There's a Whirlwind in Cleveland

Photo from AP.

As the off-season enters yet another lull, you may notice that a lot of the activity that does remain seems to be centered on the Cavs. What's even stranger is that most of this activity is out of the headlines.

Three significant blips on the Cavalier front came from Brian Windhorst:

• The Cavs are looking to add a big man to the roster, as the headline suggests, and Lorenzen Wright (sigh) may be that man. So let me get this straight: you've already got Big Z, Ben Wallace, and Anderson Varejao, and you want another reason to deny Lance Allred and J.J. Hickson playing time? I think it's about time we dub the league's GMs with the Magloire-Wright complex. It may well be the reason why everyone can complain about the lack of true big men in the league (how can you expect these players to develop if you're going to keep re-signing the same recycled, worn out, unproductive veterans that have shown their uselessness so many times before?). But hey, by all means, grab your veteran with his impressive '07-'08 averages of 0.8 PPG and 2.1 RPG. A semi-related note: There's a similar complex in the inbred head coaching pool...any ideas on a name?
• You've probably forgotten by now, but Delonte West is still trying to cut a deal. As far as I know, the qualifying offer (about $2.8 million) has been offered, and it looks like West may just settle for that. I'm really ambivalent on the rotation in terms of West and Gibson; offering both of them $5 million a year doesn't make all that much sense considering Mo Williams figures to get a good chunk of the minutes, and all things considered, the difference between them is marginal. Both are average defenders. Delonte is a better playmaker, but Gibson is a better shooter, especially when he catches fire. The deal-breaker? Gibson's already put pen to paper, and Delonte may end up being left out in the cold. But if Williams is in the Cavs long-term plans, it just doesn't make sense to lock up West and Gibson. Enjoy Russia, buddy.
• Eric Snow is retiring, about two seasons too late. Still, if the Cavaliers' disability claim goes through the league office, it will save them around $10 million. That's a pretty nice deal for the Cavs, who wouldn't have any minutes to waste on Snow anyways.

It's kind of strange to think about, but just a year ago Gibson was the sure-fire sweet-shooting point guard of the future for the Cavs, Anderson Varejao was an indispensible big, and Sasha Pavlovic was pencilled in as the starting 2 for the foreseeable future. Two holdouts, an injury, and a few trades later, all of those impressions have been erased. Gibson may be a bit too limited in his point guard skills to run this team (even with LeBron), Varejao seems disgruntled and can barely make layups, and Pavlovic has taken a hop, skip, and a jump backwards in failing to provide anything on either end of the court (aside from an impressive Rogaine bounce-back) for the Cavs.

After Varejao's contract displeasure, you have to imagine that he'll decline his player option if he smells anything close to a better deal. Sasha has been upstaged by Wally (and that's saying something), and doesn't show any signs of potential to take his spot in the rotation back. Still, this is Szczerbiak's last year under contract, and I can assure you he will not be back in Cleveland. Cleveland will no doubt go with Pavlovic, West, Gibson, or another stop-loss option to bide their time until 2010. Oh sweet summer of 2010.