NBA Draft Rumors: Cavaliers Must Find a Way to Draft Bradley Beal
The Cleveland Cavaliers have to land Bradley Beal in the 2012 NBA draft.
And according to Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.com, Beal is a hot-commodity:
""There's no way Beal slips out of the top four," said one league source. The Cleveland Cavaliers will draft him if he's available at four.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 19, 2012"
Fortunately for the Cavs they have the No. 4 and No. 24 overall selections in Round 1. Therefore, the ammo is available for Cleveland to use if Washington or anyone else is considering Beal at No. 3 overall.
Here we look at why Beal is an imperative prospect for the Cavaliers.
Scoring
Cleveland's best scorers at shooting guard were Daniel Gibson at 7.5 points-per-game and Anthony Parker at just 7.2 per contest. Bradley Beal on the other hand, averaged 14.8 points per game for Florida and shot 44.5 percent from the field.
In addition, Cleveland also ranked 25th in points, getting just 93 points-per-game last season. With the Eastern Conference Central being rather defensive oriented, the Cavs need a second scorer to help out the frontcourt and Kyrie Irving.
Provided that Beal becomes more consistent from downtown, he will reach his full potential. Already possessing the ability to draw fouls, Beal can allow the Cavs' offense to hit another level in 2012-13.
Off the Ball
Whether it's on offense or defense, Bradley Beal moves well off the ball.
When with the ball, Beal does need to improve at creating his own shots and driving the lane. Nevertheless, that is also what Kyrie Irving is for.
The more Beal moves off the ball offensively, the more assists Cleveland can have to keep defenses off balance. In 2011-12, the Cavs ranked just 23rd in assists and need playmakers for a more explosive unit.
Defense, as we'll see next, is an underrated part of Beal's game that will benefit Cleveland.
Defense
The Cavaliers were 26th in defense and must have an outside presence to provide the offense with additional possessions. Beal brings that solid defense to the table as he averaged 1.4 steals and 6.7 rebounds per game.
He also suits the Cavs well on this side since he doesn't foul often and relies on impressive instincts to grab boards and isolate his man. With a strong frontcourt to count on down low, Beal's rebounding and reactionary skills get Cleveland more stops.
The Eastern Conference Central isn't an offensively dominant division, so Beal can have much early success on defense in Cleveland.
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