Cavs Notes: Sessions, Varejao, Jamison
The Cavs hit the All-Star break in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, at 13-18 and a game and a half back of the slumping Celtics. Here's what's buzzing with the team as it chases its first post-LeBron James playoff berth:
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald said the Cavs would prefer to get a first-round draft pick in a trade instead of veteran talent. Nonetheless, Marvin Williams' name has come up as a potential target, as he was drafted by former Hawks executive and current Cavs GM Chris Grant. A straight-up swap of Williams for Ramon Sessions, a rumor Finnan has been hearing, wouldn't work under the salary cap, but another deal is within the realm of possibility.
- Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto believes the Cavs are better off trading Sessions for a first-round pick rather than risking that he'll turn down a $4.55MM option for next season and seek a starting job as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer answered reader questions and said that even though Anderson Varejao is likely off the table for this year's trade discussions, the high energy big man will likely be back in trade talks next season.
- While trade candidate Antawn Jamison could remain in Cleveland the rest of the season, Reed doubts Jamison, who's a free agent this summer, will return to the team in 2012/13.
- Finnan has another story on top-pick Kyrie Irving, who's reminding coach Byron Scott of a young Chris Paul. Scott, who also coached Jason Kidd during his prime in New Jersey, was Paul's first coach with the Hornets.
Teams With Cap Space
Earlier this morning, we heard that the Pacers are exploring the trade market in search of a roster addition or two. Indiana is in a unique situation, with an incredible amount of cap space and no obligation to spend to reach the minimum cap requirements. While the Pacers' current cap figure falls well short of the minimum required team salary (85% of the cap), James Posey's amnestied $7.6MM salary counts for floor purposes, so the Pacers can stand pat if they so choose.
Although no other club has nearly the cap room Indiana does this season, there are a handful of under-the-cap teams who could make a move without having to use a mid-level or trade exception. Let's run through them, from the team with the most cap space (Indiana) to the least (Houston).
Indiana Pacers
Approximate cap space: $14.27MM
I don't expect the Pacers to make any moves for players under contract past this season. Indiana has a number of players on rookie scale contracts who will start to get more expensive over the next couple years, so the team won't want to chew up future cap space unless it can land a young, talented player. A rental player on an expiring contract is more likely, and I still think Indiana makes sense as the most likely destination for Chris Kaman.
Sacramento Kings
Approximate cap space: $9.43MM
While the Kings have a relatively affordable squad, they don't have quite the same flexibility the Pacers do. With nearly all its players under contract through next season, Sacramento is poised to increase its cap figure significantly this summer if it hopes to sign its lottery pick and hang onto restricted free agents like Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson, and Donte Greene. Between the Kings' lack of expiring deals and its spot near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, I don't think we'll see Sacramento taking advantage of its cap space this season. The Kings need to add about $723K to reach the minimum salary requirement, but that amount is minimal enough that they may simply accept the end-of-season surcharge.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Approximate cap space: $7.21MM
Here's an interesting case. While it's widely assumed Cleveland will be looking to trade players like Antawn Jamison and Ramon Sessions this March, I'm not sure that'll be the case. The team has talked repeatedly about wanting to gain playoff experience, and as the current ninth seed in the East, it's not out of the realm of possibility. With Jamison's salary coming off the books this summer, the Cavs could afford to add a player who is under contract past this season and still have a ton of cap space in future seasons. If the Cavs can find a player that helps them this season and isn't too expensive going forward, I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled the trigger.
Toronto Raptors
Approximate cap space: $4.3MM
While the Raptors would probably love to use this cap room to sign Wilson Chandler to an offer sheet, any contract they offered Chandler could easily be matched by the Nuggets. If the Raptors make moves before the deadline, they're more likely to become sellers, gaining even more cap room to take advantage of this summer.
Washington Wizards
Approximate cap space: $2.17MM
Like the Raptors, the out-of-contention Wizards will be looking for deals that create even more cap space. They almost certainly won't use their remaining cap room to acquire anyone.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Approximate cap space: $1.2MM
Golden State Warriors
Approximate cap space: $813K
Houston Rockets
Approximate cap space: $777K
These three teams consider themselves playoff contenders, and should all be active on the trade market, trying to upgrade their rosters. However, their cap space isn't significant enough to play a major role in any trades.
Jamison Not Expecting Cavs To Trade Him
For teams seeking cap space this summer, Antawn Jamison's $15MM+ expiring contract would be a valuable asset. For teams looking to make a title run, Jamison would be a valuable frontcourt piece, having posted 17.4 PPG and 17.9 PER for the Cavs this season. However, Jamison doesn't expect to be traded before the deadline, as he tells Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
"Honestly, deep down inside, I don't want to go anywhere, and I don't feel like I'm going anywhere," Jamison said. "I enjoy playing with these guys. These guys are very receptive to what I tell them and what I do on the court."
