Rumor #1 - To Dallas: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
                  To Cleveland: Antawn Jamison
Analysis: This is probably a standing offer from the Mavericks that has been around for some time now.  Dallas has loaded up on tradable commodities to make a trade in season run at a big man and Don Nelson has been after Ilgauskas for some time.  Jamison is a good player and a proven 20 point scorer but not what the Cavaliers need.  Jamison is really about 6'7 1/2 and a tweener.  He is best as a post up SF but too often settles for three pointers and has trouble defending either forward spot.  Trading Ilgauskas for Jamison doesn't help with the Cavaliers need for outside shooting and coupling that with Jamison having another 4 years at over 56 million left on his contract makes this deal unlikely.

Cold-Though doubtful this trade will ever happen, it's one that makes sense, but will the Cavaliers take on Jamison's fat contract, again doubtful.

Rumor #2 - To Atlanta: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
 1/2/04            To Cleveland: Theo Ratliff and Jason Terry
Analysis: The Hawks have supposedly offered Terry and Ratliff for Ilgauskas as Atlanta may be starting a complete housekeeping.  The franchise has had turmoil and uncertainty from the ownership position and both Terry and Ratliff are unhappy with the situation there.  A trade from Atlanta's perspective would save them long term money on of the cap by moving Terr'y deal allowing the Hawks to start completely over after next season.  Ratliff's game has been on the decline the past few years.  He is still one of the league's best shotblockers but he doesn't give much else.  He will not provide any offense shooting around 40% and he is an average rebounder.  Terry is one of the better young combo guards in the league.  A good scorer with three point range Terry has played both backcourt spots and really thrived at SG.  He can play some PG but is not a long term solution for the position.  Terry can be turnover prone and isn't a good defender although with his quickness and long arms he has the tools to be a good one.  Jason Terry would give the Cavaliers two small SGs types that could play next to LeBron James.  Whether DaJuan Wagner and Jason Terry could coexist in the same backcourt with both having defensive questions would be a big question mark.  Terry also BYC issues with his contract that would to have other minor contracts included into such a trade to make it work under the cap.

Warm-The Cavaliers would love to get a Jason Terry to line up next to LeBron and Ratliff is a Silas type of player. But it doesn't save Atlanta much money long term, and they aren't going to compete this year making this another doubtful they'd bite.

Rumor #3 - To Golden State: Darius Miles
  12/28/03       To Cleveland: Adonal Foyle
Analysis: This is a puzzler among the rumors.  The Cavaliers are said to be heavily shopping Darius Miles who is in the last year of his contract but the interest in Foyle is surprising.  Foyle is basically an undersized, slightly more developed version of DeSagana Diop.  They pretty much do the same things.  Foyle, at only about 6'9, is one of the better shotblockers in the league but is limited.  He is a hard worker, active defensively around the basket and a decent rebounder but cannot score.  Foyle will be a free agent this summer and one could only think that a getting him would be a precursor to another trade that attempts to address the Cavaliers needs.

Cold-Golden State says this deal was never on the table for them. But, for them they get a good player. Maybe it could end up on the table.

Rumor #4 - To New York: Darius Miles
  12/29/03       To Cleveland: Moochie Norris
Analysis: New Knicks president Isiah Thomas recently after dumping PF Clarence Weatherspoon to Houston for PG Moochie Norris and C John Amaechi tried to get Cleveland involved by sending Norris to Cleveland for Darius Miles.  The Cavaliers countered by asking for PG Frank Williams and PF Othella Harrington.  The Knicks then offered PG Charlie Ward.  But, after the Knicks blockbuster in which they have acquired Stephon Marbury and blown out Charlie Ward, PG Howard Eisley and the rights to European star PF Milos Vujanic the Knicks might be more apt to revisit Miles for Harrington and Williams since they now have Marbury and Norris is a more than capable backup.

Dead-Norris was offered to the Cavaliers and they didn't want him. That won't change anytime soon. But the Frank Williams for Darius Miles deal could be revisited.

Rumor #5 - To Orlando: Darius Miles and Kevin Ollie
  12/20/03       To Cleveland: Juwan Howard and Gordon Giricek
Analysis: This was a rumor apparently coming out of the Cavaliers camp.  Juwan Howard has been a decent to good inside scorer for his career and the thought was that Orlando would give up him and Giricek to rid themselves of Howard's long term contract which has 5 years and about 30 million left after this year at the end of which Howard will be 35 years old.  Such a deal would save the Magic around 15 million in long term money on the cap.  Howard would give the Cavaliers an inside-out scorer and Giricek would immediately become the best shooter in the Cleveland rotation.  The Magic did not bite and this ship may have sailed.

