I'll take my chances with Boozer. CD and Les made bad decisions with Cato/MoT, now their going to have to pay the price (hopefully they do).
Cavs have the team option of the third year and they will definitely pick up the option. No way will Boozer become a free agent this summer.
He's Elton Brand Lite. 18 boards and 16 points on 8-14 shooting while grabbing 6 offensive boards tonight, and he's put up numbers comparable or greater than these all season long while averaging a double double for the team. He gets his points without actually needing a play run for him.
No chance in hell the rockets see Boozer in Houston. No FA want to come here either, for that matter, at least not until this team is a contender---3 more years.
Carlos Boozer is a work-horse, but the Rockets had a player in the same mode in Kenny Thomas. While Boozer is taller and more explosive, neither could make an All Star team in the West. Boozer found his place in Cleveland and next to LeBron, Boozer should flourish in the East.
I hope its possible to get Boozer.. he doesnt have any plays called for him.. he just gets rebounds and/ or picks up loose balls.. tough defender and and solid low post offense.. not much shooting range but better than Cato. hes the guy we've wanted.. not as good a defender as Cato and not as good offensively as Mot. But doesnt have the gaping weaknesses of either.. J
Couldn't disagree more. Houston is a favorite place for the other guys in the league to live. They love the weather, the lack of a state income tax, all the other NBA players and even retired players who like to hang out here. They like the facilities like Westside and now the new arena with practice courts right there. They dig Houston night life that appeals to the young, rich dude on the prowl. The cost of living is lower than a lot of other NBA cities. There are great restaurants. Many of the players on the Rocks, even if not always loved by some on this board, are good friends with guys all over the league. That's one of the reasons they come here in the offseason to play. Did I forget something? Oh, yeah! We've got the man certain to make you well known by association... the big Chinese fellow... Yao Ming. But I'm sure you knew all that and were just pullin' our legs.
DaDakota, I already posted the article stating that the Cavs have a team option, you have seen it. WISHFUL THINKING on your part.
The Chron article is badly researched. Megan Manfull should read the Clutch BBS more attentively. The other article has direct quotes from Boozer. There is absolutely no reason to doubt that the other article is correct. Cavs' Boozer leads double-double life By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer February 7, 2004 CLEVELAND (AP) -- Kneeling at the scorer's table waiting to get into a game last week, Cavaliers point guard Jeff McInnis looked up just as Carlos Boozer streaked by. With fundamental precision, Boozer caught a bounce pass near the foul line, dribbled once in the lane, then finished the fastbreak with a ferocious, backboard-shivering dunk. While nearly 20,000 fans inside Gund Arena yelled ``Booozzzz'', McInnis, a recent arrival via a trade last month from Portland, offered a brief assessment of his new teammate. ADVERTISEMENT ``Man, how 'bout Booze?'' McInnis said, shaking his head. ``I had no idea the guy was THIS good.'' Slowly, word is spreading. Two years after slipping into the second round (No. 35 overall) of the NBA draft, and playing in the shadow of rookie star LeBron James, Boozer has become one of the league's young stars. ``He's one of the best forwards in the Eastern Conference -- not just one of the best young forwards,'' Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``He is becoming a force.'' A 6-foot-9, 260-pound blend of ferocity and finesse from Duke, Boozer has the seasoned game of a 10-year veteran -- not a second-year pro. With the tenacity of an NFL linebacker, Boozer relentlessly battles taller opponents under the basket. Using his wide shoulders and some better-than-average hops, Boozer won't stop until he's cradling the ball in his massive hands. Following a 25-point, 16-rebound performance Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, Boozer was ranked fifth in the league in rebounds, averaging 11.1 per game. In nine games since Jan. 17, Boozer averaged 22.6 points and 14.6 boards while helping the Cavaliers go 6-3 and move into the playoff picture. ``He's got the body,'' said first-year Cavs coach Paul Silas, one of the NBA's great all-time rebounders. ``He's got the timing. He's got everything he needs to be a great rebounder. It's happening for him now.'' Boozer, whose laid-back demeanor off the floor counters his imposing presence during games, has improved his shot, too, perfecting a mid-range jumper that's one of the Cavs' most dependable offensive