Cavaliers News

"Odds are that LeBron James won't opt to skip across the pond to play in the shadow of the Parthenon or next door to a snow-covered Red Square when he is a free agent in two years. But at the rate that NBA players are bolting basketball's premier professional league for more lucrative deals overseas, the suggestion is no longer considered preposterous. "Who's to say?" NBA agent Marc Cornstein said. "He is a global icon. If some team overseas decides to throw 20 million euro at him, which is the equivalent of about $32 million, well, I can't say it's impossible." According to a report on Yahoo!, Cavaliers restricted free agent Delonte West is mulling a two-year, $10 million offer to play ..."

"Cleveland's No. 1 pick J.J. Hickson scored a game-high 24 points but it was not enough as the Cavs lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, 88-72, Sunday in the final NBA Summer League game. Hickson scored 11 of the Cavaliers' 25 first-quarter points. He finished the game 10-of-17 from the field with five rebounds. Clay Tucker and Romel Beck each chipped in with 14 points for the Cavs."

"Five players scored in double figures as the New Orleans Hornets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 79-78, Saturday night in an NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas. Clay Tucker scored a game-high 23 points, J.J. Hickson scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Romel Beck added 16 points to lead the Cavaliers (0-4). Bobby Brown has 15 points for the Hornets (4-1)."

"Andray Blatche registered 22 points, including the go-ahead dunk with 1:04 left, to lead the Washington Wizards to a 72-69 victory over the Cavaliers in NBA Summer League play in Las Vegas. First-round pick J.J. Hickson had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, but missed two free throws with 43 seconds left and Cleveland trailing by one. Forward Romel Beck led the Cavs with 13 points and Clay Tucker scored 11."

"Daniel "Boobie" Gibson admitted he lost a lot of sleep after missing the last two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics. Gibson suffered a separated shoulder in Game 5, and the Celtics went on to beat the Cavs in seven games en route to winning the NBA title. "It feels like I let my guys down," Gibson said. But in an effort to make sure he's on board for any future successes, Gibson signed a five-year, $20.8 million deal with the team on Tuesday night. "We're excited to have Daniel back," Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry said in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday."

"The Cavaliers signed restricted free-agent guard Daniel Gibson to a five-year contract today, securing the services of someone whom they view as integral to the team's future success. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. ''Daniel conveyed from day one of this free-agency thing that he wanted to remain with the team and was excited about where we were going as a team and really enjoyed his two years in Cleveland thus far,'' Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry said. ''In signing him, it really allows us to maximize the opportunity to create a core of young players and, at the same time, build on the continuity that we feel could be important for teams trying to compete for a ..."

"The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Daniel Gibson to a five-year contract. Gibson's signing on Wednesday is the Cavaliers' first major move of the offseason. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Gibson averaged a career-high 10.4 points on 43 percent shooting last season. He sprained his left ankle in a Feb. 20 game at Indiana and missed 18 games. Gibson had arthroscopic surgery last month on the ankle and is expected to be ready for training camp."

"Dru Joyce III and Romeo Travis know people will think that they're on the Cavaliers' summer league roster only because of their long friendship with LeBron James. But they don't care. "That stuff doesn't bother me," said Joyce, a 6-0, 165-pound point guard. "Everybody is going to hold their own opinion. It's up to me to play the game the way I know how and be successful. Maybe I might change people's opinions, but if not, it doesn't really matter to me.""

"Cleveland Cavaliers assistant John Kuester was on a roll Monday, thinking up new ways to praise rookie J.J. Hickson. “We're talking about an N.C. State guy, and I'm still saying nice things,” former Tar Heel Kuester joked. “He's that great a kid.” And seemingly that good a prospect. Hickson looked spectacular during a 97-94 summer-league loss to the New York Knicks, with 26 points and nine rebounds. He made 11 of 15 shots from the field and generated seven trips to the foul line. If that's indicative of his scoring at the next level, he'll be a steal by the Cavaliers with the 18th overall pick. Hickson wasn't the least surprised by his quick impact."

