DENVER -- In this faltering economy, there are have been lots of good deals. Low-interest car loans. Double frequent-flyer miles. A cheaper menu at Quiznos.
Many good deals won't last. But some in the NBA might.
Everybody knows about NBA salaries having spiraled out of control the past few decades. Owners are determined to reel them in, which is why there's a decent chance there will be a lockout after the 2010-11 season.
Wally Szczerbiak would appear to be the top NBA free agent left standing. Then again, maybe not.
With the Denver Nuggets having lost out on free-agent shooting guard Flip Murray to the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday, sources told FanHouse the Nuggets are now looking strongly at small forward Ime Udoka.
Meanwhile, Szczerbiak, who had been linked earlier in the summer to Denver, is still looking for a job.
"Yes, the economy has affected the market, there's no question about it,'' Szczerbiak said in an interview Thursday with FanHouse. "I just have to take my time.''
Around this season's trade deadline, there was a lot of chatter surrounding Shaquille O'Neal. Everyone assumed that Shaq or his teammate Amare Stoudemire wouldn't be in a Suns uniform past the trade deadline. Of course the deadline passed and both Shaq and Amare remained on Planet Orange.
One of the teams reported to be involved in the pursuit of O'Neal was none other than the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to reports, the deal fell through because the Cavaliers wanted the Suns to take back Ben Wallace in return for Shaq, while the Suns wanted Wally Szczerbiak. The disagreements were purely financial, as Szczerbiak's deal expires at the end of this season, while Wallace has an additional year.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but did the Cavs make a mistake in not trading for Shaq?
The Cavaliers have emerged as an elite team, allowing the fewest points per game while boasting one of the league's most potent offenses. But you know what's really scary? They might be getting even better.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Cavs and Heat have discussed a deal that could bring Shawn Marion to Cleveland. Why wouldn't the Heat just wait and capitalize on Marion's $17.1 million expiring contract this summer?
Because by trading Marion, they'll likely be able to create even more space: Wojnarowski reports that talks have centered on Wally Szczerbiak (and his $13 million expiring deal) and Anderson Varejao (who's all but certain to opt out of the final year of his contract, which would pay him $6.2 million).
The Cavaliers have successfully made the jump from "very good" to "elite" by absolutely destroying opponents on both sides of the ball. They've defied logic by proving that stingy defense and dominant offense can go hand in hand, allowing the fewest points in the league (90.4) while scoring the second-most (104.0). This isn't just a legitimate championship contender, folks; if they keep this up, it will go down as one of the best seasons of all-time.
But while the team has caught all the breaks so far, their depth will be tested in the short-term. Sixth-man Daniel Gibson sprained a toe last night and will rest for the next two weeks, at which point he'll be re-evaluated. Can the Cavs keep chugging along?
Considering their average point difference is +13.6 points, it stands to reason they can lose a guy averaging just 9.4 points a night without too much concern. Not to pile on, but Cavs might actually be better for it. Gibson has started to turn things around the last few games, but on the season he's shooting just .402, including .310 from beyond the arc. Statistically speaking, letting a combination of Sasha Pavlovic (.415 / .389), Delonte West (.472 / .411) and Wally Szczerbiak (.480 / .349) absorb Gibson's 24.3 minutes a game should make the Cavs even more efficient, especially when you factor his non-existent defense.
It's hard to believe now, but once upon a time the Central Division was a powerhouse. As recent as 2006 it sent all five of its teams to the playoffs, and in 2007 it featured the top three records in the East. But last year? Only two made it to the postseason, including the disappointing Cavs, who followed up their NBA Finals appearance by winning five fewer games than the season before and failing to score as many points as they gave up.
Can the Central regain its luster in 2008-09? Well, the Pistons are still the Pistons, which means their ticket to the postseason is already punched, and the Cavs are tagging along for the ride so long as LeBron James is around. The Bulls, Pacers and Bucks will still bring up the rear, but at least there's honest-to-goodness hope they're headed in the right direction after making a series of offseason moves. Let's take a look at the most compelling storylines.
Say what you want about Danny Ferry and his incredible inability to put a superstar next to LeBron James, he's protecting his 2010 money no matter what.
Today's mini-coup comes in the form of re-signing a player they wanted but were unwilling to break the bank on. The Cavaliers re-signed guard Delonte West today according to Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon Journal.
