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May 1, 2012The Johnny Damon Upgrade
May 1, 2012With their draft positions inching closer and closer to being finalized, the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Chad Ford has the Cavaliers addressing their wing positions in one fell swoop.
With the third-overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select:
Bradley Beal, SG, Florida. If the Cavs can stay in the top three, it’s a huge outcome for them. The Cavs scored big time when they landed Kyrie Irving last year. They would complete their backcourt overhaul if they could put Beal next to him. That would give them two high-octane scorers who can both handle the ball, get to the rim and shoot it — an ideal scenario for the Cavs.
Ford admits that it’s a toss-up between Beal and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the Washington Wizards who are currently pegged with the second-overall selection. Assuming that they miss out on the small forward in MKG, the Cavaliers will look to bolster said position with the pick they acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers, selecting St. John’s Mo Harkless — a Trevor Ariza clone who can score and defend while bringing plenty of size.
“Put [Harkless] on the floor with Kyrie Irving, Brad Beal, Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao,” said Ford, “and the Cavs suddenly have a team that should be fighting for the playoffs again.”
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79 Comments
in the top5, I draft BPA. if there’s a tie, then you go position of need. now, it gets pushed slightly if you have Irving and the BPA is a PG, but you can swap a spot or 2 most of the time if you want to.
So it depends on the team? Regardless the Cavaliers need every position except PG and then of course they need a back-up.
I say go all in for Anthony Davis, Trade all the picks to Charlotte and get the next Tim Duncan (if the Bobcats win the lottery). Heck throw in any of our players with the exception of Irving. Then we have 2 studs along with salary cap room and more assets to come.
I say go all in for Anthony Davis, Trade all the picks to Charlotte and get the next Tim Duncan (if the Bobcats win the lottery). Heck throw in any of our players with the exception of Irving. Then we have 2 studs along with salary cap room and more assets to come.
Davis is a perfect fit for Charlotte unfortunately. Davis is probably as close to The Big Fundamental as there has been but the Bobcats have to be drooling.
I think it’s only fair given “The Shot” that Jordan loses Davis to Cleveland!!
that was clunky, sorry. I go BPA on talent only. Only factor in team needs if 2 prospects are tied in grading. Just put the caveat in there that sometimes there will be an obvious situation for a trade-down (there is not one this year IMO for the Cavs).
Tough one here. I would prefer to always see Andy on the floor at the end of the game, I don’t think that’s a question for anyone.
According to a Grantland Article a couple weeks back, TT is actually in the bottom 18% (or 12%, either way.. bad) of the league at finishing on off the ball cuts. I’d be curious to see if that included pick and rolls, but either way TT has a long way to go before he is anywhere near as efficient as Andy as a pick and roll partner.
It would be nice if we could have one pick and roll and one pick and pop guy on the floor. Both Andy and TT are only effective diving towards the basket.
Just to be clear, I don’t think one takes Henson @ 3 but I don’t take Beal or MKG either. Furthermore, I think the “who will score w/ Jamison gone” argument is a red herring. Jamison’s PER shows how relatively easy it will be to replace him. Jamison was a high volume shot scorer. Totally ineffecient and easily replacable in FA, if not the draft…
Kaman certainly isn’t the answer to anyone’s prayers, but he may be a solid 20 minute eater who can hit some shots. At the right price of course.
I agree that Indiana probably isn’t letting Hibbert go anywhere. I would like to see one decent free agent though, especially if we go with 2 wings in the draft. I do like your trade up for Fab Melo idea.
Also a good thing. We’ll have a better idea what our needs are after the draft. Either way, we’ll probably need 1 or 2 (likely two) rotation guys.
After a top 3 or 4 player in the draft, rebuilding time is over. I think we’ll be making signings looking for a playoff push
yeah, I just see Kaman getting a multi-year deal at too much $$$. for the right price, of course he’d be welcome.
I hope so. I just hope we don’t completely over-sign guys to bad contracts ala Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones.
Cavs will be almost definitely drafting in top6. what does your top6 list look like for the Cavs?
agree on Jamison.
UConn’s system uses the big man almost solely as a defender. On offense, besides for a highly experienced Okafor, they barely get to see the ball.
