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Big Z, Dallas, Denver or Cle

Big Z's future 11:56 AM ETZydrunas Ilgauskas | Wizards | Interested: Nuggets?, Mavericks?, Cavaliers? Top Email Zydrunas Ilgauskas is now a member of the Wizards, as he was shipped there in the three-team deal that sent Antawn Jamison to the Cavs. But as we've noted previously here, it was a likely scenario that if Big Z's expiring contract was traded, the receiving team would likely buy him out, thus giving him an opportunity to come back to the Cavs. Z's agent, Herb Rudoy, confirmed to Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he'll seek a buyout. "I'm going to try to get them to do a buyout, but I've already heard from a few teams -- good teams -- that are really interested in wanting to talk about Z going to play for them," Rudoy told the paper. " ... I don't know exactly what's going to happen. I think his heart is in Cleveland, that's for sure. But we'll see how this plays out. He's got 30 days to make a decision if it's Cleveland. If it's somebody else, he could make it in a week. His whole decision will be based on what's best for his career. He'd like to win a championship, that's for sure. But it's his call, not mine. I'm just going to give him all the options." With Jamison now on board, the Cavs having he best record in the league and the Cleveland fans loving him, one would think Big Z would head back to the team. But Schmitt Boyer points to two other teams that could potentially pick up Ilgauskas if he's bought out: Dallas and Denver. As far as whether he'll actually get bought out or not, Brain Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks it makes plenty of sense for the Wiz: "Overnight study of numbers shows Wizards still over the luxury tax line. Buying out Ilgauskas could save $5-$7 million. No brainer."

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