Delicious Cavs News...

In a brief 10-minute session with the media, Gilbert also touched on several other subjects:
o The owner said he would not have a problem paying the luxury tax in order to keep restricted free agents Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic, who figure to command major dollars in the offseason. Medina Gazette

That's what I want to hear. We need to keep Pavlo and the Brazilian Dandy. Without their tenacious bench play, the Cavs are lost. And Pavlo's blossomed into a legit starter for us. I'm psyched Gilly's gonna throw down the loot to keep us competitive.

Thursday Nuggets

Kobe on the recent Dallas Morning News article claiming he contacted Kevin Durant to pitch him for Nike:

"That's crazy. Don't just print something that's just completely false that makes no sense whatsoever. It's just really unprofessional." Los Angeles Times / March 21

Look, I like Kobe as much as the next guy (read: not at all). And he is maybe the best player on the planet. Nonetheless, his less than sterling reputation, and the Dallas Morning News' basic competence leads me to believe that Kobe's full of shit. It would be one thing if Kobe said, "hey, I admit calling him, but I was just giving him some advice." Or, "hey I called him, but it was just to see if he was mad at me for sleeping with his mother." But Kobe's insisting no contact was made, and the Dallas paper that reported he called Durant on behalf of Nike to throw money at him is simply making up stories as part of the now famous "witch hunt." They should call it a "bitch hunt," 'cause that's what Kobe is. I believe him like I believe Barry Bonds.

On Greg Oden and gooey memories:

Oden disliked basketball as a kid; he preferred riding bikes with his cousins. He didn't play in an organized league until he turned 9, when he and Zoe moved from Buffalo to Terre Haute, Ind. He started playing at the Boys & Girls Club, but his body couldn't catch up with his gangly limbs. Zoe could see his disappointment after a game, and he would cheer up only after she took him to Wendy's for a Frosty. MSNBC.com

I had the same deal with my mom. Only she saw my disappointment after play practice, and I would only cheer up after she took me to Starbucks for a double foam moccachino frappe lemonade double venti non fat espresso.

Greg Oden on freedom:

"College life has been great because I've had my freedom," Oden said. "I have my own place [which he shares with Conley], I can stay up all night, eat what I want, do what I want." Boston Globe

Yeah, I gotta tell you, ever since I was drafted by an NBA team, and started making millions of dollars a year, I get so annoyed with the way my parents have cracked down on my freedom. I used to get to stay up 'til 11:30, even midnight. But since I started pulling down the big bucks, mom says I have to be in the house and tucked in by 7:30 pm. Man college was freedom...

On Pippen's return:

Jackson indicated that signing Pippen was a possibility when the Lakers' roster was decimated by injuries to Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Kwame Brown, Vladimir Radmanovic and Chris Mihm. Injuries could have allowed the Lakers to add Pippen, but Jackson seems unlikely to ruffle the roster at this point. "I talked to Scottie about it and he said he didn't want anybody to lose a job," Jackson said. Los Angeles Daily News / March 21

I get the feeling this wasn't so much a matter of Pippen not wanting to take someone's job, as Pippen not even being able to take someone's job. Pippen went on to say that the popcorn vendors' jobs at Staples Center were all safe... for now...

Sarunas Jasikevicius on regret:

“I wanted to play in the NBA, I had to try. But I made a bad decision. It was a big mistake to sign with the Pacers. The Warriors game is good for me, but I have had very few chances to prove it. I have a good relationship with Don Nelson but he has the star, Baron Davis, and the future starting point guard, Monta Ellis. I understand that. What I don't understand is why they didn't trade me when they could." El Mundo Deportivo

Yeah, no shit dude. Why the hell you didn't sign with the Cavs is beyond me. Let's do the list; we offered you more money, we offered you the starting job, we offered you the chance to pass the rock to the greatest player to ever lace 'em up, and the chance to play on the same team as one of your best friends from back home (Z). You chose to go pour champagne on hookers' heads with Stephen Jackson and the rest of the criminals on Larry Bird's hit squad (no offense meant to Larry, all praise due unto him...). Now that you've been traded from one team with a glut of guards to another team with a glut of guards, I bet Cleveland's looking a lot more attractive now... chump.

On teammates:

Lakers forward Brian Cook, who has missed three games because of a moderately sprained left ankle, did not accompany the Lakers on their two-game trip. Los Angeles Times

When asked for comment, Kobe replied, "Who the fuck is Brian Cook?

Nene on dual loyalty:

"Right now I only think about the NBA. But if I decide to return playing with the National Team, changes have to be made. Unfortunately, I think I won't play the Panamerican and the pre-Olympic tournaments." Prensa Latina

The Nuggets breathe a sigh of relief, as they now get to have the pleasure of seeing Nene's next season ending injury happen on their home court, rather than in satellite feeds from Rio.

Tractor Abroad

Former NBA forward Robert Traylor has agreed to play for Gestiberica Vigo of the Spanish league. Traylor is 6-8 and played in the NBA from 1998-2005 with Milwaukee, Cleveland and New Orleans. He compiled career averages of 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Probasketballnews.com

I don't know if this is good news or bad news. I loved the Tractor, so I'd like to see him back in the NBA, preferably in a Cavs uniform. But I guess it's good he's playing at all. So I suppose congrats go out to Traylor.

Bron's Pals

There's an interesting article at Yahoo! Sports today about Lebron's cats from Akron.


