Drawing From The Wells Again
February 4, 2008Two More Going Pro Bowling
February 4, 2008Word from Brian Windhorst is that GM Danny Ferry is quite actively trying to make a move to improve the Cavs before the trade deadline. From Windhorst’s column–
It might not be much of a consolation to fans anxious for upgrades, but according to several league sources, Ferry has been very active in recent weeks trying to put together a deal.
He made a failed pitch for Memphis Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol, who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers this week, just as he made an offer for Kevin Garnett before he was moved to Boston last summer. He’s also been in discussions with the Sacramento Kings about point guard Mike Bibby and with the New Jersey Nets about point guard Jason Kidd.
And now it seems the latest target for Ferry, who is getting absolutely left in the dust in the poll question this week, is Memphis forward/guard Mike Miller. Miller has decent numbers- 16.7 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game. Perhaps more attractive to the Cavaliers, he is shooting 43% from 3 point range, and 50% overall. The 7 year pro has 2 years left on a contract that pays him around $8.3 million per. Cavs fans might remember Miller however, as the speed bump LeBron ran over en route to his 51 points against the Grizz earlier this year. Miller had no chance of guarding LeBron that night. I don’t know how indicative of his overall defense that is, but it would be enough to concern me.
According to Windhorst, the Cavs are looking to swap Pavlovic, whom Memphis has sought out in the past-
Depending on how much cap space the Grizzlies want to clear, the Cavs could put together a package that would give Memphis a young player and some expiring money.
Last fall, the Grizzlies showed interest in Sasha Pavlovic in sign-and-trade deals with the Cavs. Pavlovic, who is out until next month with a foot injury, became eligible to be traded on Thursday.
So what would it take? What might get this deal done? Well a straight up trade of Pavolvic and Gibson (you would have to assume that is the “young player” targeted here) doesn’t work numbers wise. That trade would be about 4.5 million too much against the cap. Pavlovic, Gibson and Gooden would work, particularly if Memphis upped the ante by sending Kyle Lowry with Miller. But is that giving away too much? Fans who want to see Hughes shipped to Memphis for Miller are fooling themselves. Like LeBron James, Larry Hughes is untreatable but for a much different reason. Maybe next year a team would be willing to take on Hughes’ expiring contract, but not this year.
So would a team of LeBron, Z, Miller, Hughes and Varejao with Devin Brown, Damon Jones, Ira Newble and Cedric Simmons coming off the bench be enough for a title run? That sounds like a weak bench to me. Could the Cavs pull off a Pavlovic/Newble/someone else deal for Miller? Gibson doesn’t make enough to be that third person. Neither does Shannon Brown. Looks like Ferry has some more work to do. He has only himself to blame. Maybe you can make it work, here go for it.
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6 Comments
I suppose, to be fair, it should be noted that really, nobody can guard LeBron this year…..but still, you’re right, Miller was made to look silly in that game. I’d love to have Miller, but I think giving up both Gooden and Gibson is a bit much.
I was playing around with the trade machine earlier…..you’re right, it’s not easy to come up with much that works. Chalk up another one for Ferry. Ugh.
If we could get Miller AND Lowry, it’d be amazing. Lowry is very underrated, and would in fact likely receive negative criticism until fans actually saw him play.
If you check this one out, we can move Gooden and Shannon Brown for Miller and Lowry…
And seeing what Memphis actually accepted for Gasol, I couldn’t imagine what we had rejected…
Trading Gooden leaves us ridiculously thin at the power positions. Especially until Varejao comes back, though I suppose there is always a body that can be signed to fould in the paint. Is the Tractor out there?
Traylor pleaded guilty in federal court in Detroit on January 25, 2007 to a federal income tax charge, the result of his dealings with a notorious Detroit marijuana dealer (and Traylor’s cousin) Quasand Lewis.[1][2]
Under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Traylor faces the prospect of 8 to 14 months in prison when U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn sentences him in a few months.
More recently, Taylor has been accused of laundering $4 million of drug money for the same cousin who has sold an estimated $178 million in marijuana and cocaine.[3]
………I don’t think Traylor will be available for a while! 🙂
Good, that means the chances of Ferry siging him to a long year deal are slim…