As Expected Varejao Opts Out
Anderson Varejao has decided to test his value in free agency by opting out of the last year on his contract. He could possibly miss out playing with LeBron and Shaq by signing with another team. He could also easily return to the Cavs and make more money. Varejao had really no choice not to opt out when he can demand more money and a longer contract. Thats why its good to have a player option in your contract. I think a team like Pistons could really drive up his price, but they might not want to hurt their free agency chances to just hurt the Cavs. I expect Varejao will most likely return to the Cavs with the owner willing to spend money to bring a title to Cleveland.
Potential Teams that target him: Pistons, Thunder and Grizzlies. (According to ESPN)
If they resign him for too much it could really burn them in 2010, because they wont be able to go after Bosh, Wade, or whoever.
This is what I think they should do. Sign Villanueva or Rasheed with the mid-level. Resign Smith for 1 year around 2mil. Do a sign and trade for a shooting guard, I think they could get Artest (for Gibson and Hickson in a three team deal, Artest going to cleveland, Gibson and Hickson going to a rebuilding third team, and the third team sending Houston someone to fill in for Yao). I would have Artest come off the bench, he can guard 4 positions really, Lewis would not have been a problem if Cleveland had him in the playoffs and he behaved last season. Gibson is really an undersized shooting guard, not a very flexable player.
This would give them a very flexable team that could match-up well with Boston, Orlando, and LA.
The 8 man rotation would look like this:
C : Shaq
—–(Z)(Villanueva, when going small)
PF: Villanueva
—–(Smith)(Z, Shaq and Z could work well agianst Boston or the Spurs, the two Centers have two very different offensive games)(LeBron or Artest, when going small)
SF: LeBron
—–(Artest)
SG: West
—–(Artest)
PG: Williams
—–(West)
If they do this they may want to use the biannual to get a back up point guard, they are thin in the backcourt.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:07 pmWe would still need a backup PG so West could actually rest which was some what of our problem last year.
Getting Villanueva for one year on the MLE would be hell of a deal I doubt we get. Even if we gave him multiple years it is going to be tough.
Smith wouldn’t demand 2mil we could get him for a lot less, I feel.
I like Artest but can he really be trusted for 82+ games? We would be putting a ton into Shaq staying healthy and Ron staying sane. A lot of “ifs” there.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:38 pmIf he wants to come to Cleveland (and he sounds like he wants to), he is gonna have to take the MLE. Unless they get a sign and trade deal.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:55 pmI really wish they would have found a way to move up and draft a point guard. I don’t really like the PG options I see at this point.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:02 amYah and it is an area that we need. I hope Charlie does come unless he gets greedy
July 1st, 2009 at 12:57 am[...] As Expected Varejao Opts out - King James Gospel [...]
July 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm