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Heading in to the 2011-12 season, we figured we would get the ball rolling on some admittedly early NBA Draft talk. Unless the 4-5 Cavaliers shock the world (150/1 odds as NBA Champion, bettering only Toronto entering this season), it is widely assumed that the team will be selecting fairly early in the lottery once again. That said, we’re going to provide WFNY readers with some thoughts on who should be a target of Chris Grant come this spring.
We are slowly accumulating larger samples of these top-flight NBA prospects. We will update this not-so-big board on a bi-weekly basis – feel free to comment, critique or debate in the comments below. We have a little more shake-up this week following some excellent NCAA contests.
Do enjoy.
| Player | Thoughts | ||
| 1 |  Harrison Barnes, SG (UNC) |
Finally! A slow starter last season, Barnes, in his last four contests, has turned the scoring dial exponentially by averaging 22.3 points per game. Aside from hitting his shots, he’s also averaging six rebounds per game over the same span while shooting 60 percent from the floor and hitting half of his threes. I was really hoping for reason to downgrade him as I’m becoming a very big fan of the man who has jumped to the fourth spot on this board (more on him later). However, given the Cavaliers’ need of a massive upgrade at the wing, Barnes’ latest onslaught on opposing defenders and hoisted nets alike keep him No. 1 overall. | |
| 2 |  Andre Drummond, C (Connecticut) |
Drummond provided the world with what it’s been waiting for: 20 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals against West Virginia. And if that wasn’t good enough, it was one game after his 10 points, 12 boards and two blocks against Rutgers. More and more, I’m becoming concerned with the future of the center position in Cleveland beyond Anderson Varejao. Semih Erden seems like a nice guy, but there is no doubting that Drummond has rocket-like upside. At 18-years of age, it’s tough to turn down the next dominant big man. If not for Barnes’ latest barrage, he’d be cemented in the top spot. | |
| 3 |  Anthony Davis, PF (Kentucky) |
The highest that Davis has seen his name on these here boards all season, but for good reason: over his last three contests, the young big man has averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds and five (5!!) blocks per game. I know he’s atop every other Big Board out there, but the Cavaliers’ needs continue to trump outside hype. That said, the rail-like David is going to be a beast once he puts on weight and will likely go first-overall come this summer. Lucky for the Cavs, it’ll take another miracle for them to land the top spot once again and they may not be forced with the decision to pass on a kid like Davis due to the presence of Tristan Thompson. | |
| 4 |  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF (Kentucky) |
I was hoping this wouldn’t happen during this bi-weekly exercise, but I officially have my first crush of the collegiate season. Kidd-Gilchrist continues to amaze as a player who is the youngest of the entire Kentucky starting five. Feel free to point to his quiet nights in the blowout wins over South Carolina and Arkansas Little Rock, I’ll show you the 24 and 19 he put up against No. 4 Louisville as well as the 10 boards and three blocks against the Trojans. Amazing hustle, the desire to win and the character to keep it all in check. If the Cavaliers don’t land a top-three pick, MKG is a stellar consolation prize. | |
| 5 |  Jeremy Lamb, SG (Conneticuit) |
Lamb put up a relative clunker against Rutgers this past weekend and is still averaging 18 points per game over his last five contests. While his teammate Andrew Drummond will get a lot of the love for his game against the Mountaineers, Lamb wasn’t far behind with 25 and eight of his own, shooting 53 percent from the floor and adding three dimes. If this exercise is proving anything to Cavalier fans, this current crop can win games and still end up with a solid draft selection, even if it’s not the top-overall as they had this past summer. Pairing a guy like Lamp with Irving this offseason would be a very welcomed step in the right direction. |
A few more thoughts on…
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF (Kentucky): Yes, he’s listed above, but I was running out of room. I can’t reiterate enough how great this Kidd would look in a Cavaliers’ jersey. It’s also worth mentioning that he played along side Kyrie Irving in their St. Patrick (New Jersey) days. I spoke to a league scout this week and his exact words were “If I’m Harrison Barnes’ agent, I’m not letting him work out against Michael Kidd-Gilchrist this summer.” Let that marinate for a bit.
Thomas Robinson, PF (Kansas): Wow. Thirty points, 21 boards, two steals and a blocked shot against North Dakota State was the tip of the iceberg for this big man. Robinson is leading the Jayhawks to win after win and is a big time double-double threat every contest. He likely won’t end up being a Cavalier, but Robinson could be the man who bumps Jared Sullinger down the power forward ranks come draft time.
Cody Zeller, C (Indiana): If we’re going to talk about Drummond as a target, Indiana’s Zeller deserves some love. I still have him outside of my top 10, but being the subject of this excellent feature by ESPN’s Dana O’Neil gets him an honorable mention this week.
Bradley Beal, SG (Florida): I still dig this kid, but he’s slipped off a big over the last couple of weeks with a 6-for-27 combined effort against UAB and Tennessee. I’m also cooling a bit on the fact that he’s 6-foot-3-inches tall, but his continued efforts on the glass (six boards per contest) are keeping my hopes afloat. I can’t wait to see him match up with Kentucky (MKG!) in early February.
