NBA Rumor: Cavs want Ray Allen
Ray Allen (photo. Jordan Brand)
With or without LeBron, time in Cleveland must go on. The team have holes all over their roster — not just the massive one that could be left if James leaves — but also at shooting guard and center. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported today:
The Cavs are also believed to be pursuing various shooting guards. Sources indicated the team planned to make contact with Ray Allen, Mike Miller and John Salmons. Allen, like Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh, would become more likely if James re-signs.
In the time since that was published, word out of Milwaukee is that Salmons is about to accept a $39 million, 5-year offer from the Bucks, but Allen and Miller would still work for the Cavs. Ray would be the toughest catch, though. He’s bound to get a few big offers from teams who strike out on getting two max players, like New Jersey, Chicago or Miami. Plus, with Doc Rivers now coming back to Boston, the Celtics have a huge edge in his recruitment. The tipping point will be the length of contract. How many years is Cleveland willing to offer?
With Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas both becoming free agents, the Cavs need to also bring in someone at center. A name the Cleveland Plain Dealer is floating around is Brendan Haywood. The Mavs will likely let him leave if he gets a big offer. And someone will pony up the dough for Haywood just because there aren’t too many athletic 7-footers out there. He made $6 million this year and can expect to see similar money this offseason.
Cleveland sees itself as the frontrunner for LeBron, and they are doing what they can to show him they are still committed to bringing in talent.
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July 1st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
PN says:
http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/weighing-ray-allens-value/
July 1st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
karizmatic says:
Wouldn’t it be interesting if Wade stays in Miami and he is jointed there by Bosh and Joe Johnson, while LBJ stays in Cleveland and is joined by Stoudamire and Ray Allen?
July 1st, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Celts Fan says:
@PN – here’s a shorter version of that Ray Allen argument. Pros – even in his advanced age, he can stretch the floor and force defenses not to collapse the lane without the threat of paying for it. Cons – If he shot even as good as Tony Allen in the Finals, we’d have a different champ right now. No, I’m not bitter…
July 1st, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Claw says:
Ray Ray would be a solid addition and with Lebron he would get more open looks. The drop in his performance after game 3 was weird, he was missing wide open Js, is that age or just his shot was off?
They need a #2 because Jamison definitely isn’t one, need to do a sign and trade and get a second tier player like Rudy or somehow get CP3. Like Haywood as a center to replace Z and Shaq, younger quicker and doesn’t need the ball.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:17 pm
dapro says:
The drop off was due to guarding Dwade, Bron, Vince, and then Kobe for the entire playoffs. He still has game left, but as a shooter when your legs go so does your jumper!
July 1st, 2010 at 3:25 pm
The Other Aj says:
At this point in his career Ray should be coming off the bench…He’s still a lethal shooter, but he can’t play starter minutes
July 1st, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Heckler says:
its now called “LEAVE-LAND”
ray allen aint going there.
and the Cavs really need to focus on getting a big man who can be productive. then they should work on a shooter. if they can go to LeBron in 3 days and say, you’ll be balling with:
mo williams
mike miller
antwain jamison
brendan haywood
Lebron would sign the 3yr extension (perhaps).
BTW….
if LeBron does only sign a 3yr with Leaveland, you know FOR SURE he is bouncing to NY when hes 28yrs old
July 1st, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Sporty-j says:
Lebron better think twice about signing a 3yr deal with this new collective bargaining agreement coming up if he wants to be a so called billionare instead of a championare…
July 1st, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Sporty-j says:
By the way if you havent heard. None of those players have any desire to go the cleveland and best case scenario is that they somehow work out a sign and trade for CP3 and give away some more future 1st round picks…