Cavs vs. Warriors
Posted December 23rd, 2007 by Brian Windhorst
Pregame
Starting lineups
Warriors: Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins
Cavs: Daniel Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic, LeBron James, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Officials
Jim Clark, Rodney Mott, Tommy Nunez
–The Warriors are on a back-to-back and the fifth game of a long road trip and thinking of heading home. They will be in the mood to just hoist jumpers so if the Cavs play the sort of defense they can, it can work to their advantage. Of course, the Warriors like to play up tempo so maybe the Cavs will just try to have fun and try to win the game 115-112, which they probably can’t.
–When they played in Oakland, there was no one on the Cavs who could keep Monta Ellis in front of them. That hasn’t changed.
–Look for the Warriors to play very small, even using Al Harrington at center. The onus will be on Mike Brown to match and creat good matchups.
–Thoughts with Cavs assistant coach Hank Egan, who had triple bypass surgery Saturday at Fairview hospital. Hank is 70 and a true professional with lots of experience. The Cavs will leave a seat open on the bench tonight in his honor.
Halftime — Warriors 63, Cavs 50
–The Cavs are being pretty nice to their guests, as a service they are allowing them any open shot they want. It is a minor miracle they are down only 13 points considering the Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots. Some were made with hands in faces, but there was a lot of lazy rotation and pick-and-roll mess ups. In other words, what you’ve been seeing out of the Cavs a lot lately.
–At this point, you don’t even need to watch the game to know when Larry Hughes shoots. The crowd is booing when he gets the ball on the outside. He’s 1-of-6 but then again he’s not no rebounds or assists in 11 minutes earlier. Sasha Pavlovic is 1-of-5. Right now, how long do you think game of horse between these two guys would take?
–Anderson Varejao is showing some extreme effort, he’s got six rebounds and has been everywhere on the floor. He’s pretty much near the top of his energy game right now.
–The Cavs are not out of this by a long shot. The Warriors have no answer for LeBron/Z pick-and-rolls should the Cavs continue to run them. The Cavs shot just 43 percent and missed nine free throws but are just down 13 points. The Warriors have 11 turnovers, so they are not exactly playing clean. Still, they’ll need to hold them to 40-45 points in the second half to have a chance, I’m not sure they have it in them right now. Their defensive teamwork looks terrible and with rest and practice time there’s no excuse.
Postgame — Warriors 105, Cavs 96
(sorry for the delay, had wireless issues with my laptop)
Stars
Baron Davis, 27 points, 10 assists
Stephen Jackson, 29 points
LeBron James, 25 points, eight assists
–Lots and lots of booing at the arena, which certainly got under the skin of the Cavs players. Which, of course, is the point. I think the crowd was already in a bad mood because the Browns lost and the Cavs just put them over the top.
–After the game, the Cavs locker room was empty except for maybe three players by the time the media was allowed in. LeBron grabbed his clothes and cleared out to get dressed in the training room and then went out the back door to avoid talking to the media. That’s the first time in his career he’s ever done that. That’s OK, him doing that says more than any cliche answer could have gotten across.
–The Warriors illustrated what has become a major issue with the Cavs. Overall, they have poor, and I mean, like, bad, individual defenders. There were times tonight when there wasn’t a single Cav out there who I thought could handle the guy he was guarding. Sasha Pavlovic on Monta Ellis? Baron Davis on Daniel Gibson? No way. I could go on, but I won’t. Last season when the Cavs were working as a team on defense it hid all of that. Now, it sticks out like a sore thumb. And here’s the thing, more and more teams are playing like the Warriors. I go on and on about the Cavs playing poor team defense here and in the paper, but it is so obvious that a guy like Gibson has no chance on a big guard like Baron that perhaps it is unfair of me to keep talking about team defense. If you can’t guard you man, it really doesn’t matter what the rest of the team does. Still, the Cavs defensive effort overall is so weak right now. So many times you see multiple players standing around when the Warriors score and you just wonder what the hell is going on.
–After the game, Larry Hughes complained that he got just 18 minutes and said he can’t get in a rhythm. Hey, at least he was willing to face the media.
–Before the game Damon Jones was singing Christmas songs and inserting his own lines about wanting to be traded. Which he was doing on purpose with the media in there. With that sort of stuff going on, you know what I mean by saying the Cavs are having chemisty problems. Damon was also the first player outta there after the game. Can’t say I blame him. He really didn’t do anything to lose his playing time. He may not be the answer, but I can understand him boiling watching Sasha getting start after start when he can’t make a shot or defend right now.
