Cavs trade Leuer to Grizzlies in salary dump

[MILLERHIGHLIFE]

The Grizzlies have agreed to trade Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby and a future draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jon Leuer, a source confirmed Tuesday morning.

The move, which will save roughly $6 million, will allow Griz management to avoid a $4 million luxury tax bill this season.

The future pick is a protected first-round pick in 2015. The Grizzlies will also receive a $6.4 million trade exception that they can use to sign a free agent or balance a trade. The exception expires in a one year.

The Grizzlies are expected to sign two free agents to fill out their roster. With this trade, the team has 11 players on the roster.

Convoluted language in the collective bargaining agreement gave Speights the power to approve or veto a trade once he signed a two-year contract last summer. Speights approved the trade because of his dissatisfaction with playing time. He averaged 14.5 minutes in 40 games, including two starts, for the Griz this season.

Speights is averaging 6.5 points on 42-percent shooting and 4.7 rebounds.

Leuer, a 6-10 forward, is in his second NBA season after playing his college ball at Wisconsin. His career averages are 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. He played 46 games last year for Milwaukee -- he was picked 40th overall by the Bucks in 2011 -- and has played nine games for the Cavs this year after being claimed on waivers.

Speights, a 6-10 forward, was acquired from Philadelphia on Jan. 4, 2012 in a three-team deal. Ellington, a 6-4 guard, came to the Grizzlies last offseason when Dante Cunningham was traded to Minnesota. He averaged 5.5 points and was making 42 percent of his 3-point attempts. Selby, a 6-2 guard, was picked in the second round by the Grizzlies in the 2011 draft. Bouncing back and forth between the Grizzlies and the NBA Developmental League, he has appeared in just 10 NBA games this season.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...aft-pick-cavs/

[MrfadeawayJB]

Speights, Selby, Ellington are all gone. Get back Leuer.

[MrfadeawayJB]

Grizz rumored to sign Bill Walker, Delonte West, or Sasha Vujacic with the money saved in trade.

Chris Vernon: More News: If Grizzlies don't sign Walker/West - are considering Micah Downs, Eddie House, or Joe Ingles (currently in Barcelona) Twitter @ChrisVernonShow

[MrfadeawayJB]

Don't know much about Leuer but here is a scouting report on him pre-draft.

http://www.nbadraftblog.com/2011-art...jon-leuer.html

[MrfadeawayJB]

Fun Fact!

Interesting: in @johnhollinger 2011 Draft Rater - he had Jon Leuer ranked 4th best big, and 14th overall (insider) --> http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ftrater-110620 …

Guess its safe to say hollinger was behind the scenes on this one!

[Melo15]

Leuer has a good shot for a big. His biggest problem with us was how soft he was around the rim. He's got some potential though and I know Hollinger was high on him coming into the draft.

[MrfadeawayJB]

Yeah luckily in memphis he will be a mid range shooter right off the bat. Toughness will develop banging with Z-BO and Marc in practice. How do you see him in our rotation?

Will it be

Randolph/Arthur
Gasol/Leuer/Hadaddi

or

Randolph/Arthur/Leuer
Gasol/Hadaddi

[Melo15]

I wouldn't expect him to get many minutes at center, unless you're in a blowout scenario. I think he'll be a guy that comes in for stretches at a time to provide some offense and stretch the floor for Gasol. I think once he's comfortable he'll play really well off Gasol actually. I doubt he gets many minutes initially though. But I admittedly don't know enough about your team to say this with any certainty.

[MrfadeawayJB]

I wouldn't expect him to get many minutes at center, unless you're in a blowout scenario. I think he'll be a guy that comes in for stretches at a time to provide some offense and stretch the floor for Gasol. I think once he's comfortable he'll play really well off Gasol actually. I doubt he gets many minutes initially though. But I admittedly don't know enough about your team to say this with any certainty.

ok thanks for some info! Speights occasionally played the 4 or 5 with Arthur so i assumed memphis might try something similar with leuer, although he seems to be more finesse

[cyclonw]

Grizz rumored to sign Bill Walker, Delonte West, or Sasha Vujacic with the money saved in trade.

I like Vujacic and West. These guys can really play if their head is in place especially West.
I've been really wondering why they did not try Vujacic before. This guy can really shoot.
Don't we need another big? I would love to get Kenyon Martin .

Bench player

PG - Bayless/West
SG - Vujacic
SF - QPON
PF - Martin
C - Arthur

[MrfadeawayJB]

I like Vujacic and West. These guys can really play if their head is in place especially West.
I've been really wondering why they did not try Vujacic before. This guy can really shoot.
Don't we need another big? I would love to get Kenyon Martin .

Bench player

PG - Bayless/West
SG - Vujacic
SF - QPON
PF - Martin
C - Arthur

I agree wouldnt mind adding those two guys. Well we would get back Leuer who is a spot up 4 guy. He seems to have some potential and hollinger and grizz brass must be somewhat high on him. Martin isnt bad either but we have competition with him, and money isnt something we need to spend alot of right now

[Melo15]

Just saw on a different Cavs message board that Hollinger had Leuer ranked as the 4th best big and 14th overall player heading into the 2011 draft. It was from an insider piece so I can't post the actual ranking just thought you guys might find that interesting.

[MrfadeawayJB]

Just saw on a different Cavs message board that Hollinger had Leuer ranked as the 4th best big and 14th overall player heading into the 2011 draft. It was from an insider piece so I can't post the actual ranking just thought you guys might find that interesting.

yes i noticed that too. Maybe the nerd is smarter than we give him credit for? Only time will tell

[Chacarron]

I will be rooting for you guys from now on. If Sasha is truly joining the Grizzlies, it is my duty to root for his team. I am so stoked.

[mzgrizz]

I am stoked right with you
I was working so hard today, I missed the news and DH came home and said"you don't know who was traded"
I couldn't believe we got to keep the core and add Sasha and Delonte and am glad to welcome the other 2 guys
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW now it's going to be hard to get some sleep tonight