Written by Richard Hanes

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There are eighteen games left in this lockout shortened NBA campaign.  The Cavs have been wildly entertaining compared to the 2010-2011 version. Kyrie (Rack City) Irving has exceeded my personal expectations.  Tristan Thompson looks like he could definitely be a solid rotational big man if not a starter and players like Alonzo Gee have come on to also look to be a part of the core moving forward.  However the reality of the situation is that the Cavs are now 17-31 and fading fast in the Eastern Conference.  At the time of writing this piece they are now a full seven games out of the 8 seed and much closer to a Top 5 lottery pick than the playoffs.  In my opinion this is good news.

I of course want the Cavs to do well, but as I have chronicled in my previous two installments of this series (Here and Here) it really is better for the Cavs to lose games this season and hope the ping pong balls bounce their way.  With that being said let’s take a look at where our Cavaliers stand in my hope that they can add another young piece via the draft lottery (ala the OKC Thunder) and build a young core to compete for years to come.

 

Current Core

These are players that the Cavaliers currently have on their roster that I think will be on the team for the foreseeable future.

Kyrie Irving - No explanation needed.

Tristan Thompson - Ditto

Anderson Varejao - If healthy he may have been able to bring quite the haul back in a trade at this year's deadline.  Another injury has derailed his season and thus the Cavaliers will probably keep him at this point.  If he can shake off the injury issues he could be a nice veteran presence for the young Cavaliers over the next few seasons.  Hopefully he does not continue to break down physically as his motor and energy require his body to not fail him for him to be effective.

Alonzo Gee - The young wing player has been surprisingly good for the Cavs this season.  His defense and athleticism have been welcome additions to a team that lacks a real NBA caliber SG or SF.  Ultimately I think Gee is best suited to be a rotational player at 3 spot off of the bench, however his emergence makes the SG position the biggest need going into this off-season.

Outside of these five I do not consider anyone else truly a part of this team's future.  I feel Boobie Gibson could be since he has drastically improved his defense and can still shoot the three-ball, but he is going into the last year of his contract and just went down with a foot injury.  Other players such as Casspi and Samardo will probably be back next year, but they are not core guys.

Salary Cap Situation

As reported by ESPN and other the Cavs should have about 26 million in cap space to play with this off-season.  I don't think the Cavs will be able to land a big time free agent, but they should be able to make some noise that will support what they do in the NBA Draft.

NBA Draft

The Cavaliers will hold two first round picks and two second round picks in this summer's draft.  This should produce four top 40 picks.  They have their own first round lottery pick which would currently be 8th overall (if the ping pong balls bounce per the odds) plus the Los Angeles Lakers first round pick (lottery protected) from the Ramon Sessions deal.  This is currently 26th overall. In the second round the Cavs own the rights to the New Orleans Hornets' 2nd round pick (via the Heat) as well as their own second round pick.  They have ammo to make some moves on draft day if they see fit.

It’s also quite possible that Cavs continue to fade over these final twenty regular season games and secure even better odds on their own lottery pick.  The Nets, Raptors, Pistons, Kings, and Cavs are all bunched together within three games of each other.  Rooting for Losing is never fun, but I would sure like the 4th overall pick right now instead of the 8th.

NBA Draft Prospects – Round 1, Cavs Pick 1

Below is my list of the top NBA Draft prospects taking into consideration what I think would be the best fit for the Cavs with their first 1^st round pick.  I have used each player’s regular season body of work as well as their performance in the NCAA tournament up to the Final Four when ranking them.  I am also assuming anyone listed declares.

1) Anthony Davis PF Kentucky - Davis is the nation's consensus #1 pick and he is mine as well. Pairing Kyrie and Davis would be a dream.  Can we win the lottery again?

2) Thomas Robinson PF Kansas - Most people have Robinson a few spots lower, but I really love his athleticism as well as his fire for the game. He would be the perfect front line compliment to Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao.

3) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist SF Kentucky - Alonzo Gee's emergence has lowered my need for a SF slightly, however as stated above ultimately Gee is best served as a reserve.  I like MKG over Barnes because of his defense and tenacity.  He isn’t a great perimeter shooter, but he brings plenty to the table to pair with the Cavs core.