weapons. In Cleveland's first 49 games, Boozer recorded 21 double-doubles (points-rebounds). Nine times this season, he scored at least 15 points with 15 rebounds -- only Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and San Antonio's Tim Duncan have more. And with a contract for this season of just $563,679 -- small change in a league where the average salary is $4.9 million -- Boozer may be the NBA's best bargain. Yet despite his impressive stats and growing stature, Boozer was snubbed in the All-Star voting by Eastern Conference coaches for next week's game in Los Angeles. ``If he keeps playing like he has been lately, there's going to be a lot of All-Star games in his future,'' said Detroit's Ben Wallace, the East's starting center. After winning an NCAA title as a sophomore, Boozer, the transplant from Juneau, Alaska, by way of Washington, D.C., skipped his final year at Duke to turn pro. He worked out for more than a dozen teams before the 2002 draft, and had reason to believe he would go to Utah at No. 19. But the Jazz passed on him, and so did every other team in the first round. Cleveland was so sure he would go earlier that it didn't even invite him in for a personal workout. Boozer still wrestles with the reasons for his slide. ``There were a lot of things, I guess,'' he said diplomatically. ``I'm only 6-9, a lot of guys at my position are 6-11, 7-foot. There were also 14 or 15 European players coming in. That was a huge thing. And I think there was the Duke stigma, where people see Duke guys who have been great in college but not in the NBA. ``Even though we're trying to change that.'' Being slighted in the draft motivated the perpetually upbeat Boozer, who now looks at coming to Cleveland as the best thing that could have happened. ``The day after the draft, my wife, CeCe, told me that coming here was a blessing in disguise,'' he said. ``At the time, I couldn't see it. Now I do. I love it here.'' Silas' arrival was another sign to Boozer that Cleveland was the place he was meant to be. ``He's an incredible coach,'' Boozer said. ``He's given me secrets on how to rebound, how to get into position. Off the court, he's someone you can talk to about personal things. It's been great.'' During 16 NBA seasons, Silas averaged more rebounds (9.9) than points (9.4) with a workmanlike discipline that he's trying to instill in his young team. As the Cavaliers left practice court recently, Boozer stood out among his teammates. While most of the players had worked up a healthy sweat, Boozer's wine-colored jersey was soaked to the shade of a full-bodied merlot. Looking across the room, Silas spoke like a proud father as he talked about one of his best players. ``Yeah,'' the coach said when asked if he sees a lot of himself in Boozer. ``But he can shoot a lot better than I ever could. C-Booz has a chance to be a great player.'' And a perfect complement to James for years to come in Cleveland. The Cavaliers hold a contract option (worth $695,000) on Boozer for 2004-05, which the club is expected to exercise this summer. If the Cavaliers pick up the option, Boozer would become a restricted free agent after next season. At that time, it's likely that some of the same teams who let him slip by in the draft would want to sign him to a multiyear, multimillion dollar deal. Boozer, though, seems content where he's at. ``We've been here almost two years and we're very comfortable,'' he said. ``We've talked about a long-term deal. It's something I want and the Cavs have given me every indication that's what they want, too.'' Negotiations won't begin for some time, but James has already put some pressure on the Cavs to keep Boozer around. ``All I know,'' James said, ``is that I want him as my power forward until I retire.''[/i] http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-boozersbreakout&prov=ap&type=lgns
Boozer: Will play with Lebron a long time: TSN: It's easy to imagine you and LeBron becoming an inside-out duo for a long time. CB: In the future, that is going to be the program for the Cavs. LeBron is establishing himself as one of the best young guys in the league, and I am trying to do the same thing -- establish myself as one of the best young power forwards. http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2084918 ---------------- Boozer: Buying a pool in Cleveland: Gund likes direction Cavaliers are taking 02/23/04 New York- Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund was in attendance Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Gund, who has an office in New Jersey, said the team is heading in the right direction. "Where the team is now is about what I expected," Gund said. "I didn't expect all the trades we made, but we certainly did what we needed to do. I feel good at where we are. We're in a good position [for making the