NBA Draft Lottery 2012: 3 Reasons Why Cavaliers Must Snag Bradley Beal

Like 13 other teams, Cleveland was hoping to get the first pick in the draft. However, they ended up with the fourth pick.

Although Cleveland won't get a shot at three great players, there is one guy that will likely fall to fourth that the Cavs need to pick.

Bradley Beal was the shooting guard for Florida, and throughout the season, he showed tremendous upside while anchoring a team full of fabulous guards. He guided the Gators to the Elite 8 while playing great basketball and acting as a team leader in his freshman year.

Beal is a guy who would fit in well and benefit Cleveland in numerous ways, and he would greatly help in the Cavaliers' rebuilding process. Here are three reasons why the Cavs must do whatever it takes to draft Bradley Beal. 

Forming a Formidable Backcourt Duo with Kyrie Irving

I'd like to ask you to take a moment of your time to imagine a backcourt with Kyrie Irving, a great point guard, and Bradley Beal, a great young shooting guard.

While it would be good in Beal's first two or three years, it would be great when both of these guys enter their prime. It could be so good that Cavalier fans might even forget about LeBron James.

Beal is a great shooter, and he would be a great passing target for Irving. Irving is a good passer and he can set guys up for good looks, so he would definitely get Beal his fair share of shots.

Beal can handle the ball and be effective without the ball, by setting screens for Irving. Establishing the pick-and-roll could be very effective for the Cavs, because Irving would have a clear path to the hoop, while he could also dish the ball off to Beal.

His great attitude and high basketball IQ would definitely help him mesh well with the team, and it would certainly help him get playing time. Both he and Irving would know what to do, and I'd expect the two to mesh very well together.

Shooting

In case you didn't know, Bradley Beal is an incredible shooter.

For a team that shot as bad as Cleveland (42.2 percent, second-worst in the NBA), his shooting and his ability to make any shot will be key for Cleveland.

Beal has drawn comparisons to Ray Allen with his great shooting stroke, range, and accuracy and his strong body and high IQ has also added to his strong resume.

While he doesn't have the highest shooting percentage, he has a great stroke and is a definite threat to hit any three. Some guys, like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, have higher shooting percentages, because they score down low. Beal can penetrate and finish, but he is more of an outside shooter.

Beal has stuff he needs to improve on, but he is a capable shooter who knows how to hit his shots. With a great point guard setting him up for great looks, he should become the next Ray Allen in Cleveland.

Filling a Huge Need

When I say filling a huge need, I don't just mean that he's an upgrade over Daniel Gibson and Anthony Parker. I mean he's a major upgrade, and he's the guy Cleveland needs to get on the right path.

Cleveland has a trio of forwards by the names of Anderson Varejao, Antawn Jamison, and Tristan Thompson. All three of these guys play a lot, and Varejao plays center a lot. Varejao is great at D, Jamison is a good scorer, and Thompson blocks shots and rebounds.

That said, Cleveland doesn't need anyone to come play forward or center, so the Cavs definitely shouldn't draft Andre Drummond. If Thomas Robinson and Beal were available, the Cavs would need to pick Beal. Here's why.

Overall, Robinson may be a better player.

However, putting together a backcourt duo with one guy who can penetrate, finish, and pass well and one guy who can shoot very well and can pass well is tempting.

The Cavaliers are set down low, with an above-average trio of players anchoring the paint. Cleveland could run the pick-and-roll with their two guards, and the big men would be able to catch passes from the guards and kick the ball back out, if necessary.

If Beal is brought up right and gets used to the NBA level before playing significant minutes (he should play 30-35 per game as a rookie), he will end up being a great player. If the Cavaliers know how to use their talent, they could be a great team.