Making Moves: Cavs Re-Sign Richard Jefferson (and Lil Kev); Trade For Mike Dunleavy
2016-07-07
Retirement can wait! R.J. is back… and he’s bringing Lil Kev with him. Free agent Richard Jefferson announced tonight that he’s re-signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers… and he did it in historic fashion via his Snapchat account…
Richard Jefferson returning to the Cavs on a two-year, $5 million contract, league source told @TheVertical. RJ broke his return on Snapchat
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 7, 2016
Meanwhile, in Richard Jefferson Snapchat-land… pic.twitter.com/ZFWufqRvUT
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 7, 2016
As reported, his deal is for two-years at $5 million. No word yet on the terms of Lil Kev’s deal…
Despite his initial announcement that he was going to retire after the Cavs won the Championship, R.J. apparently changed his mind during the victory parade. The team now gets their veteran backup for LeBron James back for two more seasons. In 74 regular season games last year for the Cavs, he averaged 5.5 points and 1.7 rebounds, but he came up huge in the playoffs, even starting Game 3 of the Finals with actual Kev out with a concussion.
Dunleavy On The Way
Meanwhile, even though the Cavs did not wind up convincing Dwayne Wade to come and play for peanuts and a shot at another ring, they did wind up benefiting from Wade’s move home to Chicago. As reported by Brian Windhorst, Cleveland will trade for Bulls small forward Mike Dunleavy…
The Cavs will use a trade exception to acquire Mike Dunleavy, sources said. Dunleavy is excited about the trade.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 7, 2016
Chicago was forced to part ways with Dunleavy (and also Jose Calderon who was sent to the Lakers) to clear enough cap space to make room for Wade.
According to The Vertical, the Cavs will use a portion of the $9.6 million Anderson Varejao trade exception to absorb Dunleavy’s salary. Cleveland.com also reported that Cleveland will give up the rights to a player stashed overseas, but that it will not be the team’s draft-and-stash forward Cedi Osman of the Turkish League.
Dunleavy has two years left on his deal at $4.8 million for next season and $5.2 million for 2017-18, but the final year is not guaranteed. In 31 games for the Bulls last season, he averaged 7.2 points per game and shot 39 percent from beyond the arc.
Apparently, LeBron James has always wanted to play with Dunleavy. And, it seemed like Dunleavy echoed his excitement on Twitter after the trade was announced… Of course, it might have meant more if Dunleavy actually had a Twitter account…
ESPN airs tweets from, verifies fake Mike Dunleavy Jr. account following his trade https://t.co/ymobyj3eo5 pic.twitter.com/ubWy5NQRu5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 7, 2016
With the addition of another wing three and D guy in Dunleavy, the Cavs just have two more big pieces of their Free Agent puzzle to lock into place with LeBron and J.R. Smith. They may still continue to search for one more big man or ball handler in Free Agency, or could wait to see how the guys on their Summer League team pan out.
Does anyone know if the Jefferson signing is considered the mid-level exception, the veteran’s minimum, or neither? I thought the the MLE was 3.3 million and that the veteran’s minimum was less than 2.5 million. Thanks!
I love the Dunleavy trade! The guy can be a sniper from distance. That’s huge as a rotational backup.
Dunleavy is basically Delly with a faster and taller release and more history of being a good shooter.
And back surgery…
He came back just fine from that last year.
He really wasn’t very good after he came back. I hope he’s somewhat better this coming season.
And ten years older. And not as good a defender. And shoots a lower three point percentage. And a worse assist to turnover ratio. But yeah, other than that, they’re both white.
So Windhorst just said that Richard Jefferson will join him and Rachel Nichols on “The Jump” tomorrow.
That’s like a DJ playing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. They won’t even have to ask a question; RJ will just talk for the whole show.
Call me a cynic but given Dunleavy’s health uncertainty I think this had more to do with LBJ lighting some more of Gilbert’s luxury tax money on fire in order to get Wade paid. Mazels, that is true brotherhood
I mean, don’t get me wrong, given limited assets and cap situation it’s a decent risk to take to get another bench small forward. As long as he can get on the court dude can suck up a couple hundred minutes from LeBron during regular season, that is very valuable
No way. It IS too cynical of a view. Cavs would not burn their trade exception if the team didn’t think Dunleavy would be an assset.
well, of course it is too cynical, and I don’t think LeBron is that maniacal. But it makes me laugh, and hey both could be true.
I do think you’re over valuing trade exceptions, though. The Frye acquisiton was the exception, they usually don’t get used to do much of anything
Your take makes no sense. It was a good move basketball wise for the Cavs to get Dunleavy.
In all seriousness, like the additions. Not sure how Dunleavy is defensively, but he can at least shoot the ball effectively and spread the floor.
Good pickup by the Cavs.
During the last 5 payoffs appearances by Dunleavy, he shot 45% from beyond he arc.
This, paired with a hopefully healthy/focus Frye, and now you got a lot of open floorspace for KyBron to attack and dish.
