open shots and can play defense.

This team needs depth way more than it needs a star next to Lebron. I honestly dont know who Id go after at this point. Id have to go over the list, but Id try to trade Jiri Welsch and Sasha to Portland for Rurben Patterson and their first rounder and draft one of the PGs to back up Snow.

I like Karmas idea of Dan Gadzuric sp?, Swift will cost way too much money even though Id love to have him here.

 

[The Disector]

We gotta get Z back, regardless of what he wants we have to give it to him.

Yea right go smoke another one.
That's what teams who are cap strapped and never win championships do.

Face it you're a Z fan and not a Cavalier fan especially it you're willing to pay him whatever regardless of the reprecussions or worth of the player.

You should only be paying 12-15 million for Superstars and Z is not a superstar.

I'd rather pay that much to Ray Allen if I had to.

 

[Karma]

Thats why we should try and try again to get Z a contract averaging between 10-12 million. I am his biggest fan and don't believe he is worth any more then that without hamstringing this team. Getting Z back though is imperative. If we can get a player like Gadzuric or Chandler, we will have the most formidable front court rotation.

 

[Mac]

Yea right go smoke another one.
That's what teams who are cap strapped and never win championships do.

Face it you're a Z fan and not a Cavalier fan especially it you're willing to pay him whatever regardless of the reprecussions or worth of the player.

You should only be paying 12-15 million for Superstars and Z is not a superstar.

I'd rather pay that much to Ray Allen if I had to.

:chuckles:

Been a Cavalier fan since I was born. Not a Lebron fan, not a new fan, a Cavs fan.

I cant help your ignorance of basketball fails to realize what Z brings to the table. If you could read, I said $14 would be pushing it for Z, but you obviously took no interest in reading what I said, so just shut up about it...I dont want a repeat of the Z thread, while owning you was fun, everything has already been discussed.

Signing Z for three years at $12 per would hardly cap strap the team. We still have a lot to play with if he signed that, he is still a very wanted player and if he didnt work out, would be tradable. But the bottom line is, he is worth every penny.

Take Z out of this lineup and we take, at a minimum, three steps backwords. Letting Z walk and only getting a scorer would mean another year of no playoffs or a first round exit.

 

[Cleveland56]

Here is the deal with Z. You guys are crazy if you would offer him $10-12 mil per year...As a season ticket holder i will be PI$$ED if we resign him for anything more than $7mil....

Look at the teams listed below that have cap space to even pay him that kind of money. Outside of Seattle (who will probably resign Allen and their other Free Agents), who else here is even remotely close to winning that needs a center...

All anyone else can offer him is the MLE. So why would we screw ourselves and offer him that much when no one else can/will. And if Z signs a max deal with a team like the Hawks than we all know he doesn't care about winning anyways....

Assuming there's a $45 million cap (it could be much higher, depending on what happens with the CBA), the Hawks will have roughly $24 million in cap room. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle SuperSonics will have $21 million, the Charlotte Bobcats roughly $20 million. The Los Angeles Clippers (have Chris Kaman) and Hornets (have Magloire) will have about $11 million. The Bucks have cleared around $9 million. (Redd) The Sonics likely will spend all of their room re-signing their own free agents. And the Bobcats likely will save much of their cap space for summer 2007.
That leaves the Hawks, Cavs, Hornets, Clippers and Bobcats as the players in the free-agent market. Since only one of those teams, Cleveland, is in any position to compete for the playoffs (though the Clippers are getting close), the free-agent destinations for top veterans will be very limited.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

I totally agree 12-15 mil is for superstars, and Z is not one. And Cleveland56 has a good point about the other teams in the free agent market. Giving Z that much would really limit us, and we can't forget about the money that LeBron will deserve when the time comes. And with defensive minded Mike Brown on board (props to Gilbert) he'd want a defensive center. That why I think we need an athletic, shotblocking center who can run like Dalembert. Z has tapped his potential in my opinion and who knows how long he'll be healthy. I remember we were able to win without Z with his hurt finger, Cavs don't need him. I loved having him here for so long and it's great he was able to overcome his foot problems, but the money would be more wisely spent on a player like Ray Allen.