When I examined Jamison as a trade candidate last week, I noted that the 35-year-old may be too valuable to the Cavs for the team to find a deal it likes. Cleveland is well-positioned to have a tremendous amount of cap space this offseason, and trading Jamison for a player under contract for multiple years would affect the club's flexibility.
Additionally, the Cavs seem more inclined to attempt a run at the playoffs rather than selling off players that can help in the short-term. Jamison has certainly been helping this month, averaging 22.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG in 11 February games (36.0 MPG). If the former Tar Heel continues playing well and the Cavs continue to believe they're postseason contenders, I think Jamison may be right — he'll remain in Cleveland past March 15th.
Latest On Wilson Chandler
12:16pm: The Cavaliers, one of the few teams who have the cap space to pose a serious threat to the Nuggets for Chandler, don't intend to get involved, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). The Cavs like Chandler, but prefer to rebuild through trades and the draft (Twitter link).
11:12am: Although the Nuggets extended Wilson Chandler's a qualifying offer last year to make him a restricted free agent, that offer expired on December 25th, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). If Chandler had hoped to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, he could have accepted the $3.1MM qualifying offer, but because it expired while he was under contract in China, he no longer has that option.
As I explained when I explored Chandler's options this morning, qualifying offers for restricted free agents typically expire on March 1st, though teams can choose to set an earlier deadline. It's unclear if the NBA adjusted the deadline in the new CBA or if the Nuggets set an earlier deadline, but either way, it limits Chandler's options.
Chandler, 24, could sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets or another club, or sit out the season and test restricted free agency again in the summer, when teams have more financial flexibility. However, his chances of becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season look slim to none, since the Nuggets don't plan to offer him a rest-of-season deal, according to Stein (on Twitter). The earliest Chandler could become an unrestricted free agent would be after next season, if he sat out this year, then accepted a qualifying offer from the Nuggets for 2012/13.
Cavs Sign Manny Harris To 10-Day Contract
The Cavaliers have signed Manny Harris to a 10-day contract, according to Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). Owner Dan Gilbert first broke the news, tweeting "Manny back in the house! Welcome back Wolverine….."
Harris, who was just named the D-League's Performer of the Week for a second time this season, has averaged 21.4 points and 7.9 rebounds in 17 games (32.9 MPG) for the Canton Charge. He was on the Cavs' roster for most of last season, logging 17.3 minutes per game in 54 contests for the club, but was released just before this season began.
D-League expert Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside questions whether Harris was the best candidate for a call-up, noting that the Cavs know what Harris is capable of and already waived him once (Twitter links).
Broussard On Beaubois, Williams, Raps, Sessions
In addition to reporting on the Lakers' interest in Michael Beasley, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard has a number of other interesting tidbits to share in his latest column. Let's check out the highlights:
- The Mavericks are "about ready to move on" from the Rodrigue Beaubois experiment. It was only a week ago that Mark Cuban insisted Beaubois remained in the team's long-term plans, but the young guard would be an intriguing trade chip. Including him in a deal for a player on an expiring contract could improve the Mavs' roster in the short-term and help clear a little extra cap space in the long-term.
- Marvin Williams is frustrated with his role in Atlanta and would like to play somewhere where he could contribute more on offense.
- The Raptors are receiving plenty of inquiries on Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani isn't likely to be moved, and the team would want a point guard in return for Calderon.
- The Lakers want to see if they can trade for a point guard before giving Gilbert Arenas a shot. According to Broussard's sources, the Lakers should be able to acquire Ramon Sessions for one of their first-round picks before the deadline, if they want to pull the trigger. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (on Twitter), the Lakers are expected to "accelerate" their pursuit of Sessions this weekend.
Cavs Notes: Uzoh, Hickson, Casspi
The Cavaliers narrowly escaped yesterday's game against the Kings with a 93-92 win, and rookie Tristan Thompson played a major role in the victory, as Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. With 15 points and 12 rebounds, the Canadian power forward recorded his first career double-double and talked after the game about getting his "groove back." As the Cavs wait to see if Thompson can maintain this level of production going forward, let's check out some other notes out of Cleveland….
- Ben Uzoh, who signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs on February 10th, will not have his deal renewed, reports Reed in a separate Plain Dealer article.
- Within the same piece, Reed looks at J.J. Hickson's disappointment in the trade that sent him to Sacramento last summer, and his struggles with the Kings. Asked if he could make it work in Sacramento, Hickson paused and replied, "Uh, yeah. I think so, yeah."
