Goodwin, as quoted by Thomsen: "My understanding is that Carlos, his wife and Pelinka all gave their words to Paxson and Gordon Gund that Boozer would re-sign with Cleveland. By letting him become a free agent, Gordon was saying, 'I'm doing this to help the Boozer family, not just Carlos.'

"LeBron gave his thumbs up because he believed his friend just wanted to be taken care of. He thought it was great that the Cavs wanted to help him out."

On June 30

The day before the negotiating period opened, at a time when the Cavs and Boozer supposedly should not yet have addressed any future contract, the Cavs issued a carefully worded statement.

"The Cavaliers elected not to exercise our team option for Carlos Boozer's third season," it said. "As a result, we now are able, and fully intend, to enter into a long-term contract with Carlos … "

It gave no hint of an earlier meeting, with good reason: Doing so might suggest wrongdoing.

On July 1-5

With the negotiating period open, Boozer spoke to AP on July 1. Much like the Cavs, he chose his words carefully.

"I want to be in Cleveland. I like it here," Boozer told AP. "My wife and I are very, very happy here, and I want to be with the Cavaliers. Good things are happening. Now it's up to my agent and the Cavs to work things out."

The Jazz began to consider testing Boozer's loyalty to Cleveland shortly thereafter, suspecting — like most of the rest of the NBA — some sort of prior agreement was in place.

Boozer apparently prepared to shop the open market sometime last weekend to see if a contract proposal from elsewhere would trump Cleveland's money.

Denver had interest, but the Nuggets' offer — while better than the Cavs' — was nothing like the Jazz's six-year, front-loaded, $68-million whopper of a proposal.

Last Wednesday, late at night, the Jazz and New Jersey Nets restricted free agent power forward Kenyon Martin canceled plans for a visit to Utah the next morning.

On July 8

The Jazz announced Thursday they reached agreement for Boozer to sign their offer sheet next Wednesday, the first day allowed.

The Cavs, who will have 14 days from when they receive Boozer's signed offer sheet to decide if they will match, were shocked.

"Gordon Gund isn't stupid," Goodwin said to SI. "He knew there was a chance Boozer would leave if he let him out of his $700,000 contract. But he was (telling) the kid, 'I respect you and I care about you and your family.' For him to get slapped in the face is wrong; even as an agent I have to say it's wrong.

"I talk to Gordon and I hear the devastation in his voice because he's from the old school, where if someone says something to you, you take him at his word."