Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 11:40 am  |  36 responses

Agent: Cavs Hurt Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ Feelings

Herb Rudoy, Big Z’s rep, sure can spin a funny yarn. Check out what he told the AP: “They told him they want him to come back,’ said agent Herb Rudoy. ‘(Cavaliers general manager) Danny Ferry flew in the other day and met with him, too.’ Ilgauskas has drawn interest from several other teams, including the Atlanta Hawks. Rudoy said Ilgauskas is weighing his options and that the 34-year-old has mixed feelings. ‘He’s got a big emotional investment in Cleveland, in the city and the team,’ Rudoy said. ‘On the other hand, he was not happy to be used as a pawn in the trade. It has not been an easy ordeal. They’ve really reached out to him,’ he said. ‘He loves the fans of Cleveland and I know how much the Cavaliers mean to him. But again, he was not happy to be a pawn. It was really disappointing.’ Rudoy expects Ilgauskas to make a decision by this weekend. Ilgauskas can announce where he’ll play at anytime but cannot sign a contract until March 22.”

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  • AlbertBarr Posted: Mar.4 at 11:48 am
    The Plot Thickens.

  • MooButter Posted: Mar.4 at 12:01 pm
    I love big Z, but he’s gotta understand the business aspect. It would be a shame to see him play 14 years in Cleveland and miss out on a championship because he got his panties in a bunch.

  • Jet Posted: Mar.4 at 12:09 pm
    How old is Z? His agent makes him sound like an immature little kid.

  • C Posted: Mar.4 at 12:15 pm
    The end of this article is a bit misleading. The only team he cannot sign with until March 22nd is the Cavs. He can play immediately for any other team in the league.

  • T-Money Posted: Mar.4 at 12:17 pm
    Boo freaking hoo. See you on March 22. Big Z seems to be quite sensitive. He was going on and on about his DNP-CD a couple of months ago. I mean, he’s an aging back up big on stacked team. You won’t play a lot sometimes against match ups that don’t play to your strenghts. Deal with it.

  • Ree Roe Posted: Mar.4 at 12:26 pm
    Hopefully Z has finally smartened up and realized that CLE used him & disrespected him. I’ve been pretty vocal about this situation on these blogs & hopefully Z gets back at CLE by signing with another East contender like ATL.

  • James the Balla Posted: Mar.4 at 12:43 pm
    Don’t go back Z!!!!!

  • heartlandG Posted: Mar.4 at 12:48 pm
    To tha Lakers!

  • LA Huey Posted: Mar.4 at 12:51 pm
    If this isn’t just fake drama for the cameras, I’ve lost respect for Z.

  • AlbertBarr Posted: Mar.4 at 1:03 pm
    Why LA Huey? WHy should he feel obligated to go back? WHy shouldnt he feel slighted?

  • WOODY Posted: Mar.4 at 1:03 pm
    It’s REAL drama for the cameras by the agent, not Z, who’s bending over backwards to show that Z is really considering other offers. It is significant, however, that he’s not suiting up tonight for anyone.

  • J-City Posted: Mar.4 at 1:26 pm
    If I had to play in Cleveland with Ricky Davis as the alpha dog, I’d be pretty ticked too if I was traded when the team finally has a very good chance for a championship.

  • Lloyd Posted: Mar.4 at 1:37 pm
    Woody’s right. Z’s going back to the Cavs. They’re just trying to make it seem like they didn’t have this planned all along to trade Z and get him back like that. And the Oscar goes to…

  • Yesse Posted: Mar.4 at 2:36 pm
    I can’t really blame him. I would be sad too and from the looks of is, Z didnt know this was gonna happen when the trade happened.

  • dirty frank Posted: Mar.4 at 2:44 pm
    I don’t understand why they didn’t talk to him about it first.

  • JoeMaMa Posted: Mar.4 at 2:52 pm
    This agent has a career in politics ahead of him. The bullsh*t he’s throwing out there is majestic. I’ve said it one this site once, and I’ll say it again: the realest basketball is on the playgrounds. No money, no agents, no endorsements…just game. Ugh. This agent of doom is giving me an ulcer.

  • socal.s Posted: Mar.4 at 2:56 pm
    this is b.s. he knew what was up.

  • busta444 Posted: Mar.4 at 4:23 pm
    wow, can peeps stop calling teams by their 3-letter abbreviations?

  • neaorin Posted: Mar.4 at 4:37 pm
    The Cavs were not happy to trade him either. But it had to be done in order to improve the team. At the end of the day Danny Ferry has to do his job, which is to build a championship contender in Cleveland. If the Cavs get bounced before reaching the Finals and LeBron walks, do you think people will say “hey, at least he didn’t trade away Zydrunas Ilgauskas?”

  • neaorin Posted: Mar.4 at 4:39 pm
    And to Ree Roe: please check out the previous Z thread.

  • MooButter Posted: Mar.4 at 5:06 pm
    no more comments needed after neaorin’s.

