Another Cleveland trade attempt.

[Simon2]

I'm just trying scenarios with Cleveland. How about this? Cleveland gets a better shooting forward but a lesser center. Dallas gets a better center but a lesser shooting forward. Cleveland also gets a point guard in case they want to take James off that point guard role. Salary-wise, its long term for Cleveland with Jamison and Bradley but that not entirely a bad thing. At least they won't need to renegotiate for a long time. I think this makes both teams better. Another thing for Dallas, Howard gets more minutes.

Dallas trades: SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 29.2 minutes)
C Shawn Bradley (3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.1 apg in 11.1 minutes)
PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 15.9 minutes)
Dallas receives: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 32.8 minutes)
SF Darius Miles (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg in 27.6 minutes)
Change in team outlook: +4.8 ppg, +1.4 rpg, and +0.6 apg.

Cleveland trades: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 32.8 minutes)
SF Darius Miles (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg in 27.6 minutes)
Cleveland receives: SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 19 games)
C Shawn Bradley (3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.1 apg in 17 games)
PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 19 games)
Change in team outlook: -4.8 ppg, -1.4 rpg, and -0.6 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

[V]

It could be something like that...

CLEVELAND -- Some observers think Monday's six-player trade might be a prelude to another deal for the Cavaliers.

Could the next step be trading center Zydrunas Ilgauskas?

Rumors swirled yesterday that the Cavaliers would deal the 7-foot-3 center to the Dallas Mavericks for power forward Antawn Jamison.

The Mavericks have been hot after Ilgauskas for at least a year.

Even though recently acquired Tony Battie is thought of as mostly a backup center, he could conceivably move into the starting lineup if Ilgauskas were dealt. DeSagana Diop, currently on the injured list after undergoing surgery on his right knee, could be the top reserve in that scenario. He won't be ready to return, though, until January.

Cavaliers coach Paul Silas said the idea of trading Ilgauskas was preposterous.

''I don't know where these rumors come from,'' he said. ''Z is a big part of this thing. We aren't actively looking to do anything right now. I certainly think this trade will help him.''

Silas was referring to the deal that acquired the 6-11, 240-pound Battie and small forwards Eric Williams and Kedrick Brown. The Cavaliers, who will host the Houston Rockets tonight, sent talented guard Ricky Davis, backup forward/center Chris Mihm, power forward Michael ''Yogi'' Stewart and a second-round pick to the Celtics.

Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson said he's had a number of conversations with ''more than a handful of teams.''

''We could explore some other opportunities,'' he said.

Silas said the deal with Boston happened Monday afternoon after the team's shoot-around in Indiana.

''It just came up,'' he said. ''I was for it. There are always conversations. This is the only thing that came to fruition.''

He admitted the Cavaliers spoke to the Miami Heat. They were trying to pry either Eddie Jones or Caron Butler from the Heat.

''There had been conversations with Miami for a lot of things,'' Silas said. ''I don't want to answer that.''

Ilgauskas earns $13.5 million this year and $14.6 million in 2004-05. A quick peek at Jamison's deal would send up red flags on the cap-friendly Cavaliers.

He's making $11.3 million this year and $12.6 million next year. After this season, he still has four years and $57.9 million on his contract. He's a good player, but not that good.

The Cavaliers (6-18) must make a determination on Ilgauskas. If they're going to trade him, send him elsewhere now. If not, he'll become very attractive next year because his contract would then come off their salary cap.

Conventional thinking, however, says that the Cavaliers will wait a few weeks to see how the trade shakes out in Cleveland.

Once Ilgauskas becomes a free agent, he'll likely demand at least $10 million a season.

Meanwhile, none of the three new Cavaliers were available to meet with the Cleveland media yesterday before the late afternoon practice at Gund Arena.

Some in the Boston media watched the Battie situation closely. He's been troubled with bad knees and some speculated whether he could pass Cleveland's physical. Battie makes $4.4 million this year, followed by $4.8 million in 2004-05 and $5.2 million in 2005-06.

Williams, a physically tough player who gets after it defensively, makes $5.4 million this year and could be a restricted free agent this summer.

