Cleveland ? Drew Gooden and Flip Murray became free agents Monday. One hopes to be back, but the other isn’t so sure.
Gooden, a former Kansas University forward, is hoping to be rewarded by the Cavaliers for being a good soldier.
Murray is hoping to get large dollars and a prominent role after being a savior.
Having the unenviable task of replacing Carlos Boozer, Gooden has given the Cavs two solid seasons.
This year he averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds despite having his playing time cut with the arrival of free agent Donyell Marshall and the maturation of Anderson Varejao. He never made a peep in the process despite it being a contract year with the understanding it would be taken into consideration.
Because the Cavs can go over the salary cap to sign Gooden, he’s perhaps looking for a loyalty bonus.
“I want to be a Cavalier,” Gooden said. “Statistically I probably didn’t put up the numbers everybody wanted (but) I did my job when I was out there.”
The market for Gooden will be varied. Some teams might shy away because he’s a restricted free agent and the Cavs can match any offers to him.
Others might look to go after him, because the Cavs are deep at his position and might not want to match a healthy offer.
He’ll likely point to the five-year, $44 million extension the Golden State Warriors’ Mike Dunleavy signed last fall.
Dunleavy was picked one spot ahead of Gooden in the 2002 draft and has comparable stats.
“We’re winning and that was the most important thing,” Gooden said. “I want to be on a winning team so why is there a need to change? My ear will be to the streets but hopefully everything works out so I can remain a Cavalier.”
Murray turned down a five-year contract offer from the Seattle SuperSonics last summer and played out a one-year contract so he could be unrestricted this summer.
He fully intends to test the market after helping the Cavs to a 21-9 record as a replacement starter for Larry Hughes after being acquired in February.
The Cavs have no rights to Murray and will have to use all or part of their $5 million mid-level exception if they want him back. Murray, who averaged 13.5 points in 28 games with the Cavs, has expressed that he wants to be a starter. That likely won’t happen in Cleveland.
“It’s a tough question,” Murray said. “I’ll sit down and talk to my people and try to take full advantage of what’s out there. I want to go somewhere where there’s no restrictions on my game. Starting is important but for the right situation it’s not.”
Veteran center Alan Henderson and rookie swingman Stephen Graham will also be unrestricted free agents. On the coaching front, Mike Brown said Monday he’d consider adding an offensive-minded coach to his staff, but it isn’t a certainty. He also said that assistant coaches Hank Egan, Mike Malone, Melvin Hunt and Kenny Natt would be asked back.
