Z profile (and retirement speculation after this season) by Chris Tomasson

[Man Called X]

One of the things that I must do before I die is have a beer with big Z and AC.

I mean, AC specifically because he inspired my drinking game. And well Z, I know he's got good taste in beer.

 

[Kypus]

Nothing groundbreaking, just interesting seeing Z's thought process:

Ilgauskas hints retirement could come soon

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP)—Once March arrives, Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) knows his legs will throb and his feet will ache.

The West Coast trips, the games on consecutive nights and the grind of a long NBA season that—if all goes well—will include two months of playoffs has Ilgauskas wondering if perhaps this season will be his last.

“I think I still have at least a few good years of basketball left in me, it’s whether I would like to do it,” the Cleveland Cavaliers center said on Friday. “It gets hard every year mentally and physically. We’ve been playing long seasons the last few years. It all stacks up.”

Ilgauskas, 34, is entering the final year of his contract after spending his entire 11-year career with the Cavaliers.

While Cleveland is primed for another deep run into the postseason, huge questions loom beyond this year.

Shaquille O’Neal(notes) is in the final year of his contract and LeBron James(notes) could opt for free agency, particularly if the Cavaliers again fall short of an NBA championship. Should James leave, O’Neal would likely follow him out the door.

Ilgauskas wouldn’t say how much James’ decision will affect his, but he acknowledged he is not interested in another rebuilding project—the Cavaliers missed the playoffs in seven of his first eight years in the league.

“But this team is far away from rebuilding,” he said.

Ilgauskas enters the season handling a pair of new roles, father and bench player. He and his wife, Jennifer, adopted a pair of brothers from an orphanage in Ilgauskas’ hometown in Lithuania. Around that time, the Cavaliers acquired O’Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns, relegating Ilgauskas to the bench for the first time in his career.

The move could benefit both aging centers. O’Neal, 37, is entering his 18th season.

Neither has ever had such a capable complement. The two have combined for 14 All-Star games, nearly 38,000 points and more than 14,000 rebounds during the regular season.

“I don’t look at it as taking Z’s spot,” O’Neal said. “I look at it as us working together. Me and him on the same team, we are the best centers in the NBA.”

Ilgauskas’ name surfaced this week in trade rumors, something he dismisses since he has been traded “75, no, 77 times since I’ve been here,” he joked. “I would like obviously to stay here, but this is a business. If it comes or not, I’ll deal with it. I’ve expressed my desire always to stay with this team, especially now when we have a chance to win.”

Coach Mike Brown said again on Friday he plans to pick his spots to play Ilgauskas and O’Neal together, hopefully creating matchup nightmares for defenses trying to defend a pair of 7-footers. It could leave the Cavaliers slow on defense, though, and defense is what Brown has emphasized since taking over four years ago.

“It’ll be deadly because they won’t be able to double both of us,” O’Neal said. “We’ll have two big guys on the boards and Z is a great shooter. He can spread the floor out. If his guy is worrying about what I’m doing, I’ll kick it to him and he’s going to shoot. If he misses, I’ll get the rebound. It’ll be fun at times.”

Given his frame and his game, Brown believes Ilgauskas could hang around for at least five more years.

“Z could play as long as he wants. I think 7-footers, especially guys that have skill, can play forever,” Brown said. “There have been a lot of 7-footers who have played into their late 30s and even early 40s. You can’t coach size or teach size. They’re going to be big whether they move slow or slower.”

Ilgauskas hasn’t officially decided on his future, but he’s mulling his options.

“The grind gets tougher and tougher each year,” he said. “A younger guy is able to recover and bounce back faster. Once you get older, it’s not happening for you.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I guess I’ll see how this season goes and how I feel at the end. I’ll decide at the end of the year if I feel like playing and what the opportunities are … I’d love to finish here.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-cavaliers-ilgauskas&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

[PIP]

It was a good run...

 

[Karma]

It was a good run...

And here we have the source of most rumours.