"Cavaliers first-round pick J.J. Hickson had 26 points and nine rebounds, but a balanced attack led the New York Knicks to a 97-94 summer-league victory Monday in Las Vegas. Hickson, a 6-9 power forward from North Carolina State who was playing at center, was 11-of-15 from the floor."

"There have been times, Robert "Tractor" Traylor admitted, when he thought his NBA career was finished. Now he's not so sure. The popular former Cavalier, who most recently played in the league in 2005, will play with the Cavs' summer league team in Las Vegas next week. It is the second time in the past eight months the Cavs have taken a look at Traylor. Last December, he worked out for the Cavs before Anderson Varejao settled his contract dispute and joined the team. Traylor wound up returning to Puerto Rico, where he has played the past two seasons."

"Consider it the two-year tease. It's a game played with a wink and a grin, one that could prove as compelling as anything on NBA courts over the next two seasons. Sunday, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were winking and grinning before participating in the Zo's Summer Groove charity game at AmericanAirlines Arena. The punchline? The summer of 2010, when Wade, James and several other top-tier NBA players can become free agents, such as Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh. "We're just going to joke about it for the next two years until that time comes," Wade said. "So, it's going to be an exciting year for the NBA, but it's two years away." For fans, it could be two years ..."

"The Cavaliers are in a battle on a different kind of court this month, and LeBron James can't help them in this fight. The Cavs and sister company Flash Seats are being sued in U.S. District Court in Cleveland by Ticketmaster, the leader of the ticket-sales industry. Ticketmaster says the Cavs violated their contract with the company when the basketball team established Flash Seats as a way for people to buy, sell or swap tickets. "For each ticket sold through Flash Seats that otherwise would have been sold through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster loses revenue," lawyer Robert Platt said in the lawsuit. The central issue in the case is whether an unsold ticket in an area designated for ..."

"On June 29, James told WKNR 850's Mark "Munch" Bishop, "I'm dedicated to bringing a championship to this city. I'm bringing a parade to this city. I love this city. I love Northeast Ohio. Right now, I can't see myself going anywhere else." The next week, he called New York his favorite city and Brooklyn his favorite borough in it. Since the Nets are to move to Brooklyn in time for James' free-agency season in 2010, and since James' friend, the rapper Jay-Z, has a small part of the Nets' ownership, this was proof that James was halfway out The Q's door."

"OK, Jawad Williams will admit it. He's excited about being invited to play with the Cavaliers' summer league team that will compete in Las Vegas next week."

"First-round draft choice J.J. Hickson of North Carolina State agreed to terms with the Cavaliers on a contract Thursday, one day before leaving to play with the Cavs' summer league team in Las Vegas."

"Rod Thorn brought the Nets out of the wilderness once, so is trusted by Bruce Ratner to do it again. But it's not the owner, actually LeBron James, who will be the ultimate judge of Yi Jianlian, Devin Harris, Sean Williams and whatever other pieces Thorn has in place by 2010. Whether from Brooklyn, Manhattan or Oklahoma City, the free-agent-to-be James will get his basketball money to the max. Hardly does LeBron needs to play two blocks or one borough away from Madison Avenue to be any more the recognizable pitchman he already is. If James's good buddy Jay-Z is part-owner of a bad team because Yi hasn't amounted to much more than a 7-foot hill of string beans, the Nets will pay big ..."

"The dominoes started to fall around 10 p.m. Tuesday, about two hours before NBA free agents could officially sign contracts. Forward Elton Brand shunned the Los Angeles Clippers and apparently accepted a five-year deal worth $82 million from the Philadelphia 76ers. Former Clipper Corey Maggette reportedly agreed to a five-year contract with the Golden State Warriors worth about $50 million. That means Twinsburg's James Posey now is in the driver's seat. Posey, fresh off helping the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship, looms as the biggest name in the free-agent sweepstakes. The Cavaliers are interested, and Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledged talks with Cavs ..."

