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Restricted free-agent forward Jamario Moon is joining the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Miami Heat said Friday they had decided not to match the offer sheet Moon signed with Cleveland. Moon finished last season with Miami.
The Cavaliers had roughly $3.2 million of its midlevel exception to sign the 6-foot-8 Moon.
"We declined to match because we want to stay true to our plan of not adding salary to our 2010 cap, and matching it would have reduced our flexibility," Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement. "Michael Beasley will be getting significant minutes at both forward positions, and this opens up more opportunities for him to become the player we all expect him to be."
Beasley was the second overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Moon joins a Cavaliers team that has been overhauled this offseason with the additions of All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal and free agent Anthony Parker.
"Jamario is going to bring versatility and a high level of athleticism to our team," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said. "He should be a very good fit to our current roster. We are very happy to have him with us."
The Heat's decision regarding Moon also gives them more flexibility this offseason. They have been courting free-agent forward Lamar Odom, and they've been linked to a potential trade involving Utah forward Carlos Boozer.
Moon and Jermaine O'Neal were acquired by the Heat from Toronto in February for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Moon, regarded as a good defender, appeared in 80 games last season, with 60 starts, and averaged 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26 minutes. He led the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio at 2.00.
The Miami Heat said Friday they had decided not to match the offer sheet Moon signed with Cleveland. Moon finished last season with Miami.
The Cavaliers had roughly $3.2 million of its midlevel exception to sign the 6-foot-8 Moon.
"We declined to match because we want to stay true to our plan of not adding salary to our 2010 cap, and matching it would have reduced our flexibility," Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement. "Michael Beasley will be getting significant minutes at both forward positions, and this opens up more opportunities for him to become the player we all expect him to be."
Beasley was the second overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Moon joins a Cavaliers team that has been overhauled this offseason with the additions of All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal and free agent Anthony Parker.
"Jamario is going to bring versatility and a high level of athleticism to our team," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said. "He should be a very good fit to our current roster. We are very happy to have him with us."
The Heat's decision regarding Moon also gives them more flexibility this offseason. They have been courting free-agent forward Lamar Odom, and they've been linked to a potential trade involving Utah forward Carlos Boozer.
Moon and Jermaine O'Neal were acquired by the Heat from Toronto in February for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Moon, regarded as a good defender, appeared in 80 games last season, with 60 starts, and averaged 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26 minutes. He led the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio at 2.00.
