Moon All but Over Miami
Happy trails to Moon
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There are worse places than Cleveland Jamario Moon could end up.
Jamario Moon, we hardly knew ye.
The Heat confirmed Sunday that the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed the restricted free agent to an offer sheet, giving Miami seven days to decide whether or not they'll match the offer or relinquish rights to one in their stable of small forwards.
Might as well start helping him pack.
After being acquired from Toronto in a trade, Moon certainly assisted the Heat here and there last season, in which he led the league in steals-to-turnover ratio. But Miami is anxious to maximize its salary cap space for the 2010 free agent class, and will likely be relieved to shed anyone not named Dwyane Wade. Or dressed like this.
Moon earned $712,000 in 08-09, and the Heat did extend him a qualifying offer of $1 million -- though only $250,000 was guaranteed. The offer sheet with Cleveland ups the ante, thought it is not clear yet how high. NBA rules dictate that the Cavs had to offer for at least two seasons, and the team had $3.2 million remaining in their mid-level exemption.
If the Heat were to match the offer, it would send them further into luxury tax territory -- something they are willing to do for the Lakers' Lamar Odom, who's still in talks, but not, probably, for Moon.
Eric Spoelstra already has starter James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara, and Dorell Wright at his disposal at small forward, and then there's Michael Beasley, who's been spending time learning the position this offseason. Pat Riley has said the team will likely only carry a roster of 13; with 11 secured, new draftees Patrick Beverley and Robert Dozier are still floating around in limbo with veteran free agents Jamal Magloire, Joel Anthony, and Luther Head.
And really, though we enjoyed him, what's another stop for a baller who's already played for the Lakeland Blue Ducks, Mobile Revelers, Dodge City Legend, Huntsville Flight, Oklahoma Storm, Harlem Globetrotters, Rockford Lightning, Kentucky Colonels, Rome Gladiators, Albany Patroons, Fort Worth Flyers, Marietta Storm, Fuerza Regia, Gary Steelheads, Raptors, and Heat?
The poor man probably left his car running upon arrival.
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Posted Monday, Jul 20, 2009 - 5:40 AM EST