Tu Holloway, PG (Xavier): Terrell Holloway considered leaving for the NBA last season, but opted to head back to southern Ohio after a very forgettable NCAA tournament showing. This time around, Holloway is preempting interest in him with his role in the Xavier/Cincinnati brawl and subsequent gangster-related comments. He’ll likely get a chance somewhere, but at 22 years of age, he’s most definitely playing from behind the eight-ball.
Required Viewing:
1/12 (17) Virginia at (6) Duke – 9pm EST, ESPN
1/14 (16) Connecticut at Notre Dame – 11a, ESPN2
1/14 (2) Kentucky at Tennessee – 12p, ESPN
1/14 (3) North Carolina at Florida State – 2p, ESPN
1/15 (8) Indiana at (5) Ohio State – 4:30p, CBS
1/16 (4) Baylor at (10) Kansas – 9:30p, ESPN
Previous Not-so-Big Boards:
Previous Not-so-Big Board 1.2
Previous Not-so-Big Board 1.1
Previous Not-so-Big Board: 1.0
20 Comments
Scott – I haven’t commented on this series before but I feel need to let you know that I love these write ups. I really look forward to them. Great job.
Barnes seems soft to me. Gets most of his points on the jumpshot and not at the rim. Right now, I would pick Drummond, assuming all these guys continue to improve. Hard to pass up great point guards and big men and the Cavs would then have both.
completely agree. they are great write-ups.
and Gilchrist needs to be in wine-n-gold. love how that kid plays and can just imagine him running the break with Irving.
I don’t think Zeller comes out for AT least two years. Three years is probably the safe bet, but I put him declaring this season at about 5%.
I agre with 5K – Barnes just comes off as soft. Give me Andre Drummond. We need a Center of the franchise’s future & this guy is it. We can get a SG in FA or later in the draft. A decent center with tremendous upside is hard to come by.
Thanks a ton, guys
Much agreed. Great stuff.
I’ve moved more towards the Drummond camp too but in order to get a shot at him the Cavaliers will have to be, at worst, in the top three, maybe even two.
Gilchrist is a beast I agree adding him to Irving would be sick!
Trade Varejao now, learn and lose. Hate to say it but it’s the truth.
Is anyone else in agreement that Jared Sullinger has now hurt his draft stock by staying in school? As a Bucks fan, I am happy he stayed, but just don’t see him being a great player in the NBA.
Think he trimmed down too much for a power forward.
Hate to see Andy go, but I agree with you. Demand a first round pick, regardless of where it is. Use it to trade up if need be. This team needs a top five pick while they can get, and if they play themselves out of a top-five pick, they’ll need all the assets they can get in order to trade up.
While they could get Lamb outside the top 5, I want MKG, Barnes or Drummond in the worst way.
Sullinger is going to have his draft stock dip because of the other players. Last year, he would’ve easily been top-seven. This year, there’s a ton of talent that bumps him down.
Sullinger is going to have his draft stock dip because of the other players. Last year, he would’ve easily been top-seven. This year, there’s a ton of talent that bumps him down.
Why do we have to trade Andy? Just so we lose more? Imagine a starting lineup with one of these guys, Irving, Andy and TT. We have Andy locked up for a few years and he might even stick around if we are starting to compete.
I think we will lose plenty this year and have a top 6-7 pick. What we really need it Sac Town to make a crazy run.
I don’t think I’ve ever had as big of a basketball crush on any player as I do on MKG.
I can’t even imagine how good he would have looked on the ’09/’10 Cavs teams.
Andy is a prototypical sixth man not a starting C. I say trade him because his value may never be more and frankly, yes, losing wouldn’t be such a bad thing. The Cavaliers need to bring in as much talented youth as possible as soon as possible. IMO. TT isn’t close to being a starter. I like how Scott is using him. Let him just play while learning, there’s no need to rush him.
Is it really an option to use multiple first round picks to trade up in the NBA draft? Has it ever happened before?
What kind of team would give up the (example) #3 pick for
the #3 pick in this draft isn’t getting traded. unless it’s for a small trade-back and a young player that higher drafting team likes (now, if we have the #6 and #10 pick, then maybe we could scratch into it).
too many good top level guys for the #3 team to consider dropping to #10 where they might miss out on who they want/need.
best recent example of it happening shows why it probably won’t happen:
Traded two 2005 first round picks (#6-Martell Webster) (#27-Linas Kleiza), 2006 first round pick (lottery protected through 2010) (2006 #30-Joel Freeland) to Blazers for 2005 first round pick (#3-Deron Williams) on 2005-06-28
Drummond has said publicly in the last few days that he will stay
at UConn.
I can’t believe you don’t have Henson on yr list. Draft Express has him at 7 and I think he would be great for the Cavs. Despite what many seem to think we still need more size on this team. I want Davis or Henson. Guys like Lamb and Beal grow on trees and MKG is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Not a guy one picks in the top 8…
I agree that it probably won’t happen, but I thought I’d ask because people say things like:
we need to trade Varejao and we should “Demand a first round pick, regardless of where it is. Use it to trade
up if need be.”
and
“they’ll need all the
assets they can get in order to trade up.”
…when trading up is almost surely not an option. The only way to get a lottery pick is to be a lottery team (especially in this draft).