playoffs] right now." Gund has been impressed with LeBron James. "He's played better than I expected, especially this soon," Gund said. "He's having a good first year in the NBA." Splish and splash: Carlos Boozer is one of the few players on the Cavaliers who doesn't know how to swim, but that won't be the case this summer. Boozer, who plans to purchase a pool soon, will be among the preschoolers and middle-school children at a local YMCA this summer. "I'm going to take swimming lessons," Boozer said. "My wife tried to teach me. She can swim, and she wanted me to lay on my back in the water and she was going to hold me. I was like, no way. But I'm going to learn." Boozer said he never learned to swim while growing up in Alaska because he participated in winter sports, like skiing and mountain climbing. "It's never too late to learn something new," Boozer said. "I'll be out this summer working out and then I'll get into the pool." -------------------------- Now, if you still don't believe it, DaDakota, just call the guy whose phone number is at the bottom of this article: Incredible, Indelible 02/13/04 Jodie Valade Plain Dealer Reporter Carlos Boozer likes lists that itemize his goals, and straight-forward play that showcases power over flash and frills. He prefers direct questions and honest answers, he yearns for quiet time with family, and the untouched beauty of a tranquil Alaskan sunset. He does not claim to be complicated. "Carlos is one of those guys where what you see is what you get," said his wife, CeCe, grinning. "There is no big mystery." What you see is what you get? Without a doubt. The very essence of the Cavaliers' young starting power forward, is, in fact, visible at a glance. It's written all over his body in black ink, tattoos that show precisely what he values most in life - family, faith and his upbringing. There's a picture of what it's like to battle his burly 6-9 mound of muscles for a rebound on the court. It's there in a ferocious grizzly on his left biceps, the growling animal that signifies his Alaskan upbringing sandwiched between the words "The Beast, C-Booz Unleashed." The family that guides every decision is there, too, in the form of his wife's name, CeCe, discreetly written on the inside of one wrist. And last summer, he decided to honor his quiet faith in a big way, with an angel that spreads its wings inked across the width of his sculpted back. Someone has been looking over his shoulder and guiding him through the successes in his life, he figured. "My Keeper," he labeled it. What you see is definitely what you get with Boozer. That's why, perhaps, it hurt so much that 34 times the clear talent was passed over in the 2002 NBA draft, why he shed embarrassed tears as he watched and waited with his family while the champagne chilling to toast his selection turned colder and colder without a pop. Did no one else see the potential for the double-double averages, that in just his second season in the NBA he would be one of a handful in the league with double-digit points and rebounds like his current 14.6 points and 11.0 rebounds? That he would be selected to the all-rookie and all-sophomore teams in back-to-back All-Star weekends? What more did he have to prove when everything was right there in front of them? That is what drives him now, the memory that 34 times no one saw the obvious. It motivates him to craft lists of goals before each season, just as he's done since high school. They're all attainable - "nothing outrageous like MVP," he said - and realistic steps. The important points he blows up to mammoth type on his computer. He hangs them all on his closet door as a daily reminder. This year he wanted to be among the top rebounders in the Eastern Conference. (Check.) And average a double-double. (Check.) And make the all-sophomore team at All-Star weekend. (Check, again.) Oh, and prove that last year's success was not a fluke. (Uh, check.) He didn't write down that he wanted to make the All-Star team. At the time, it seemed to be asking too much. "Looking back now, I probably should have set that as a goal," Boozer admitted with a shy smile. It's already on the list for next year. In just two seasons, Boozer has become the clear sidekick to LeBron James that general manager Jim Paxson labels the core he is building the team around. "[Boozer] is my rock right now," Cavaliers coach Paul Silas said. Boozer doesn't have natural elegance in ball-handling or the gift of flight around the basket. But his blue-collar grit fits Cleveland's hard-working personality perfectly. He is so committed to improvement that he makes Cleveland his year-round home, one of just a handful of pro athletes who remain in town during the off-season. On the court, he works on being in the right place at the right time when a ball careens from the rim. He uses sheer