4) Bradley Beal SG Florida - My good friend @440Shane will love this.  I have been higher on a Lamb/Kyrie pairing for most of this college season, however Beal has star power.  Kyrie and Beal in the backcourt would be an offensive fireworks show.  Add the back-court scoring of Beal/Kyrie to the fact that TT and Andy bring solid D to the post and the Cavs could be on to something.

5) Harrison Barnes SF UNC - Barnes has all of the talent in the world, but where is the heart?  I never see this kid play with any passion.  I’m even reluctant to put him this high after his tournament run, however the Cavs really need a wing scorer and he has the tools.

6) Jeremy Lamb SG UCONN - Another kid with a silky stroke, but plays in a daze.  I actually think Lamb is a better shooter than Beal, but there is no mistaking the energy that Beal brings over Lamb.  I’d still take Lamb in a heartbeat though and think he could play off of Kyrie extremely well.  I also like Lamb's length, but his slight frame is a concern.

7)  Perry Jones III PF Baylor – The Browns couldn’t get RGIII, but the Cavs could have a chance to take PJIII.  Jones came into the season with a chance to go in the top two of this draft, but he did not live up to his potential.  Perry is another kid that has the NBA look and talent, but couldn’t seem to put it together consistently on the floor.  If the Cavs draft in the eight hole I would personally take Lamb (who should be there) over PJIII but there is plenty of upside with Jones as well.  I’m not super excited about either Zeller so I would prefer to take a shot that Perry could live up to his potential with some NBA coaching as I think his ceiling is higher.  Two things that do bother me about Jones is his lack of aggressiveness to try and take over a game and his low shot blocking figures for a guy with his size and reach.

8)  Andre Drummond C UCONN – Yet another kid that should have dominated at the college level given his talent and size.  Drummond could be a force in the post, however posted pedestrian numbers as a freshman in both scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebound (7.6 rpg).  For a player of his size and ability those numbers should have been much higher.  You cannot teach size and he certainly has it at 6’11 and 275, but is he yet another prospect that doesn’t have the passion to go out and dominate game?  I do like his shot blocking ability (2.7 bpg), but his free throw shooting is horrific at 29.5%.  There is no way the Cavs could play Drummond and TT together late in games.  Teams would simply foul them and watch as we missed free throw after free throw.  If the Cavs select eight or lower and he falls he is worth the risk because of his potential, but I would not be excited to select him in the top three or four.

9)  The Zellers C Indiana/UNC – Sure their games are a bit different so it’s not exactly fair to lump them together, but I would prefer to take a chance on other talent over either.  The Cavs were able to make it work at C for years with another guy whose name started with Z, but I personally don’t feel it with these two.  Sure they can run the floor well for their size and have good fundamental skills, but I am looking for a potential all-star to pair with Kyrie and neither Zeller screams all-star to me.  If I had to choose I probably would take Cody as his offense game already seems better than his older brother’s and he is younger.  In my opinion if the Cavs take a post player it needs to be one that has a good offensive skill set or is an extreme athlete with an offensive mindset such as Thomas Robinson.  Therefore, Cody would fit that bill more so than Tyler.  It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we took a Zeller at eight, but it would be lack-luster for this Cavs fan.

10)  Austin Rivers SG Duke – As you read this you might be surprised I have Rivers this high, however keep in mind I am putting this list in order with players that I think would benefit the Cavs needs.  That means I am passing over point guards such as Lillard and Marshall so it helps bump Rivers up a bit.  I also think we need wing scoring much more than another post player (unless they have elite potential) so that bumps Rivers over Henson, Sullinger, and McAdoo in my book.  I like Rivers’ size and length at SG and his ability to shoot from the outside.  I don’t like his low FT and his lack of defense, however I think he could play well with Kyrie.  From a superstitious perspective pairing two Duke players in the same backcourt scares me, but that stuff isn’t real is it?