Dunleavy has also been a noted Cav killer during his career, so hopefully he can’t kill us anymore by being on the team
lol, he did kill warriors. IMO, he is injury prone , inconsistent and doesn’t have heart. But, again Cavs expectations are low, so might work out.
At least the Cavs didn’t have to go crying and begging for Kevin Durant to save them from LeBron. Frauds.
Cols, give it a rest. You’re coming off as immature. This blog welcomes intelligent posters from other teams, and you’re giving us a very bad look. Seriously, grow up.
I do not understand why you are giving this guy so much slack his opinion was this ” inconsistent and doesn’t have heart. But, again Cavs expectations are low, ”
Give me a break. That stuff might fly on a non-Cavs blog, but this is a Cavs blog.
What Gordon said.
Because everywhere I look you’re bashing the Warriors in response to Warriors Fan’s posts. It’s embarrassing.
Now just bring back JR and Delly, then trade Kaun for Boogie and Westbrook.
Kaun will get you Boogie OR Westbrook…no way he gets you both…
Whhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt????????????????????????????????????? KAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These nicknames are not keepers, but anagrams for Kay Felder and Mike Dunleavy are Leaked Fry and Van Dyke Ileum, respectively.
Leaked Fry is good.
MIKE DUNLEAVY: Unkle Yam Dive /// Evil Dukey Man // Manu Key Devil
KAY FELDER: Der Elf Yak // Ye Dark Elf // Kyd E Flare
Leaky Fred has a nice ring to it.
Just cause you said that… I am doubling down HARD on Killer Shimp! ;)
OH YEAH WELCOME BACK RJ !!!
CAN’T SEE JR TAKING A MIAMI OFFER—-LIKE THE DUNLEAVY PICK UP—-( MAYBE KIRK HINRICH REUNITES AT A CHEAP PRICE HERE )—-BESIDES RESIGNING JR —TOP PRIORITY IS TO GET ANOTHER ESTABLISHED BIG / POST—–HAVE A FEELING ” KILLER SHRIMP” IS GOING TO SHINE ON FRI. NIGHT / SHOW WHY WE DRAFTED HIM
I like these moves for the cavs, but a fear that I haven’t heard anyone talk about yet is that Miami now has a hole at the 2 spot and 18 million to offer JR if they wanted to. That’s a lot of cash and he would fit well between Dragic and Winslow.
Yeah, there’s a few moves to be made yet that might make a Cavs fan sad (Delly aside).
J.R. minus Lebron plus Miami nightlife plus Hassan Whiteside = jail. Riles likely wants no part of J.R.
Good night for Cavs. Others mentioned this, but it’s interesting how silent stuff on JR is. Other teams not even pursuing, it appears.
Best outcome that could happen is the market dries up just like last year and we get him for like 12mil. One thing that could play into this is that JR might have told the team that really wants to be here and Klutch can’t push the threat of leaving..
I don’t like that the team keeps getting older. I don’t think we’ll have the best record in the East.
I hope this means that LBJ plays more point this year, in the regular season, anyways. I think that would be a good way to take some physical load off of him and save him for the playoffs.
Yeah, but we’re capped out so we can’t afford the youngins. But if we look what this team can do in a SINGLE year, I think having Dunleavy & RJ back helps us to afford LBJ maintenance the whole season and spurts of rest throughout the playoffs. At least for a year. Also I have a feeling Lebron’s gonna love Dunleavy even for his shooting alone.
If we’re still old when the cap explodes in 2017, then I’ll be pissed.
We are always going to be able to replace the old fogies who can’t play with other old fogie ring chasers who won’t fit on GS loaded bandwagon every year as long as Lebron is still around.
Hard to get younger without draft picks.
Also, Kyrie is 24, KLove will be 27, and we didn’t trade Cedi Osman (thank goodness.. that would’ve been dumb). That’s the 4 year future of this team
Is there anymore lifers left in the Lebron era??
I guess we’re set at the 2-4 spots. Now time to get that center. TT will be gassed no matter how in shape he is. Frye and Kev wont see much floor on teams like GS so I still like for us to shore up the center spot with a guy that can fill the TT gap when he sits..
In the case of the backup point guard well iguess #5foot9andrising is our guy. Lets go Cavs.
The #KillerShrimp will be unleashed on Friday night…
Can’t Dunleavy play backup PG? or am I making that up
You are making that up.
Maybe it’s a millennial thing, but I really don’t understand non jokey fake twitter accounts/ tweets. Who has time for that nonsense?
It certainly would seemingly take at least a bit of time and energy…
Or maybe it really IS Mike, who is pretending NOT to be Mike, so he can say the things about himself that he really wants to say but can’t…
I like this trade.
I’d like to make a motion for Mike Dunleavy’s nickname to be Dr. Buckets. (M.D. Buckets) Or maybe Dr. Threes and get the rhyming Batman reference.
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/276/files/2014/07/Mr.Freeze-sucks.gif
How about these anagrams?
Mike Dunleavy is…
Unkle Yam Dive
Evil Dukey Man
Manu Key Devil
Kay Felder is…
Der Elf Yak
Ye Dark Elf
Kyd E Flare