"LeBron James told media at a USA Basketball function that New York was his favorite city and Brooklyn his favorite borough. Did you see James play to the fans? He ran to the crowd like he'd just been selected to guess the cost of a toaster oven on "The Price is Right." Some saw this as another shot across Danny Ferry's bow, reminding the Cavs GM that he's on the clock. The question they might want to ask is this: What if James is messing with everybody, New Yorkers included? What if this is another form of the remote control Hummer from his high school days?"

"Cavaliers fans weren't overjoyed with the selection of young North Carolina State forward J.J. Hickson with the No. 19 pick in the NBA draft last week, but two of three national writers gave the team high grades after picking up Hickson and then trading for the rights to Kansas forwards Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. Chad Ford of ESPN.com gave the Cavs an A-minus. Wrote Ford: "Hickson has been one of my sleepers in the draft. He has an NBA body and great athleticism, and he can play inside and out. His game needs to develop, but the raw tools are impressive. He could be a nice long-term replacement for Joe Smith. At No. 19, he was one of the few players left on the board with a ..."

"In two years, it's a done deal: LeBron James absolutely, definitely without question will be playing for the New Jersey soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. Gotta be, because James is big buds with Nets minor owner Jay-Z. Wait a minute, he wears a Yankees cap and once said Madison Square Garden was one of his favorite arenas. That settles it. In the summer of 2010, James will be signing with the Knicks. Listen to the talking heads on TV, most of whom don't believe James actually likes Northeast Ohio. They can't imagine anyone really wanting to live here. We're Devil's Island, only with worse weather. So James has to leave, because they would leave if they were James. Some media types ..."

"The phone calls started at midnight as the Cavaliers jumped into NBA free agency, which begins today. But just because they're talking doesn't mean anything will happen when the signing period opens July 9. In fact, given the Cavs are almost $25 million over the salary cap of $55.63 million, it's highly unlikely they'll make a big splash in the free-agent pool -- no matter how much they like players like Boston Celtics forward James Posey of Twinsburg and Golden State guard Baron Davis. General Manager Danny Ferry repeatedly has said how much he likes his team and how much he values continuity. That being said, if he makes any substantial changes, they likely will come through ..."

"During his tour of Manhattan, LeBron James had fun teasing Knicks and Nets fans yesterday about the prospect of playing in the Big Apple in 2010 when he becomes a free agent. When asked his favorite city, King James listed New York No. 1. But when asked his favorite borough, James said Brooklyn, where the Nets plan to open shop in 2010. On the eve of free agency, James and Team USA assistant coach Mike D'Antoni were under the same roof, at the Plaza Hotel, for a U.S. Olympic function. The dream for all Knicks fans will be if D'Antoni and James are together again July 1, 2010, touring New York on a recruiting visit."

"Stopping in New York for a day on the town with Team USA, LeBron James took a boat ride with teammates to the Statue of Liberty for a team picture and visited Rockefeller Center to put on a demonstration for fans. And from the sound of it, he'll still be coming to New York in 2010 to take in the city's top sites as a tourist, but not to put down roots as a new member of the Knicks or Nets. Addressing the possibility of leaving Cleveland in two summers when he's a free agent, and all the talk about the Knicks and Nets trying to get far enough under the salary cap to have enough money to offer him a King's ransom, James Monday did not totally rule it out. "They have a right to ..."

"The NFL was once more immune from critical disapproval than any sports entity in the country, but that was before Michael Vick killed the dogs and Bill Belichick channeled his inner Maxwell Smart. Now I make it college basketball. An unholy alliance between NBA veterans scared of losing their jobs and an NBA commissioner concerned about the Q rating of draft picks straight out of high school has forced the best American players to spend a year in college. David Stern was not concerned about LeBron James. James had been on Sports Ilustrated's cover as a junior at Akron's St. Vincent St. Mary. Stern couldn't wait to get him into the NBA. But there was only one LeBron."

