Packers think Vikings tampered with Favre
The Green Bay Packers have filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings alleging the team made inappropriate contact with Brett Favre, a person familiar with the Packers’ complaint told The Associated Press Wednesday night.
The person, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, said Packers officials have expressed their belief that interest from the Vikings was driving Favre’s sudden change of heart about playing football in 2008.
“They feel like Favre had something (in place), and that’s why he was so anxious to get his release all of a sudden,” the person said.
The tampering charges were first reported by Foxsports.com earlier Wednesday.
The person said the league already has reviewed evidence provided by the Packers, and team officials believe a league examination of telephone records would indicate more than “normal contact” between Favre and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a former Green Bay assistant. According to the person, Packers officials also believe the contact began before Favre and his agent, Bus Cook, formally asked the Packers to release him.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment on the report. Cook did not return a telephone message left by The Associated Press earlier Wednesday.
The tampering charges added a new twist to the Favre saga, which seemed to be over when Favre retired in early March but now has been sizzling for several weeks.
Now, with Favre potentially headed back to an even chillier reception than the below-zero conditions in his last game at Lambeau Field when he makes a scheduled appearance at the Packers’ Hall of Fame banquet this weekend, the next step in the iconic quarterback’s plan to maneuver his way out of Green Bay is unclear.
Cook told ESPN on Wednesday that he and Favre have “no definite plans to ask for reinstatement” and it was up to the Packers to decide what to do next.
“It’s their move,” Cook said.
Favre currently is on the Packers’ reserve/retired list. To be reinstated, Favre must write a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Once that request is approved—a step considered a formality—the Packers would have to release Favre or place him on their active roster.
Favre was in Los Angeles for Wednesday night’s taping of the ESPY Awards. Host Justin Timberlake zeroed in on Favre sitting in the audience with his wife, Deanna.
“What have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you anywhere,” Timberlake said. “Just chillin’? Yeah, me too.”
Later, Timberlake went into the seats to hug Favre’s would-be successor Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ 2005 first-round draft choice. Favre sheepishly looked down with a slight smile on his face as the crowd laughed.
That’s just the first of several awkward moments potentially on tap for Favre this week.
Favre is scheduled to present former teammate Frank Winters at the Packers’ Hall of Fame induction Saturday. Winters, former Packers defensive tackle Gilbert Brown and video director Al Treml will be enshrined in the Packers’ Hall of Fame.
Should Favre keep his commitment, his return to Lambeau will come a little more than a week after formally requesting to be released—and only days after expressing his distrust of Packers management, insisting in an interview with Fox News on Monday that the team pressured him into making his retirement decision.
Favre could see some of the same folks he criticized in his trip back to Lambeau. He also might run into Packers offensive line coach James Campen, a former teammate who was dragged into the middle of the controversy this week.
In an unaired portion of Favre’s interview with “On the Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Favre apparently said Campen recently made an unexpected visit to his home in Mississippi and said he had “an answer” for Favre regarding his desire to unretire.
“He says, ‘You know, I know they told you they’re moving on and playing there’s not an option,”’ Favre said, according to a full transcript of the interview obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Playing here in Green Bay is not an option, which that’s what they want. They want to move on. But I’m telling you, if you reinstate or you force their hand, back them in a corner, they feel like they have no other option, they’re going to accept you back.”’
“And he said, ‘Just telling you.’ And I said, ‘OK.”’
In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, two days before Favre made his comments about Campen, Packers coach Mike McCarthy chastised the Favre camp for putting Campen in a “tough spot.”
McCarthy said the Packers told Campen to visit Favre as a friend, not on behalf of the team, once they heard Favre was having second thoughts about retirement earlier in the offseason. McCarthy said it was Favre and his representatives, not the team, who turned Campen into an “intermediary” between Favre and the front office.
“I think he’s totally, wrongly been illustrated in this,” McCarthy said. “Ted (Thompson, Packers general manager) would not even talk to Campen about this. He said, ‘Hey, your personal relationship with Brett Favre is bigger than this, so don’t ever put yourself in that position.’ … James was put in a tough spot. He was put in a situation that was purely personal.”
Meanwhile, members of the Packers’ management team could face a few awkward moments of their own next week when the Packers hold their annual shareholders meeting at Lambeau Field on July 24.
A movement to rally fan support for Favre has fizzled so far. A rally in Green Bay drew fewer than 200 fans Sunday, and Monday’s rally in the Milwaukee suburbs drew only 30 despite widespread local media attention. But shareholders supporting Favre could call attention to the issue.
