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New contract said to be for three years
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
CLEVELAND: There was tough talk and unorthodox methods, but on the eve of the start of the regular season, the Cavaliers have Sasha Pavlovic back with the team.
After a monthlong stalemate, the Cavs reached an agreement with the Serbian swingman Tuesday afternoon, said Pavlovic's agent, Marc Cornstein.
Cornstein declined to give the contract figures, but league sources said the deal is for three years and averages between $4 million and $5 million per season. Pavlovic was in his native Serbia when the deal was struck and is not expected to arrive in Cleveland until tonight, when the team opens the season without him in a home game against the Dallas Mavericks.
The accord was the product of intense talks over the weekend as the Cavs pressed to get a deal done. The team is also believed to have intensified talks with their remaining restricted free agent, Anderson Varejao.
''It was a long negotiating process, but I think it worked out well in the end,'' Cornstein said. ''Sasha has always embraced Cleveland, and that's where he wanted to be.''
Citing league policy, Cavs General Manager Dan ny Ferry would not comment because the contract is not signed.
The Cavs took steps to never count out having Varejao or Pavlovic, keeping a locker for both at Quicken Loans Arena and their new practice facility. The team's media guide, which was published this week, had full bios of both in the players' section.
According to insiders, the Cavs were willing to increase what they were offering Pavlovic in the first two years of the deal, but the third year of the pact is not fully guaranteed, which gave the Cavs the flexibility they were seeking in the talks with both Pavlovic and Varejao. Because of those terms, both sides were able to claim a victory after they'd been entrenched.
In retrospect, Cornstein said the rules concerning restricted free agents were to blame for the holdout.
The Cavs had the right to match any offers received by Pavlovic, who averaged nine points and 2.4 rebounds in a breakout season last season.
The stalemate ''was more of a product of the restricted free-agency system, and I think both sides got caught up in it,'' Cornstein said.
''The rules we have in place leads to situations like this and will continue to lead to situations like this until it can be addressed in the next collective bargaining agreement.''
There was speculation that Pavlovic and Varejao although they were using different agents and holing up in their home countries an ocean apart were working together by holding out. It was an unprecedented situation for one restricted free agent to hold out, much less two on the same team. Cornstein contended that was not the case.
''Because of their personal situations, both Anderson and Sasha ended up in the same position with the same team,'' Cornstein said. ''But from July 1, we wanted to strike a deal. . . . I wasn't representing anyone but my client.''
The Cavs set their opening day roster Monday, but will probably waive rookie forward Anthony Tolliver to make room on the roster for Pavlovic if he passes his physical Thursday.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
CLEVELAND: There was tough talk and unorthodox methods, but on the eve of the start of the regular season, the Cavaliers have Sasha Pavlovic back with the team.
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