""So in a couple years baby, I'm a bring you some Nets," rapped Jay-Z in a recently released song called, "Hello Brooklyn." And after a big trade last week, the hip-hop star/Nets minority owner is in position to bring LeBron James to Brooklyn, too. The Nets stole headlines from the rival Knicks by trading forward Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for 20-year-old Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. By making the move, New Jersey is expected to be $20-22 million under the salary cap in 2010, when James becomes a free agent. While the struggling Knicks are New York City's longtime franchise, the Nets will get a piece of the Big Apple by moving to Brooklyn, probably in 2011. But in two years, don't ..."

""What don't you like about Gallinari?" I asked him when I saw him at Wimbledon on Thursday afternoon. "Because it sounds like the kid is a project," the guy said. "Only if you take somebody with the sixth pick in the draft, he shouldn't be a project, he should be somebody who should help you right away. "Plus," the guy said, "he doesn't play any defense, and if we're ever going to get good again in my lifetime, we're eventually going to have to play some defense, right? Or isn't D'Antoni going to do that with the Knicks, either?" Then he said: "I guess all I really want to know is if he helps us get LeBron in two years." So it begins, a fight that exists now only in the imagination ..."

"J.J. Hickson says he's ready to become "the player they want me to be." He's got half a chance. Living up to Danny Ferry's hopes are one thing. To be the player Cavs fans want? No way."

"J.J. Hickson and Darnell Jackson have ties to the Cavaliers that go back much further than their acquisitions by the team during Thursday night's NBA draft. Hickson, the North Carolina State freshman forward taken with the 19th pick in the first round, played for Wolfpack coach Sid Lowe, a Cavs assistant to Mike Fratello from 1994-99. "He tried to prepare me for the NBA overall," Hickson said. "Everything he said was from an NBA perspective." Jackson's pull to the team goes even deeper."

"J.J. Hickson played just one season in college, but he has the kind of upside the Cavaliers were looking for in a post player. With that in mind, the Cavs made Hickson, 19, a 6-foot-9 forward from North Carolina State, their first-round pick (19th overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Hickson led North Carolina State in scoring (14.8 points a game) and rebounding (8.5) last season and was 10th in scoring in the Atlantic Coast Conference."

"Maybe J. J. Hickson will work out. The freshman power forward from North Carolina State is "an uncarved block," said Danny Ferry. He was making an analogy to sculpture. The Cavaliers have been looking for a power forward to emerge ever since blockheaded former owner Gordon Gund trusted Carlos Boozer and a compliant Jim Paxson, Ferry's predecessor as GM, let Boozer become Pinocchio with muscles and scoot off to Utah as a free agent when the team didn't have to."

"When the Cavaliers sat down after the season and assessed their needs, their top priority was to introduce some youth to their front line. Hello, J.J. Hickson. The Cavs selected the 19-year-old freshman from North Carolina State with the 19th pick in Thursday night's NBA draft. League sources also indicated the Cavs made two trades in the second round, obtaining the rights to two Kansas Jayhawks - No. 52 Darnell Jackson from the Heat and No. 56 Sasha Kaun from Seattle, pending league approval."

"He's Danny Ferry, not Danny Ainge. And the general manager of the Cavaliers has no illusions of matching what his colleague did last summer. With two major trades, Ainge revived the Boston Celtics and turned them into NBA champions. He dumped a few contracts and players on the Seattle SuperSonics to get Ray Allen on draft night a year ago and later acquired Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves for five players and two first-round picks, a bold move that sent shock waves through the league that are still being felt. As he prepares for the NBA Draft tonight, Ferry, whose flawed team pushed the Celtics to a seventh game in the Eastern Conference semifinals, doesn't feel any ..."

