Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Contract Details Released
June 18, 2012Kent State survives ninth inning against Florida
June 18, 2012While things have quieted down a bit in recent days with the rumors of the Cavaliers going after Andre Drummond in the draft, it’s possible this could be exactly what the Cavaliers want everyone to think.
The general assumption has been that the Cavaliers are targeting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, and Harrison Barnes at #4, but according to ProBasketballDraft.com’s Joe Kotoch, that might not be the case. In reality, Drummond might be higher than Barnes. Kotoch writes:
Per sources Cleveland covets Michael Kidd-Gilchrist but seem less inclined to deal with Charlotte to acquire him. After Kidd-Gilchrist the Cavs brass appears to have it ranked Beal, Drummond, Barnes, and Robinson but that their final draft board will not be set until next week. The UCONN center arrives in Cleveland this week and it will be an interesting workout as Cleveland has been very hushed about their feelings on him. Looking historically at Cavs GM Chris Grant he prefers to draft athletic prospects with high upside whenever possible as evidenced by J.J. Hickson, Christian Eyenga, and Tristan Thompson. Grant was the assistant GM but in charge of the draft and ranking the Cavs board at the time Hickson and Eyenga were selected. It would not be a shock to see the Cavs pull the trigger on Drummond as the Cavs, who could have as much upside as any player in this draft. Sources in Cleveland do concede if the Cavs were to select Drummond the rest of the draft would be centered on finding perimeter scoring with their remaining picks.
Kotoch also notes that the Cavaliers have been extremely active in trying to trade with New Orleans, Portland, and Houston to see about getting one of the 10th, 11, 14th, or 16th picks in this draft. If the Cavaliers do take Drummond at #4 and trade back up in the first round, potential targets would likely include Jeremy Lamb, Dion Waiters, Terrence Ross, Austin Rivers, Moe Harkless, and Perry Jones.
The draft is just 10 days away, so expect plenty of rumors like this to be coming fast and furious over the next week and a half.
31 Comments
Drummond + PJIII would require Cleveland Police to monitor every bridge in town.
also, I call smokescreen. Just last week we were hearing “sources” claiming the Cavs were very high on Barnes and such. Then, it waterfalled into the Bobcats considering him at #2 overall.
well, that water has hit the bottom, so we need to start a new wave. apparently, Drummond’s name was next out of the hat.
Only pick Drummond if we can pull off another trade to move our second rounders/24th pick into a late lottery pick. Otherwise it’s just too much risk.
The fact remains the Cavs are young and cheap right now and there is no way 4 rookies will fit on their roster. So they can either stash some bigs in Europe with the second rounders or use them to trade up.
If they trade up and think Drummond and “wing player later on” is better than Beal/Barnes and “big man later on” who am I to complain. That’s why they have the jobs they do I guess.
BOOOO!!!!
Potential and Upside!
Everything I’ve read up until the draft has appeared to create illusions to make others think the cavs are interested in anyone besides the two obvious goals in MKG and Beal. I feel like there was a definite effort to inflate the combine results in Barnes’ favor over MKG, etc.
Things I learned from this:
– still more Cavs insiders willing to risk their jobs by sharing Grant’s thinking with reporters. Seems there’s just too many moles for Grant to smoke out. Amazing how many selfess souls are willing to commit professional suicide, just so we can keep abreast.
– or, Dan, you have got to check the duct work for these bloggers before Grant lays out his daily musings on the grease board. Or tell Grant to speak more quietly. Or make him slip notes to underlings, without obvious stuff on it like hearts. Even Kotoch can figure out that 4 hearts means you like someone more than 2 hearts. Also, eat the notes after.
– We have learned that Grant ranked the players and ran the draft when Ferry was here. So, shouldn’t we find out who’s really ranking and running the draft for Grant?
Good stuff. Can’t wait to read Grant’s thought bubbles from the private interview and workout.
Tremendous!
we went through this last year. take the BPA on your board. don’t worry about which of the “lesser” talents you can get later in the draft (even if it’s only 3 spots later).
No Drummund!!!!!!!!!!!
Kotoch is hack. He writes total BS so anything he says has to be taken with a grain of salt. Not a reputable source at all…….
Two words: Vitaly Potapenko
JJ Hickson v2.0. The sad thing is that Grant definitely makes these kind of picks…
Hopefully Portland wants someone enough to trade their 6 and 11 for our 4, 24, and 33. Then we could get 3 solid players with 2 having really high potential. I would love to get 2 out of the top 11 players though because it’s loaded with talent obviously and if we can’t get T-Rob then go to #6. If we can get T-Rob I hope we grab him because he is exactly what Cleveland needs. He can rebound and defend the pick and roll. Then at #24 trade that and both 2nd rounders to move up to get Moe Harkless, Austin Rivers, or stay at #24 and take Arnett Moultrie and then get some outside help with 33 and 34 picks. I think it’s important to get Draymond Green with our 2nd round pick and if we have to trade up and combine both picks to do it I would to get him.