As far as Kwame, fine, someone thought he was athletic enough, but he certainly didn’t show it. Kwame failed because he was beaten to such a pulp he didn’t enjoy the game anymore. If you see that red flag in Drummond (and the lack of drive you think you see doesn’t cut it yet) then pass on him.
This right here. Finding a guy who can chuck it up and have it fall in more than a couple times is not hard to find. Lester Hudson could come out of the d league and do it for stretches. Don’t get scoring just to get scoring.
I think we all agree on that. Scoring can be had with Ross or Jenkins later in the draft.
Davis, MKG and Beal all fill up the stat sheet, which is why they are desired.
Absolutely. Kinda an extension of the Kamen conversation, so much of being an NBA GM is “Right guy, right price”. When Trevor Ariza wants as much money as Ron Artest, you say forget you and sign Ron Artest. Over paying middle of the road stop gaps is the quickest way to sink a franchise (see Warriors, Golden State).
Like you, I worry there will pressure from Gilbert to sign guys now. Hopefully Grant handles it better than Ferry did.
Beal or MKG will most assuredly go in the top three Henson I agree with though. Robinson will be in the top three most likely but it depends on the team.
As far as the scoring goes I disagree. I realize Jamison took an inordinate amount of shots but I do believe the Cavaliers PPG dropped once he was the lone option. There weren’t many nights other then a few when Hudson contributed. After that it was all predicated on Irving’s secondary scoring.
I wasn’t talking about that but check the scores/outcomes down the stretch. I believe the Cavaliers dropped off significantly once there was no Irving/Jamison.
When the Cavs were missing their best player, they struggled? No kidding. And the results down the stretch, where ping pong balls meant more than anything should be taken with a huge grain of salt.
For me all 6 would be big freakish guys with tons of upside ( though obviously with many risks as well): Davis, Drummond, PJ3, TJones, Henson and then I would look at a MKG, though HS numbers and lack of skill very much concern me.
Btw, I have a lot of faith in this FO to identify talent (unlike the Browns, for instance) a d that is based on just not the Irving pick but the TT pick and the finding of Gee and even signing Lowey to on offer sheet before he went out ad his best year as a pro. This FO can scout. I am excited about the future of this team…
Btw, really, really like Harkless at that 24 spot. I think he might be the 2or3rd best SF prospect in the draft. However, I get the feeling that he will move up the board here as the evaluation process heats up…
I just don’t get MKG. undersized and a poor shooter. I know he’s a great guy with work ethic and all but why is he the undisputed consolation prize to Anthony Davis? Are people really willing to pass up Beal and company for a good guy? I know work ethic is important (exhibit A jj hickson) but I don’t get the MKG fascination.
Anthony Davis/Kyrie tandem would be the best ever.
I feel the same about T.Ross at the SG slot.
OK, I at least see how you value things now. I completely disagree as I think extremely talented wings who fill all columns of the stat sheet are in short supply (Beal/MKG), and a few of the guys you mentioned have extremely low floors.
I think the same as you I’ve seen enough of the one trick ponies I’m hoping for all-around players.
I would be happy if we could get Bradley Beal, Jeff Taylor, Kevin Jones, and Tyshawn Taylor.
Undersized? He is 6’7.5 with a 7’0 wingspan. He has every intangible that you want in a player and, despite popular belief, is not a poor shooter. He averaged nearly 12 points a game while only averaging 8 shots a game.
Much like Anthony Davis, due to his role in UK’s system, he was not able to showcase all of his abilities every night. He was doing the dirty work, setting screens to free up Lamb for a 3, lobbing it up to Davis after penetrating the zone, dribble driving and kicking out to a cutting or shooting Terrance Jones, collecting offensive rebounds, and so on and so forth.
He can play and guard multiple positions, pass, run, dribble, rebound, dunk, and yes….shoot. If you do not believe me please look at his highschool film. Beal, (the GREAT shooter) shot worse from the field and not much better from 3pt line (MKG 25%, Beal 33%). And Beal only scored 2 points more per game than MKG while being the primary scoring option on his team, while MKG was basically the 5th option on his team. And on the defensive side…..no comparison.