Cleveland Cavaliers Blog – Page 124 – NBA Blog

Rumors Talk: LeBron would go overseas

Would LeBron James play in Greece, Russia or some other European country if it meant making dozens of millions per season? Why not? I doubt he, Kobe Bryant or any other star would leave the NBA for years, picking their entire life up and going to another continent for a long time. But for a season or two? Sounds possible.

What if LeBron, in a couple of seasons, finds himself a free agent, and the select few NBA teams with salary cap space to sign him at the time, are losing teams that offer him no real shot at a championship anytime soon. And then he has a chance to see a new part of the world. Why not consider it? LeBron could probably bring a bunch of his friends for company. They work for him, so that’s no problem. Teams in Europe play fewer games than NBA teams, so it’s less “work.”

Again, I don’t see it being a long-term thing. I doubt Kobe, LeBron or any top star would agree to go overseas for more than a season. If the deal was longer, they’d surely want an opt-out option at the end of each season, like Josh Childress reportedly received.

You’d go vacation in Greece for a year, right? What if you could work there for a year, at double your current pay? You’d consider it. So would anyone else.

– Jeff

Talk bball on the InsideHoops basketball message board.

Cavaliers sign Tarence Kinsey

The Cavs, who so far haven’t done anything this summer to help the team and so far aren’t giving LeBron James the help he needs to really compete for a championship, have signed Tarence “Yes, that’s how I spell my first name” Kinsey, who will provide added depth in the backcourt. Here’s the news:

Cleveland has signed guard Tarence Kinsey to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kinsey, 24, split last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul of the Turkish Basketball League. In 11 games with Memphis, he averaged 3.6 points on .421 shooting and 1.1 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. He averaged 9.2 points in 14 regular season games with Fenerbahce Ulker and posted averages of 8.8 points on .492 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 12 Euroleague games.

“Tarence is a talented young perimeter player that has good length and athleticism,” Ferry said. “He has shown an ability to be an effective player on both ends of the court.”

As a rookie in 2006-07, the 6-foot-6 guard played in 48 games (12 starts) with the Grizzlies and averaged 7.7 points on .457 shooting, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20.2 minutes per game. Kinsey, who played all four seasons at the University of South Carolina, averaged 18.8 points on .491 shooting, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.4 steals in 41.8 minutes per game in the 12 starts with Memphis.

Rumors Talk: On Louis Williams

Lou Williams impressed me a lot last season. I’m still not sure if he’s worthy of being a full-season, full-time starting point guard, but at the very least he’s a terrific backup. In a season or two he’ll probably be ready to start for 5 or 10 of the league’s teams, which would have been crazy to suggest a mere year ago. The kid just flat-out works hard, and he’s more skilled than many thought.

Williams would make a great addition to the Cavs and has more upside than Daniel Gibson, who remains a shooter that isn’t a true floor leader. Gibson, whose nickname “Boobie” still just seems wrong, a better, younger Damon Jones. I like Gibson, but as a backup, not a starter. Williams, to me, should keep emerging and become someone’s starter.

Lebron donates cash to Obama

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports: LeBron James has lavished a little more than 0.1 percent of his 2008-09 salary of $14.4 million on the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, according to Federal Election Commission records. In June, the Cavaliers star donated $20,000 to the Democratic White House Victory Fund, a joint committee set up by Obama and the Democratic Party for the presidential race. Supporting a political candidate is a risky move for an athlete who has a $100 million contract with Nike, and depends on shoe sales for part of his income. But in this case it’s not foolish, according to one sports marketing expert.

How to determine schedule for any team

The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports on a team’s 82-game regular season schedule: “Four games against division opponents. Four games against six out-of-division conference opponents. Three games against the remaining four conference teams. Two games against teams in the opposing conference. A five-year rotation determines which out-of-division conference teams are played only three times.”

Cavs keep Dan Gibson

The Cavaliers have re-signed point guard Daniel Gibson to a multi-year contract. More info is here.

As of now, he’s their best option at point guard. Delonte West is still an unsigned free agent.

The Cavs pretty much have their core from last year. They still need more depth at point guard and the backup swingman/small forward spots.

As of now, the team should be around as good as they were last season.

2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million

The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.

The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.

For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

LeBron loves Brooklyn

New York Newsday (Ken Berger) reports: “My favorite cities are New York; Washington, D.C.; Dallas, Texas; Los Angeles, California, and Akron, Ohio,” LeBron James said, pausing only before offering his hometown of Akron, which was suggested by me. “What’s your favorite borough?” LBJ was asked. “My favorite borough?” he said, without a hint of hesitation. “Brooklyn.”

Cavs offered Nets Wally for Vince

The Bergen Record (Dave D’Alessandro) reports: The Nets may seem to be in the process of blowing up their roster, but if they truly wanted to experience a true demolition job, they had their chance Wednesday night. 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.

Anderson Varejao trade talks

The Akron Beacon Journal (Brian Windhorst) reports via blog: “The Cavs have had trade talks with at least five teams about Varejao. But these talks have three sides, the Cavs, the potential trading partner and Varejao’s agent, Dan Fegan. Because Andy has to give permission to be traded before Dec. 5 (a stipulation when a player has an offer sheet matched by his team), he must be in the loop before a deal can be done. This permission will be given (he cannot be traded to the Bobcats under any circumstances until Dec.) only if Fegan likes the chances of Varejao getting big minutes and having an important role at his new destination. The reason is this is Varejao’s contract year essentially and a big season would mean a chance at the big deal Andy has wanted for a year. I also know that at least one trading partner has already been told “no” by Fegan. I do not know which team, but keep in mind as the Cavs are linked to the Milwaukee Bucks in trade rumors that Fegan also represents Yi Jianlian and probably would not like Varejao and Yi fighting for minutes with one another.”