Danny Ferry agreed to become the Cleveland Cavaliers' general manager on Sunday, sources told the The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Associated Press.

 

The Plain Dealer reported that Ferry will sign a five-year contract worth close to $10 million. The paper -- citing two league sources -- reported Ferry's deal also includes incentives.

 

Ferry's hiring is expected to be announced Monday -- one day before the NBA draft.

 

Ferry, who played 10 seasons with the Cavs, was the director of basketball operations for the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

 

The Cavaliers currently don't have a selection but have reportedly discussed trading forward Jiri Welsch for a second-round pick. That deal could be easier to make now that the Cavs have found a replacement for Jim Paxson, who was fired the day after the season ended.

 

Ferry spent the last two years as San Antonio's director of basketball operations under GM R.C. Buford. The 38-year-old Ferry played in a club record 723 games for the Cavaliers from 1990-2000.

 

He played the final three years of his career with San Antonio, where he worked with Cleveland coach Mike Brown, then an assistant with the Spurs.

 

Ferry's return will make some Cleveland fans cringe.

 

An All-American at Duke, Ferry was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in 1989 by the Los Angeles Clippers. But he held out in a contract dispute and played one season in Italy before the Cavaliers acquired his rights in a trade.

 

The club dealt rising star Ron Harper for Ferry and waited an entire season until he finished his contract in Italy. Cleveland then signed Ferry to a 10-year, $34 million contract, a decision that made it tough for them to sign other players.

 

Ferry may have never lived up to being "the next Larry Bird" as some had predicted, but he was a solid player, averaging 7.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 913 career games.

 

In Cleveland, Ferry will have some immediate challenges as he tries to rebuild the Cavs, who faded down the stretch last season.

 

The club will have roughly $25 million to spend in the free-agency period, which begins on July 1. The Cavaliers also have to decide whether to re-sign All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who made $14.6 million last season. Ferry and Ilgauskas are former teammates and have remained close friends.

 

Ferry's top priority in Cleveland will be building a team around All-Star forward LeBron James.

 

On Friday, James said he would like to have input into which players are signed by the Cavaliers. He mentioned guards Michael Redd, Ray Allen and Larry Hughes and center Eddy Curry as players he would like to see in Cleveland.

 

Ferry is following in the footsteps of his father, Bob, who played 10 seasons in the NBA and was general manager of the Washington Bullets from 1973-90.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2094976

 

Not going in the right direction...

This is a good place for this one....

 

Rex Chapman is going to be the Wolves GM.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2095285

 

Chapman to immediately join Wolves for draft

ESPN.com news services

 

Rex Chapman is joining the Minnesota Timberwolves as their new general manager and top aide to team vice president Kevin McHale, ESPN.com's Marc Stein has learned.

 

Chapman, according to NBA front-office sources, will start working with McHale immediately to help Minnesota with its selections in Tuesday's draft.

 

The former University of Kentucky star and 12-year NBA veteran resigned his position as Phoenix Suns director of basketball operations on June 15. Chapman later called the move a "mutual decision," amid reports of tension with Suns president Bryan Colangelo.

 

Sources said Chapman landed his new job with the strong backing of longtime McHale ally Danny Ainge, vice president of the Boston Celtics.

 

Chapman, who was instrumental in helping Phoenix lure Steve Nash away from Dallas last July, also played for new Wolves coach Dwane Casey when Casey was an assistant at Kentucky.

 

The contract of current Wolves GM Jim Stack expires Thursday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2094976

 

Not going in the right direction...

Ferry or the cavs not going in the right direction? I say both. Ferry should stick with the spurs.

Edited June 27, 200520 yr by rangercal

Anyone know of any history between Larry Brown & Danny Ferry? That could well be a sign about whether or not Brown will be working for the Cavs next year.

ferry needs to find an all star free agent to complement lebron and if he does the cavs are goin to the playoffs

rex champman was good on the tnt playoff broadcasts

ferry needs to find an all star free agent to complement lebron and if he does the cavs are goin to the playoffs

And that may not even happen. Michael Redd will probably stay with the Bucks, and if Phoenix can trade Q-Rich, they'll resign Joe Johnson. They may have to settle for someone like Larry Hughes who wouldn't be a bad consolation prize at all.

ferry needs to find an all star free agent to complement lebron and if he does the cavs are goin to the playoffs

Ilgauskas was an all-star last year.

Ilgauskas was an all-star last year.

 

Yes, but you don't want him to be your second scorer behind james. Third scoring option is what he is best suited as. I know james wants him back but management has been pissing off ilgauskas lately. If they let go of ilgauskas ( they won't) that would basically be the final straw for lebron.