"Here's what Mike Brown was thinking on the eve of the NBA draft. I don't necessarily agree with everything the Cavaliers' coach said, but it's worth hearing his view of the Cavs' 45-37 season and their loss to Boston in Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs. The Cavs next year: Even with the current roster, the coach insists the Cavs can win 50-plus games and be a championship contender. He added that he didn't mean the team "should just sit tight." He expects [GM] Danny Ferry to do everything he can to improve the roster. But he thinks "we can get a lot better just from within.""

"If the Cavaliers use the No. 19 pick in tonight's NBA draft, chances are it is as a last resort. This is not to disparage any individual who might be available at that point, for it's possible they'll be able to get someone who will develop into a solid NBA player, as Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry likes to say. But the fact of the matter is, the Cavaliers don't have time to wait for a player to develop. They are a team one year removed from the finals that came within one quarter of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals and a chance to reach the finals for the second straight season."

"With the NBA draft 36 hours away, there are way more questions than answers. Here are five things on people's minds as D-Day approaches: 1. If the Cavs keep the No. 19 pick in the first round, what direction can we expect them to go? In all likelihood, if they keep the pick, they willa young, big player - center or power forward - to groom and contribute down the road. They have to be mindful of the fact that Ben Wallace will be 34 and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joe Smith will be 33 at the start of next season,"

"Danny Ferry looked over the follow ing list of 25 of the top NBA draft prospects by position, he'd likely say 25 times, "He's a good player." The Cavaliers general manager goes to excruciating lengths not to tip his hand with regard to his team's plans for the No. 19 pick in Thursday's draft. Of course, this is preferable to flat-out lying, which is the tactic used by many league executives in the final days heading into the draft. Ferry estimated the Cavs had about 50 players visit for assessments, including 6-8 Frenchman Nicolas Batum, who stopped by Monday. Ferry personally scouted about 30 of them during the season."

"LeBron James will get another shot at Olympic gold, and this time, he'll have reigning MVP Kobe Bryant alongside. James and Bryant, making his first Olympic appearance, will lead a U.S. team that hopes to capture the gold medal in Beijing in August after a third-place showing in Athens four years ago. They'll have plenty of help. Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Jason Kidd were among the 12 players placed on the team Monday. They were joined by Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams."

"It's a pretty safe bet that the Cavaliers still aren't sure exactly what they'll do with the No. 19 pick in Thursday's NBA draft, but that never stops people from telling them what they should do with it. Two nationally recognized draft experts with Ohio ties - NBA consultant and scout Chris Ekstrand, who lives in Perrysburg, and Alliance native Chris Monter, longtime publisher of the Monter Draft News and www.collegebasketballnews.com - have some advice: Bigger is better. "There are going to be no answers for them at point guard at 19," Ekstrand said. "At 19, you don't have the luxury of saying, 'We want X or Y.' I know it's a cliche but the truth is there are going to be some ..."

"It was hard to tell who was having more fun at the King's Triathlon, a prelude to today's LeBron James' King for Kids Bikeathon, the kids or the king himself. With an enormous grin, Akron's own James admitted that ''I'm a kid at heart.'' Between 500 and 600 adults and children filled the University of Akron's Student Recreation and Wellness Center Friday evening to participate in a non-traditional King's Triathlon. Participants did not have to swim, bike or even run."

"Watching Bryant, the alleged MVP, gripe at, berate and complain about his unworthy teammates recalled Michael Jordan's stormier moments, only without the body of work to support the poor behavior. The next time somebody makes the case of Kobe Bryant, team guy, I offer Game 2 of The Finals as the rebuttal."

"Paul Pierce and Tiger Woods. The NBA draft and free agency. The U.S. Olympic team and the University of Akron men's basketball team. Those were just some of the topics LeBron James touched on Wednesday in a wide ranging one-on-one interview, his first since the Cavaliers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs a month ago. Heading into the busiest part of his summer, he took a break to sit down with The Plain Dealer."

