CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a Cavs question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Joe? Submit it here or tweet him @joevardon.
Hey, Joe: It was recently reported that the Cavs will have "Bird" rights for Kyle Korver, however you have implied they will not have the same for Derrick Williams. Can you explain the difference? -- Mitch, Fairfield.
Hey, Mitch: For the casual fan "Bird" rights in NBA lingo means a team is allowed to go over the salary cap to sign its own free agent. The player usually has to be with an organization for three seasons for "Bird" rights. In Korver's case, he was traded by Atlanta (which had his "Bird" rights) to the Cavs, so the Cavs get those rights. Williams was signed as a free agent after having been waived by the Miami Heat. There are no "Bird" rights in that situation, so the most Williams could get from the Cavs is the taxpayers' "mid-level exception," which this season is worth about $3.5 million.
Hey, Joe: Do you have any theories about teams helping each other that are in a similar region of the US, to help boost the economies of their fellow cities, which will then in turn help them? Did Pat Riley knowingly or unknowingly help Derrick Williams become a member of the Cavaliers? -- Ben, Los Angeles.
Hey, Ben: This might be my favorite question this season. If Riley knew that Williams would sign as a free agent with Cleveland, he wouldn't have released him. Riley has no interest in helping any team that employs LeBron James, to the point where he scuttled at least one, if not two trades the Cavs tried to make with the Heat over the past three seasons. Williams told us his agent used "different strategies" to get him through waivers and onto the Cavs. Williams asked for his release in earnest, and Riley granted it to him. Obtaining that release and landing in Cleveland took some work. Riley was not knowingly involved.
Hey, Joe: What was Kyrie and Tristan's relationship with Jarrett Jack like when he was a Cav? -- Duane, Columbus
Hey, Duane: Thanks for the question. You may have asked because you'd like to have seen Jack here as Irving's backup. But you're too late. Jack signed a 10-day contract with the Pelicans on Friday.
Hey, @dana_tassone:
Yes, if both players clear waivers, the Cavs should and will try to sign them both. Williams clears waivers at 5 p.m. Saturday; as of this writing Bogut had not been placed on waivers. Williams has indicated he will join Cleveland, and the Cavs have a roster spot. So as long as no team claims him on the waiver wire, Williams is heading here and no one has to lose his job. The Cavs should also pursue Bogut because they only have two healthy bigs on the roster. Kevin Love won't be ready for weeks. And in the playoffs, Bogut's six fouls could be beneficial. If the Cavs can attract Bogut here, my guess is they waive Jordan McRae.