–I understand LeBron being upset. His efforts are being wasted. But I’ve also listened to him say he won’t allow a team he’s on to not compete. Well, it’s time for some leadership because Mike Brown is trying everything he knows how. Not sure if they need a player’s only meeting or what, but LeBron needs to show he’s a leader right now. Tonight he just seethed but he was mostly quiet.
–Don Nelson said after the game he didn’t think his team was going to win, considering they were on a back-to-back at the end of a five-game trip. In other words, even he was shocked at how bad the Cavs were.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:38 pm
38 points in the 1st quarter? Way to go Cavs defense!!! If the Warriors score 140 points in this game I will be Alan T’s butler for a day.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:56 pm
So far, so bad. Hughes is playing true to form. He has removed the head band and the crowd is booing his every shot. I noticed Austin and Homer Mccloud have not mentioned the booing. I bet GIlbert instructed them not to acknowledge it.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I take me earlier comment back about being Alan T’s butler for the day….. but if the Warriors score 140 points, I would agree to sit with Alan for a day and watch him post comments on this blog. That would be about as exciting as watching Z participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Here is a little tip, if you have a DVR or Tivo, when watching the game and the refs call a foul, rewind and then re-watch the play. More often the not, IT NOT EVEN A FOUL. I sometimes think these moronic refs have some sort of foul quota for the game so they just call fouls at random times during the game. Its re-god-dam-diculous! These games could be over 20 minutes earlier if not for all of the stupid calls the refs make.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:56 pm
This might just be the Cavs most embarrassing loss of the year. Damn this is ugly.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I am so happy hearing that LARRY HUGHES IS GETTING BOOED!!!!
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:10 pm
joe hoops, i think it’s time for you to boycott this blog again…please
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:12 pm
why is Lebron still out there, down 16 with 4 minutes to play? At least Hughes didnt get to come back in. Its been Shannon Brown and Devin Brown getting his minutes. Larry is either hurt, pouting, or both.
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:29 pm
JoeHoops, I really have no use for a butler. Seriously. On the other hand, I do need a maid that works in the nude. But you can wear a parka for all I care. Just get the mildew off my shower curtains and bake me a lemon chicken breast.
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Joehoops - you’ve got some pretty poor grammar and spelling skills to be calling everybody moronic and stupid, son
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Lebron-I am sending this note as a previous rabid ex-Cavs fan who has shifted his allegiance to the Blazers who have actually have and plays with heart. You and I know very well that at this stage with the present make-up of the team and with all the internal rumblings that could only be corrected by offseason and not during, your team definitely will not make it again to the Easter Conference finals and likely wont be able to reach the playoffs either. Teams have gone better and the misfits in some like you played just earlier (i.e. Jackson) has let their talents do the talking and not just talk and yet not man enought to back it up on the court (i.e. you). This is the time to stop acting nice and be angry - demand to blow up and make meaningful trade or demand publicly that you be traded. I and many of us will be following you where eventually you’re new destination would be (i.e. whether it be dwellar cellars - Grizzlies or Timberwolves-at least they have better, more talented players there). Just end yours and everybody else frustration. It’s past 1/4 of the season and you just haven’t gotten it together for a simple game as basketball.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Jim, shut up. And you tooo Alan. I am pissed off because this team is playing like a team shooting for a lottery pick.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Mel from Manila, I actually agree with you (excerpt the part of abandoning the Cavaliers and jumping on a rickety Trailblazer band wagon that is going nowhere in the west). This game was the worst by far. At home, to allow 50% shooting and 43% 3 point shooting to a team on the 5th game of a road trip from the west is terrible. I really think it is time to consider replacing Mike Brown. How about Rudy T. who is a champion and would be a perfect fit for this team even mid season? And you are right that Lebron needs to be more vocal with management. Maybe he is doing that behind the scenes but all the great ones from time to time had to go public when management was not putting the right team out there. Ferry needs to make a trade. We are not even treading water now. The ship is sinking. Get rid of Hughes who so deserves to be booed. Get rid of Gooden who complains about the lack of effort he demonstrated. Get rid of deadweight Marshall. Get rid of anybody but Lebron to put some legitimate players on the court with the greatest player in franchise history - before he gets tired of this and bolts for NY saying, “I did my part. Management didn’t do their part. And so I am leaving.” And he’d be justified right now.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Is Larry Hughes high?
