Cavs Power Forward Conundrum

I think we can all agree that Drew Gooden is not worth a $60 million dollar contract for 6 years right (I think everyone agrees that Nene isn't worth that as well)? So what do you do?

Regular readers of this blog know that I am not the biggest Drew Gooden fan. He frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not against re-signing Gooden, I'm against re-signing Gooden for $60 million dollars (anything above $35 doesn't really sit well with me).

The Cavs and Gooden are at a standstill, Gooden's people are asking for Nene money and the Cavs are (rightfully) balking. With the talks stalled, the Cavs have started looking at other (cheaper) alternatives.

Reggie Evans (the nut puncher) is the player I read about the most. I'm not exactly thrilled with the prospect of having the guy who grabbed Chris Kaman's balls on the roster. Evans is decent, but he's more of a backup.

The name that's been thrown about is Lorenzen Wright of the Memphis Grizzlies. Neither of these players are really starter material. Evans is younger (by 5 years) and the better rebounder, while Wright is the better shot blocker and scorer.

Both players are serviceable and maybe Evans could be a starter, I dunno. What I do know is the Cavs need to decide where their power forward position is heading.

The Cavs obviously like Varejao, but can he start? Varejao comes off the bench and is extremely effective. His style (all out hustle) works well coming off the bench and playing limited minutes. Can he hold up as a starter? Will he get injured or will he simply run out of gas? Or could he thrive?

The way the Cavs play now, Gooden and Z start the halves while Marshall and Varejao finish them. Maybe having Evans or Wright start, but play limited minutes (Gooden style), is better than paying Gooden big money for part time work. (Personally, we already have one highly paid big man who doesn't finish games in Z (who I still defend doesn't get used correctly) and I'd rather not have two).

I don't know, none of the three (Wright, Evans or Gooden) really excite me all that much. Wright intrigues me a bit cause he's 6-11 (Evans is 6-8), has averaged double digits before (Evans's career high is 16) and is a decent shot blocker.

But all this is just talk. I don't know what the Cavs think of Gooden or Varejao. All I know is the Cavs don't want to pay Gooden $60 million bones (and apparently neither does any other team out there, because I haven't heard Drew's name linked anywhere).

I would love to see a sign-and-trade happen, cause I'd hate to come off that 61 point game 7 loss with the only new addtions being the draft picks (who I love) and Lorenzen Wright or Reggie Evans.

However, from the way it looks right now (no offers from other teams, no sign-and-trade rumors and no talk from the Cavs), before anything gets done, Gooden and his agent are going to have to lower their demands.