About This “NBA to Block Zydrunas Ilgauskas” Nonsense

As the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, many fans are curious as to the future regarding center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.  The man they affectionately know as “Big Z” was traded to the Washington Wizards (along with a draft pick) in exchange for Antawn Jamison.  His pictures are down, he has a new jersey number, but he also can return to Cleveland following a 30-day period.  But will he be able to?

The Internet was thrown into a tale spin once LA Times reporter Mark Heisler tweeted that a source of his told him that the NBA was planning on blocking Ilgauskas from returning back to Cleveland.  Yahoo! basketball reporter – and resident proprietor of all things negative regarding LeBron James and Cleveland – Adrian Wojnarowski took this report and published his own twist on the matter, making things appear worse.

As with most speculative, unnamed source type reports, Heisler’s comments were contingent upon a “maybe, maybe not” phrase that reaks of wishful thinking by those in Los Angeles.  After all, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson recently went on record to say that lopsided trades that do not involve his team are completely unfair and should be stopped by the league.

The issue at hand is that these types of trades are due to the loophole agreed upon by the league.  The words collective bargaining agreement couldn’t be more clear.  No one that is a fan of the NBA thinks that this loophole is fair – in fact, it will likely be one of the issues that is no longer a part of the league once (if?) the owners and players can come to another agreement following the 2010 season. 

In the report which Jackson spoke out about the Ilgauskas-Jamison trade, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers at least took a tongue-in-cheek approach when referencing a similar trade that the Celtics made with former point guard Gary Payton.

“I have a problem with that,” Rivers said before Thursday’s Lakers-Celtics game at Staples Center. “I loved it three years ago when we did it with Gary Payton if you remember, but now I think it sucks. I think it’s a terrible deal.”

But what would it take for Heisler’s comments to hold true?

A lot of things, and they would all have to be confirmed – not speculated upon.  Heisler referenced the fact that the NBA nixed a trade that involved former swingman Jerry Stackhouse where the player referenced the buyout-and-return; the league saw this as collusion and would not allow the trade.  In Ilgauskas’ case, the trade has already been approved. 

The Wizards have yet to buyout the former Cavaliers center.  With additional leverage on their side, the team obviously would like to spend as little money as possible before making Ilgauskas a free agent.  The next step would involve proving that there was a prior arrangement.

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has made no sign of an apparent backdoor deal between the parties.  Ilgauskas’ agent, Herb Rudoy, has already made it be known that if a buyout is reached, his client will entertain offers from any other NBA team that is interested – rumored teams being the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.  In response to the LA Times claim, Rudoy had the following:

“My response is that there was no prior agreement with the Cavs and there is no possible reason to prevent Z from returning to the Cavs if he decides to do so.  We are not finished with the buyout and Z is considering all of his many options.”

Alas, while other teams may not exactly like the Ilgauskas-Jamison deal, unless it is proven that a prior arrangement was made, the league will not be able to stop any free agent from signing with the team of his choosing.

In an interview this morning, Cavaliers beat writer Brian Windhorst stated that fans can expect Ilgauskasshould become a member of the team “on or about March 21st,” which would place any agreement outside of the 30-day window.

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(image via WKNR/The Really Big Show)