Thursday, February 14, 2008

Can these work without giving up a first? No? Damn

Linky:
According to media reports, the Portland Trail Blazers are shopping point guard Jarrett Jack, and the Memphis Grizzlies have taken offers for point guard Kyle Lowry. The Cavs have interest in both. A source said they have had long-term discussions involving Jack. In 2006, they coveted Lowry in the draft, but he went with the 24th pick to the Grizzlies, one spot ahead of where the Cavs picked Shannon Brown.

Both guys would be a very nice addition and I don't think they'd cost a whole lot. A deal would probably get done a lot faster if the Cavs threw in a first round pick (which Ferry is loathe to do).

Not sure if either team is looking to dump salary, but Portland will have to start making roster decisions with all those young players at some point... and for that you'd need cap room... see where I'm going here?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unless Ferry REALLY likes one of em, I don't think you give up a 1st rounder. If Lowry or Jack were that good, why would such sorry teams invest in other PGs after spending 1at round picks on Lowry and Jack?

I like both, but not for a 1st round, unless you're sure either is the right guy.

Ben said...

I'd call Memphis and offer something like Gooden, Brown, Newble, Snow and a 1st for Mike Miller, Lowry and Brian Cardinal('s terrible deal).

Anonymous said...

There will still be a lot of fans (many of whom post on message boards) that would still be majorly pissed if Ferry trades for Jack or Lowry, because it's not Bibby or Kidd.

They'll accuse Ferry of copping out, trying to sell us on some bargain-basement impostor as the "missing piece" to take the Cavs to a title.

Normally, I'd be able to say "screw them," but I swear all I ever read on any Cavs message board is people trashing Ferry, trashing Mike Brown and asserting that LeBron is as good as gone in 2010. Not that there's a chance he might leave, but that it's all but destined to happen.

It's getting so that I go against my better judgment whenever I read a Cavs message board these days. There is just so much anger and venom, and NOBODY listens to a different viewpoint. They either ignore you or persecute you.

Ben said...

Lately I find myself wading into too many message board diatribes, trying to explain why Ferry isn't the worst GM ever.

It's annoying. You explain why a move was made and why it has now hampered current moves, but they don't wanna hear it. All people see the Lakers adding Gasol for Kwame Brown and they don't understand why the Cavs couldn't have offered Drew Gooden...

Plus, whenever LeBron answers a question honestly ("I'd love to have Jason Kidd on my team" or "I don't like waiting, it's frustrating, but sometimes you have to") somehow he's now throwing Ferry under the bus.

The last move Ferry needs to make is a panic move. You don't mess with your roster just because some team messed with theirs.

As far as LeBron being unhappy goes... I highly doubt (provided the Cavs make smart moves and build a contender in the coming years) that LeBron is going to bolt in 2010 because Ferry was overly cautious in 2007-08.

Anonymous said...

Ferry is neither an awful GM or a good GM. If you were gonna give him a grade, it would have to be incomplete.

I don't however like the argument that others thought the Hughes signing was the right move, so you can't blame Ferry. Well, theoretically, Ferry is the GM and others are not b/c he knows the games and understands how to build the right team. Who gives a sh*t what other people thought of that move at the time? Ferry's job is to know the game, inside and out, better than everyone else. That's why they paid him the money. He certainly must bear responsibility for those signings. He can make up for it over the next couple of years, and let's hope he does.

as far as LeBron's anger goes, I thought Windhorst's writings were contradictory the last couple weeks. First, he says LeBron's consistent confidence in his teammates is vital, then he says LeBron won't get down about the Cavs not making major moves, and then he said LeBron is unhappy.

Windhorst is one of the better beat reporters in the NBA, but has been perplexing lately.

Ben said...

I have a hard time with 'blaming' Ferry, if that makes sense. Yes, the signings are his responsibility but, in context, they weren't completely unreasonable.

I have a much harder time when a GM gives Kevin Ollie a 5 year deal (or giving Darius Miles a huge deal or trading for Steve Francis). That's something I roast a GM for.

We all knew Ferry was going to have to overpay for guys to come here (and he did). Now they're stuck a bit, but that's the price you pay.

It's like the trade for Ande Marte. Sure, Marte hasn't worked out, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad deal. It made sense at the time, things just don't always break the right way.

Anonymous said...

if they could get either jack or lowry for shannon brown, well then fine, but if they have to give up anyone from the current rotation, i say "no way". the chemistry the cavs have now is obvious and i'd really hate to see them "upset the apple cart" so to speak. as for ferry being a bad gm, i don't care what anybody else says. he is not a bad gm. anyone who can pull off a trade to get flip murray for a journeyman spare part called mike wilks can't be all that bad.

Anonymous said...

In all reality, Paxson's decision to let Boozer out of his contract was the worst move in franchise history, and one of the most idiotic management moves of NBA history.

Hate to think about it, but can you imagine those two now? It make me nauseous. Geez, I mean you're probably talking multiple championships.

Anonymous said...

I personally think it's hard to top Harper for Ferry as the worst move in franchise history.

You want to talk about multiple championships? Harper was the one guy who could defend Jordan. If the Cavs keep Harper, with the rest of that lineup, at the very least the Cavs and Bulls are the dueling titans of the East in the 90s.

I bet the Cavs steal at least one of those Bulls titles from their first three-peat if they had kept Harper.

Ben said...

he could defend Jordan (as much as anyone really could) and he could make him work at the defensive end (something that Craig Ehlo couldn't exactly do). I mean... starting Price, Harper, Sanders/Williams, Nance and Daugherty in their primes.... god damn.

Boozer also hurts. Bad.

Those trades are examples 1 and 1a in how to screw over a franchise. Don't trade a young, athletic scoring wingman for a white stiff. Don't let a bruising, rebounding power forward walk away for nothing.

Ouch.