Dead-Maybe a very small window of opportunity was open for this deal. But, at this point the window has shut and it's very unlikely it would reopen at all.

Rumor #6 - To New York: Darius Miles
    1/5/04          To Cleveland: Othella Harrington and Frank Williams
Analysis: The blockbuster trade the Knicks made has rekindled this rumor.  Reports out of New York now that Isiah Thomas want to get more athletic in the frontcourt and upgrade the Knicks in that area.  Miles would be the athlete that Thomas covets and would help with style that Marbury brings.  With New York now having Stephon Marbury and Moochie Norris at PG it could make PG Frank Williams expendable.  After being in the doghouse for several years Thomas has forced Don Chaney to play Williams and he has responded.  Williams dropped in the draft with issues about his jumpshot, consistency of effort and coachability after some run-ins with his college coach.  Getting a young PG would signal the Cavaliers admitting to making a mistake in signing Kevin Ollie who has been solid but incapable of consistenly making midrange jumpshots.  Othella Harrington is serviceable backup PF that has some good post moves but isnt very athletic, doesn't defend well and is a below average rebounder.  His contract ends after 04-05 and the Cavaliers don't seem to be concerned with having cap room for 03-04.

Cold-This deal makes alot of sense, maybe too much. The Cavaliers front office did right by not getting involved with the Moochie deal. It just wasn't close to being a good deal for them. This one works much better for both teams involved especially after the Suns trade. Word out of New York is that the Knicks want more return for Frank Williams, basically ending talks.

Rumor #7 - To New York: Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Darius Miles
  1/8/04           To Cleveland: Keith Van Horn, Frank Williams and Michael Sweetney
Analysis: This one is hot off the presses from Chard Ford at ESPN who contends that several NBA GMs thought the deal would've happened last night.  His logic for the Cavaliers is that Van Horn would provide a scorer who could play multiple positions and is unselfish.  The problems is if Ilgauskas isn't a Silas player then how is Van Horn?  Silas always stresses toughness, aggression and defense and none of that can be used to described Van Horn.  The way Silas coaches the Cavaliers Van Horn would be another offensive player on the bench as Silas goes with a defensive lineup.  The knocks on Van Horn is that he is passive or soft and can disappear if he misses his first few shots or is not kept involved offensively.  Frank Williams would be the young point guard that the Cavaliers seemingly want now after acknowledging a mistake in Kevin Ollie.  The proposed third player, Michael Sweetney, is your typical undersized PF that would be a backup to Carlos Boozer and frankly a player who I didnt like coming out of college.  I didnt think he was Elton Brand but more a typical Clarence Weatherspoon, Corliss Williamson-type that eventaully shakes out to be a backup.  Van Horn, a decent PG prospect and a undersized backup PF is a bit light to be getting back for giving up the last two trade commodities the Cavaliers  have.  Ford, also says that even with Van Horn the Cavaliers could have 10 million in cap room 05-06 which may not be necessarily true with the Cavaliers wanting to re-sign Carlos Boozer and Eric Williams this summer which will at least take 9.5M and 05-06 is the time when DaJuan Wagner is due an extension.

Warm-An addition to the original offer from the Cavaliers. In addition to the obvious for the Cavaliers, this is one that makes sense and makes the Knicks a better team a much better team. I'm not sure it will make the Cavaliers better but it will make them different. Even though the Knicks want more for Williams this is still a very good deal for them that they could revisit.

Overview: The trade of Ricky Davis and Chris Mihm left the Cavaliers with few tradable commodities and glaring holes still on the team.  Ilgauskas and Miles have become the logical trade subjects for various reason which is why they have become prominent in rumors.  The Cavaliers are said to be in the market for another PG that can shoot the ball and a versatile swingman type or a "Chauncey Billups-type" and a "Scottie Pippen-type."  The Cavaliers desperately need some dangerous outside shooters, more versatile skilled players and if they trade Ilgauskas a big low post scorer that can draw double teams. 

Many rumors are just the normal discussions between GMs that talk about players all the time.  When teams do look to trade players they usually have multiple offers involving different players and teams.  The rumors listed are just a few that have become known. 

The list will be updated as new rumors come to light.     

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