NBA Draft 2014: Teams in Position to Make Drastic Improvements
The 2014 NBA draft lottery gave us a clue as to which teams will be the biggest winners of the summer of 2014.
It's too early to crown a team. We all know assets can be misused in the NBA, but there are at least three teams that have to like their current offseason outlook.
Let's start in the City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia 76ers
It may not seem as though Julius Erving brought the Philadelphia 76ers much luck at the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday, but the team's draft situation is exactly what the doctor ordered for its recent struggles.
Philly could have hit the jackpot and landed the top overall selection, but picking third and 10th gives the Sixers part of the assets needed to turn things around during the 2014-15 season.
According to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the 76ers are projected to have about $29 million in cap room to spend this offseason—if they choose.
They could hold off and wait for what figures to be a more attractive free-agent class during the summer of 2015, but the money to grab a star is there.
Looking solely at the draft, the Sixers have an opportunity to fill two major holes. They already have to be looking forward to the debut of one of last season's prized selections (though he was acquired through a draft-day trade), Nerlens Noel.
Michael Carter-Williams won Rookie of the Year, and Tony Wroten established himself as a valuable reserve to go along with Thaddeus Young.
A core of MCW, Noel, Wroten and Young is a fairly decent group to build on.
Throw in a serious possibility of adding either Kansas' Andrew Wiggins or Duke's Jabari Parker with the third selection, and Croatia's Dario Saric or Creighton's Doug McDermott with the 10th pick, and things are beginning to look sweet in Philly.
Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (subscription required) likes another one-and-done prospect with the 76ers' 10th overall pick.
Elhassan writes:
"Since Philadelphia also landed the No. 10 pick from New Orleans (it was only top-five protected), Zach LaVine would be a nice look with the second lottery pick as an athletic combo guard and terrific shooter. Shooting is at an all-time premium in the NBA right now, and the opportunity to lock up a high-level spacer (who offers the potential to be much more) on a rookie-scale contract for four years is a solid look with an additional pick.
"
Whether the team decides to throw a max contract at a star this summer or the next, the future looks pretty bright.
Charlotte Hornets
Along with changing their name back to the Hornets, the organization also scored a major win when the Detroit Pistons' pick fell to the ninth spot.
That meant the Hornets obtained Detroit's pick as part of a 2012 trade that sent Ben Gordon and a protected first-round pick to Charlotte for then-Detroit swingman Corey Maggette.
The pick was top-eight protected this season and fell just out of Detroit's clutches and into the Hornets' nest. See what I did there?
The Hornets are now able to build on the momentum they established this season. Charlotte needs a wing scorer to team with Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson and last year's lottery selection, Cody Zeller.
McDermott or Kentucky's James Young are all possibilities there. The team also has the 24th overall pick.
With two first-round picks, a core that just made the playoffs and at least $17 million in cap room, per Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, the Hornets' second era is getting off to a great start.
Per Bonnell, Hornets general manager Rod Higgins was pumped for the team's future.
Higgins said: “So much positive energy! That’s three (rookies) that will possibly be on the roster. And when you move up to the early parts of the (first) round, there are so many possibilities."
Barring injuries, there's no reason the Hornets won't be even better than the Bobcats were this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers
This might seem like a joke, but it's not.
Anytime a team wins the NBA draft lottery, they should be set up for success. The fact that this makes the third time in four years for the Cavs—and because the team hasn't made the playoffs any of the last three seasons—makes it difficult for the fanbase to get excited.
Here's the truth of the matter in Cleveland: Kyrie Irving has turned into a star, but he gets hurt at a mildly alarming rate. He's already missed 65 games in three seasons.
Last year's No. 1 pick, Anthony Bennett, had one of—if not the—worst seasons ever for a top overall pick.
That said, he's just 21 years old. No player that young can be called a bust—at least not yet.
There's still hope for Bennett, and for the Cavs. With that said, there's a ton of pressure on the team to win now. And that pressure will be primarily felt by the person the team hires as head coach, and the player the team picks with the top selection.
Rumors circulated on Wednesday that Kansas' Joel Embiid was the apple of the Cavs' eye. While there is no disputing the big man's talent, his back injury at the end of his freshman season should have Cleveland scared silly.
Even if it means taking the player with the lowest upside, but lowest bust potential, Cleveland can't afford to miss with this pick.
Trading it to add assets and reduce pressure is also an option.
If Cleveland keeps the pick, taking Parker would be the best move. He doesn't have the athletic ceiling Wiggins has, or the size-and-athleticism combination that Embiid possesses. But he's stable, mentally and physically.
That's what Cleveland needs. Matching him with Irving, Dion Waiters and a hopefully improved Bennett should give the Cavs a team capable of making the playoffs next season.
That hasn't happen since that guy named LeBron James left town. Who knows? Maybe building that squad would entice James to come back to the Cavs during the summer of 2015.
After all, that's what the conspiracy theorists think caused the Cavs to get the top pick again. Isn't it?
It's going to be a fun summer.
Follow me. I'm passionate about hoops.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