Perhaps the fact that he could come off the cap is appealing to the Cavaliers.

''He has to get a feel for us and us for him,'' Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson said. ''My guess is, at the appropriate time, we might have that conversation (about extending his deal).''

Silas said the Cavaliers would take a wait-and-see approach with Williams.

''We'll see how it unfolds,'' he said. ''Hopefully, he'll play well for us. I think he will. We'll take a look at that at the end of the year.''

The Cavaliers were sending $12.3 million in salaries to Boston. They were taking back $11.6 million (Brown is making $1.8 million this year). Cleveland likely used a portion of the $1.8 million trade exception it received in the Jumaine Jones trade last summer from Boston.

They also sent the second-round pick they got from the Celtics in that trade back to Boston.

''Paul gets a couple of veteran guys that he knows what he'll get every night,'' Paxson said. ''He needed some good role players on the team. This isn't a knee-jerk reaction where we had to move Ricky. We did something that would help us.''

©The Morning Journal 2003

[LRB]

Originally posted by: Simon2
I'm just trying scenarios with Cleveland. How about this? Cleveland gets a better shooting forward but a lesser center. Dallas gets a better center but a lesser shooting forward. Cleveland also gets a point guard in case they want to take James off that point guard role. Salary-wise, its long term for Cleveland with Jamison and Bradley but that not entirely a bad thing. At least they won't need to renegotiate for a long time. I think this makes both teams better. Another thing for Dallas, Howard gets more minutes.

Dallas trades: SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 29.2 minutes)
C Shawn Bradley (3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.1 apg in 11.1 minutes)
PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 15.9 minutes)
Dallas receives: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 32.8 minutes)
SF Darius Miles (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg in 27.6 minutes)
Change in team outlook: +4.8 ppg, +1.4 rpg, and +0.6 apg.

Cleveland trades: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 32.8 minutes)
SF Darius Miles (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg in 27.6 minutes)
Cleveland receives: SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 19 games)
C Shawn Bradley (3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.1 apg in 17 games)
PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 19 games)
Change in team outlook: -4.8 ppg, -1.4 rpg, and -0.6 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

No. I don't want Miles and I'd rather have Bradley than Big Z. Shawn plays primarily D, Big Z is all about the O which is not what we need. We get horrible return for Jamison. If we need to get rid of Best, just release him, we'd be better off.

[Charlie Brown]

Cleveland trades: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 32.8 minutes)
Cleveland receives: PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 15.9 minutes)
SG Eddie Jones (19.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.5 apg in 35.9 minutes)
Change in team outlook: +7.3 ppg, -1.9 rpg, and +3.3 apg.

Dallas trades: PG Travis Best (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 15.9 minutes)
SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 29.2 minutes)
Dallas receives: C Zydrunas Illgauskas (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg in 19 games)
Change in team outlook: -1.6 ppg, -0.6 rpg, and -2.0 apg.

Miami trades: SG Eddie Jones (19.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.5 apg in 35.9 minutes)
Miami receives: SF Antawn Jamison (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 19 games)
Change in team outlook: -5.7 ppg, +2.5 rpg, and -1.3 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED


Cleveland

PG Lebron James
SG Eddie Jones
SF Eric Williams
PF Carlos Boozer
C Tony Battie

Dallas

PG Steve Nash
SG Michael Finley
SF Antoine Walker
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Miami

PG Dwayne Wade
SG Caron Butler
SF Lamar Odom
PF Antawn Jamison
C Brian Grant

[EricaLubarsky]

Cleveland has some nice players- and Im not against trading with them, but I do not want big Z. Sure I would take them off the Cavs' hands, for Najera and others but to trade Jamison who is an incredible offensive rebounder and scorer, and Sean Bradley who is the only player that keeps our defense legitimate for a guy who neither offensively rebounds nor plays defense and is too slow to even add anything when we play zone is just stupid.

[PepperTheMavsFan41]

Shawn?????

You guys are turning down Z cuz we have Bradley?????

I agree Z might not be the best fit for the Mavs, but this reason is just flat out Stupid.