The Case For Josh Childress As A Cav
June 9, 2009
Not long ago, Junkyard listed the five players we want the Cavs to pursue this summer.
Now, over the next few weeks, we’ll make the individual case for why the Cavs should pursue each player.
We start today with the guy Junkyard thinks should be the No. 1 target on the Cavs’ “must acquire” list this summer:
Veteran swingman Josh Childress - who played last year in Greece but whose NBA rights are held by Atlanta.
Why the Cavs should acquire Childress
*He’s a respectable defensive player who can guard small forwards, point and shooting guards.
*When he left Atlanta for Greece, he did so with a reputation as one of the NBA’s best sixth men.
*He’s a decent offensive player who draws lots of fouls - and then makes his free throws (nearly 80 percent).
*He’s got NBA playoff experience (during Atlanta’s near-upset of Boston during the 2007-08 postseason).
*He’s shown he can be an effective post-season player: Childress averaged 52 percent shooting and nearly six rebounds a game against Boston.
How the Cavs should acquire Childress
*Get a solid idea of how much Childress will cost the Cavs in salary.
Childress turned down a $6 million deal with Atlanta when he headed to Greece - where he just finished the first season of a three-year, $20 million contract.
Logically, then, it’ll probably take a $7 to $8 million annual salary to lure Childress back to the NBA.
So, just for discussion, let’s say three years at $23 million is good enough to lure Childress to Cleveland.
*Agree on a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta, so the Hawks don’t match the Cavs contract for Childress.
*Allow Atlanta to mix and match their package for Childress - by choosing from Cavs guard Daniel Gibson, swingman Sasha Pavlovic, forward J.J. Hickson and the Cavs’ No. 30 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
What the Cavs get in a Childress trade
*A tall, athletic proven NBA player who matches up much better defensively with opposing shooters like Mickael Pietrus, who tore the Cavs up during the Eastern Conference finals.
*A tough-minded player who scores most of his points driving to the basket - and isn’t jump-shot happy.
What Atlanta gets in a Childress trade
*If it’s Gibson, the Hawks get a possible point-guard replacement for Mike Bibby (a free agent this summer) - and at a much cheaper price.
*If it’s Pavlovic, the Hawks get an offensive-minded, veteran swingman who can fill the role of Flip Murray (another summer free agent).
And the Hawks also get an attractive future trade chip: Pavlovic’s contract expires after the 2009-10 season.
*If it’s Hickson, Atlanta gets a young and athletic big man who could fill in for Atlanta big man Zaza Pachulia (yet another free agent this off-season).
*If it’s the Cavs’ Round One pick, the Hawks will have two first-rounders in the draft (Nos. 19 and 30 overall) - allowing them to add needed depth.
And at a relatively cheap price, too - thanks to the NBA’s rookie salary scale.
-Wanna leave a Junkyard comment? Sure! Leave it below. You can also e-mail junkyard@sportstimeohio.com
-Posted at 6:37 p.m.
