SATURDAY, 9:44am: The deal is official, the Cavs announce in a press release.
THURSDAY, 6:00pm: The deal is for one-year and $1.45MM, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). Windhorst is likely rounding down from the minimum salary, which for Jones would be $1,499,187.
MONDAY, 8:22am: The Cavaliers will re-sign James Jones, a league source confirmed to Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Jones told Vardon on Sunday that he would “be back in Cleveland for sure.” The 12-year veteran forward who turns 35 in October spent last year with the Cavs on a one-year deal for the minimum salary.
“I’ve made it well-known last year when I told them I was coming to help change the culture and do something special,” Jones said. “It wasn’t a situation where I was looking for a platform to move on. I was looking to be a part of something, to build something. And so I’m still in.”
Jones can receive up to $1,799,024 from the Cavs via Non-Bird rights, but it seems likely that Cleveland will push him to sign for the $1,499,187 minimum salary. If he takes the minimum on another one-year deal, the Cavs would only be responsible for $947,276, the equivalent of the two-year veteran’s minimum, with the league picking up the rest. That savings of $851,748 would allow Cleveland to avoid paying an additional amount of more than three times as much in tax penalties because of the team’s otherwise soaring payroll. So, a roughly $300K sacrifice for Jones would mean much for the Cavs.
The Joel Bell client, a Miami native, followed LeBron James from the Heat to the Cavs last summer. Jones played more total minutes this past season than he had in any of the previous three with Miami, averaging 4.4 points in 11.7 minutes per game with 36.0% three-point percentage across 57 appearances. His role increased in the playoffs, when he saw 15.5 MPG, but he averaged the same 4.4 PPG.
Eh (Gives a “Kanye shrug”).
I wonder what they plan on doing with the Haywood contract? Was hoping for Crawford from the Clips.
I think Crawford would be a good route to take, but I think that possibility isn’t as strong now that DeAndre Jordan is back. The Clips might as well keep their guys together for a run at it this year.
If you’re the Clips and you have Crawford as a backup to Paul and Redick at the PG/SG position with Stephenson, Pierce, Prigioni, Rivers and Wilcox all capable options under contract that can do the same, what do you value most? Crawford’s contributions, in perhaps a diminished role than what he had last year, or perhaps a trade exception that the Cavs might be able to flip to them if they get one in return for the Haywood contract?
The same question can be asked of the Cavs obviously.
Which is the better situation. Acquiring the known quantity that is Jamal Crawford for the entire 2015-16 season or a large trade exception which allows you to acquire a player mid-season should an injury or inefficient player performance arise?
I hope Blatt does a better job of trusting his bench. I think it’s important to work them into the games when you DON’T need them so that they aren’t too rusty or out of sync to contribute when you DO need them. Practice alone isn’t the same as game time.