Shareholders aren’t expected to have the chance to ask questions during the meeting, but Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy and Thompson will be present to mingle with them and answer their questions afterward, along with other members of the Packers’ staff.
Posey agrees to four-year deal with Hornets
James Posey has won NBA championships with two teams. The New Orleans Hornets hope to be his third.
Posey, a 6-foot-8 forward who last season helped the Boston Celtics win their first title since 1986, agreed Wednesday to a four-year, $25 million contract with New Orleans, agent Mark Bartelstein said.
Posey also was part of the Miami Heat’s championship squad in 2005-06. His record of playing a prominent reserve role on title-winning squads made him a top free-agent target for the Hornets, who are coming off their best season in franchise history and looking to contend for a first championship of their own.
The Celtics hoped to keep Posey, a 31-year-old veteran who has a reputation as a strong defender and who was periodically assigned to guard LeBron James and Kobe Bryant during the postseason.
Posey struggled with the decision, knowing that joining All-Stars Chris Paul and David West in New Orleans would mean leaving behind Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in Boston, where as recently as Tuesday Posey was signing copies of the Celtics’ championship DVD for fans.
“It was a really tough decision for him,” Bartelstein said. “Boston was an incredible experience for him every way you look at it. If he was going to leave Boston, he wanted to make sure it was for a team that would compete for a championship immediately and the Hornets certainly are in that world.”
Riding the play-making ability of Paul, who’ll also play point guard for the United States at the Summer Olympics, the Hornets won a franchise-record 56 regular season games and the Southwest Division for their first division crown.
New Orleans beat Dallas in five games in the opening round of the playoffs and came within a victory of reaching the Western Conference finals, losing to San Antonio in a seven-game, second-round series.
The Hornets’ weakness was an inconsistent bench.
Posey, meanwhile, averaged 22 minutes of playing time during Boston’s playoff run, scoring 6.7 points and grabbing 3.6 rebounds per game. Posey averaged 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds during the regular season, his 10th in the NBA.
Shortly before the draft, the Hornets traded away their only selection, the 27th overall pick, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for $3 million in cash with the stated purpose of using that money toward a proven player in free agency who could help them win right away.
The Hornets inquired about several free agents, including Corey Maggette, Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes, but as those players signed with other teams it was clear that Posey was the player the Hornets’ coveted most.
With the money they received from Portland, combined with the savings that came from not having to shell out guaranteed money to a first-round draft pick, the Hornets were able to offer a generous enough deal to bring Posey to New Orleans.
With the Hornets, Posey could compete for a starting role as coach Byron Scott could move Peja Stojakovic from small forward to shooting guard and send Morris Peterson to the bench.
However, Scott may prefer to keep Posey as a sixth man, a role sometimes as important as starting.
The Hornets now will likely turn their attention to signing a backup point guard and possibly a backup power forward or center. New Orleans’ top choice at the point appears to be Jannero Pargo, an explosive scorer who opted out of the final year of his contract with the Hornets, more in hope of getting a longer, more lucrative contract than leaving.
Bartelstein also represents Pargo and said a handful of teams are competing for him, including New Orleans, and that Pargo wanted to test the market.
Pargo became Paul’s primary backup last season when the Hornets traded Bobby Jackson and a draft pick to Houston for Bonzi Wells and Mike James. In the playoffs, Pargo averaged 10.2 points, scoring 30 points in a first-round game at Dallas.
Wells became a free agent this summer as well, but the Hornets are less likely to pursue him now that they have Posey playing the same position.
Radomski moved TV, found receipt, gave it to authorities
Convicted steroid dealer Kirk Radomski looked under his television last weekend and found overnight mail slips from packages he claims were used to send human growth hormone to Roger Clemens’ house, according to the lawyer for Brian McNamee.
Clemens sued McNamee, his former trainer, for defamation this year after McNamee claimed the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used steroids and human growth hormone.
“Radomski sent a package to Clemens. Apparently, from what we understand, Brian did not sign for it even though he requested HGH for Clemens and/or his wife,” McNamee’s lawyer, Richard Emery, said Wednesday.
“Brian, when he went to check Debbie, Clemens had the HGH all laid out for him. That’s contrary to Clemens’ testimony in front of Congress. So, once again, the slip corroborates Brian’s truthfulness.”