"West has agreed to a two-year contract with a team option for the 2011-12 season. According to league sources, the deal is worth between $4 million and $5 million per season.
Now, I'm assuming that's a typo and the option is for 2010-2011, since two years from now is 2010-2011 and I'm smart like that. If it's not, this could be clumsy. If it is a typo and the extension is for 2010, this is a pretty nifty deal. Not only did the Cavaliers nab a legit point guard (if an underwhelming "big name") in Mo Williams via trade, but in the same stroke they managed to neutralized the leverage Delonte West was using with fictitious offers from Europe. So they get their guy, they pay him a reasonable sum for his services, even though West has considerable upside and played very well with LeBron in the playoffs, exhibiting a chemistry the Cavs haven't seen between a point guard and the franchise player since ... well, ever, and the best part?
Mike D'Antoni's vaunted offense favors fast, athletic big men who can get up and down the court in a hurry and play above the rim (see: Marion, Shawn; and Stoudemire, Amare) -- in other words, players that are the exact opposite of Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry.
Mike Brown's (lamentable) offense is, well, barely existent. Despite featuring the most exciting player in the game (see: James, LeBron), the Cavs play at an absolute snail's pace, and last year failed to score as many points as they gave up over the course of the entire season.
The roster around LeBron James is, for the most part, lamentable. The Global Icon carried his team almost single-handedly to the Finals in 2006-07 and to a seventh game against the would-be NBA Champions this season. He's basically a two-time defending MVP without any trophies. He desperately needs some help.
Danny Ferry takes plenty of lumps for the minor disaster around LeBron, but at least he tries. He has spent plenty of Dan Gilbert's money to put guys who at one point could play a little around James, and he pulled off a major trade at the deadline (though the return package remains circumspect). And apparently, he's off to an active start this offseason, according to the Newark Star-Ledger's Dave D'Alessandro.
As they were putting some of the finishing touches on the Richard Jefferson-Yi Jianlian deal, the Nets received a call from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who offered them Wally Szczerbiak and his expiring, $13.2 million salary for Vince Carter.
According to two Eastern Conference executives, who asked for anonymity so as not to spill Rod Thorn's secrets, the Nets considered it -- but not for very long.
The one thing Ferry has in his favor: he can take all the bad contracts he wants, because the single goal going forward is proving to LeBron this team can take him back to The Finals repeatedly. Teams will always been pawning off stars for expiring contracts, and so long as you employ LeBron you wouldn't be slipping into that Knickerbocker despair.
The funny thing about this trade offer, of course: Ferry wants Carter to help LeBron win a title and resolve to stay in Cleveland. Thorn would want to trade Carter to help free up the cap space to sign LeBron. I imagine these two teams will be hesitant to work with each other in the next few seasons.
DENVER -- In this faltering economy, there are have been lots of good deals. Low-interest car loans. Double frequent-flyer miles. A cheaper menu at Quiznos.
Wally Szczerbiak would appear to be the top NBA free agent left standing. Then again, maybe not.
Around this season's trade deadline, there was a lot of chatter surrounding Shaquille O'Neal. Everyone assumed that Shaq or his teammate Amare Stoudemire wouldn't be in a Suns uniform past the trade deadline. Of course the deadline passed and both Shaq and Amare remained on Planet Orange. 
The Cavaliers have emerged as an elite team, allowing the fewest points per game while boasting one of the league's most potent offenses. But you know what's really scary? They might be getting even better. 
The Cavaliers have successfully made the jump from "very good" to "elite" by absolutely destroying opponents on both sides of the ball. They've defied logic by proving that stingy defense and dominant offense can go hand in hand, allowing the fewest points in the league (90.4) while scoring the second-most (104.0). This isn't just a legitimate championship contender, folks; if they keep this up, it will go down as one of the best seasons of all-time.
Say what you want about Danny Ferry and his incredible inability to put a superstar next to LeBron James, he's protecting his 2010 money no matter what. 
Mike D'Antoni's vaunted offense favors fast, athletic big men who can get up and down the court in a hurry and play above the rim (see: Marion, Shawn; and Stoudemire, Amare) -- in other words, players that are the exact opposite of Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry. 
The roster around LeBron James is, for the most part, lamentable. The Global Icon carried his team almost single-handedly to the Finals in 2006-07 and to a seventh game against the would-be NBA Champions this season. He's basically a two-time defending MVP without any trophies. He desperately needs some help.