I can't tell if this dude looks more like Ja Rule or Amare Stoudemire. At any rate, apparently a couple of Bron's old teammates are pretty darn good themselves. The most interesting part is how by the time some of these kids make it to the NBA Bron'll be in his 6th or 7th season already.

mailerDamon: Message Failed to be Sent

Apparently Damon Jones came within 30 or 40 minutes of packing his bags on deadline day. I can't tell you how much that would've pleased me. Listen to this, from Bob Finnan at the Willoughby News-Herald:

"Sometimes (for teams) to make things work, you get at it. I was rumored for a lot of different places. From what I hear, a lot of possible deals came down to the last 35-40 minutes."One possible destination was Phoenix in exchange for Marcus Banks. Another might have been Sacramento.The fact that teams still want Jones is always a good thing.

Marcus Banks is certainly no Steve Nash, but I'd take him over Jones in a heartbeat. It's a shame the Cavs couldn't get that one done.

Meaningless Conjecture

I am into appeasement. Au, our only loyal reader, requested this, and I am ready to appease. Consider me the France of bloggers. Au pondered if Z's personal reasons for skipping the Cavs coming road trip are related to the fact that the Cavs would probably trade him for three twinkies and a roll of nickles at this point, as if anyone would ever offer that much. Harsh? Maybe. And I love Big Z, but for +9 mil a year he can get busy on the boards or get busy on my nuts. That may have been crude and blunt, but you don't want a 44Mil albatross around yer neck only to find that the "start" of his rapid decline is like the deepest valley of Shaq's decline. Z went from All-Star, to elite non-allstar Big Man, to waiver wire fodder like he was Erick Dampier after signing a contract. And Damp's post money decline was so fast he went back in time and got to prevent his parents from not meeting and falling in love. So here are some possible trade opportunes for the Cavs to unload the most famous Z since the Gay Blade (that isn't a homophobic dig, it's a movie reference you gutter-minded illiterates...):

1. Z and Drew Gooden to Minnesota for KG
More precisely; Z, Drew Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic, Scot Pollard, David Wesley, Dwayne Jones and Ira Newble to Minnesota for KG and Marko Jaric.
Why it works: On the face this looks like a total rip off for the Wolves, but step back and think about it. KG's gonna force a trade this off season, so what do they want out of it? It's rebuilding time, so they want to shave payroll, bring in a prospect or two and unload disgruntled employees with big contracts, but not to division (or even conference) rivals. In this they've found a perfect mate in the Cavs. We give them Pollard, Jones and Newble, (all in expiring contracts) which is like a free 6 million dollar write off. They get Wesley, cheap & with only one year to go on his contract, and still a potential contributor. They get Sasha, a budding prospect, but also in an expiring deal, so they can either re-sign or set him free for additional loot. They get back 2 very marketable and accomplished Big men in Z and Goodies for a 7 million dollar discount on KG and they get to unload one of their 3 disgruntled and expensive point guards. Actually the most expensive and disgruntled of the three, at that, in Marko Jaric. For the Cavs trouble, they get locked up in pricey contracts unto the apocalypse, but they also get to sport the 2 best players in the world, and get an upgrade at the point who can play and cover multiple positions. Granted, not the dream return on one of the greatest players to ever play the game, but it's better than being forced to dish him for another ultra expensive star who won't get them any closer to contention.
Chances it'll happen: 1/1,000,000,000

2. Z and Larry Hughes for Jason Kidd and Jason Collins
Why it works: This one is way less insane, I'd even describe it as a real possibility. New Jersey is looking to unload JKidd, despite the fact that he's never been better. Marcus Williams looks like he's gonna pan out, and 2 more years at over 40Mil is a lot to swallow for the aging Kidd. With Vinsanity also possibly about to opt out, Larry Hughes becomes massively more enticing to them, not to mention Z being the big man they're desperate for. As a cherry on top, they get to unload Collins, who is a deadbeat, and an expensive one to boot. For the Cavs, the upside is obvious; we upgrade from a bunch of deadbeats at PG to arguably the greatest man to ever run the point. If Bron and Kidd can't go all the way together, than they just weren't meant to be champs.
Chances it'll happen: 1/1,000

3. Z, DGoods & Larry Hughes---> Pau & Mike Miller---> Channing Frye & Jam Crawford
To be more precise: Cavs send Z to Memphis, Gooden & Hughes to New York. Memphis sends Pau and Miller to Cleveland, Brian Cardinal to New York. Knicks send Frye and Jerome James to Cleveland, Crawford, Jared Jeffries and Kelvin Cato to Memphis.
Why it works: Cavs get the best out of the deal, of course, getting Pau, Frye & Mike Miller, instantly becoming favorites to win it all. In the process we unload Gooden, Hughes and Z, and the only downside is we have to take on dead beat Jerome James. Memphis gets to downgrade from the vicious Pau at +12mil for the next 4 years, to Z at 10mil for the next 3. They also get Crawford, who I feel could actually breakout in Memphis, all by his lonesome. Memphis also gets to unload their worst contract, Cardinal at +5 mil for Jeffries, a superior player for the same price. They also get Cato, who they can release at the end of the season and save another million. The Knicks get a massive face lift, getting Gooden and Hughes, who would immediately replace Frye and Crawdaddy. They get to unload James (chump) but they do have to take on Cardinal (chump). So basically the Knicks break even, Memphis makes baby steps and the Cavs win it all. I like it.
Chances it'll happen: 1/1,000,967,854,567