Danny Ferry got his man.
With all the talk surrounding Amare Stoudemire coming to the Cavaliers, some questioned whether or not he was a good fit for the wine and gold. Ultimately, the front office and coaching staff must have had the same concerns, so they decided to get Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards instead.
The cost was Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the 2010 first round draft pick, which will likely be in the bottom two of the first round because of the Cavs great record. If the rumors are true about Z being bought out and rejoining the team in 30 days, this is an outstanding trade.
If Ilgauskas does not come back this season, it’s a good trade, but it will leave Cleveland one big man short in combating teams like the Celtics, Magic, and Lakers.
The other big factor for the Cavs is they did not give up J.J. Hickson, who the Suns coveted in a possible Stoudemire deal, but who Ferry didn’t want to give up.
There are several reasons the team really preferred Jamison to Stoudemire.
First, Jamison is a better fit on offense because he has the ability to be effective both on the perimeter and near the basket. Also, Jamison is a solid rebounder, averaging almost nine per night. That’s about the same total as Stoudemire, despite the latter being perceived as physically superior.
Jamison is also signed for two more years, meaning there is no fear of him playing through the season and walking at the end of the year. The veteran will be here for the next two seasons. He’s also hungry. He wants to win a championship, where Stoudemire might be more interested in getting a maximum contract.
The newest Cav can also play small forward with LeBron James moving to the backcourt if Mike Brown wants to go with his big lineup. The coach hinted he might do that in certain circumstances at today’s press conference.
The Cavs also picked up Sebastian Telfair in the deal, although it seems remote that he will help the club much. He does give the team another ball handler, of which they were short when Mo Williams and Delonte West were injured. Telfair is coming off an injury, so it’s not known when he will be ready to play.
The downside of the deal is losing Ilgauskas, robbing the team of its depth in the frontcourt, particularly at the center position. Unless he is bought out by Washington and returns to the team in 30 days, the wine and gold could have a problem.
The critics of the Cavs felt the team needed a reliable second scorer to go along with LeBron James. Antawn Jamison is that man. GM Danny Ferry got him without having to give up a promising young player. That’s a good deal.
It becomes highway robbery if Zydrunas Ilgauskas is back wearing the wine and gold in a month as many have speculated.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 