Boozer

[thegrahamcrackr]

There is a general consensus on this board that we would have been better off selecting Boozer instead of Jacobson last year. I was looking over the Cavs salary situation next year, and was wondering if you think he may bolt the Cavs at the end of the year.

As of right now, the Cavs have just over 37million in guaranteed salaries next season. If they do not offer extentions to Miles or Mihm, and instead they just take qualifying offers, their payroll will jump to about 46.6 million. That is over the projexted cap of around 45 million or so.

So they will not be able to outbid any other team in order to retain his services (not that they would have to at this point)

So considering every team will technically be on an even playing field to get him, do you see him leaving?

Many teams including phoenix will most likely make bids on the FC this summer.

If he decides that he doesn't necessarily want to stay in Bron Bron land, do you think the suns should make a big effort to land him? Would Voskuhl and Boozer be enough of a young center rotation to compete for a title in a few years?


Personally I think we would have to overpay for an undersized (6'8, 258lbs) player. In the east it might be acceptable, but Im not so sure about out here. However, if the suns are considering taking on Tony Battie (6'11, 240lbs) and his 10million over 2 years I would prefer throwing the full MLE at Boozer.........


Just trying to get a little discussion about a player most people seem to like.

Andy

 

[Chaplin]

The reasons that he might want to leave Cleveland appear to be the same reasons he wouldn't sign with the Suns.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

What are those? I haven't actually read of any reason why he may want to leave. it was just all speculation.

 

[Joe Mama]

Carlos Boozer will still be a restricted free agent. He just won't have any Bird rights yet, so Cleveland can't go over the salary cap to resign him. They can however match any offer up to and including the mid-level exception. I'm sure they will throw the entire mid-level exception at him. Therefore the only teams with the chance to steal them away will be those far enough under the salary cap to offer him more than the mid-level exception. It was the situation with Gilbert Arenas last summer.

The Phoenix Suns will certainly not be under the salary cap. They'll be lucky to be under the luxury tax limit.

Joe Mama

 

[BMF]

He may not get any minutes with the clippers and im not to sure that hes that intense etc etc, but I think Melvin Ely could be a good fit. He's 6'10 and athletic....I doubt well ever be able to get him though...

 

[dyle_ph1]

Boozer to me is more of a PF though so he's just going to be another undersized center if he does join the Suns. he's a nice wide body and looks like a double double threat every game this season but not big enough for the West, IMO.

 

[elindholm]

Boozer would make a better PF than Marion, given that Stoudemire is evidently the Suns' "center" of the future. So there would be that. But I agree with Chaplin that the Suns probably wouldn't be very high on Boozer's list.

 

[Ryanwb]

I wish my last name was Boozer....atleast in college

 

[schutd]

Boozy Boozerson, Mayor of Drunkville?

 

[F-Dog]

I think that Boozer (like Troy Murphy and, to a lesser extent, Mo Taylor) is in a spot where he looks better than he is, because his team is strong at center but has no depth at PF.

They're all "interesting" and "effective", but none of those three players could break into the rotation in Portland, and I don't think any of them would be able to break into the rotation in Phoenix in a couple of years.

That's because the real competition for those guys on the Suns isn't Marion or Casey Jacobsen; it's Cabarkapa. Very few teams have room for three power forwards in their rotation.

Boozer would make a better PF than Marion, given that Stoudemire is evidently the Suns' "center" of the future.

Somebody better tell Jake!


Seriously, Amare doesn't have the size to play center over the long haul. Even the Suns seem to realize that.

Since he broke into the rotation, he's played a few minutes at center here and there; while I don't see any reason that will change, I also don't see why he'll be moving to center full-time, either.

If the Suns were going to move Amare eventually, wouldn't they be playing him almost exclusively at center right now?

 

[Errntknght]

I wanted the Suns to take Boozer (or Gadzuric) when they drafted CJ but not because Boozer could play center... I was thinking of him as a useful sub at both forward slots, to tell the truth. Who wouldn't take him in place of CJ now, but when it comes to outbidding Cleveland for him I don't thiink thats a good move for the Suns. He and Amare might do as a PF/C duo but that's bucking the odds, especially in the West. Zarko will probably work out subbing for Shawn and Amare so the money would be better spent beefing up center directly.

As I've said several times I'm not unhappy with our situation at C for the time being - FJ is being forced to rely on Voskuhl and Jake is responding well. Eventually we'll want another center to share the job - midyear would be soon enough for that. Hopefully, Jake will have solidified himself by then.

 

[Chaplin]

Why would Boozer not sign with Cleveland? Not enough money.

Why would Boozer not sign with Phoenix? Not enough money.

Same reason.

(referring to the first post and graham's reply)

 

[hcsilla]

Boozer is a typical "I'm a nothing special player with nice stats in a bad team", IMO.
I think that he will be a very effective career-backup PF.

I would reluctantly offer the mid-level for him and I'm not sure that someone will make a higher offer this offseason.

 

[jbeecham]

I doubt Boozer gets a mid-level exemption. I could see him getting more like 2.5-3 million a year. I'd love to have him in PHX and I wanted the Suns to draft him over CJ. I think having him and Amare on the floor on the same time would be great against almost every team in the league. Shaq would still give us problems, but who doesn't he give problems?