Just Missed – Terrence Jones, John Henson, Jared Sullinger, James McAdoo

NBA Draft Prospects – Round 1, Cavs Pick 2

Assuming the Cavs select 25^th overall with their second 1^st Round selection below are some players that could be available and would make sense.  They are in no particular order.

Dion Waiters SG Syracuse – Some mock drafts have him going in the Top 10 and compare his game to Dwayne Wade.  I don’t see that, however if we go with a big in the lottery Waiters could come in and help a very thin SG position on the Cavs roster.  He may have to slip a bit to be available in the mid-20s, but it’s possible.

Fab Melo C Syracuse – Fab doesn’t have the ability to hit a parameter shot like Drummond but, both Melo and Drummond can play some interior D, are similar in size, and block shots.  Melo doesn’t have the upside of Drummond, but at the 25^th pick could be worth a look especially if the Cavs were able to add a wing scorer with their first 1^st Round selection.

Quincy Miller SF Baylor – Quincy has the potential to be a force offensively as a tall 3 in the NBA.  If he declares he may go higher than the mid-20s, but if he slips he could be a nice fit for the Cavs at position of need.

Jeff Taylor SF Vandy – Many mock drafts have the Cavs taking Taylor at 25 and I can see why.  He plays tough D and is a wing player that can also score.  Taylor can get to the rim if a good PG is facilitating the offense and can also shoot a bit so he should fit well with a PG like Kyrie.  He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to create and be effective.  Also has good size for the position.  I would not be upset to come out of the draft with say Beal and Taylor.

Terrence Ross SG Wash – If the Cavs go with a big in the lottery Ross could be a great consolation prize at SG.  While he may not have the star power of Beal I think he is a similar player.  Ross has good range on the jumper, shoots well from 3, can defend a bit, and can get to the rack.  At 6’6”, 190 he could add a few pounds, but I like his upside.  He may not last until the mid-20s, but if the Cavs like him they could always use one of their 2^nd round picks to move up a few spots.

Tony Wroten Jr. PG/SG – Wash – Wroten is a combo guard that played the point in college, but is a scorer at heart.  I have seen a few mock drafts that have the Cavs taking Wroten with the 25^th pick, but I’m not so sure he is the best fit.  Tony is not a good shooter and is best suited with the ball in his hand driving and finishing or passing the rock.  To me that sounds a lot like Ramon Sessions who we just traded to get the 25^th pick.  Wroten has more size than Sessions and can finish at the rim with power, but I personally would rather pair Kyrie with a better shooter at the 2 guard than a combo guy like Wroten.  If we landed a Beal or Lamb with our first 1^st Round pick and were looking for a backup PG instead of big here then this might make some sense.

Tony Mitchell SF North Texas – Tony was originally slated to attend Missouri, however could not due to issues with his grades.  He then transferred to North Texas.  He went for almost 15 ppg and 10 boards while shooting well from three (43.9%) as well as the free throw stripe (73.9%).  He also blocked 3 shots per game in the Sun Belt conference.  Many experts want to see him play against better competition, but this is the type of late first round find that could really make your draft.  If he played at Mizzou he has the ability to be in the lottery discussion.  If the Cavs really like him I would be ok with them pulling the trigger at 25.  If he slips to them in the 2^nd round I think you must take a shot here on this kid.

NBA Draft Prospects – Round 2 Possibilities

I am just going to list some names of players I think would be intriguing in the second round if they were there at either pick and declared.

Doron Lamb SG Kentucky

John Jenkins SG Vandy

Draymond Green SF MSU

Quincy Acy F Baylor

Tyshawn Taylor PG Kansas

Deshaun Thomas SF OSU

Bottom Line

The Cavs have enough ammo to go into this draft and land a starter and at least one other solid rotational player if not two.  I expect them to be active in the trade market and try to package some picks to improve their draft position either in the top 10 or up from the mid-20s as I do not see them actually adding four rookies to their roster.  My top priority would be to add talent at SG and SF and worry about bigs in Free Agency or next year’s draft.  As Cavs fans we will probably have to suffer through the last portion of this season, but it will bring shiny new toys via the draft this summer.