Yahoo Sports: Cavs land Shaq for Wallace, Pavlovic

[Tribal Warfare]

Cavs land Shaq for Wallace, Pavlovic

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports and Johnny Ludden 2 hours, 38 minutes ago

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached an agreement in principle to acquire Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal(notes), multiple sources involved in the talks told Yahoo! Sports late Thursday night.

Cleveland will send Ben Wallace(notes), Sasha Pavlovic(notes), the 46th pick in Thursday’s draft and cash to the Suns for O’Neal.

Cleveland and Phoenix were both juggling multiple trade possibilities with other teams, with the Cavs involved with as many as six trade scenarios.

Yet the disappointing Eastern Conference finals loss to the Orlando Magic left Cavs GM Danny Ferry with incredible pressure to accumulate talent around James in the final season prior to his 2010 free agency. James has blessed the O’Neal trade, especially because it should give his overmatched frontline a chance to compete with Dwight Howard in the playoffs. Ferry and Phoenix GM Steve Kerr are close friends and had talked off and on about a Shaq deal since the February trade deadline.

O’Neal, 37, makes $21 million next season, and the Suns were determined to move him in a package that would save them money. Wallace made $14 million and could take a buyout to retire, and only $1.5 million of Pavlovic’s $4.9 million salary is guaranteed.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Valiant

It will never happen..

He played in 75 games last year.

[Ebolapox]

honestly, I'd be shocked if the cavs don't go after chris bosh if he becomes available.

[suds79]

Originally Posted by H5N1

honestly, I'd be shocked if the cavs don't go after chris bosh if he becomes available.

doesn't he become available the same time Lebron does? Hence the theory that NY would like to try to land them both?

[Basileus777]

Originally Posted by H5N1

honestly, I'd be shocked if the cavs don't go after chris bosh if he becomes available.

They don't have the assets to get him. Toronto isn't going to give him up for Delonte West or Mo Williams and expirings.

[Micjones]

Great acquisition.
The Cavs can use Shaq's post presence.
He still gives you numbers night in and night out.

I'm sure Lebron is pleased.

[shitgoose]

Originally Posted by Basileus777

They don't have the assets to get him. Toronto isn't going to give him up for Delonte West or Mo Williams and expirings.

They don't have to give up anything if he is a free agent genius. All they have to have is cap space, which they will have seeing how Shaq is in the last year of his $21 mil per season deal.

[Basileus777]

Originally Posted by shitgoose

They don't have to give up anything if he is a free agent genius. All they have to have is cap space, which they will have seeing how Shaq is in the last year of his $21 mil per season deal.

I know that buddy. But I assumed from the words "if he became available" that he was referring to a trade, since it's an open secret that he won't be resigning with Toronto and will likely be traded this year.

[Ultra Peanut]

[KCChiefsMan]

can't hurt, Ben Wallace was practically worthless for the Cavs last year.

[Halfcan]

Shaq wants another ring and will show up very motivated. He would love to bitch slap Kobe.

[Archie Bunker]

and Orlando responds....

Various sources are reporting that Vince Carter has been traded to the Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee.

The Nets are expected to take SG Terrence Willams at No. 11, if he’s still available (which is who we have them taking in our mock draft). Once this deal becomes official, the Nets are going to have a ton of cap space next summer, while the Magic are going to look great with a starting five of Jameer Nelson, Carter, Hedo Turkoglu (if they re-sign him), Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard. Jun. 25 - 4:32 pm et

www.rotoworld.com

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by suds79

doesn't he become available the same time Lebron does? Hence the theory that NY would like to try to land them both?

NY won't get Lebron. Lebron actually loves the city of Cleveland and the team. It surprised me too, because I would hate living there. People assume that all people are attracted to the bright lights. I guarantee that Lebron knows that it's better to be with a stable organization than to chase after a contract for a team that has no idea how to run a team.

[L.A. Chieffan]

phoenix is really going down the shitter. i used to think kerr knew what he was doing.

if you're a suns fan just kill yourself

[DrRyan]

Originally Posted by Basileus777

People said Shaq was done last year.
I don't know why Phoenix made this trade. Is Sasha Pavlovic, a bad draft pick, and some cash really worth the difference between Shaq and Wallace considering both are on expiring contracts?

Ben Wallace has been quoted as saying he may retire. He will "talk it over" with his family before making a decision on whether he will play next season.

Originally Posted by Basileus777

It's only a problem if they play Varejao at PF next to him. The Cavs need to sign and trade Varejao or let him go elsewhere and get a 4 that can shoot, someone like Mcdyess or Sheed.

Cleveland just got a player at the C position that changes a team's entire defensive dynamic, and all it cost them was Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. They just threw out two virtual nobodies for a heck of a center. For all Shaq's weaknesses, he's still an intimidator in the paint, a strong rebounder, and a mega efficient post presence. Shaq's excellent ability to pass out of the post alone is a significant upgrade. And since neither Shaq nor Big Z can play big minutes, you can have a nice rotation with the two of them.

Shaq does change a teams entire dynamic. Both offensive and defensive. You do realize that pick and roll defense is what cost the Cavs the series against Orlando. Trust me, the Cavs pick and roll D just got worse, much worse.

Originally Posted by kcxiv

Still have to pay the money to Wallace he's making 16 million, plus the 3-4 Sasha is owed.

See above, entirely possible that Wallace does not play this season.

[DrRyan]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

phoenix is really going down the shitter. i used to think kerr knew what he was doing.

if you're a suns fan just kill yourself

The Suns are at the bottom of the barrel. This has been a long time coming here in AZ thanks to their drafting(or lack thereof) history.

The list of players who Phoenix has drafted then traded, players drafted from their picks and/or sold for cash:

2007 - Rudy Fernandez
2006 - Rajon Rondo
2005 - Nate Robinson
2004 - Luol Deng

Add on top of that the Suns brutal reach of a pick in Robin Lopez last season and you have a recipe for a bad team. Rondo is a top 5 PG in the NBA, Fernandez and Robinson are still getting better and Deng is a star in the making if he can stay healthy.