Tonight he missed an uncontested 1-ft two-hand lay-in, then shot a three-pointer that richocheted off the backboard without drawing any iron. Later he hopelessly drove on two Warriors and the ball just disappeared into a turnover amid the blue jerseys. Then as he shuffles to the bench he has that glazed smile on his face that I once thought was an expression of despondent humility. But now, I think he’s acting like a guy who’s high and just doesn’t care anymore. I’m no expert on this, but I did point out Lewis Lloyd to a friend 20 years ago, months before he got banned from the league for substance abuse. Lloyd was known for his red-rimmed eyes and beady pregame sweat. Lloyd would hit 38 points one night, airballs and missed layups the next. I hope this is not the case, but Hughes’ eroded game feels that kind of sickening. In any case, it’s time to buy this guy out. At least we can move on and pretend he doesn’t exist even if his contract continues to mangle our salary cap.
Daniel Gibson had 5 assists, 13 points on 5-9 shooting tonight. Sasha and Hughes were 3-15 for 7 points. Point guard isn’t the problem. Two-guard, where LeBron’s scoring help is supposed to come from is killing this team!
This team needs a trade…a yard sale…something. Unfortunately, we have too many overpaid underachievers that Ferry can’t GIVE away. We sold our souls to build a playoff team in the summer of 2005. Now the devil’s come to collect. It’s looking more and more like a very long year.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:19 am
It’s time to deactivate Larry. Right now he’s not a legitimate NBA player. Does anyone think LBJ and the boys have any faith in him?!
The locker room is bound to be ugly when DJ and Shannon can’t get off the pine while watching Larry and Sasha contribute little to nothing on a nightly basis.
Danny Ferry made the mess, now he needs to do something to try to correct it. LeBron can’t be put out there with pawns and expect to compete.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Damn if this keeps up I fear Tucker will get to pleasure himself to stories of LeBron demanding a trade next year ala Kobe. As for Hughes, two things are constant with him: his complaining and his ineffectiveness on the court. Other than that he’s a great player. Whoever had suggested a “fantasy-style” trade following his once a season 32 point game was right on the money. Thank god they are at least exploring the possibility of Andre Miller…not that he will be any savior or will be able to help turn around this season himself, but it’s at least a start.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:36 am
This is a team who overachieved, outworked their opponents and had a fortunate draw last season.
Now, they play like they’re supreme talents’ who don’t need to do the dirty work to win. Instead of coming out with the same hunger and effort, this team has an entitled attitude on the court. Until they get the blue collar work ethic back, we will see many more ugly nights.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:39 am
I’ll be greatly disappointed if Windy takes his usual Easy-Bake Oven approach to Cavs coverage, and doesn’t print any quotes from Damon Jones. Eleven guys got playing time in an embarrassing blowout, and Jones was the sole guy that Brown (and Ferry’s behind-the-scenes puppet strings, I suppose) kept bolted to a chair.
I find it interesting that the first two years, in these parts and in the newspaper space, Jones references and his quotes were often printed because the guy was entertaining and always good for something. But now that there might finally be meat and potatoes to what Jones has to say, his quotes are completely invisible. Why? James isn’t going to publicly rip into Ferry and Brown until the Olympics are over, so why not print something semi-controversial said by some of the 14 scrubs? Or would that be breaking some kind of unwritten local rule?
December 24th, 2007 at 12:45 am
gibson’s getting better, but he still is not a point guard. we need to make an andre miller trade happen. it’s almost impossible to trade larry hughes. ferry did a nice job giving him a ridiculous contract that no one is going to take. hopefully 2009 cavs will get a free agent. larry will be gone. kidd will be a free agent. he might be old then, but if he is still playing well we need to get him. that way, we have a good year and him and lebron come back.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:46 am
Temple-Man, here’s your answer as to why Hughes appeared high. Somebody, perhaps Don Nelson, spiked his needles with Benadryl.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qFN69_sS96Y
December 24th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Alan - I agree about getting Damon quotes except for one thing - he might not be talking. I heard LeBron didn’t even talk after this loss, so I doubt Damon would.
December 24th, 2007 at 2:24 am
I wonder what Damon Jones was singing?