T-Rob, Beal, MKG
PJ3, Moe Harkless, Austin Rivers (Arnett Moultrie if T-Rob dropped to us and we couldn’t trade up to get Harkless or Rivers)
Draymond Green
If they can’t see these opportunities then we are in trouble
These 3 players that we could get from one draft would be better than the list of J.J. Hickson, Christian Eyenga, and Tristan Thompson in one draft
Well if the Cavs do what they say most NBA teams do and rank their BPA’s in tiers, and Drummond, Barners, etc. are all in the same tier, then I think they absolutely would look at which positions are likely to have the most talent available later.
Did Drummond really shoot below 30% from the free throw line last year? Makes sense from a guy whose motivation and work ethic are always questioned. Just wait till he’s a millionaire- then he’ll really start working on his game!
draymond green… /facepalm
how were any of the 3 previous cavs players you named bad picks? you’re done with tristan thompson after 1 pretty decent season? seriously?
j.j. was #19 and eyenga was around #30. those draft slots fail to be good nba players all the time, just because they weren’t the exception to the rule doesn’t make them bad picks.
if their grades are near identical, then yes, you look at the draft on the whole. if you believe one is better, then you take that guy and don’t worry about it later.
No, he doesn’t. He chooses highly athletic upside is a priority later in the draft. Early on it’s safe, solid, high character, eager to learn kids…
either that or Gilbert needs to hire Jack Bauer to clean out all the moles in our front office.
I feel like you would actually have to try to miss to only hit 30% of your free-throws. Haphazardly throwing the ball at the backboard should net you at least 35%
This is all smokescreens. We need either Drummond, Barnes, or Robinson to get drafted in the top 3 to get our hands on Beal or MKG. Of course they’re going to talk up the guys they want drafted ahead of the guys they want on the board when our pick comes up. Either that or we’re trying to keep Portland guessing.
that’s funny.
I bet draymond green produces more in his career on a winning team than TT at #4 and you can get green in the 2nd round late 1st. No your right all 3 of those picks you mentioned are great picks for the cavs. Their last 7 years drafting has produced amazing results where our roster is loaded with talent. Save me the story of picking late because it’s either you pick the correct person in the spot you pick or you don’t. The reason why we know they haven’t is their roster stinks and they have held on to no one. If you can’t see TT is a 7th man type player on a good team by now then your clueless about seeing talent for what it is. When we took Eyenga and Daniel Green in that years draft we could of easily taken Dujuan Blair and Patrick Mills over our 2 players. They keep taking guys who are on only potential picks and missing. Take some guys who can play and then take chances when you have a good team. When Lebron was here we did not have a good team we had one good player. Year after year they miss on players like a draymond green in the 2nd and it’s ironic you make fun of him when he will play better than TT and you don’t even see it at all.
JJ was actually a great pick at 19. He was a contributor on a 60 win team and we flipped him for a guy drafted around the same spot (Omri) and a top 15 pick. That’s a pretty big win (wasn’t Grant’s pick though)
The Eyenga pick was atrocious.
But Danny Green started multiple games for the San Antoinio Spurs this year (Shannon Brown also became a key member of a Lakers team that won it all). I have no problems with those picks; I have a problem with what Mike Brown did with them when they got here.
I accept your Michigan St fanboy bet. I bet that Tristan Thompson will have a better carreer someone who’s short and slow with 15 ft range and a mediocre handle. I bet you infinity spacebucks.
I also wouldn’t mind betting that fellow fanboy Dan Gilbert loves Draymond Green as well and that Green will be the MVP of the Canton Charge. (Or was that what you meant to begin with when you said he’d produce for a winning team?)
Your instincts are as correct as your opinions. I hate michigan state and I think dan gilbert has done a horrible job putting a person in place that can draft talent. Danny Ferry and Chris Grant have been awful drafting people that can contribute on a winning team. I can tell by the demeanor or tone if that word is to big for you is one of a real astute knowledgeable person who is right on top of stuff. Where would TT be selected in this years draft. He would be selected in the 20’s. I wonder where Draymond Green will be picked this year. I am saying to pick Green because out of all the players being picked 28 or higher he would contribute well and has a great basketball iq. TT will be average at best and Draymond Green will be an average player. I’m not saying Green will be incredible but he will contribute just as much as TT. If you can’t figure out how in this draft we can get 3 better players than TT because of the depth it doesn’t surprise me. I must be arguing with Chris Grant because you sound as knowledgeable as he does at evaluating talent. And your instincts are so far off because I have been critical of Gilbert in all my posts where he is a part of post. Can’t wait to hear your witty response.
Eyenga and J.J. where DFerry picks right???
yessir. though same scouts and basic FO structure. they showed similar drafting with TT in that they went for high upside athleticism in their frontcourt player.
I doubt it….I think they are just trying to drive up Drummonds value so the can work the 4-24 for 6-11 trade with Portland. If Drummond went to Portland at 4 Cavs would have either Kidd Gilchrist or Barnes at 6 with an opportunity to draft Lamb at 11. So yes…the Cavs love Drummond….every team drafting behind them needs to believe that for this to work,