Zydrunas Ilgauskas Joins the Miami Heat
via the PD & @PDCavsInsider
MVP Rookie Challenge MVP
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the heart of the Cavaliers franchise for the past 14 years, is moving on.
Ilgauskas will sign with the Miami Heat to join former Cavs teammate LeBron James, Ilgauskas‘ agent told The Plain Dealer today.
Ilgauskas will accept the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million for next season.
The Cavs offered Ilgauskas a guaranteed contract, but he elected to go to Miami, where his wife Jennifer has family, and attempt to win a championship with the re-stocked Heat.
“It was a hard decision for him,” said Herb Rudoy, Ilgauskas” longtime agent. “He has 14 years invested in the Cavs and he wants to win a championship. He’s going where he has the best chance to win a championship.”
Ilgauskas is the Cavs franchise’s all-time leader in games played (771), rebounds (5,904) and blocks (1,269) and
Stood Tall for 14 Years
is second in points (10,616). He made All-Star appearances in 2003 and 2005 after recovering from reconstructive surgery on his foot.
Last season was a difficult one for Ilgauskas as he moved to the bench for the first time to back up Shaquille O’Neal. Then he was traded in February as part of a deal for the Cavs to acquire Antawn Jamison. He took a buyout from the Washington Wizards and returned to the Cavs a month later but had lost his rhythm and his spot in the rotation and he did not play strongly down the stretch.
He averaged 7.4 and 5.4 rebounds in his final year with the team.
One of the better offensive rebounders in NBA history with 2,336 of them, Ilgauskas also still is effective with his mid-range jump shot. The Heat has been looking for big men after letting its starting center, Jermaine O’Neal, leave in free agency.
The Cavs and Heat were one of six teams to show interest in Ilgauskas. Both were believed to be willing to offer him the same contract.
Goodbye Z
Tags: Alumni, Free Agency, NBA, Off Season, Player Movement, Z
| dcass | 
July 13, 2010 3:34 pm
Links to this Post
-
World Wide News Flash — July 13, 2010 @ 4:23 pm
CavsHistory » Zydrunas Ilgauskas Joins the Miami Heat…
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog :)…
-
Agent: Ilgauskas to sign with Heat (AP) | International News - Stay up to date with the latest World News, Finance & Business, Green News, Technology and Sports — July 13, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
[…] CavsHistory » Zydrunas Ilgauskas Joins the Miami Heat […]
-
All Around the World News — July 13, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
CavsHistory » Zydrunas Ilgauskas Joins the Miami Heat…
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog :)…
-
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Ardub — July 13, 2010 @ 5:22 pm
[…] Everything you want to know about Zydrunas Ilgauskas. … #NBA Sources: Dallas Mavericks getZydrunas Ilgauskas – Latest articles and news about Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Stay updated with information about Zydrunas […]
-
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - MeMiM — July 13, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
[…] Everything you want to know about Zydrunas Ilgauskas. C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Also of interestZydrunas Ilgauskas – Latest articles and news about Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Stay updated with information about Zydrunas […]
-
Zydrunas Ilgauskas — July 13, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
[…] the last 7, Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be in South Beach next season. Now none of these 3 guys are AllZydrunas Ilgauskas – Today, the saga continued with the announcement that 12 year NBA veteran and a teammate of James […]
-
Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Ifdny — July 13, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
[…] the last 7, Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be in South Beach next season. Now none of these 3 guys are AllZydrunas Ilgauskas – Today, the saga continued with the announcement that 12 year NBA veteran and a teammate of James […]
By davlet_linares, July 15, 2010 @ 5:24 am
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?