Signing of Ilgauskas puts Heat on hotspot

Signing of Ilgauskas puts Heat on hotspot - July 12th, 2005

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All the pieces are falling into place for the Cavaliers.

With this week’s signings of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and restricted free agent Larry Hughes to five-year deals, the Cavs are poised to make their next move.

The Cavs, armed with the most salary-cap space in the NBA this summer, still have about $7 million under the cap to fulfill another roster need.

This is why Shaquille O’Neal is going to get what he wants.

Although he still has one more season to serve on his two-year contract, O’Neal allegedly asked Heat management for a 3-year, $90-million extension.

O’Neal’s representatives have been in intense discussion for the past week. The warning bell went off when the Cavaliers committed Ilgauskas to a five-year $55 - $60 million contract Monday.

Ilgauskas’ signing prompted Miami President Pat Riley said a contract agreement with O'Neal appears imminent. There was no longer any time to dilly dally.

Riley knows quickly and cost-effectively signing O’Neal is the key to the Heat’s offseason. Once the two parties agree on an extension, the Heat then will have a better feel for offers to incumbent free agents Udonis Haslem and Damon Jones.

Both Haslem and Jones are players Cleveland could make moves toward to round out its roster. If the Heat want to move fast to resign these players, O’Neal’s camp is going to have a lot more leverage.

Several sources have alleged that the Cavs are interested in meeting with Haslem to convince the third-year forward to become a part of the team's future. LeBron James reportedly became enamored with Haslem’s game while the two played together in the past two Rookie Challenges during All-Star weekend.

The Cavaliers could offer Haslem more than the five-year, $33 million deal the Heat can offer.

Now the Heat know what they need to do in order to retain Haslem. Assuming the Cavaliers sign Haslem to an offer sheet, the Heat will then have three options:

1)Convince O’Neal to take a significant pay cut

2)Risk paying luxury task and forfeit its mid-level exception

3)Let Haslem play for the Cavs

“We've had a lot of conversations with all of our free agents and a lot of other people,” Riley said. “But, obviously, this week we've focused on Shaquille.”

But the Heat don’t just have to worry about Haslem. With its remaining cap space, Cleveland might also target the point-guard market. Still without an outside threat, Jones fits the mold perfectly.

Although, it is rumored Cleveland is now targeting Antonio Daniels, Marko Jaric, Earl Watson and Lithuanian Sarunas Jasikevicius, none exhibit Jones’ superb three-point range.

If the Cavs end up signing a point guard other than Jones, they still might deal Drew Gooden for Haslem to obtain a more defensive-minded rebounder.
”Shaq is like a house of cards,” Riley said. “Once we get that done, everything else will fall into place.”

The Heat just hope they can build the house up in time…without O’Neal taking it all away.

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