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Do IT this week: Layering
Left knee injury likely ends court time but respected veteran has coaching future
Published on Monday, Apr 07, 2008
It was the last shot Snow took in a valiant effort by him and seven other Cavaliers the day after their big trade-deadline deal. Snow played 32 minutes as the Cavs gutted out a one-point win over the Washington Wizards. The reason the shot has significance, at least to Snow, is because it might well have been the last of his career. Perhaps it was symbolic in many ways, that it was awkward and a little ugly but in the end the job got done. Sort of the way Snow thrived in the league with grit and ingenuity instead of depending on size and pure talent.
Snow hasn't played since that night, he hasn't even practiced. About a month ago, the Cavs put him on their injury report with a sore left knee, saying he was going to rehabilitate for the playoffs. Now, with his knee still giving him problems and tests showing that he's almost bone-on-bone, Snow, a 13-year veteran and team captain, is coming to terms with his future.
As his young sons bounced around the Cavs locker room Saturday afternoon, Snow was pretty frank about his situation. He tore tissue in the knee while getting ready for the season in September and he's not been able to fully heal from surgery he had in October. He's talked to multiple doctors, he's looked at the X-rays and he doesn't foresee recovery.
''I've probably played my last game,'' Snow said with the same
stoic yet confident tone he's exhibited since coming to the Cavs in 2004.
Though he's been wearing a suit for the past few weeks, Snow still has a significant role on the team. A respected veteran, Snow has never been afraid to speak to the younger players whether he is trying to pass on some leadership advice or he's dealing with a technical issue. It isn't uncommon for Cavs coach Mike Brown to use Snow as an intermediary to pass along a bit of coaching to a younger player and Snow isn't shy about doing it himself.
When he recently saw a disgruntled player sitting on the end of the bench during a timeout and not joining the huddle, Snow walked over and suggested he change his attitude. The young player did.
That role is where Snow is headed, he's sure to have a second career as a coach. Four years ago in the annual NBA General Managers survey, Snow was voted as the player most likely to become a head coach someday. The respect for his knowledge and experience have only grown and he could be on a coaching staff as early as next year, be it in Cleveland or somewhere else.
But what to do next year is going to be an issue not just for Snow, but for the Cavs. He has one year and $7.3 million left on his contract, which will be the largest salary of his career. Understandably, he doesn't plan on giving that money up because a knee injury prematurely ended his career. The decision probably won't be made for some time, Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry has other pressing matters on his plate at the moment, but what to do with Snow could have an impact on next year's roster.
If the doctors agree, Snow and the Cavs could file for disability retirement and he could be released, which would clear his salary off the Cavs' books. Snow would still get his money from the team but the Cavs wouldn't be charged luxury tax on his contract, which could mean significant savings. Depending on how the insurance is set up on Snow's deal, they could recover more funds that way. By admitting it's over, Snow could be able to save the Cavs $10 million or more and in exchange get a chance to start his coaching career early.
But Snow's contract, because it will be expiring next season, also has value in a potential trade. The Cavs might want to hold on to it and trade him to a team looking to clear salary-cap room. The Cavs have extreme flexibility next season with more than $25 million in the expiring contracts of Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, Damon Jones and Anderson Varejao. Add in Snow's and the Cavs have the ammo to acquire just about any two players in the NBA. All those issues will likely be hammered out over the summer.
Dribbles
• Fans have been shocked at watching Ben Wallace miss wide-open dunks in the past two games. Just what happens to Wallace when he gets the ball in games is a mystery, because if you watch him in practice he can make 10 3-pointers in a row or bank in 17-footers from the wing like he's doing a Tim Duncan impression. Talk to people in Detroit and Chicago and they'll tell you that's been the case for years. Wallace is quite glib on the matter when you ask him about it, but something causes him to tense up when he's asked to execute on offense in a game. Nonetheless, focusing on those two missed dunks would actually miss the point. Since coming to the Cavs, as LeBron James and other have looked to set him up, Wallace has shot 49 percent in 17 games. While with the Bulls this season he shot just 37 percent. So, in his terms, he's actually been quite effective and efficient in the Cavs' offense.
• There hasn't been an official team vote yet, but according to a couple influential Cavs, it isn't likely the players will vote to give playoff shares to traded players Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Donyell Marshall, Shannon Brown or Cedric Simmons. Ira Newble is now with the Los Angeles Lakers and will get his own playoff share. In the past few years, the Cavs sort of set a policy of not giving shares to players who departed, with the exception of Mike Wilks, who was traded in 2005. They do, however, usually set aside money for team staff members and ball boys.
• In a story in the Boston Herald Sunday, former Cavaliers guard Kedrick Brown denies that alcohol abuse hastened his departure from the NBA three years ago. The Cavs got Brown when they traded Ricky Davis and he soon became a starter. But they were so disillusioned with his weight and temperament during summer league the following year he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers within weeks and then released early that fall. Brown is now attempting a comeback in the development league.
• Cavs assistant general manager Lance Blanks and international scout Chico Averbuck have been linked to potential job openings with the New York Knicks, who appear poised to gut their front office with the hiring of new president Donnie Walsh. As of right now, though, everything is just speculation.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
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