If the Indiana Pacers strike out in their attempts to land either Tracy McGrady or Shaquille O'Neal, many people are speculating that they will reopen talks with the Cavaliers for a Luke Jackson-- Al Harrington swap.  Don’t count on it.  The Cavaliers seem to have settled on Jackson as a key piece for the future. 

So if the Pacers are still interested, they will have to adjust their stance.  For me that means Ron Artest in a game called "Let's see how badly Larry Bird wants Luke Jackson."

       According to Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cavaliers were "split" on whether to acquire Harrington.  Paxson liked him but head coach Paul Silas was said to be wary of any player demanding to start.  Harrington has always been a team guy but he now feels that his time has come.  That would be a problem in Cleveland because Harrington doesn't fit in with the rest of the Cavaliers starting lineup.  His strengths aren't spotting up behind the three point line or coming off of screens to catch-and-shoot but rather
using his size and strength at 6'9 250lbs to take smaller forwards inside. As a starter, Harrington would clog up the middle in much the same way that Eric Williams and Lee Nailon did as post up small forwards.  He would be best served in the same role that he has played with the Pacers– backing up both forward spots and causing matchup problems for thirty minutes a game.

       The player who is a better fit for the Cavaliers is Kerry Kittles of the New Jersey Nets.  The Nets are on the verge of de-constructing their team as new incoming owner Brett Ratner wants to significantly cut the Nets payroll (set to be near 60 million) before Kenyon Martin gets his huge extension. The order from up top compelled the Nets to sell their first round pick in last
Thursday's draft and they are now shopping Kittles around the league as well as exploring trade opportunities for Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin.  In addition to all of this, the Nets may also buyout the contracts of key contributors Lucious Harris and Rodney Rogers in an effort to save money. In such a situation the Nets are said to want players back and not necessarily talent to fill out spots on their roster in any potential Kittles trade.

       According to the New York Post the Nets have had discussions about Eric Williams (sign and trade) and DaJuan Wagner for Kerry Kittles. If that is all that the Nets want then the Cavaliers should jump at the offer-- even if they have to include Kedrick Brown in the deal. There is some discrepancy as to whether Kittles is due $9.816 million or $10.267 million next year which could possibly change the trade requirements. But the Cavaliers currently have LeBron James, Ira Newble, DaJuan Wagner, Luke Jackson, Sasha Pavlovic
and Kedrick Brown at the SG/SF positions not to mention Eric Williams and Lee Nailon as unrestricted free agents so I think that that qualifies as having a glut. There is no chance that Eric Williams is re-signed in Cleveland at the money he wants so going home to New Jersey gives him the best shot to get paid. A trade of Williams (sign & trade between 4-5 million), Wagner ($2.643 million) and maybe Kedrick Brown ($2.332 million) if needed for Kittles and maybe a future top 14 protected pick works for both teams. Williams would replace the bought out Rodney Rogers at the forward position while Wagner and Brown would give New Jersey two young players to replace Kittles and the bought out Harris in the backcourt.

       Even after drafting Luke Jackson the Cavaliers have hinted at getting another veteran swingman and Kittles fits the bill.  Kittles just turned 30 and over the past three years you could just pencil him for 13ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.5spg shooting 46% from the field and 37% from three point range. Despite having some serious knee problems early in his career Kittles has played in all 82 games the last three years and remains one of the fastest shooting guards in the league from end to end. Kittles is also a pretty good
perimeter defender and team player.  He has tons of playoff experience and he would give the Cavaliers another shooter that they could spot up and run off screens.

       In adding Kittles, the Cavaliers would have two veterans (Kittles and Newble), two young guys (Jackson and Pavlovic) and James which would be good depth at the swing positions. Also, with Kittles entering the last year of his contract it would give the Cavaliers a chance to re-sign him at a reduced price to serve as a veteran backup the following year for either Jackson or Pavlovic.

       In summary, a trade for Kerry Kittles would bring the Cavaliers a good veteran player while not adding any present or long term money to the Cavaliers cap.  It would also relieve a glut at the swing positions and still enable the Cavaliers to use their Mid Level and Veteran exceptions to add a backup point guard and/or pursue another big man if they so choose.