Clemens is the subject for a federal perjury investigation after telling Congress he never used illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
Radomski, a former New York Mets clubhouse attendant, was sentenced to five years’ probation and fined $18,575 fine after he pleading guilty to distributing steroids and laundering money from 1995-05. No evidence has emerged confirming what was in any packages he might have sent to Clemens.
“Brian asked Radomski for this, and this is what Brian did to respond,” Emery said. “Common sense tells you that it was HGH.”
The Daily News and The New York Times reported Wednesday that Radomski found the shipping slips, and ESPN.com that Radomski found them under his television, which he moved after it broke.
Also Wednesday, Clemens’ lawyers asked a federal judge for a two-week extension until Aug. 5 to respond to McNamee’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit or move it from Houston to New York.
Federer, Nadal lead men’s field for U.S. Open
Four-time defending champion Roger Federer and Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal lead the men’s field for the U.S. Open announced Wednesday.
Former U.S. Open champions Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin will also be in the field for the Aug. 25-Sept. 7 tournament in New York.
Nadal, fresh off a thrilling defeat of Federer at the All England Club and a more comprehensive win at Roland Garros, has a chance to become the fifth man to win the final three majors of the season.
Rod Laver did it in his Grand Slam years of 1962 and 1969, Don Budge won a slam in 1938 and Tony Trabert won just the three in 1955.
Federer will be trying to become the first man to win this Grand Slam tournament five straight times in the Open era—and first with that many in a row since Bill Tilden won six U.S. championships from 1920-25.
Other past Grand Slam champions in the tournament are Juan Carlos Ferrero, Thomas Johansson and Carlos Moya.
In addition to the 104 players who received direct entry into the field based on Monday’s rankings, eight will get wild cards and 16 will earn berths in qualifying.
Seedings will be based on the Aug. 18 rankings.
With wrist throbbing, defending champ again cuts practice round short
If this was nearly any other week, Padraig Harrington would already be home.
Instead, he was strolling around blustery Royal Birkdale, still trying to cope with the pain in his right wrist, still trying to work out how he can possibly defend his British Open championship.
Harrington cut short another practice round Wednesday on the eve of the tournament, managing only three full swings before his wrist started throbbing again. He walked the rest of the course, limiting himself to chipping and putting, the only things he felt comfortable enough to risk.
So, will he play?
“I can’t say honestly at this moment,” Harrington said as he strolled down the middle of the 18th fairway, midway through a practice round that was little more than a pleasant walk.
Later, after coming off the ninth green, he was a bit more specific about his prospects. Harrington said it was 75 percent likely he would at least tee off, but put his chances of making it through the first round at only 50 percent.
The Irishman sprained his wrist last weekend while hitting into an impact bag, golf’s version of the punching bag. He took a couple of days off, then hit the course Tuesday. He managed to get in nine holes before his wrist started feeling “tingly,” forcing him to cut out any full swings on the back side.
Harrington returned early Wednesday, headed to the practice range and didn’t have any problems.
“I thought it was fine,” he said. “I was hitting all sorts of shots and felt quite confident. I was hitting drivers with no problem. I was hitting divots with no problem.”
Then he headed to the course. Three swings later, he was done.
Harrington teed off at No. 10 and didn’t like the way his wrist felt. He tried another swing from the fairway. More pain. He gave it one more shot at the 11th tee before pulling the plug. For the second day in a row, caddie Ronan Flood ditched the bag and simply walked with his boss carrying a few wedges and a putter.
“When I hit that first 6-iron off the fairway, it hurt,” Harrington said. “When I went back and hit the driver again, that hurt.”
The doctors have assured Harrington that nothing is broken or torn, so there appears little chance he could make things worse by playing—and potentially knock himself out of future events such as the PGA Championship or, even more important, the Ryder Cup.
Harrington was being treated with laser light therapy, ice and anti-inflammatory medication. Even if he plays, he knows he won’t be 100 percent.
“I’ll be apprehensive hitting any shot,” he said. “I’ll certainly be apprehensive hitting it in the rough. It might be a situation now of trying to manage the pain. If the stability in the wrist is strong, it’s really dealing with the pain. The pain itself is not a problem, but the anticipation of flinching for the pain, that could be a problem. I’ve got to somehow manage that.”
Harrington had a small wrap on his wrist, though few fans saw it because he was wearing a wind jacket on a cool, windy day along the Irish Sea. Still, most spectators were aware of the defending champion’s predicament and showed their concern.