December 24th, 2007 at 2:28 am
Hey, BW, I see you referenced Damon Jones after I expressly wondered if you would. Now how ’bout printing a lyric sheet of some those wonderful Christmas carols you’re talking about. Otherwise, it ain’t anything you haven’t generically softly written about before.
Here’s “Little Drummer Boy.” Now please make the necessary changes and add Jones’ hardcore custom Christmas lines about wanting his talentless ass outta there. I assume “A new born King” is LeBron, “pa rum pum pum pum” he may have changed to dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb, but what about the rest of the song? The man is a lyrical genius and has a lovely singing voice, I’m sure, so let your readers read some of Damon Jones’ wit and witticisms:
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.
Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?
Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.
December 24th, 2007 at 2:31 am
GREAT BLOG TONIGHT!!! I truly for the first time feel bad for this team!! They are a mess!!! and I gotta say, what is lost in all of this is how bad sasha has become. might be just another guy who gets his money and runs! only players who try are bron, snow, Z, varejao, gibson and devin brown…. Thats it!!! this is about as ugly as I could have ever imagined it would become
December 24th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Disgusting!
Disgraceful!
Lackluster!
Lethargic!
Just !@#$^% bad!
December 24th, 2007 at 4:53 am
there is no real reason for sasha and larry to continue to get minutes. devin brown should start at the 2, and eric snow needs to crack the regular rotation. at least then we get guys who realize they are not the greatest shooters, play within their limits, and most importantly play solid D. hell, throw dj in there, he cant shoot any worse than sasha or larry. its ridiculous now
December 24th, 2007 at 7:18 am
It is time to do something!! I went to a Pistons game a couple years ago Auburn Hills and they were giving out yellow construction hats for the kids - the theme being “time to go to work”…the Cavs are exactly the opposite of that! They show up only sometimes, usually after being embarrassed. They are bored with the regular season and only want to play in the playoffs. They are still suffering from the Championship Series hangover (where to this day I am still amazed some players took CamCorders into San Antonio to record the experience). They need a major changeup. Mike Brown, Danny Ferry and Dan Gilbert need to do something. This season is slipping away and it is a DAMN SHAME to waste LeBron’s fantastic effort thus far. He was well on his way to the league MVP but that will never be awarded to a sub 500 team. If I were him, I would be looking around to see where I might need to go to win the three rings he wants…
December 24th, 2007 at 10:23 am
12/23 at 12:10 was not me, somebody was imitating my pseud. Is Alan T using other peoples names to make it seem like somebody besides him has a problem with JoeHoops? How juvenile. Anyway, don’t use my name to insult other posters.
December 24th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Yikes! What a f’ing mess. Hughes and sahsa are both garbage. somebody above mentioned the miserable shooting guards. While, I still think that PG is a problem, the 2 guard is the most pressing problem right now. You HAVE to get offense from that position and we just don’t.
December 24th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I appreciate that everyone is looking for solutions, but personnel was not the problem last night. The Cavs have enough talent to beat the Warriors at home. Just like they have enough talent to beat the Sixers at home, which they also failed to do.
What they currently lack is focus and fire, and the problem is a lack of leadership and accountability. An extra player or two would be nice, but pointing to the GM is just giving the players another excuse. No one is taking any personal responsibility for making the team better, and it’s killing the team.
And don’t look now, but it’s not just the Cavaliers that are having this problem. The Bulls, the Heat, the Jazz and the Rockets are all teams that had high expectations coming into this year, but have played terribly despite being mostly healthy. It’s an NBA epidemic, and so far Mike Brown is no Jonas Salk.
Go Cavs. Merry Christmas to Brian and the Commenters. Which would be a good band name.
Mike C.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Words cannot explain how angry it makes me that Larry Hughes complained about not getting playing time because he “can’t get into a rhythm in the game. Are you kidding me? This guy has regularly logged big minutes and can’t shoot 40%. He looks like he doesn’t care on the court and is happy to have his $. The same with Sasha. It was a huge mistake to re-sign him. He was average at best last year so why expect anything more from him. I don’t understand why Jones has been in the dog house the last year and a half. I still think Shannon Brown looks terrible when he does play. He is just overmatched. I only hope Dan Gilbert, who promised a winner, will force Ferry to take action. The Cavaliers are paying much too much $ for this team right now.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
On paper, the Warriors should beat the Cavs handily. Outside LeBron, there’s not a player on the Cavs roster that the Warriors would trade one of their starters for. Maybe Varejao.
