PLAYER NEWS:
--It might be next-to-impossible to find minutes in the Cavaliers' rotation this year, but rookie G-F Danny Green should provide quality depth if nothing else. Green, 22, signed a two-year deal worth $1.2 million with the Cavs on Aug. 25. The second year of the deal is partially guaranteed. He was a second-round pick (No. 46 overall) in the 2009 draft. "We're hoping he can contribute right away. That's what we're hoping," agent Bill Duffy said. "He's a solid, versatile player from a storied program." Despite his agent's optimism, there are going to be very few minutes available at shooting guard behind expected starter Delonte West and free-agent acquisition Anthony Parker. There will be little playing time available at small forward, either, behind reigning Most Valuable Player LeBron James, Jamario Moon and Jawad Williams. Moon is another member of the Cavs' free-agent class of 2009 that also included power forward Leon Powe. --F Rob Kurz and C Darryl Finesse Watkins have been invited to training camp on non-guaranteed, make-good contracts. The 6-9, 232-pound Kurz is trying to secure a guaranteed deal, possibly with another team. If they accept the invite, they could duke it out for the final spot on the roster.
--F Leon Powe had a chance to see greatness before it hit the national scene. The Cavaliers signed the 25-year-old Powe to a two-year, $1.77 million contract recently. Once he finally makes his way onto the court, it won't be the first time he's played with All-Star F LeBron James. While playing at the adidas ABCD camp at Farleigh-Dickinson University in New Jersey on July 10, 2001, Powe was placed on the same team as some hot-shot kid from Akron. The New York media was aware of James -- who just finished his sophomore year at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School -- but it was too busy fawning over 6-foot-8 forward Lenny Cooke. "(Cooke) was the No. 1 player in his class," Powe said. "There was a lot of hype about Lenny. LeBron was a class lower. All the media surrounded LeBron. They told him Lenny Cooke is this and Lenny Cooke is that." James' team was pitted against Cooke's team the next day. James told everyone they'd have to wait for the game to be played. Once the game began, it quickly became a mismatch. "LeBron had 24 points before that man had two points," Powe said. "All of (Cooke's) New York friends were there. They were all upset. That's when I knew that man (James) was special." James outscored Cooke, 24-9, and totally outclassed him. James nailed a 25-foot jumper at the buzzer to win the game.
--The Celtics refused to offer F Leon Powe a qualifying offer last June. That made him an unrestricted free agent. Some viewed that as a major slap in the face to a player that helped them win an NBA championship in 2008. He tore his ACL in his left knee in the first-round playoff series against Chicago. He later had microfracture surgery on the same knee. The procedures are expected to keep him on the sidelines until around the All-Star break. When he gets back on the court, however, he could be a valuable chip for the Cavs at perhaps the right time.
DRAFT PICKS:
Christian Eyenga, G-F, 6-6, 210, Republic of Congo (first round) -- Very athletic wing player might be a few years off from stepping foot in the NBA. Might have been the biggest surprise pick in the first round.
Danny Green, G-F, 6-6, 210, North Carolina (second round) -- The Cavs have liked Green for at least two years. He's the same exact size as Eyenga, but has a great pedigree and an NCAA championship ring with the Tar Heels.
Emir Preldzic, G-F, 6-9, 205, Turkey (second round) -- The Cavs bought this pick from Phoenix. He's under contract in Istanbul, where he'll stay for a while. The Cavs like his versatility and ability to play some point guard, shooting guard and small forward.