“How’s the wrist, Padraig?” one man asked when Harrington lingered to sign autographs.
“It’s OK,” he replied, without much conviction.
Harrington walked the course with Woody Austin, watching the American hit drivers and irons, then chatting with him between shots.
“It’s been a nice relaxing day for me,” Harrington quipped. “I should be checking out the course, but I find myself just telling stories with Woody.”
Harrington won his first major championship a year ago at Carnoustie, where he memorably hit two balls into the Barry Burn on the 72nd hole but still managed to beat Sergio Garcia in a playoff.
He was looking forward to making another run at the claret jug—even suggesting jokingly that the R&A come up with a smaller box to store it in, so the champion could carry it on to a plane. But the ailing wrist has made it highly unlikely he’ll be able to contend at Royal Birkdale.
Then again, Tiger Woods did manage to win the U.S. Open on a bum knee. The world’s best player underwent surgery shortly after his playoff victory over Rocco Mediate, forcing him to sit out the rest of the year.
The British Open faces the prospect of being without two of its biggest names. And rest assured, Harrington wouldn’t be going through so much trouble for just any tournament.
If this wasn’t the British Open?
“I,” Harrington said without hesitation, “would be at home right now.”
First-round pick Flacco agrees to contract with Baltimore
First-round draft pick Joe Flacco has agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN.com reported on Wednesday.
The quarterback’s agent, Joe Linta, said the deal can be worth up to $30 million, with $8.75 million guaranteed, according to the report.
The 6-7, 236-pound Flacco will battle Troy Smith and Kyle Boller for the Ravens’ starting quarterback slot.
“The most important part of this contract is that it is done before July 21,” Linta said. “They’re excited, Joe’s excited, I’m excited. I don’t know anybody that is not excited.”
Baltimore selected Flacco, a two-year starter at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh, with the 18th overall pick in the draft.
Flacco completed 331-of-521 passes for 4,263 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions with the Blue Hens last season.
Kings to announce Terry Murray as new head coach
The Los Angeles Kings went with experience in choosing a head coach.
Terry Murray, who guided Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup finals 11 years ago and has coached 737 regular-season NHL games, was hired late Wednesday to succeed Marc Crawford.
A team spokesman said Murray will be introduced Thursday at an afternoon news conference at the Kings’ training facility in suburban El Segundo.
Murray, who turns 58 on Sunday, has been an assistant with the Flyers since 2003-04. He hadn’t been a head coach in the NHL since being fired by the Florida Panthers following the 2000-01 season. He has a 360-288-89 regular-season record and a 46-43 postseason mark as a head coach with Philadelphia, Washington and Florida.
Murray spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL and WHL as a defenseman before starting his coaching career as an assistant with Washington in 1983. After 1 1/2 seasons as a head coach in the American Hockey League, he was promoted to head coach of the Capitals during the 1989-90 season. They reached the Eastern Conference finals before being eliminated from the playoffs.
The Capitals made the playoffs each of the next two seasons, but didn’t advance past the second round, and Murray was fired 47 games into the 1993-94 season.
Philadelphia hired Murray at the start of the following season, and they reached the conference finals, the conference semifinals, and the Stanley Cup finals in his three seasons. But after the Flyers were swept by Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals, Murray was fired.
Florida then hired Murray as general manager, and in his second season, Doug MacLean was fired as coach and Murray took over. In his two full seasons with the Panthers, they missed the playoffs once and lost in the first round.
Murray then worked as a scout for the Flyers before becoming an assistant coach in 2003.
Murray is not related to former Kings coach Andy Murray, but his brother, Bryan, was the coach and general manager for the Anaheim Ducks.
The 47-year-old Crawford was fired June 10 after two years on the job, coaching the Kings to a 59-84-21 record. He had one year left on his contract. Los Angeles had 71 points last season, tied with Tampa Bay for the fewest in the NHL.
The status of assistant coaches Mike Johnston, Dave Lewis, Jamie Kompon, Bill Ranford and Nelson Emerson is unknown. General manager Dean Lombardi is believed to have interviewed four candidates to succeed Crawford, including Johnston.
NFL to review tape for evidence of on-field gang signs
The NFL has hired experts to determine whether players have thrown up gang signs during games, according to a published report Wednesday.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the league will have the experts study game tapes to confirm or deny suspicions that players are flashing gang hand gestures as part of their post-play celebrations.
