Shooting guards

Danny Ferry's first stated order of business as general manager of the Cavaliers is to find a shooting guard to take some of the scoring heat off LeBron James.
Much like when his boss, Dan Gilbert, began his GM and coach search, I have to admire Ferry's desire to try and fry the biggest fish. But, like with Gilbert's search, I think Ferry is going to have to settle for plan C or D.
Ray Allen is already off the market, reportedly agreeing to a five-year contract with the Sonics on Tuesday. That's fine with me. Allen will turn 30 this year, and there is too much of a risk he would grow old before our very eyes in Cleveland.
The golden rooster the Cavs are chasing is Michael Redd. They have already reportedly offered 25-year-old Redd a five-year deal worth around $70 million. Milwaukee, Redd's current team, has offered six years and about $90 million. Both deals are the maximum allowed under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement.
Milwaukee has first overall pick Andrew Bogut and unquestioned centerpiece status to offer Redd, in addition to the extra $20 million. Cleveland can offer Redd the chance to play alongside LeBron, a return home to Ohio, and a team that finished fourth instead of fifth in the Central Division.
Ferry had better start talking like a used car salesman when (if) Redd makes his scheduled visit to Cleveland today.
I am not holding out hope the Cavs will be able to satisfy any of their scoring needs in free agency. Odds are against Redd coming to Cleveland, a battle that probably begins and ends with the numbers that follow the dollar signs on the vying contract offers.
Plan B would be Larry Hughes. But again, Ferry would be asking a player to take less money. In this case, take less money to leave a playoff team in Washington for a non-playoff team.
Plan C is Bobby Simmons of the Clippers. "...Of the Clippers." Of course, that's the guy the Cavs have the best shot of landing, if only because the Clippers seldom pay to keep anybody.
Joe Johnson of the Suns is a restricted free agent, meaning Phoenix can match any offer made for him. A team that made the conference finals last season would probably bend over backwards to keep their only real outside shooter.
All of it means that when it comes to free agency, Ferry's first job should probably be trying to re-sign Zydrunas Ilgauskas, instead of chasing his tail to land a scorer he will probably have to acquire via trade anyway.