This team was just as bad at points last season. Brown will turn things around if he gets the time to do so, but then he won’t get the credit he deserves for juggling such a poor roster. He should have been coach of the year last season.
I’m half hoping he gets fired and Ferry takes the bench. It would be fun to watch it all unravel, and it’s the only way Ferry will ever get criticized in the local papers.
December 24th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Sasha need to watch Tony Parker tape to help him finish. Boobie NEEDS MORE SHOTS! How can u be the best shooter on the team and only get 8 shots? Dwayne Jones need weight training. Mike Brown can do something about those things. The players know what he expects on defense and they need more heart.
December 24th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
First of all i would like to say to all cavs fans, the team that we currently have is a shame we made it to the finals last year and im not sure if we can make the playoffs this one! Lebron has to really show some b_lls and tell upper managemant that either they make legitimate trade to acquire some true talent that can help elevate this team to the next level!!! It hurts to see our team fall short to the teams we’ve played… One last thing LEBRON start taking over the game like the great MJ did!!!!
December 24th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Damon Jones didn’t do anything to lose his starting job? Well, he didn’t do anything to keep it either. If he or Snow were wanted by ANYONE they’d already be gone. We’re stuck with no point again, but all the blame goes to Hughes and Pavlovic or something.
Danny Ferry pretty much ruined the Cavs in the 80’s (for how long?)when we traded everything to get ‘The Next Bird’ and now he’s doing a fair job again with his apparent inability or unwillingness to sign a point guard. I try to give the guy time but it’s getting harder to be patient with him than it is with Hughes. And that’s saying something.
December 24th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
how do you guys feel about Mike James + Steve Francis + Kirk Snyder for Larry Hughes.
Francis and Snyder would be able to come off the books after this season.
December 24th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
The problems with the Cavs are:
1. We only have one player that can create from himself and/or others (LBJ).
2. WE NEED A TRUE PG and A SG (now)
3. The roster and the offensive system we have does not work.
4. We have overpaid for several players, which handcuffs our options for trades…other than expiring contracts.
It amazes me how a player can hold out for a new contract, sign b4 the 1st game, not work on their game ALL OFF SEASON, start and stink up the place (Sasha)!!!…As for Hughes, how do you ask to come over da bench and still fire blanks, play no defense or create for others? We have a hand full of players that have contacted the Drew “Turtlehead” Gooden syndrone….for a few games, their shinning (head out of shell), then for who knows how many games, their head is up their A$$ez with no daylight in sight….PLEASE SOMEBODY CALL A TRADE or OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TIMEOUT!!!
December 24th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Uhh… mq. The answer to your question is “no,” it ain’t me.
December 24th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
As a Hawks fan, I just have to thank God that teams like the Cavs didn’t make a major move for Joe Johnson back in the summer of 2005. The Hawks were hot and heavy after Hughes, but we were sorry, and he didn’t want to come to ATL. They finally focused on JJ, and stole him from the Suns. LOL . . thank you Larry for that decision.
I am a fan of the league though, and I do watch the Cavs. You guys need a pletora of shooters around LeBron, if he’s going to play like Oscar Robertson. The Heat want Mike Miller. You guys should beat them to the punch. Question is, do you have enough expirng contracts and maybe a 1st round pick, to give the Griz?
December 25th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Ya, but Joe Johnson wanted to be “the man” and with LeBron here…
Plus, the Hawks traded some picks and a young talent named Boris Diaw… things the Cavs didn’t have…
December 25th, 2007 at 2:23 am
cavs can’t trade their first round pick this year as part of the so-called “stepien rule” named after the cavs owner from the early 80’s who traded 5 straight # 1 picks from the cavs for basically a bunch of bums. gee, who would you rather have, don ford or james worthy??? all i can say is “thank god for the gunds”. that being said, dan gilbert now holds the public trust of the cavs in his hands. while he certainly didn’t get off to a good start, looking more like the daniel snyder of the nba, he has since become more low-key and has certainly left all of the day-to-day operations of the team to danny ferry which was ok for awhile. but now with danny seemingly being unwilling to make any moves to help improve them, he needs to exercise his authority once again and just force ferry to exceed the salary cap and luxury tax threshold to bring somebody in here who could certainly provide a much needed spark to the team - earl boykins!!! it has been painfully obvious all year that the cavs have been sorely lacking some sort of boost from off the bench, especially in the 3rd quarter. boykins is just the type of player who can provide just such a spark. yeah-yeah, i hear all of the negative talk about his height, but at least dude can score, hit his free throws, control the tempo, run the offense, penetrate the lane, distribute the ball and shoot from the outside, which is more than what most any other point guard currently on the roster can do. by the way, i still don’t look at daniel gibson as a point guard. he’s just a shorter shooting guard through and through. anyway, my ideal situation would be for the cavs to acquire andre miller to become their starting point guard and to sign boykins to be his backup. wouldn’t that be sweet??? we can only hope.