 

[nime]

Sports.Rumors don't affect Z
Published: Saturday, October 10, 2009

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By Bob Finnan
RFinnan@News-Herald.com

Zydrunas Ilgauskas isn't oblivious to trade rumors.

He probably reads "HoopsHype.com" every morning like everyone else.

The Cavaliers center isn't putting much stock in the Contra Costa Times report that the Golden State Warriors have offered guard Stephen Jackson and another player for his services.

But he realizes it could happen.

"I'd rather stay here," he said. "This is a business. When I come to that bridge, I'll cross it.

"Shaq got traded three times. If it happens, life goes on. You deal with it and you move on."

The Cavs, who travel to Charleston, S.C., tonight to face the Charlotte Bobcats in their second preseason game, have quality frontcourt depth in Shaquille O'Neal, Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson, among others.

Take the 7-foot-3, 260-pound Ilgauskas out of the equation, though, and the Cavs become quite ordinary.

That's why Cavs general manager Danny Ferry might listen to such offers, but isn't apt to pull the trigger — at least now.

The Cavs know Boston and Orlando have powerful big men who could prove to be Eastern Conference roadblocks in the postseason.

Ilgauskas will make $11.5 million this season in the final year on his contract. Also, he has a 15-percent trade kicker.

Ilgauskas' expiring contract will come into play at the trade deadline, however. Expect Ferry to get a lot of phone calls between now and then. However, it would be very difficult for Ferry to trade Ilgauskas.

They were former teammates and have remained close even after Ferry moved to the front office.

But Ferry can't let that cloud his decision-making.

"He has a job to do and that's to build a championship contender," Ilgauskas said. "I've been traded 75 times since I've been here. After a while, you become numb to it."

But there's a subplot to the story. The 34-year-old could retire after this season.

"I didn't say I was going to retire," Ilgauskas said. "There's always a chance. There are injuries and everything else. We'll see how I feel at the end of the season.

"I'll be a free agent, so my contract is up. Who knows what is going to happen here? I'll decide at the end of the year if I feel like playing and see what kind of opportunities are out there."

Judging by the current state of big men in the NBA, he'll be able to play beyond this season.

Cavs coach Mike Brown concurs.

"Seven-footers, especially guys who have skill, can play forever," he said. "There have been a lot of 7-footers who have played forever. Some have played into their late 30s or early 40s.

"You can't coach size. (Those players) are going to be big no matter if they move slow or move slower. In my opinion, Z can play as long as he wants."

Ilgauskas said he's not ready for the scrap heap.

"I have a few good years of basketball left in me," he said. "It gets harder every year mentally and physically."

The Cavs hope to play into mid-June this season, which would mean another NBA Finals appearance. That would mean more than 100 games counting the preseason, regular season and playoffs.

Add West Coast trips and back-to-back games and one can realize why aging players are practically exhausted by season's end.

"The grind gets tougher and tougher each year," Ilgauskas said. "It takes its toll on your body.

"Winning a championship won't play a big part one way or another."

Neither would the fact that he's now a father. He and his wife adopted two orphan boys from Lithuania over the summer.

Ilgauskas has been in Cleveland since he was drafted in 1996. He's not campaigning to pick up and move now.

"I would love to finish here," he said. "I expressed my desire to stay with this team, especially now that we have a chance to win."

Quick shots

n Neither guard Delonte West nor forward Jamario Moon will play in tonight's preseason game against Charlotte. West remains away from the team as he takes care of legal and personal matters in the Washington, D.C., area. Moon had two wisdom teeth extracted on Friday at the Cleveland Clinic.

n Fox Sports Ohio's Fred McLeod will fill in for WTAM radio broadcaster Joe Tait in tonight's game. Tait is being inducted into the Monmouth (Ill.) College hall of fame and will miss the game.

n The New York Daily News is running the "LeBron Free Agent Countdown" on its Website everyday. For those keeping track at home, there are 264 days until King James reaches the open market.