“There have been some suspected things we’ve seen,” Milt Ahlerich, the league’s vice president of security, told the Times. “When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period.”
The report said that the NFL has warned players about the influence of gangs and other forms of organized crime, but their concerns have become more prevalent since former Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed last year in an incident involving known gang members.
The NFL’s actions come two months after Boston Celtics swingman Paul Pierce was fined $25,000 for what the league deemed “menacing gestures” toward the Atlanta Hawks’ bench in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Pierce, for his part, said that it was not a gang sign but a gesture of solidarity with his teammates - something that the reigning NBA champions had been doing all season. The NFL wasn’t as sure.
“We were always suspicious that (gang-related hand signals) might be happening,” said Mike Pereira, the NFL’s vice president of officiating. “But the Paul Pierce thing is what brought it to light. When he was fined … that’s when we said we need to take a look at it and see if we need to be aware of it.”
As a result, the Times said the NFL has made gang signs a point of emphasis this season, but the league will not force its referees to determine what is gang-related. That will be left up to local and national authorities, who not only will examine game tape but will be tapped as resources for education on the topic.
The newspaper said that the NFL has declined to be specific about what actions will be taken against those who are caught flashing such signals but made it clear it will not take the issue lightly.
“It will be dealt with harshly,” Pereira said in the report. “The commissioner is not going to stand for gang signals on the field.”
Ahlerich told the Times that, in an attempt to gain some feedback, he has spoken with a number of unidentified players. The report also said that rookies already have been briefed on the matter at the league’s annual symposiums for first-year players.
Despite thorough study, determining gang signs is an inexact science. Ahlerich admitted in the report that the experts will study “symbols, clothing, jewelry or other items that would signify an association with criminal gang enterprises.”
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Dennis Northcutt pointed out that there is a lot of guesswork involved in this type of investigation.
“Guys come from all over the country, and who knows what they’re really doing?” Northcutt told the Times. “People have got signs for their kids, signs for their fraternities. How do you differentiate who’s really throwing up gang signs?”
A native of a gang-infested Los Angeles neighborhood, former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley made it clear why the NFL needs to make sure all menacing gestures stay out .
“Where I’m from, (an athlete is) not the one that wants to throw up a gang sign if you’re in that neighborhood,” Wiley said in the report. “Now, in front of millions of people on TV in the middle of the 50-yard line, who’s going to attack you? Who’s going to do something to you?
“But you do that on (Los Angeles streets) Slauson and Crenshaw and see what happens.”
U.S. star Wambach carried off field with leg injury
Leading scorer Abby Wambach was carted off the field on a stretcher with an apparent left leg injury in the first half of the U.S. women’s match against Brazil on Wednesday night.
Wambach collided with Andrei Rosa as they were both going for the ball in the 33rd minute. Wambach and Rosa both went down and Wambach began to immediately signal to the sideline that she was hurt.
Wambach was on the turf for nearly 6 minutes and appeared to be in pain. Paramedics fitted her left leg with an inflatable brace and carted her off to an ambulance.
There was no immediate word on Wambach’s injury, but team spokesman Aaron Heifetz said Wambach was being taken to a hospital for X-rays.
Andrei Rosa got up after a minute and continued in the game.
The injury could be costly for the United States, the defending Olympic champion. Wambach, who has 99 career goals, leads the team in scoring this year with 19 goals and is one of the most experienced players on a young squad.
The United States, playing its last match before the Olympics, opens defense of its Olympic title Aug. 6 against Norway.
Giants, Woods, Hamilton, Everett take home ESPYs
The New York Giants took home the Vince Lombardi trophy for winning the Super Bowl and they can add some ESPYs to their trophy case as well.
At the 16th annual celebration of the year’s best sports stories, the Giants won in three categories: Best Game, Best Upset and Best Play. The latter came for David Tyree’s acrobatic catch of an Eli Manning pass that kept the game-winning drive alive in the Super Bowl.
The ESPYs, which were hosted by Justin Timberlake at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, will be televised on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Tiger Woods surpassed Lance Armstrong with his record fifth Best Male Athlete ESPY. He also won his fourth straight Best Golfer award and took home the Best Championship Performance award for winning the U.S. Open on an injured left leg. His 21 ESPYs are the most anyone has won.
Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett captured the Jimmy V ESPY for Perseverance, named after former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano. Everett suffered what was believed to be a paralyzing spinal cord injury but after rehabilitation is walking again and was on hand to accept his award.
