CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cleveland Cavaliers prepare for their busiest (and most expensive) off-season in franchise history - LeBron James has been busy scouring the free-agent market - trying to find that “Diamond in the rough.” Translated… that means he has to find one (1) free agent that will fit Cleveland’s MMLE (mini mid-level exception) that current salary cap exceeders get when they have to pay the luxury tax. So far, LeBron James is excited to see that Chicago Bull swingman Mike Dunleavy is on that list.
Dunleavy made $3,000,000 last year, and with a relatively affordable raise, he might be able to be had with the Cavaliers' MMLE. The Bulls have maintained that they will try to keep their free agents. But a maximum qualifying offer to guard Jimmy Butler by the Bulls means they will pay him $90,000,000-plus over five years. This equates to at least $18,000,000 a year. This could make it harder for them to offer Dunleavy a better option than the Cavaliers $3.2 million MMLE. If he requires more in the $4 million a year range, the Cavaliers may not be able to bring him in.
However, the Cavaliers need to find a back-up point guard, and Mo Williams is interested in returning to Cleveland. This could be either difficult or impossible if he won’t take a veteran's minimum contract.
If, in fact, the Cavaliers are able to find a ball handler with the contract of Brendan Haywood - they might just pass on the reunion with Mo Williams.
It's been said that the Cavaliers have talked with the San Antonio Spurs regarding Haywood. It's uncertain what they would be able to send to the Cavaliers for the $10,500,000 unguaranteed contract, but possibly a combination of Patty Mills ($3.5 million next season) and Boris Diaw ($8.5 million next season). This would be predicated on whether or not the Spurs can coax LaMarcus Aldridge into coming to San Antonio. Haywood's contract will be fully guaranteed if he is on a roster on August 2, 2015.
The fact that James has been playing GM wannabe is rather unsettling after the last off-season had the Cavaliers taking on contracts for the likes of Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, James Jones, and Kendrick Perkins. The only player that was serviceable was James Jones, but the Cavaliers had to play him at the four many times, reducing his effectiveness. Now that Mike Miller has opted in to his second and final year at $2.3 million, the Cavaliers need to let David Griffin do the personnel moves and let LeBron James play and “coach.”
While the Cavaliers may have been able to win a championship last year, it was not to be because of the bench players that saw limited to no minutes in the Finals. Mike Miller could be a mentor to second year swingman Joe Harris, but will Miller see much playing time?
If LeBron James wants a roster full of usable players, he needs to stop with the cronyism that caused the lack of depth last season. There's hope that GM David Griffin can find a way to please the King, while assembling a roster that makes sense.
Griffin was successful last season - can he do it again? Only time will tell.
Free Agency begins at midnight tonight July 1, 2015.