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2009/10/10/sports/nh1551207.txt

 

[Yipee]

By Zydrunas Ilgauskas' estimate, he has been traded about 75 times since he first came to the Cavaliers 12 years ago.

"Or maybe 77," Ilgauskas deadpanned Friday. "I lost count already."

That's the 7-foot-3 center's way of saying trade rumors are a daily part of life in the NBA, and why he's shrugging off the newest whispers that Golden State has inquired about swapping unhappy swingman Stephen Jackson for Ilgauskas.

While it's true that the Cavaliers might now almost have a surplus of talented big men with the off-season acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal, the trade rumor also would vio late one of the league's unwrit ten tenets - don't trade big for small. So Ilgauskas isn't too worried that anything will come to fruition.

"If it happens, life goes on," Ilgauskas shrugged.

But the possibility of leaving Cleveland did serve as an opportunity for Ilgauskas to reiterate that he wants to finish his career with the Cavaliers - and there's a chance the 34-year-old might call it quits when his contract expires at the end of this season.

He's not saying it's likely or even probable, and he swears his decision won't be linked to whether LeBron James re-signs with the Cavaliers in the off-season. It's just a possibility.

"I think I still have at least a few good years of basketball left in me," Ilgauskas said. "I would like to [come back]. [But] it gets harder every year, mentally and physically. I'll just decide at the end of the year."

Ilgauskas reminded listeners of his creaky back and delicate feet, which have endured five surgeries, and his newfound status as a father to two young boys adopted over the summer from his hometown in Lithuania. He's older. His seasons last longer now that the Cavaliers annually play deep into the playoffs.

"I just feel the grind more," he said. "You feel it in the middle of February, middle of March, [with] West Coast trips, back-to-backs, over and over and over again. As a younger guy, you were able to come back faster. When you get older, it's not happening. The grind gets tougher and tougher each year. It takes a toll on your body."

Whether we win the championship, or if Z retires at the end of the season or doesn't even get to play minute this season because of injuries, I want this guys jersey retired.

 

[rabman_gold]

75 times?

In 1997, he was traded from the Terrell Brandon led roster to the Shawn Kemp one. In 1999 he was traded from an All-Rookie season to an injured season or two. In 2000, while injured, he was traded from a finished Shawn Kemp roster to an Andre Miller one. In 2001, he was traded from a healthy roster to an injured one. In 2002, he was traded from misery to recovery. Also traded that year from decent players to selfish ones. And also traded from a 30 win roster to a 17 win roster. In 2003, he was traded from a selfish roster to one that had acquired LeBron. In 2004, he was traded to a roster with Carlos Boozer to one with Drew Gooden (oy!). In 2005, he was traded from a roster with screwed up management to one with the best new people in the business. In 2006 he was traded from a decent roster to a fairly better one that went to the championship round. In 2007, he was traded from the highest of places (Finals) to a more average level of accomplishment (a rough start). In 2008 he was traded to a different looking team in almost a single night (Drew, Larry out; Ben, Delonte in). In 2009, he was traded from an average team to the best team in Cavs history). And now, he been traded from a full-time starter to a backup.

I got 14 trades here, if you want to be technical, but he's seen change in the best ways. He won't have to worry whatever happens. One of the best Cavs in history. He can always come back for more if he isn't satisfied.

 

[Man Called X]

75 times?

In 1997, he was traded from the Terrell Brandon led roster to the Shawn Kemp one. In 1999 he was traded from an All-Rookie season to an injured season or two. In 2000, while injured, he was traded from a finished Shawn Kemp roster to an Andre Miller one. In 2001, he was traded from a healthy roster to an injured one. In 2002, he was traded from misery to recovery. Also traded that year from decent players to selfish ones. And also traded from a 30 win roster to a 17 win roster. In 2003, he was traded from a selfish roster to one that had acquired LeBron. In 2004, he was traded to a roster with Carlos Boozer to one with Drew Gooden (oy!). In 2005, he was traded from a roster with screwed up management to one with the best new people in the business. In 2006 he was traded from a decent roster to a fairly better one that went to the championship round. In 2007, he was traded from the highest of places (Finals) to a more average level of accomplishment (a rough start). In 2008 he was traded to a different looking team in almost a single night (Drew, Larry out; Ben, Delonte in). In 2009, he was traded from an average team to the best team in Cavs history). And now, he been traded from a full-time starter to a backup.

