Cleveland Keeping Stars

The Plain Dealer is reporting the Indians have agreed to a contract extension with Travis Hafner that will keep Pronk in a Tribe uniform through 2012. The extension with net Hafner an additional $57 million. Mark Shapiro will now turn his attention to extending the contract of ace C.C. Sabathia, a free agent after the 2008 season. An All-Star this year, Sabathia should command more money than Hafner, and hopefully Shapiro (and the Dolans') will continue their commitment to keeping the teams nucleus in tact.

In more good news on the shores of Lake Erie, the Memphis Grizzlies have made a contract offer to unrestricted free agent Darko Milicic. The Grizzle, once the front runner in offering a contract to Anderson Varejao, will pay Milicic $7 in his first season. With Memphis out of the picture, it is increasingly likely Varejao will return to the Wine & Gold (and for less than originally thought!), as the only other team will substantial cap space (Milwaukee) is not in the market for a big man. A Varejao signing may finally put an end to my hopes of seeing Mo Williams in a Cavs uniform, unless Ferry can orchestrate a sign-and-trade with the Bucks. Would they take Eric Snow, Ira Newble, and $3 million dollars to help them get Earl Boykins or Steve Blake to run the point for Williams signed for $7-8 million? Maybe not, but the Cavs also have the power to keep a percentage of Newble's contract on their payroll, giving the Bucks even more cap room to make a run at the big name free agents that will be available in '08.

Mo Williams, No Problems

In the wake of the NBA Finals, it was clear the Cavs had two issues to address if they wanted another shot at Larry Obrien's trophy: (1) A legitimate scoring threat opposite LeBron and (2) An experienced point guard who could initiate Mike Brown's offense and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. In the first day teams can officially sign free agents, why haven't the Cavs been more active in recruiting such a player!? Danny Ferry says he's open to any transaction that will improve the team, and yet his main focus in free agency (at least according to the press) has been a (understandable) wait-and-see policy on restricted free agents Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic and talks with vetern non-impact players like Morris Peterson and Derek Fisher. Why hasn't Ferry made a stronger picth to Maurice Williams, who's only other suitors seem to be the Milwaukee Bucks (his former team) and the Miami Heat (who could only offer him the mid-level exception). With the NBA's salary cap figures released today, Williams is in line for a contract between $5-10 million a season, and will most likely sign for $7-8 million per. With the Memphis Grizzlies $8 million under the cap, the cost to keep Varejao or sign Williams are looking to be pretty comparable. If Ferry is serious about keeping both Varejao and Pavlovic, this means he could potentially have his choice of a Varejao/Pavlovic or Williams/Pavlovic combo for the SAME PRICE. Which option would put the Cavs in a better position to return to the Finals: Adding a young but experienced PG with start potential who averaged 17 pts and 5 assists last year, or keeping a fan-favorite, energizing big man who came off the bench to average 6 pts and 6 rebs for a team that's strength was rebounding AND who is never going to start as long as Drew Gooden (11 pts 8 rebs) is around? Gooden is an all around better player than Varejao and could certainly average a double-double if given more playing time. Look at the Cavs potential lineup scenarios with either Williams or Varejao:

With Varejao:
Starters: Larry Hughes, Pavlovic, James, Gooden, & Z
Bench: Varejao, Daniel Gibson, Shannon Brown, Donyell Marshall

With Williams:
Starters: Williams, Hughes, James, Gooden, Z
Bench: Pavlovic, Gibson, Brown, Marshall

Sure the Cavs would need to find another big man, but they could sign someone with comparable numbers for well below what Varejao is slated to make. Williams allows the Cavs to move Larry Hughes back to his natural position at SG (hopefully leaving the errant mid-range jumper behind him) and leaves them with an additional scoring threat off the bench (Pavlovic) to complement the developing Gibson (who is more SG than PG himself). Williams will chip in 15-20 pts a night, and all the Cavs lose is 6pts and 6rebs, some of which can be made up by Drew Gooden seeing more minutes. The addition of Williams would give the Cavs a dimension not yet seen in the LeBron era: A playmaking point guard to get James the ball, while at the same time taking a bit of the scoring load off his shoulders. What's even better about a potential Williams signing, is that he is the type of player who can push the tempo and get James the ball where he is his most unstoppable: in the open floor. Unless his market value somehow soars to $10 million per year, all the Cavs would lose in choosing Williams over Varejao is a back-up big man who at best is an offensive liability (Finals Game 3). Varejao was a great energy player for the Cavs last season, and one I have a personal investment in (I bought his navy blue away jersey for the '07 playoff run), but the fact remains that he is an offensively limited reserve who added to strengths the Cavs already possesed (defense, rebounding). Williams plays the Cavs weakest position (PG) and excels where the Cavs need the most help (offense). Mike Brown's system can turn any player into a good defender (Pavlovic shut down Vince Carter in the Nets series), but needs already strong offensive players to make something out of his Voodoo Offense (Brownanomics). Signing Williams, even at Varejao's expense, would launch the Cavs into the instant Eastern conference favorite again, and solidify the weaknesses exposed during the playoffs. Ferry needs to fend off the ghost of Jim Paxson that undoubtedly haunts his office, consult the VP of Common Sense, and make this move.