power to slam the ball whenever possible. It is hard work and years of practice that has helped make his left hand as reliable as his dominant right. At the bargain price of $563,679 this season - which ranks above only last year's second-round choice, Jason Kapono, on the Cavaliers' salary list - he has become the Cavaliers' best second-round pick in an unspectacular history of selections. "It's not even close, based on success," Paxson said. "He's played much better than his salary - even better than most first- round picks. That's a big motivation for him, to prove he's better than a second-round pick. Carlos knows that if he keeps performing, when it comes time to get paid, you will get paid." Boozer's original two-year contract expires after this season, but the Cavaliers have an option to pick up a third year under the same bargain terms. While it might seem stingy to extend Boozer's contract, Boozer also will hold Larry Bird Rights after three seasons with the Cavaliers. That means that the Cavaliers can then offer a league-maximum contract to the power forward, providing more money over more years than any other team. And the other teams that thought Boozer would be too small to battle at the NBA power forward spot, who didn't see the unmistakable talent and clear hunger for wins when they had a chance to draft him, will have to battle to take him away from his home and the family he has built with this Cavaliers teammates. And with Boozer, family and roots are more important than anything else. His family, after all, moved to seclusion in Juneau, Alaska, when he was 8 because his parents wanted to raise their children in a safer and more peaceful atmosphere than Washington, D.C. In Juneau, the Boozers never locked their front door. They knew all their neighbors. It became home for its folksy, how-ya- doin' atmosphere and its spectac ular views of the ocean and mountains. Boozer still returns to Alaska each summer and dreams of having a vacation house there one day. When he went away to college, Boozer was never without family, either. His parents moved to Raleigh, N.C., to be closer to their oldest son. He met his wife before classes started at Duke. The two were inseparable immediately, and Boozer preferred to spend his free time with CeCe, whom he married in 2002, or at cookouts with his parents. "I never had that before," said CeCe, an only child. "Seeing him come from a family where his parents have been married for 27 years is special. His dad still holds his mother's hand all the time." So important is the family bond that after his grandmother died recently, Boozer skipped a game to stay with his grieving mother in Washington. There would be no heroic stories of a player battling through sadness to play a game. Family comes first for Boozer. And because of a promise he made to his parents, he is scheduled to earn his degree from Duke after earning a few more credits this summer. But there will be no grand walk across a stage in a cap and flowing gown to collect his diploma. Forget the show. He wants the degree for himself and to fulfill his promise, not to prove to the world that he accomplished something. As clearly as Boozer is committed to the images inked on his body, so, too, do the Cavaliers receive the rest of him. They are his extended family, and he is the father figure for most players - despite being just 22 years old and in his second year in the NBA. He gives wake-up calls to teammates like DeSagana Diop, another 22-year-old who reverently calls Boozer "the man." "When I get married I want to be like him," Diop said, smiling. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654 http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/107668052953850.xml ------------------ Now can you please stop with Boozer, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AS MUCH AS I WOULD ALSO LIKE IT.
He'd not a restricted free agent, the Cavs have a third year option on him. Those are two different things. If he were a restricted FA, then he could have a chance to sign an offer sheet that the Cavs wouldn't/couldn't match. Cleveland will pick up the 3rd year option and Boozer won't become a FA this summer and he won't have the chance to even negotiate with any other team.
Great observation! I see Elton Brand in Boozer as well. Elton Brand Lite is right on. And yes, the Cavs DO have a TEAM OPTION on his contract after this year. Clearly they will use it and then they will have his bird rights after that season. Boozer isnt going ANYWHERE!
It's nice to see tradition lives. ClutchFan boardsters always want the other team's player(s) after almost every game. Yes, Boozer would be a nice addition, but how about some love for our team members?
perhaps. . . but do you think he will be as gracious as THE CAT and take less to stay with KING JAMES? Rocket River