"Anderson Varejao could be traded - though it's not a simple ''just-ship-him-elsewhere'' proposition. Daniel Gibson should be coming back. And the interest from the Cavaliers in adding a scorer like Michael Redd is real and genuine. That's the way things appear at this early point of the offseason. Now that the NBA Finals are over, we do not have to see Pau Gasol's facial contortions any longer and do not have to see Sasha Vujacic, period. Another benefit of the Finals being over is that Danny Ferry and the Cavs can start in earnest to fortify a pretty good team. That they're already a good team is a key point. There is no need to tear the Cavs apart, as some wailing banshees would ..."

"LeBron James wants Cleveland to shape up. The Cavaliers star is challenging residents to lead healthier lifestyles and join ''The 50 Million Pound Challenge.'' James will kick off the challenge today in Cleveland with diet expert Dr. Ian Smith of VH1 Celebrity Fit Club fame. ''I'm setting an example because I think people know how hard I work,'' James said Tuesday. ''In my sport, you have to be in shape. It's not like I'm telling people to get in shape and I'm 300-400 pounds.'' Smith started the national campaign last year, and so far Americans have lost about 2 million pounds. He was inspired to do it because of the many viewers that wanted to be on Celebrity Fit Club."

"Put down those nachos, Cleveland. For once, it will be good to be called a loser. Cleveland has a chance to become the first city to take part in "The 50 Million Pound Challenge," the national weight-loss initiative started by Dr. Ian Smith, best-selling author and diet expert on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club," and sponsored by State Farm. Smith and Cavaliers star LeBron James will kick off the challenge at 1 p.m. Wednesday at The Q in a free, public event. Maybe you should walk over there."

"Conspiracy theorists have their voice now. He's Tim Donaghy, a guy who admitted playing with the results of NBA games to feed his gambling habit, a guy who's going to jail because of that. Donaghy admitted tipping off gamblers about how to bet on games he worked, then said he made calls on the court to affect the point spread. ESPN once showed a clip of a playoff game a year ago in which the Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire got in early foul trouble, and the Suns lost. Donaghy was standing at midcourt and whistled a defensive foul on Stoudamire on the other side of the court. Nothing happened on the play, and both game announcers were perplexed. ''I don't know what Tim Donaghy saw,'' ..."

"LeBron James will be joined by Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, former Indian Kenny Lofton, TNT announcer Kenny Smith, comedian Lil' JJ, Cavs coach Mike Brown and teammates Devin Brown and Dwayne Jones for his third State Farm King for Kids Bikeathon next Saturday in downtown Akron. Back after a one-year absence because of scheduling conflicts, the ride recognizes and rewards Akron-area children who have contributed to the community. More than 500 children, ages 9 to 17, have been preselected to receive new bikes, helmets or gift bags in recognition of their achievements in education, physical fitness and leadership."

"For several months the Cavaliers, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the Lithuanian National Team have been involved in a complex dispute over allowing him to play in this summer's Olympics. From the Cavs' standpoint ? the only one that matters in this case ? the matter is now closed. The Cavs privately declined permission several weeks ago and publicly did so on Thursday. Ilgauskas is one of a dozen players in the NBA who needs permission to play for a national team because his contract is not fully insured."

"Zydrunas Ilgauskas will not be permitted to play for Lithuania in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the Cavaliers announced Thursday. Although the veteran center had made it clear he wanted to compete for his country in the Olympics for the first -- and likely only -- time in his career, the Cavs think it is just too much of a risk. "Zydrunas is an important member of our team and has generally been a higher risk player due to his injury history," Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry said Thursday night."

"While Stern is correct that Donaghy is the only criminal (we know of) in the case, that's not the point. The point is that Donaghy's claims further damage the NBA, both in their timing (before Game 3 of the Finals) and because they support what is already a widely held suspicion that refs manipulate outcomes of games at the behest, or at least to the benefit of the league. That belief is shared not just by fans but by some coaches and players. The surprise is that Congress hasn't taken the opportunity to beat up the NBA the way it has gone after baseball."