- Hickson on whether he'd want to return to the Cavs via free agency: "Of course, why not? I'm not saying 'no, I don't want to come back.' If the opportunity presented itself, why not?"
- Omri Casspi, who came to Cleveland in the Hickson deal, also took some time to adjust to his new setting, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. However, Casspi says he enjoys playing for coach Byron Scott and calls his Cavs teammates "a great group of guys."
Odds & Ends: Martin, Hickson, Ginobili
Yesterday’s game between the Clippers and Spurs was one of the most exciting endings we’ve seen this season. Here’s a bit of news regarding some of the players involved in that exciting finish, as well as some others notes from around the league.
- Clippers forward Kenyon Martin told SI.com’s Sam Amick that upon his return, Carmelo Anthony will be more than helpful in making the Knicks an even more potent team than they already are. Martin also said that he doesn’t appreciate George Karl’s remarks regarding Anthony as a selfish player.
- Even though Omri Casspi hasn’t played lights out basketball since joining the Cavaliers, FoxSportsOhio.com’s Sam Amico says the team was right to acquire him in exchange for J.J. Hickson. In Amico’s story, one Western Conference general manager said if the Kings knew exactly what they were getting with Hickson, they never would’ve made the deal.
- After suffering an oblique injury in yesterday’s win against the Clippers, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will head back to San Antonio for treatment as his team continues on their west coast road trip, according to the San Antonio Express’ Mike Monroe. Ginobili said the injury wasn’t as bad as he originally thought, and that his anti-inflammatory medicine is already working.
Reed On Sessions, Jamison, Mayo
In his latest edition of "Hey Tom!", Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer assesses what he believes the Cavs will do prior to the trade deadline. Let's take a look at some of his musings:
- Reed expects the Cavs to make a concerted effort in trading point guard Ramon Sessions before the deadline. Sessions, 25, is in his second season with Cleveland and is currently averaging 10.4 PPG and 5.6 APG in 25.1 MPG. Earlier rumors linked the former Nevada star with the Lakers and Knicks, but the rise of Jeremy Lin and signing of J.R. Smith would seem to signal that New York is no longer interested in Sessions.
- The Cavs are also looking to move Antawn Jamison whether that means trading him or buying him out. What makes Jamison difficult to trade, as also pointed out by Hoops Rumors writer Luke Adams, is the fact the Cavs would have to take back salary in any trade situation. The 35-year-old former Tar Heel is enjoying another solid season as he's averaging 16.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG in his third year with the team.
- Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo would be a great piece to pair with the team's foundation of Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving. In responding to a proposed package of Omri Casspi and Daniel Gibson, Reed believes the Cavs would need to include more on their end in order for the trade to actually come to fruition. The 24-year-old former USC guard has been struggling this season as all of his minutes for the Grizzlies have come off the bench.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Spurs, Draft, Collins
With only four games on the schedule for Saturday, the first two matches provided a wealth of excitement in an overtime battle and a shocking upset. The Nets stunned the Derrick Rose-less Bulls thanks to stellar play by Kris Humphries and Deron Williams. By knocking off the Clippers in overtime, the Spurs notched their 10th win in a row, but not without paying a hefty price. Let's take a look around the league to see what's going on with All-Star Weekend less than one week away:
- The Cavaliers have a trio of former players believing in the long-term success of the franchise, writes Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Mark Price, a former guard for the Cavs, says the combination of Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving will be a strong foundation for the team as they continue to mature as NBA players. Pluto says the franchise is attempting to build itself in a manner similar to the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Thanks to strong play at home (13-1) and now on the road with an impressive overtime victory over the Clippers, the Spurs would secure the #2 seed in the Western Conference if the playoffs started today. Unfortunately for the Spurs, the squad lost two key contributors today in Tiago Splitter and Manu Ginobili, who both left the game due to injury and did not return, writes Tim Griffin of Spurs Nation. The Spurs have already lost Ginobili to injury this season as he missed 22 games after breaking his left hand.
- Tommy Dee of SheridanHoops.com put together his predictions for how he sees the top 10 picks of the 2012 NBA Draft unfolding. Dee has Tar Heels small forward Harrison Barnes slated to go #1 which would most likely be to the Bobcats based upon current standings. North Carolina and Kentucky are well represented on the list with two players from each school predicted to be picked in the top 10 in the upcoming draft.
- Jerry Zgoda, Timberwolves beat writer for the Star Tribune, says 76ers head coach Doug Collins has finally found the perfect fit for his coaching style as he has his squad atop the Atlantic Division. Zgoda points to strong drafting by 76ers in concert with Collins getting the most out of his players as a major reason why the team has enjoyed such a successful start to the season. The team won 20 of its first 29 games for just the second time since 1986.