Embattled quarterback Brett Favre was honored with an ESPY for Best Record Breaking Performance. He snapped Dan Marino’s mark for most career touchdown passes.
Timberlake zeroed in on Favre sitting in the audience with his wife, Deanna.
“What have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you anywhere,” Timberlake said. “Just chillin’? Yeah, me too.”
Later, Timberlake went into the seats to hug Favre’s would-be successor Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ 2005 first-round draft choice. Favre sheepishly looked down with a slight smile on his face as the crowd laughed.
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who put on a legendary display in the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium on Monday, won the ESPY for Best Comeback. After battling drug addiction, Hamilton became an All-Star this year and leads the league in RBIs with 95.
Roger Federer won his fourth straight Best Male Tennis Player ESPY. Other repeat winners were: Sidney Crosby (Best NHL Player), Norm Duke (Best Bowler), Floyd Mayweather (Best Fighter) and Maria Sharapova (Best Female Tennis Player).
The NBA champion Boston Celtics won their first ESPY in the Best Team category.
The Arthur Ashe Courage award was presented to 1968 Olympic medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos who dropped their heads and raised their fists on the victory stand in Mexico City to raise awareness for the American struggle for racial equality.
Cavaliers sign Gibson to 5-year deal
The Cavaliers finally made a move this offseason, signing sharpshooter Daniel Gibson to a five-year contract Wednesday.
Bringing back Gibson, a restricted free agent, was one of Cleveland’s top priorities. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The guard averaged a career-high 10.4 points on 43 percent shooting last season. He sprained his left ankle in a Feb. 20 game at Indiana and missed 18 games.
Gibson, a popular player known by the nickname “Boobie,” had arthroscopic surgery last month on the ankle. He’s already back to playing basketball and is expected to be ready for training camp.
“He’s got a great smile on the court. He can shoot the heck out of the ball and bring energy to our group because guys just love playing with him,” Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said.
Aside from signing first-round draft pick J.J. Hickson last week, the Cavs have been quiet this offseason. Ferry hasn’t been active in free agency because the Cavaliers are over the salary cap.
Ferry said the team has been talking to free agents and considering trades.
“We will continue to explore every way we possibly can to get better and give ourselves the best chance and the best window to win a championship this year and to have sustainable success,” Ferry said.
The Cavaliers do have two exceptions ($5.5 million midlevel and $1.8 million biannual) to improve their talent. They showed interest in Boston forward James Posey, but he agreed to a four-year, $25 million contract with New Orleans on Wednesday.
Ferry also must decide on guard Delonte West, a restricted free agent, who was acquired in an 11-player deal at the trading deadline last season and showed signs that he could be the traditional point guard the Cavaliers have needed.
“We like what we saw from Delonte last year,” Ferry said. “We think he and the team will benefit from having an offseason together. So hopefully, we can get moving forward with his contract negotiation as well.”
The pressure on Ferry, owner Dan Gilbert and coach Mike Brown to win an NBA title is mounting with superstar LeBron James eligible for free agency following the 2010 season. That’s two years away, but there’s already rampant media speculation about James leaving for New York or elsewhere, and the talk isn’t likely to subside.
By re-signing Gibson, the Cavaliers brought back their most consistent outside shooting threat. They’re also ahead of where they were last year when restricted free agents Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao held out all summer before resigning.
Gibson was fifth in the NBA last season in 3-point shooting at 44 percent. He was named MVP of the All-Star Rookie/Sophomore game in New Orleans when he made a record 11 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers are in need of a second scorer to take some pressure off James. Gibson has filled that role at times but not consistently.
“I feel like as time goes on I’ll continue to improve and my role will continue to increase and develop,” Gibson said.
Gibson missed the final two games of Cleveland’s playoff series against Boston with a separated shoulder. Gibson, whose scoring was key to the Cavaliers win over Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals to reach their first NBA finals in 2007, says missing Game 7 of the Boston series still haunts him.
“I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights just wondering where I could have helped the team,” Gibson said.
