Alonzo Gee (6'6''-G-87, college: Alabama) is what you might call a value free-agent this summer. The Cavs forward has athleticism, youth on his side, a versatile skill-set, and strong upside. But he hasnt played well enough or under a big enough microscope to carry with him serious buzz. So teams are going to get their shot at making an offer for Gee and stealing him away from Cleveland. And one team is reportedly the Suns. From the Ohio Mourning Journal:
Cavs forward Alonzo Gee might draw some serious interest this summer in free agency. The Suns could make a lucrative offer to Gee. One source said they could offer Gee a four-year, $16 million offer and hope that the Cavs dont match it.
For $4 million a year, its hard to see the Cavs not matching. A possible exception would be if the Cavaliers were to somehow move up or have Michael Kidd-Gilchrist slide down to the four spot and that fills their small forward spot. But the Cavs would have strong inclination to match. Theyre bullish on Gees production and upside, and hes had some strong games for the Cavs over the past two years.
Value guys in this league are a must to find, especially for a rebuilding franchise. Small forward is a spot where you have to have athleticism. If the Cavs dont put together a strong offer for Gee, someone will.
Courtesy of http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com
Lebron James helps the Heat snatch victory in Game 1 against the Pacers - May 23, 2013
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Miami Heat - Indiana P. 103-102 OT
LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) made a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night. James finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat - his ninth postseason triple-double, and barely anyone noticed. All that mattered was the last shot, which simply saved the Heat. Paul George (6'9''-G/F-90, college: Fresno St [read more]
Miami Heat - Indiana P. 103-102 OT LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) made a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night. James finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat - his ninth postseason triple-double, and barely anyone noticed. All that mattered was the last shot, which simply saved the Heat. Paul George (6'9''-G/F-90, college: Fresno St.) made three free throws with 2.2 seconds left in the overtime, which he forced with a miracle 3-pointer, to give the Pacers the lead. But James - with Indiana shot-blocking center Roy Hibbert curiously on the bench - just drove down the left side of the lane, scored with ease and the Heat escaped. Game 2 is Friday night in Miami. Officials reviewed James' play at the end, though it was clear he beat the clock, and the Pacers walked slowly toward their locker room, lamenting one that got away - by no fault of George's. George was fouled by Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) on the play where the Pacers had to think they had stolen the series opener. George saved the Pacers in regulation with a 32-footer with 0.7 seconds left in regulation that tied the game, and tried a shot from a similar distance as time was expiring in the extra session. Referee Jason Phillips said Wade hit George, and the Pacers' star made all three free throws for the 16th lead change of the night. The final lead change came moments later, and Miami survived a game that had 18 ties and neither team ever leading by more than seven points. Wade scored 19 points, Chris Bosh (6'11''-F-84, college: Georgia Tech) had 17 and Chris Andersen (6'10''-C/F-78, college: Blinn JC) had 16 on 7 for 7 shooting for Miami. George scored 27 for the Pacers, who got 26 from David West (6'8''-F-80, college: Xavier), 19 from Hibbert. The Pacers have won only two series in franchise history after dropping a Game 1. The final few seconds of regulation were stunning, with Ray Allen - the sixth-best free-throw shooter in NBA history - missing one that proved big, and George making a miracle happen. Trailing by two with 17.7 seconds left, the Pacers had to foul Allen, who surely would have been their last choice. But he missed one of the two free throws, and it remained a one-possession game. Indiana brought the ball into the frontcourt, called time, and then seemed to have nothing really working as the final seconds of regulation ticked away. So George simply made something happen. From 32 feet - from the newly applied Eastern Conference finals sticker on the side of the court, technically - George connected with 0.7 seconds left, tying the game and giving Indiana life. Allen didn't get much of a desperation shot off at the end of regulation, and to overtime the teams went. The Pacers kept landing the first punches. George made a pair of free throws to open the extra session, and Andersen tied it with a pair of his own. Hibbert scored from close range, and Wade answered with an easy one after a runout for the 16th tie of the night. George was far from done. He went past James, got into the lane, tossed up a shot after contact and started what became a three-point play that put the Pacers up 99-96. Miami had three chances at the tie - a desperation 3-pointer by Shane Battier as the shot clock was expiring, then a 3-point try by Battier and another 3 attempt by Battier. All missed. But Bosh grabbed the rebound of the last Battier shot that bounced off the rim in that sequence, scored while being fouled by George with 49.7 seconds left, calmly swished the free throw and the teams were - what else? - tied again at 99-all. Courtesy of: nj.com
Spurs survive overtime to grab 2-0 lead against Grizzlies - May 22, 2013
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San Antonio S. - Memphis G. 93-89 OT
Tony Parker (6'2''-PG-82) had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists, Tim Duncan (6'11''-F/C-76, college: Wake Forest) scored San Antonio's first six points of overtime and the Spurs bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 on Tuesday night. The Spurs took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals with Game 3 on Saturday in Memphis [read more]
