from BW:
Wait gets longer to sign players
Moratorium extended again; Cavaliers await final salary-cap figure
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sports writer
The moratorium has turned into a marathon.
Rumors became official Wednesday, when the NBA informed teams that the lawyers aren't finished with the language in the new collective bargaining agreement. Therefore, there will be an extension to the ``moratorium period,'' which was supposed to end Friday at 6 p.m. Teams can't officially sign players during the period, which had already been extended a week.
It means the Cavaliers will have to wait on signing Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Donyell Marshall until at least next week. But that is just a formality -- of more importance is the delay in finalizing the salary cap.
The Cavaliers, like most teams, have been operating under the belief that the salary cap will be between $48-49 million. Based on their signings -- Hughes for five years and $60 million, Ilgauskas for five years and about $50 million and Marshall for four years and $22 million -- the team has about $3.5 million left to spend.
However, there's a chance the cap could jump to as much as $52 million, which would change the landscape and the Cavaliers' options.
Rumors from Israel to Lithuania to Ohio have the Cavaliers coming to an agreement with point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius.
Two Eastern Conference executives said Tuesday, though, that there is no deal in place and the Cavaliers are still considering their options at point guard. That could indeed involve the Lithuanian and Maccabi Tel Aviv star Jasikevicius, whom Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has been interested in since his days in the Spurs' organization. There are other options.
Los Angeles Clippers restricted free-agent guard Marko Jaric is expected to visit the Cavaliers today or Friday. The Cavaliers are also believed to be exploring trades or sign-and-trade deals to acquire a point guard.
Other free agents that interest them, according to league insiders, are Miami Heat free agent Damon Jones, Portland Trail Blazers free agent Damon Stoudemire and Washington Wizards restricted free agent Steve Blake.
The Cavaliers' most tradable assets are power forward Drew Gooden and backup swingmen Luke Jackson and Sasha Pavlovic. The Cavaliers also have their cap space and a $2.1 million trade exception they got when they traded Jiri Welsch to the Milwaukee Bucks on draft day. The cap space and the exception allow them to take back more in salary than they give away, which could come into play.
Gooden might have become expendable with the signing of Marshall, who can start at power forward. Gooden is coming off a career season but is more of a scorer and rebounder than team defender. The Cavaliers have focused on improving their defense.
He would also be attractive in a trade, because he is entering the final year of his contract.