- Steve
- Roy Halladay - Blue Jays
- Justin Duchscherer - A’s
- Cliff Lee - Indians
- Dan Haren - Diamondbacks
- Edinson Volquez - Reds
- Cole Hamels - Phillies
- Tim Lincecum - Giants
- Ben Sheets - Brewers
- Brandon Webb - Diamondbacks
- Ervin Santana - Angles
- Jake Peavy - Padres
- Shaun Marcum - Blue Jays
- Johan Santana - Mets
- Jon Danks - White Sox
- Rich Harden - Cubs
- Joe Saunders - Angels
- Ryan Dempster - Cubs
- John Lackey - Angels
- Carlos Zambrano - Cubs
- Chad Billingsley - Dodgers 
- Mariano Rivera - Yankees
- Joakim Soria - Royals
- Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox
- Joe Nathan - Twins
- Kerry Wood - Cubs
- Brad Lidge - Phillies
- Francisco Rodriguez - Angles
- Takashi Saito - Dodgers
- Jon Rauch - Nationals
- Francisco Cordero - Reds
- Brian McCann - Braves
- Russell Martin - Dodgers
- Joe Mauer - Twins
- Geovany Soto - Cubs
- Ryan Doumit - Pirates
- Bengie Molina - Giants
- A. J. Pierzynski - White Sox
- Ivan Rodriguez - Tigers
- Dioner Navarro - Rays
- Kurt Suzuki - A’s
- Lance Berkman - Astros0
- Ryan Howard - Phillies
- Justin Morneau - Twins
- Derrek Lee - Cubs
- Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox
- Adrian Gonzalez - Padres
- Albert Pujols - Cardinals
- Aubrey Huff - Orioles
- Mark Teixeira - Braves
- Prince Fielder - Brewers
- Miguel Cabrera - Tigers
- Conor Jackson - Diamondbacks
- Jason Giambi - Yankees
- Carlos Delgado - Mets
- James Loney - Dodgers
- Ian Kinsler - Rangers
- Chase Utley - Phillies
- Dan Uggla - Marlins
- Brandon Phillips - Reds
- Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox
- Brian Roberts - Orioles
- Mark DeRosa - Cubs
- Jose Lopez - Mariners
- Kelly Johnson - Braves
- Orlando Hudson - Diamondbacks 
- Hanley Ramirez - Marlins
- Jose Reyes - Mets 
- Michael Young - Rangers
- Miguel Tejada - Astros
- Jhonny Peralta - Indians
- Orlando Cabrera - White Sox
- Ryan Theriot - Cubs
- Christian Guzman - Nationals
- Jimmy Rollins - Phillies
- Derek Jeter - Yankees
- Chipper Jones - Braves
- David Wright - Mets
- Alex Rodriguez - Yankees
- Aramis Ramirez - Cubs
- Jorge Cantu - Marlins
- Mark Reynolds - Diamondbacks
- Garrett Atkins - Rockies
- Evan Longoria - Rays
- Mike Lowell - Red Sox
- Troy Glaus - Cardinals
- Josh Hamilton - Rangers
- Grady Sizemore - Indians
- Nate McLouth - Pirates
- Carlos Quentin - White Sox
- Carlos Beltran - Mets
- Carlos Lee - Astros
- Ryan Braun - Brewers
- Ryan Ludwick - Cardinals
- Matt Holliday - Rockies
- Jermaine Dye - White Sox
- Milton Bradley - Rangers
- Jason Bay - Pirates
- J. D. Drew - Red Sox
- Nick Markakis - Orioles
- Manny Ramirez - Red Sox
- Corey Hart - Brewers
- Ichiro Suzuki - Mariners
- Carl Crawford - Rays
- B. J. Upton - Rays
- Matt Kemp - Dodgers 
Los Angeles Angels (57-38 )
Chicago Cubs (57-38 ) 
Boston Red Sox (57-40)
Tampa Bay Rays (55-39)
Chicago White Sox (54-40)
Minnesota Twins (53-42)
St. Louis Cardinals (53-43) 
Milwaukee Brewers (52-43)
Philadelphia Phillies (52-44)
New York Mets (51-44)
Oakland Athletics (51-44)
Florida Marlins (50-45)
New York Yankees (50-45)
Texas Rangers (50-46)
Detroit Tigers (47-47)
Toronto Blue Jays (47-48 )
Arizona Diamondbacks (47-48 )
Los Angeles Dodgers (46-49)
Baltimore Orioles (45-48 )
Cincinnati Reds (46-50)
Atlanta Braves (45-50)
Pittsburgh Pirates (44-50)
Houston Astros (44-51)
Kansas City Royals (43-53)
Cleveland Indians (41-53)
San Francisco Giants (50-55)
Colorado Rockies (39-57)
Seattle Mariners (37-58 )
San Diego Padres (37-58 )
Washington Nationals (36-60)