 

[The Disector]

:chuckles:

Been a Cavalier fan since I was born. Not a Lebron fan, not a new fan, a Cavs fan.

I cant help your ignorance of basketball fails to realize what Z brings to the table. If you could read, I said $14 would be pushing it for Z, but you obviously took no interest in reading what I said, so just shut up about it...I dont want a repeat of the Z thread, while owning you was fun, everything has already been discussed.

Signing Z for three years at $12 per would hardly cap strap the team. We still have a lot to play with if he signed that, he is still a very wanted player and if he didnt work out, would be tradable. But the bottom line is, he is worth every penny.

Take Z out of this lineup and we take, at a minimum, three steps backwords. Letting Z walk and only getting a scorer would mean another year of no playoffs or a first round exit.

It doesn't matter what else you said--you still basicly said pay Z whatever he wants we have no choice--that is ignorant!

You always have choices especially with that kind of money.

As for owning somone?? What the hell is that garbage suppose to mean anyway?

If it means taking someones post and tearing it in pieces to make it sound like what you want then oh boy you sure owned someone.

On the other hand if being owned means taking your own words and proving your a liar then I'm sorry you are the one who supposedly got owned.

90% of your arguements are things I never said and I proved over and over what you said isn't the truth and here we go again with you trying to take back something you said and make it sound like you were meaning something else.

Z is not a Superstar so he shouldn't be getting superstar money!
I can name at least 15 players better then Z and probably another 10 after that that are at least on the same level.

Z doesn't make the players around him better and he doesn't dominate the game on either end of the court.

Pay 12-15 million for that--I'm sorry but the bottom line is your a Z fan and it doesn't matter how long you've watched the Cavs. :thumbdown

 

[E-Light]

We aren't going to start Z off at 12 million. Based on my infallable logic, we'll pay him more over time, and start him off at 8 million IF gilbert and his boys will resign Z. That's best for the team. Paying Z later instead of now won't hurt us in the long run.

Instead of 4 years give him 5 with 12% increase, it really doesn't matter cause in another 5 years we should be way over the cap so if Z's play takes a considerable fall his cap hit won't stop us from paying anyone else. It's kind of like the michael finley situation in dallas, even though michael finley is grossly over paid, his salary is meaningless because dallas is over the cap.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Z definitely doesn't make his teammates better. He'll make a nifty pass every now and then, but too often you'll see him bully his way into the middle against a double team and force a shot while the offense stagnates. And NY really took advantage of his defensive weakness on the pick and roll in that terrible loss.

My favorite Bruce Lee movie so far is Enter the Dragon (just seen a few)

 

[E-Light]

Z definitely doesn't make his teammates better.

Z makes his team mates better. He's a selfish player on the block, but can you really blame him when the people he has to pass out to are ira newble, and eric snow? The cavs have never been able to put shooters around Z. The last one was Wesley Person, and Z was considered an adapt team player back then. He opens up the weak side for the powerforward as well. Look at what tyrone hill did next to Z, weatherspoon put up next to Z, Boozer put up, and gooden is now putting up next to Z. It continues.

Do you complain that lebron stopped passing and became selfish at the end of the season? No, you don't, because he didn't have z to pass to. only ira, and snow. None of those player deserved to be passed to, lebron didn't, z didn't. When they shot, we hoped they hit rim, not made it. :chuckles:

 

[The Disector]

I think when you talk about making you're teammates better you go by how good your team is.

Since Z's injury this team has not been very good.

In fact it was down right awful until LeBron.

I also think when you compare him you have to look at other NBA players who do make thier teams better.

Shaq, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Steve Nash are the kinds of players who in my mind make thier teams better.

You take any of those players away from those teams and they do not make the playoffs.