Link to the Present: July 4, 2013 (The Earl Clark Edition)
2013-07-04
The Cavs signed Earl Clark!* Apparently the deal is for 2 years and $9 million, with the second year a team option. Also, apparently the Cavs must think he can be converted to small forward. Last season, in 23 minutes per game, he averaged 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.6 steals on 44 / 34/ 70 shooting. I am unsure why the deal needed to be for nearly five-mil per year. Really, as an immediate reaction, not much about this makes sense. But it’s the Fourth of July and there is beer to drink and grilling to be done…reaction later.
*now you can never respect my use of exclamation points again.
I loved Bogut in the NBA finals. He was absolutely BEAST.
All on expiring contracts? Hell take all three of them and a draft pick for Zeller, Miles and Gee.
From the Bleacher Report article that Hot Sauce posted: “Where would the Lakers be without their throw-in small forward from the Howard trade turned starting power forward turned sometimes center Earl Clark? “We’d be in deep crap,” said Kobe Bryant on Tuesday after Clark had another stellar night in the Lakers’ 92-83 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Playing against the same franchise he used to watch while growing up in Plainfield, N.J., with his father, mother and sister in the stands, Clark scored 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and guarded everyone from shooting guard Joe… Read more »
I can honestly see Bogut coming here and being a good player when healthy. . Not so much Biedrins or Jefferson. They probably should amnesty Beidrins and trade those two. Looks like Chris “give me a draft pick” Grant might be back in business.
Clark is a great fit with a complementary skill-set that brings length and D to the Cavs. Grant as usual, has done the right thing with the TO in year two. That actually allows them room to bring Livingston back on a multi-year guaranteed deal. Signing Clark and bringing SL back would be a great off season added to the solid draft picks.
@ Cory hughey
I think Grant is waiting for ATL to whiff on free agents and then snatch Horford when they start the rebuild. We should probably expect to lose Tristan in the deal.
This article raves about Clark’s defensive versatility.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1518600-will-earl-clarks-emergence-for-la-lakers-surpass-the-linsanity-craze
They see him as a 3, or they are preparing to make a trade.
Warriors are aggressively shopping Andrew Bogut and Richard Jefferson.. Anyone else think they could be had for cheap as they’re looking to clear cap space? Jefferson can provide some veteran leadership while not playing much, and Bogut, when healthy, is a top 10 centre in the league.
Thoughts?
from a Cleveland.com blog: “Abel Curmudgeon Clark will start at SF for the Cavs and prove to be as good a defender as Gee was but will be much more solid than Gee on offense. Clark was used at both Orlando two years ago and at LA last season in the Bruce Bowen role of shut-down defender and there are stories on-line about Clark completely shutting down NBA players like Monta Ellis and Kevin Durant. Although listed as a 4, D’Antoni regularly used Clark to cover the other team’s best shooting 1,2, or 3. Clark played more guard than forward… Read more »
Golden State desperately trying to dump Bogut, Biedrins & Jefferson to clear room for Dwight Howard. Might have to give away the player AND a #1.
Do we want any of these cats? (ALL are expiring contracts) RJ is a SF, yes?
6’7″ Karasev at the 2 and 6’10” Clark at SF make an obscenely long wing tandem.
Karasev is probably going to be brought along slower than most of us anticipated. He is only 19 and there will be some foreign growing pains. I have no idea what his summer obligations are but he’s still playing also. They might not want to burn him out. There’s always the possibility for a trade too. Still crossing my fingers for Ferry to blow up the Hawks and Grant to call his mentor with an offer for Horford. Bennett or Thompson along with a future first round pick should be a good starting point. If Howard goes to Houston, Asik… Read more »
Karasev is 19 and a rookie. He can wait. If he really wants too, he can go ahead and outplay Gee/Miles. Probably not the hardest thing to do.
Living in LA, I hate watched the Lakers quite a bit this season. Clark was a functional cog in a poorly engineered machine. I’m okay with the signing, and as mentioned he can guard the 3 in Bennett’s place.
I like Earl Clark and looking at his game log, it seems like he has serious breakout potential (and by breakout I mean effective role player/starter on a good team). Hopefully with willing passers like Kyrie and Dion, he develops a corner three and makes some strides on D, and he’s the guy we throw at tough SFs and stretch fours and he’s an offensive asset. My only concern with the move is that Gee will probably be the defacto starter because of his ability to defend multiple guys, and Clark will play when we need more rebounding/size, Miles is… Read more »
Yep. It is hard to get FAs here. Apparently we offered Belinelli a relatively strong contract, but like any rational human being, he chose the Spurs. As far as Clark is concerned, he has always been more successful at the three. We he guards the SF really quite well, but gets pushed around too easily at the 4. I think this is a great pickup for a few reasons. 1. He can play a stretch 4 on offense and the 3 on defense which is just lovely because Bennett will need someone to guard the 3 for him, but is… Read more »
Just the type of signing we need for next season. Young guy that may develop into a good player and can help fill the SF hole. At the same time, does not interfere with future big free agent signings as the second year is a team option. Good work Cavs
Almost $5 mill per is because it is damn hard to get FAs to come to Cleveland.
The reason it is for almost $5 million this year is that the Cavs are well below the salary floor and need to give the money to someone. Also they probably had to give him that much in the 1st year to make him accept a team option for the second year.
No guaranteed second year, that’s fine. Though Earl Clark is Omri Casspi +1″
Think its a steal to pay him that minimal. He’s a good 3-D guy, who can also rebound.
I’ve always felt Clark was an underrated guy that deserved more minutes. I guess we will find out if that is true.