Ben Wallace broken tibia

[Brickowski]

He's gone for the year whether the Cavs want to admit it or not, and it takes a big chunk out of their frontcourt depth. Unlucky.

[Jeff]

tough break for them (pun intended)

I would love to see them lose a bunch of games, but I hate to see a guy get hurt

[winsomme]

OKC keeping Smith on their roster never made any sense. I don't buy the "having a vet around argument"....not with only a month left in a season that they are obviously thinking about draft position again more than anything else.

I'm sure they wouldn't mind having him around next if he were signed (same reason they brought him in), but with so little time left in this season, money almost certainly the motivation in regards to what to do with him.

maybe Smith and his agent are just playing hardball to get a better buyout offer....but at the end of the day, I just don't see how Smith isn't bought out.

as for Big Ben, I never like seeing players get hurt. even when it could benefit our team. I was bummed when Bynum went down. I always want teams going head to head with their best foot forward.

doesn't look like Ben will have time to get back, but I think the Cavs will end up getting Smith...

now, rooting against a buyout...that's another matter entirely. I'd be out there clipping phone lines if i thought it would help stall that deal past the March 1 deadline.

[footey]

tough break for them (pun intended)

I would love to see them lose a bunch of games, but I hate to see a guy get hurt

Ditto.

[Brickowski]

If Smith is bought out, let's get him too.  The Cavs can have Marbury.

[cordobes]

I broke my tibia before, I was out for 3 months. But I suspect that with all his expensive healthcare and such that it'll be half that for him.

The time he's out depends on the extension of the fracture, but  there's not a lot one can do to rush the healing of a fractured tibia. The upside is that it's the best leg fracture for a sportsman to have, there's no lingering effects whatsoever (except the loss of muscle from the rehabilitation, but that's easily recoverable). But if they say it's 3 months, I believe he won't play again this season. Though luck, I like Hickson but Ben is the anchor of their defense and it'll be a risk to force Big Z to play more minutes.

p.s. - like others, I also believe there's a good chance Smith and the Thunder agree on a buyout. I'm not certain, but it'll probably happen. This is another incentive, as the Cavs are now more willing to throw a bigger contract at Smith. 

[Fafnir]

They weren't going to sign someone just because, and the reasoning that if the Cavs don't win it this year LeBron is gone is a joke - he still has next season in a Cavs uniform, which means they can use Wally's contract this summer.

No they can't. Wally's contract expires this season so it now has no value in the trade market.

[Andy Jick]

...such a pity.

[markketch]

No they can't. Wally's contract expires this season so it now has no value in the trade market.

Exactly, he's off the books which means they can use his contract (guess I could have worded it different) savings to target another player.  It gives the cap flexibility. I didn't mean use it in a trade.

[Fafnir]

No they can't. Wally's contract expires this season so it now has no value in the trade market.

Exactly, he's off the books which means they can use his contract (guess I could have worded it different) savings to target another player.  It gives the cap flexibility. I didn't mean use it in a trade.

They are over the salary cap, they may only sign their own FAs with bird rights or use the MLE. The Cavs will have one of the highest payrolls in the league even after Wally is off the books.

[MMacOH]

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Cavs.  Wallace is a shell of what he once was.  He is capable of playing solid defense for about 6 minutes at a time, and that is about it.

He is a HUGE offensive liability.  The Rockets were able to leave him all night and double team, knowing full well he wouldn't make a basket.  This will give more time to Varejao and Hickson.  

Like someone else already pointed out...the Cavs didn't have near the opportunities at the deadline as were rumored.  They could have gotten Miller, that's about it.  I am not upset about it

[Bankshot]

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Cavs.  Wallace is a shell of what he once was.  He is capable of playing solid defense for about 6 minutes at a time, and that is about it.

He is a HUGE offensive liability.  The Rockets were able to leave him all night and double team, knowing full well he wouldn't make a basket.  This will give more time to Varejao and Hickson.  

Like someone else already pointed out...the Cavs didn't have near the opportunities at the deadline as were rumored.  They could have gotten Miller, that's about it.  I am not upset about it

The Cavs are .500 without Wallace.

[MMacOH]

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Cavs.  Wallace is a shell of what he once was.  He is capable of playing solid defense for about 6 minutes at a time, and that is about it.

He is a HUGE offensive liability.  The Rockets were able to leave him all night and double team, knowing full well he wouldn't make a basket.  This will give more time to Varejao and Hickson.  

Like someone else already pointed out...the Cavs didn't have near the opportunities at the deadline as were rumored.  They could have gotten Miller, that's about it.  I am not upset about it

The Cavs are .500 without Wallace.

Care to justify that opinion?  That's a ridiculous statement

[CelticsWhat35]

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Cavs.  Wallace is a shell of what he once was.  He is capable of playing solid defense for about 6 minutes at a time, and that is about it.

He is a HUGE offensive liability.  The Rockets were able to leave him all night and double team, knowing full well he wouldn't make a basket.  This will give more time to Varejao and Hickson.  

Like someone else already pointed out...the Cavs didn't have near the opportunities at the deadline as were rumored.  They could have gotten Miller, that's about it.  I am not upset about it

The Cavs are .500 without Wallace.

That's a misleading stat, because the Cavs overall record last year wasn't that great anyway, so for them to be .500 without him isn't much of a stretch.  But there's no way they'll be a .500 team while he's out this year.  They did fine with Big Z, and he's much more important to their team.

[Bankshot]

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Cavs.  Wallace is a shell of what he once was.  He is capable of playing solid defense for about 6 minutes at a time, and that is about it.

He is a HUGE offensive liability.  The Rockets were able to leave him all night and double team, knowing full well he wouldn't make a basket.  This will give more time to Varejao and Hickson.  

Like someone else already pointed out...the Cavs didn't have near the opportunities at the deadline as were rumored.  They could have gotten Miller, that's about it.  I am not upset about it

The Cavs are .500 without Wallace.

Care to justify that opinion?  That's a ridiculous statement

ESPN put up the stat last night after the loss.