Wow, if there is a time to use our TE, this is it! BOOZER!!!! (ESPN Insider)

I think our cc.net experts stated that it could only be used on a player (not sure if multiple players). For sure we can not trade somebody with the TE.

So basically we give them a $7m TE and we get back $7m in contracts.

 

Tony Battie would be a great backup to Yao. What is his contract like?

 

Okay, how about this combined deal with the Cavs:

Cavs get:
Weatherspoon (2 years left on his contract)

We get:
Eric Williams (last year of his contract)

Separate transaction:

Cavs get:
Trade exception (6.9 mio., which allows them to re-sign Boozer for more money), Piatkowski (2.7 mio.), Adrian Griffin (0.8 mio.) = 10.4 mio.

We get:
Tony Battie (4.8 mio., 2 years left), Kevin Ollie (2.7 mio., 4 years), DeSagana Diop (2.7 mio., 1 year + 1 year restricted free agent) = 10.2 mio.

This would allow the Cavs to make a higher offer to Boozer. We would get a solid PG (and actually relatively cheap, looking at the current market!), a big body to foul people in Diop and a solid PF/C guy in Battie.

Cavs could play a lineup of:
PG: McInnis
SG: Lebron James
SF: Kedrick Brown/A. Griffin/Weatherspoon
PF: Boozer
C: Ilgauskas

with Wagner, Piatkowski, Pavlovic, whoever coming off the bench.

The Cavs would definitely lose some depth and would have to take on a bad contract, but what other way do they have to be able to make a high enough offer to Boozer?

We would solve a lot of problems for us at the same time (unload a bad contract, get a rock-solid point guard with a different style than Lue, get a rebounding/shot-blocking PF/C with a different style from Howard and Taylor and a big backup C) AND if we could still sign Barry for the MLE, we would be in great shape:

PG: Barry, Lue, Ollie
SG: T-Mac, Barry, Jackson
SF: Jackson, T-Mac, Boki
PF: Howard, Taylor, Battie
C: Yao Ming, Battie, Diop

Anyway, wondering if this deal would even be possible at all (bundling the trade exception with players for a bundle of players) - I remember reading something aelliott had written about it, but not the details of it.

Or do you guys think I am totally reaching when it comes to what we could get out of the Cavs? All this is based on the thinking that they would just desperately try to do something to be able to offer Boozer more...

 

Boozer might be 6'9" but he plays much bigger than his size would indicate. He's very strong and is a good rebounder. He reminds me a lot of Elton Brand (another undersized PF at 6'8" who doesn't get "killed" in the west). He's not another MoT or JHoward

Granted, Boozer's low post skills aren't as good as Brand's, but we wouldn't need him in the low post anyway. He's not the shotblocker that Brand is, but he's quick and a good one-on-one defender. On top of all that, he can hit the open jumper. He'd be great on the Rockets. Too bad we're not getting him

 

Bottomline is the Cavs won't cooperate with us for a SNT so we can use TE to get him. So our chance is almost nil. Unless Boozer absolutely adores Yao so he'll take MLE.

Karla Malone is 6'9, one of the best PF (in the west) of all time.

 

Oops, I neglected to mention that Tony Battie would be a great backup for Yao.

If we use the TE with Cleveland, that'd be a realistic trade.

 

Paxson must be sweating bullets now. I don't know though, when one of your guys agrees to something I think you should be able to be believe him.

Good old Utah, I still hate them.

 

6'9" is not undersized for a PF. Would you really say, "Gee, he's 6'9 and trying to guard a guy who's 6'10! He's gonna get killed!" No, of course not.

Problem with Boozer is that he's not a very good defender. He's a great rebounder, but his D leaves a little to be desired.

Not that I wouldn't love to have him. But we'd be better off trading the TE for Battie and a future 2nd rounder.

 

I like the Sir Jackie trade idea, but would swap out Diop. He's injury prone, slow, and may not be included since that would leave them very thin at the 5.

I'd try to package McGinnis or A. Pavlovic to go along with Battie. This would allow us to change to a full court, athletic team when Yao sits on the bench.

Also, I know you can't package the TE with players so it would have to be tweaked again.

 

What was the Cav's GM thinking?

Boozer's agent must have Jedi powers.

"No Carlos will never leave you."

"Carlos will never leave us."

"Carlos doesn't care you are lowballing him."

"Carlos doesn't care that we are lowballing him."

"You will trust me. I am on your side, even though I represent Carlos."

"We will trust you, even though you represent Carlos."

 

I know Feigen wrote that, but aelliott corrected him to a certain extent, and I certainly believe aelliott more than Feigen on that. It's just that I didn't really understand aelliott's explanation, or at least I don't remember it. If I got the gist of it, you CAN package the TE with players if it works out so that you could have basically done the same transaction separately. Unfortunately, I don't think that applies to my example.

 

Supposedly, his deal with the Cavs has a player option after a couple of years so if he continues to play up to the level he has been, he will be in line for a bigger raise. Also, no way, the Cavs won't be able to match any offer he gets. By offering Battie with or without a future first round pick to Atlanta (most likely option), they will be able to get enough below the salary cap to match. Also, i could see an option where Battie would be shipped to Battie with the understanding that ATL will release him, thus allowing him to return to CLE. However, I believe Boozer will keep his word.

 

Would you keep your word? I am a pretty honest guy, but for 28 million dollars MORE (guaranteed) over 6 years, I would be laughing all the way to the bank!!

 

We could do the TE for Battie, and the Cavs 2005 first round pick. Should still be a decent pick.

W could also separately make them take some crap off our roster in a deal for second round or future picks. Bye, Wilks. Bye AG.

 

Does anybody else have TE's similar to ours?

The only way Cleveland can dump salary is by trading away players for future picks (see Orlando a few years back), or taking the TE.

Did we or NOT!! trade Pike for Ollie?

 

It was not exactly the case. It is said Yao intented to sign with Nike out of loyalty. But Nike tried to trick him in the contract, so Yao felt betrayed and ditched them for Reebok. Nike became panick for losing probably the most popular athlete in the world and decided to offer him sth astronomical, but he refused.

 

Just heard on ESPN!! Jazz signed Boozer to long-term contract.

 

you mean "made the offer".