  • MikeC. Posted: Mar.4 at 5:50 pm
    Once upon a time, while coaching the Suns, Cotton Fitzsimmons told his players during training camp that he thought they were all a great bunch of guys that he loved coaching, and that he hoped to trade every single one of them before their careers ended and the team couldn’t get any value for them. Welcome to the biz.

  • LA Huey Posted: Mar.4 at 5:53 pm
    @AlbertBarr, what does he really have to be upset about? Because the Cavs basically gave him a month off from work? Sure, he may have a lost a couple of million in the buyout but that just put his income closer to market value (he aint worth more than $9 mil/year) and improved his chances of getting a ring.

  • MikeC. Posted: Mar.4 at 5:53 pm
    This is quite likely a ploy by Z’s agent to make it look like Z’s feeling are truly hurt, and the Cavs will need to pay more than the prorated veteran’s minimum to get Z back. 10% of more than the prorated veteran’s minimum is more than 10% of the prorated veteran’s minimum. Hurrah for agents and all that they do to ruin the game.

  • Seven Duece Posted: Mar.4 at 6:08 pm
    Man please, he should be happy he’s still in Cleveland. Where was this emotion when his ass was off missing about 3 years with his foot injuries and they re-signed him without knowing how it would pan out? Gimme a break, Z; your strengths aren’t enough to outshine your weaknesses on any other team.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.4 at 7:03 pm
    Z. will be fine. He’s at the point now where life after basketball is closer to him than it is farther. Besides, the month off probably added a year to his career anyway.

  • Ree Roe Posted: Mar.4 at 7:06 pm
    @ neaorin, of course the Cavs have to do what they have to do, but let’s not act like Cleveland & Ferry were heartbroken about trading Z. CLE could have traded Hickson (who they were struggling to find minutes for with all the PFs they have on their roster) to PHX or WAS & STILL got Amare or Jamison, but they didn’t. They made the decision to trade Z b/c they felt that they would be stronger without him than with him. So now Z is weighing his options after he’s been shafted by CLE again & folks are givin Z grief b/c maybe he’s realized how much he’s been played by them guys? Gimmie a break. My message to Z is to come to the A where you won’t have to deal with all this BS from management & fans who don’t think they need you. Oh & BTW, the Cavs don’t have an open roster spot currently anyway so somebody is gonna have to get cut before Z were to resign anyway. It would all be easier if Z just comes to the Hawks..,

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Mar.4 at 7:30 pm
    I agree with those peeps calling BS. This was a smart play by the Cavs–faking like Big Z’s feelings were hurt to make it look like the sh!t wasn’t planned. Next story please?

  • Shem Posted: Mar.4 at 7:58 pm
    The NBA’s a business, I’d want to see him sign with LA and a Cleveland – LA finals

  • FoCo Posted: Mar.4 at 10:34 pm
    Pure gold at the top…”shame to see him miss out on a championship” with the Cavs. The Cavs ain’t winning no title this year…

  • neaorin Posted: Mar.5 at 12:24 am
    Ree Roe: the Cavs (GM, players, fans, I don’t know about coach tho) WERE heartbroken about trading Z. But they couldn’t have traded Hickson in his place because Hickson wasn’t making 11 million this season, so they couldn’t match Jamison or Amare’s salaries by using him. Z’s huge expiring deal was the only piece a team looking to save money would’ve looked at. If you’re asking why was a 34-year old backup center making 11 million in his final year – it’s because the Cavs gave him a very advantageous contract extension five years ago. So just please stop with the disrespect BS. Like I said check out my comment in the previous Z thread. The Cavs will cut Darnell Jackson.

  • A. Posted: Mar.5 at 5:48 am
    Z and the Cavs knew he was going to be bought out by the Wizards. Z knew he was going back to the Cavs. The other coaches b!tched about the ‘loophole’ therefore the agent decided to make it look as though Z didn’t know what was up. There’s no way that Z never knew there was the possibility of returning after 30 days. Not when you’re in the League as long as he is. Those who fell for it are idiots. The Cavs knew that ‘trading’ Z would get Jamison. And of course, Z after 30 days. There are no hurt feelings over this. Z knows the NBA is a business, he’s been a part of it long enough. Ree Roe is an idiot.

  • NUPE Posted: Mar.5 at 8:59 am
    Regardless if Z knew there was a good chance of coming back in 30 days or not, I can see how his feelings could be hurt about being used as a pawn in this deal. Players understand business is business but it doesn’t mean they don’t feel anything about it when they or their teammates are traded and have to move etc. I’m sure the Cavs will give him several million reasons to feel better about coming back along with hope of winning a ring.

  • SLAM ONLINE | » Zydrunas Ilgauskas Wants to Be a Cav Again Posted: Mar.5 at 10:23 am
    [...] easy, Cavs fans. Big Z’s agent now says his client has gotten over the “trauma” of getting traded, and is ready to rejoin the team. From the Plain Dealer: “He’s back. [...]

  • kevin Posted: Mar.6 at 11:16 pm
    the cavs need to keep Z happy, though because he is a critical player for the team

  • therighttoremainsalient Posted: Mar.7 at 7:26 am
    this issue again, I’m going to watch the big bang theory…let me know when Z resigns with CLE.

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