7’4″ NBA players are a rare find. 7’4″ players that are free agents at the close of February can play for just about any team that they want.
Now that Washington Wizards center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has cleared waivers after buying his way out of the nation’s capital, he’ll have to wait 48 hours before he can sign with another team. As we approach the stretch run to the postseason, there’s always a premium on veteran bigs. Playoff basketball is a more physical brand of ball, and adding a center with Ilgauskas’ blend of size, smarts and skill would be attractive to just about any team. He’s a solid on the glass – when he gets 30 minutes a game he pulls down about 9 caroms. He’s a lifetime 47.5% shooter from the field, which is not particularly great for a guy of his stature, but his touch is phenomenal. Z is at his best when he’s playing pick-and-pop basketball, draining jumpers at about 15-18 feet.
Big Z would be a welcomed target for Utah floor general Deron Williams.
So, as you would imagine, the list of interested teams is not a short one.
The Mavericks, Hawks, Nuggets and Jazz are the playoff-bound teams in hot pursuit for the services of the finesse big man. And each of those teams have the requisite parts to make Ilgauskas consider joining them. But insiders feel that Z has already make up his mind to return to the only franchise that he has ever played for – the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ilgauskas has his roots firmly planted in Cleveland, so it will more than likely take an absolutely unfathomable deal to make him consider another team. With the recent addition of Antwan Jamison (the same deal that shipped Z out to Washington), the Cavs figure to be the Eastern Conference favorite to reach the NBA Fianls.
So, it seems very likely that Z just paid a cool $1.5 million to get a shot at a championship ring.
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Like most organizations with employees if the Cavs front office was open and honest with him he'll come back. If they kept him out of the loop then it would take an unbelievable deal to make me come back to the Cavs. If you want me tell me you want me and how it's going to work out. If you don't want me or trust me then I'll see you on the other side of the court.
If he does resign with the Cavs, it's because they planned it that way. It would be a great job by the Cavs knowing their personnel and making the system work for them. But this proves that the system is VERY, VERY flawed.
Trading a good player for a better player, all the time knowing that you are going to end up with both players is something that the NBA is going to have to look at. It doesn't promote parity and at the very least there should be something that keeps the original team from retaining the services of that traded player a mere 48 hours after he clears waivers. Both teams accomplished what they wanted to with the trade. But Ilgauskas probably contacted the Wizards about his buyout in his size 33 slippers from his Cleveland-area home while eating a bowl of Wheaties with LeBron on the box.
2 comments
Like most organizations with employees if the Cavs front office was open and honest with him he'll come back. If they kept him out of the loop then it would take an unbelievable deal to make me come back to the Cavs. If you want me tell me you want me and how it's going to work out. If you don't want me or trust me then I'll see you on the other side of the court.
If he does resign with the Cavs, it's because they planned it that way. It would be a great job by the Cavs knowing their personnel and making the system work for them. But this proves that the system is VERY, VERY flawed.
Trading a good player for a better player, all the time knowing that you are going to end up with both players is something that the NBA is going to have to look at. It doesn't promote parity and at the very least there should be something that keeps the original team from retaining the services of that traded player a mere 48 hours after he clears waivers. Both teams accomplished what they wanted to with the trade. But Ilgauskas probably contacted the Wizards about his buyout in his size 33 slippers from his Cleveland-area home while eating a bowl of Wheaties with LeBron on the box.
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