2011 NBA Draft Lottery: Kyrie Irving vs. Derrick Williams—Who's Number 1?

The Cleveland Cavaliers might as well have been on the clock since "The Decision" last summer.

The team and the city of Cleveland was devastated by the loss of LeBron James—a hometown hero turned prima donna, trying to take the easy way out to winning a championship.

No one expected the Cavs to make the playoffs without James.

But the trade they made with the Clippers for Baron Davis earned them the No. 1 pick. Now, they have two of the Top Four picks in this year's draft.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, many of the best prospects decided to stay in school for another year. But there is still plenty of talent (and potential) at the top of this year's draft.

When it comes to the No. 1 pick, however, there can only be one...and with one week left until the draft, we're looking at two possibilities for that pick.

Let's start with Kyrie Irving, the 6'4", 191-pound freshman point guard from Duke.

Irving was one of the top high school recruits in the country. Although his only season at Duke was limited by a toe injury, he looks to have the most potential in this draft.

This year's draft has a lot of questions, especially with the amount of foreign players and upperclassmen with impressive college resumes. A player like Irving stands out simply due to his age and his NBA readiness.

In limited time this season, Irving still averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game for a very talented Duke team.

The thing that separates Irving from the rest of this class is his vision and decision making. He may not be the most explosive guard or the best scorer (think Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker,) but Irving would be an improvement on almost any team at the most important position in the game.

He still has plenty of room to improve, but as we've seen with other point guards in this league (particularly Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and even John Wall,) point guards who can drive and push the tempo of a game are pivotal to a team's success.

You can even go as far to say that J.J. Barea and what he did to the Mavericks' offensive tempo was a key reason for Dallas winning the NBA Finals.

Now for the intriguing case of Derrick Williams, the 6'8", 241-pound forward from Arizona.

Many have compared Williams to former lottery pick Michael Beasley, who has really underachieved so far during his NBA career.

Williams averaged 19.5 and 8.3 rebounds and led Arizona to the Final Four.

Labeled as a "tweener" without the size of a true power forward and without the ball skills of a true small forward, many scouts believe Williams won't be a superstar in this league.

There really does seem to be a risk and reoccurring theme with drafting these undersized power forwards.

Michael Beasley and Marvin Williams come to mind when you see a player like Williams. I think Williams is a much more refined player in the post than either of those two, and his effort is a valuable asset that will make him a starter in this league for many years.

Williams had a great run in this year's NCAA tournament (scoring 32 against Irving's Duke Blue Devils.) Although Arizona lost to UConn in the Final Four, Williams' stock soared after his performances against Memphis, Texas, and Duke.

Now that we know a bit about both players, which one is a better fit in Cleveland?

With Ramon Sessions and Baron Davis still under contract for the next three years, does Cleveland NEED a point guard?

It's an interesting question because Irving is a potential All-Star caliber point guard and finding potential suitors for Sessions would not be very difficult.

In picking Irving, the Cavs would be hoping for Enes Kanter or Jonas Valanciunas at pick No. 4. Both of these players are 19 and have incredible physical attributes. Kanter is 6'11" and 260 pounds, and Valanciunas is 6'10" and 230 pounds.

The Cavs already have J.J. Hickson at power forward. He has proved to be a productive starter, but not a difference maker, down low. A possible home run pick with Kanter or Valanciunas would solidify the paint for Cleveland.

Put Irving with Hickson and either of those two, and you have the foundation for a team that is one or two solid role players (and only a few years away) from being a contender for the playoffs.

If the Cavs were to select Derrick Williams, they would be targeting Knight or Walker with the No. 4 pick.

With the way the draft is looking now, Knight is a strong possibility to land in Utah, leaving Walker to Cleveland at No. 4 (which might be a slight stretch.)

Williams would bring depth to the Cavs frontcourt, with Hickson possibly coming off the bench, or the team could go with a bigger lineup, with Williams at small forward and Hickson at the four.

Sessions is still a capable point guard, but the problem with this current Cavs' lineup is a lack of playmakers. No one on this lineup is really a consistent threat to score 20 points a night.

Kemba Walker COULD be that guy.

You also have to like the fact that both Williams and Walker have been praised on their work ethics and positive attitudes (not to mention their success in this year's NCAA Tournament.) The combination of the two could either become a possible force in the NBA or end up like Raymond Felton and Sean May.

The possibilities are endless. At this point in time, there doesn't seem to be a sure thing at the top of the draft.

But if I were running the Cavaliers, I'd put my money on Irving. Sessions is a good player, but the upside of Irving is too much to pass up.

He is an instant improvement at the most important position on the court—and the potential face of a franchise which needs one more than any team in the NBA.