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The Cleveland Cavaliers are optimistic about their position going forward. They'll have a very young roster one year older when next season kicks off and there were some solid contributors who are looking to make that next jump. On top of that, there will be another influx of new talent with the NBA Draft and Cleveland's position in it.
But there's also the free agent and trade market to consider. The Cavaliers have one such player who will likely draw interest from a lot of teams: forward Alonzo Gee. He had a great season last year - a breakout year, if you will - and he happens to be a restricted free agent.
Of course, that means that the Cavaliers can match any offer made for Gee. According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, it's likely that the Cavs will match any offers and not let him go:
Initially, insiders felt Gee's future as a Cav hinged on whom they selected in the June 28 draft. The Cavs own the No. 4 overall pick, and are said to be leaning toward selecting a wing player such as North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes. However, with an abundance of salary-cap space and appreciation for Gee's performance this past season, chances now appear slim that he'll be playing anywhere but Cleveland in 2012-13 and beyond.
Many feel that it would be a mistake to let Gee walk. He's 25 years old and averaged a career high in points (10.6) and rebounds (5.1) in 63 games out of a possible 66 this past season. He worked his way off the bench and onto the court and there's a ton of upside there. His presence on defense is always appreciated.
As the report notes, there's some teams potentially interested. Boston, Atlanta and Phoenix all could be in on the Gee sweepstakes, but Cleveland does have the resources to match any offer that isn't absolutely ridiculous to retain his services. And it's looking likely that they will.