San Antonio S. - Memphis G. 93-89 OT Tony Parker (6'2''-PG-82) had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists, Tim Duncan (6'11''-F/C-76, college: Wake Forest) scored San Antonio's first six points of overtime and the Spurs bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 on Tuesday night. The Spurs took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals with Game 3 on Saturday in Memphis. Tony Parker had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists, Tim Duncan scored San Antonio's first six points of overtime and the Spurs bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 on Tuesday night. The Spurs took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals with Game 3 on Saturday in Memphis. The Spurs put all five starters in double figures, getting 14 points from Tiago Splitter (6'11''-C/F-85, agency: Interperformances), 12 from Kawhi Leonard (6'7''-F-91, college: San Diego St.) and 11 from Danny Green. Zach Randolph (6'9''-C-81, college: Michigan St.) had 15 points and 18 rebounds after a two-point performance in Game 1, his lowest-scoring effort all season. Marc Gasol (7'1''-C-85, agency: Interperformances) had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Coach Lionel Hollins talked before the game about wanting the Grizzlies - getting increased attention in their first Western Conference finals appearance - to avoid being like a boy in junior high school who suddenly decides he needs to change once he gets noticed by a pretty girl. 'We're who we are and we have to stay who we are, and we have to understand that no matter who's coming and talking to us, we have to be true to our identity,' Hollins said, 'and we can't go changing and shaving and taking a bath when we haven't taken one all along.' Memphis, with the league's best defense, looked like itself again early on while recovering from a 7-0 hole to turn it into a 15-13 slugfest after the first quarter. But after the Grizzlies went ahead for the first time, San Antonio surged back ahead with seven straight points - including Matt Bonner's two-handed block against Conley and then a jumper by the red-headed sharp-shooter. The Spurs then asserted control with back-to-back 3-pointers from Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard to go up 46-30 before Bayless broke a 4-minute scoreless stretch by the Grizzlies with a free throw with a half-second left in the first half. Courtesy of: washingtonpost.com
Cavaliers leapfrog Magic to win NBA draft lottery - May 22, 2013
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Nick Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers have beaten the NBA lottery odds again. The Cavaliers won the lottery for the second time in three years Tuesday, giving them the No. 1 pick for the June 27 draft. Gilbert, owner Dan Gilbert's bowtie-wearing son, was on stage for another the victory. After he won it in 2011, the Cavs used the pick to take eventual Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke).
The Orlando Magic fell back one spot to No [read more]
Nick Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers have beaten the NBA lottery odds again. The Cavaliers won the lottery for the second time in three years Tuesday, giving them the No. 1 pick for the June 27 draft. Gilbert, owner Dan Gilbert's bowtie-wearing son, was on stage for another the victory. After he won it in 2011, the Cavs used the pick to take eventual Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke). The Orlando Magic fell back one spot to No. 2, while the Washington Wizards vaulted from the No. 8 spot to third. Toronto won the 12th overall pick in the lottery, but it was transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the deal that saw James Harden go to the Houston Rockets and Kyle Lowry go to the Raptors. Ten years after winning the lottery that landed them LeBron James, the Cavaliers picked up another opportunity to help speed up the rebuilding process since his departure to Miami in 2010. The potential No. 1 pick this year, Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel (6'10''-F-94), is no James. But he could be a nice addition for the Cavs once he's recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, if they keep the pick. They also have Nos. 19, 31 and 33 for new coach Mike Brown, who they rehired after firing Byron Scott following a 24-58 season. "We were hoping regardless of what pick we got that this would be our last lottery," Dan Gilbert said. "We thought originally after everything had to be reset that it would be a three-year process. You never know. It could be four. We thought three years, but having No. 1 and 19, we've got a pretty good chance of this being the last one for a while." Dan Gilbert and the rest of the Cavs entourage, all wearing bowties as well, celebrated their latest victory, which came with 15.6 per cent odds after they finished with the NBA's third-worst record at 24-58. "For everyone in Cleveland who has supported us through these three years, I think this is for them," Dan Giblert said. "Is that right, Nick?" "It feels good," Nick said. Dan Gilbert called Nick, born with Neurofibromatosis (NF), a nerve disorder that causes tumors to grow anywhere in the body at any time, his "hero" after the 2011 win. Nick, who wears thick glasses, charmed viewers before that one, responding to a question about being there by saying: "What's not to like?" He wore a stern look this time, saying he expected he was done coming here and that he believed the Cavs would be in the playoffs next season. They got a nice jump on that goal. Not even having four-time winner Pat Williams on stage and 25 per cent odds could get the No. 1 pick for the Magic. The team with the best odds hasn't won since 2004, when Orlando won for the third time with Williams representing them and drafted Dwight Howard. Even heading back to their Hornets name couldn't change the luck of the Bobcats, who were lottery losers for the second straight year. Hours after owner Michael Jordan announced they were planning to get back the original nickname of the Charlotte franchise, the Bobcats fell from No. 2 to the fourth spot. Last year, Charlotte had the best odds of winning after the worst season in NBA history but fell back one spot to second. The lottery sets the top three teams, and the remainder of the 14 teams finish in inverse order of their record. Phoenix will pick fifth, followed by New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Minnesota, Portland, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Utah. The Thunder got the Raptors' pick as payment of a previous trade because it didn't move into the top three. Bryan Colangelo represented the team on stage on the day the Raptors announced he would stay on as team president but they would hire a general manager. Guards Ben McLemore (6'5''-G) of Kansas and Trey Burke (6'0''-PG-92) of Michigan, the college player of the year, and Georgetown forward Otto Porter (6'8''-F-93) Jr. are considered other top available players. With uncertainty at the top, this is another year when the No. 1 pick could've been a high school player if eligible. Kansas-bound prep star Andrew Wiggins may have been the choice, but the age limit requiring players to be 19 years old and a year out of high school will remain unchanged at least until the players' association has a new executive director to replace the ousted Billy Hunter. The union would like the limit to be lowered or scrapped entirely, while the NBA has expressed interest in raising it to 20. Courtesy of: cbc.ca
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