I got 14 trades here, if you want to be technical, but he's seen change in the best ways. He won't have to worry whatever happens. One of the best Cavs in history. He can always come back for more if he isn't satisfied.

It's a joke about how many times he's heard his name in trade rumors. Dammit Rab, way to suck the fun out of everything :chuckles:

 

[rabman_gold]

What do I have to do to be fun? What the hell do you want from me? ... I get it, I'm :lame::chuckles:...

 

[Mdog1]

Z will absolutely be in the rafters when he retires and that will be a great night in Cavs history when his number gets retired. That said if Z is the trade chip we need to use to get a good young player bye Z hello LeBron post 2010 guaranteed and I would feel bad for the big guy, but the Cavs winning a championship is the most important thing for me.

 

[rabman_gold]

You know, that previous night, Z was one of the best +/-s on the bench with 9+. And despite not shooting well, still had 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 blocked shot in TEN, count it, TEN minutes.

I just can't see Z not being able to be one of the x-factors as the sixth man/backup center. He could provide what we need regardless. And also, he could potentially come back if he were traded. But no matter. I want to see what he can do for us the first month into the season. Clearly he should be able to be a big factor.

And then PIP will have no choice BUT to accept him. It's not like he'll be exposed like before anyways.

 

[Cavatt]

You know, that previous night, Z was one of the best +/-s on the bench with 9+. And despite not shooting well, still had 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 blocked shot in TEN, count it, TEN minutes.

I just can't see Z not being able to be one of the x-factors as the sixth man/backup center. He could provide what we need regardless. And also, he could potentially come back if he were traded. But no matter. I want to see what he can do for us the first month into the season. Clearly he should be able to be a big factor.

And then PIP will have no choice BUT to accept him. It's not like he'll be exposed like before anyways.

Gotta be a big deal. He works great off the ball and rebounding. Invaluable off the bench. I am guessing his offensive rebounding will be fantastic playing with the 2nd unit.

 

[NarlCavs]

Z will be fine off the bench and should produce well in that role. How many other teams have a C like Z who they bring off the bench? He's still a starting caliber player. He also brings a scoring threat defenses have to pay attention to on the 2nd unit. A better bench leads to fewer minutes for starters and less of a chance for coaches to feel the need to rush starters back in.

The Cavs have to have the best C depth of any team in the NBA with Shaq, Z, and Varejao.

I'd love for Z to stay and retire as a Cav and win a championship(s) here but I do agree with others that if he's needed to pull off a great deal for the Cavs than you have to trade him.

 

[rabman_gold]

Z will be fine off the bench and should produce well in that role. How many other teams have a C like Z who they bring off the bench? He's still a starting caliber player. He also brings a scoring threat defenses have to pay attention to on the 2nd unit. A better bench leads to fewer minutes for starters and less of a chance for coaches to feel the need to rush starters back in.

The Cavs have to have the best C depth of any team in the NBA with Shaq, Z, and Varejao.

I'd love for Z to stay and retire as a Cav and win a championship(s) here but I do agree with others that if he's needed to pull off a great deal for the Cavs than you have to trade him.

... It's close, but you have to look hard to find C depth better than Gasol and Bynum. Odom has the size to play spot minutes there, but Gasol (better version of Z) and Bynum (younger version of Shaq) really do have that compatibility.

The only reason I feel the Cavs are below that is because Shaq is 37 and Z is 33. Kinda hard to do much when you're so old.