Cavaliers make last attempt to retain Boozer

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 | 9:49 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Making a last-ditch effort to retain power forward Carlos Boozer, the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered him a one-year contract worth about $5 million amid reports he will part ways with his agent, the Associated Press reported.

Boozer's reputation has taken a beating over the past week after he stunned Cleveland by agreeing to a $68 million offer from the Utah Jazz. Days earlier, the Cavaliers declined to exercise a $695,000 option on Boozer's contract -- thereby making him a free agent -- in the belief he would accept a 6-year, $41 million deal to remain in Cleveland.

But the move backfired when Boozer reneged on a verbal understanding with the Cavs and decided to take $27 million more from Utah.

Boozer's decision has been heavily criticized around the NBA, with agents and team executives saying it has undermined the mutual trust many of them have for one another.

If Boozer accepts the Cavaliers' new offer, he would put himself in position to be eligible next summer for an even larger contract than the ones Utah and Cleveland have offered.

The NBA champion Pistons will be able to sign McDyess, a 6-foot-9 forward, on Wednesday when a two-week player movement moratorium expires.

McDyess has averaged 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks during his eight-year career, which has been plagued by injuries since the 2000-01 season.

Childress, the sixth overall pick in the draft last month, was an All-America last season at Stanford as a junior. The 6-foot-8 Childress averaged 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and led the Cardinal in blocked shots.

Smith, the No. 17 overall pick, played last season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. A suburban Atlanta native who played at McEachern High School before transferring to Oak Hill, Smith averaged 25.8 point, 7.4 rebounds in leading his team to a 38-0 record last season.

The 19-year-old Telfair, whose cousin is Knicks All-Star Stephon Marbury, led Brooklyn, New York's Lincoln High School to three consecutive public school titles and one state championship.