December 25th, 2007 at 4:20 am
No, Boykins can’t distribute. He doesn’t. Thats the problem. If he were all those things you just said he were, some NBA team would pay him some of their midlevel exception to get him. And they have actually already passed the luxury cap threshold, and by quite a large amount. You also just cant exceed the salary cap for any player. you can only go over if you are signing your own player and you own his bird rights. Boykins is not the answer, although Andre Miller would help alleviate some of the problems on this team. he is not perfect, and I don’t know if we can get him, but he is better than what we have and is not a head case. But Boykins is not the answer. He is not good
December 25th, 2007 at 8:44 am
You know, I’ve been a critic of Alan in the past, but I really am impressed that he’s shown such restraint in his posts this season. Thank you, Alan.
I don’t know what’s wrong with the Cavs right now, but this was a month they were supposed to make up ground schedule-wise.
Did anyone else catch the report on ESPN’s morning show yesterday that said that Hughes would be peddled “long before the trading deadline”? I only caught a snippet, but it was in the news portion, not the more subjective debates. The report didn’t mention for whom Hughes would be traded.
December 25th, 2007 at 9:36 am
My prediction for todays game…
Cavs 108
Heat 89
Lebron is pissed off, so he will score 50+ and carry the team.
December 25th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Branson Wright reported the same thing, almost verbatim, Kevin. That’s probably where ESPN picked it up. Good luck, I say.
If I were Ferry, I’d take any player/contract in the league for Hughes, who is becoming a cancer. But who would trade anything for him and his terrible contract?
December 25th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
I would love for these “sources” to explain why exactly any team would want a guy making $12 million per year for 2 more years, especially when this guy shoots 30% from the field and averages 9.8 ppg. Get real people, nobody is going to do the Cavs the favor of taking Larry Hughes (and his NBA worst contract) off their hands. Not.going.to.happen. End of story.
December 25th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
This “news” also implies that the Cavs haven’t been interested in trading Hughes and his contract until this past week or so …
Is that possible?
Like the ludicrous trading for Garnett rumors, Ferry is working the phones, etc., etc., it comes off like desperate front office spin.
December 25th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I agree with what you’re saying, Larry. The Cavs can call teams and offer Hughes to them until they’re blue in the face. It doesn’t change anything. And to report that the Cavs are “in discussions” with teams about Hughes is pure spin. Yeah, they’re in talks, as in Ferry saying, “PLEASE, please, please take Larry Hughes”, and the other teams just laughing at him. If ESPN or the Plain Dealer want to report that as meaningful discussions, then the standards of journalism have really fallen far. This is the biggest nonstory ever. The Cavs cannot trade Hughes and his contract in a league in which the rules mandate that you receive equal salary in any trade.
December 25th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Not necessarily … it’s not like Cleveland is the only team in the league with stiffs who have bad contracts. The Wizards actually make the most sense, since they already are familiar with Hughes, and stiffs such as Antonio Daniels and Etan Thomas have bloated longer-term contracts. Just like Gilbert is now doing with Marshall, which is praying to God that Marshall doesn’t come back and the disability insurance continues to pick up the salary tab, Gilbert could pray that Thomas’ transplanted pig heart continues to fail so the insurance company will continue to pick up the tab for Thomas’ contract.
The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. If Hughes is somehow unloaded by the trade deadline, I have $100 that says it’s Washington.
December 25th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
damn
December 28th, 2007 at 5:20 am
[...] mainly for the reason detailed in the headline above. Damon wants to either play for the Cavs, or be traded to a team that will play him, but something’s getting in the way of that: there’s little left in Damon’s legs [...]
February 13th, 2008 at 2:40 am
[...] mainly for the reason detailed in the headline above. Damon wants to either play for the Cavs, or be traded to a team that will play him, but something’s getting in the way of that: there’s little left in Damon’s legs [...]