NBA Draft 2011: 10 Bold Predictions for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Now that the NFL draft is over and the entire football season is in jeopardy, sports fans can now turn to the 2011 NBA Draft for their source of rumors, gossip and excitement.
Perhaps the draft has never been as important to one team as it is to this year's Cleveland Cavaliers.
With two lottery picks and four selections overall, the Cavs are set to make a splash in the draft, if of course they can find the right guys.
General manager Chris Grant has given some hints to his draft strategy, so I'm going to base some early predictions off what he's said so far and make some predictions of my own.
Cleveland Will Take at Least One Future All-Star
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"Every year we know one thing: We know there's 10-15, 12-15 good players. Our job is to figure out who those guys are. Those are the marching orders we give our scouts: Go figure out who those guys are."
Despite the overall lack of talent in the draft due to Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes and Perry Jones returning to school, the Cavs personnel remains confident.
Grant is right, too. Those 10-15 players aren't always taken in the first 10-15 spots, but you can look back at almost every draft and find that many players who have at least contributed to an NBA roster.
This tells me that the Cavaliers are definitely going to put the homework in that's needed to find the best players for them in this draft.
Drafting Will Be on Talent Instead of Need
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"My philosophy, best available. Particularly when you're drafting high, you want to look for the best talent..."
This could be a major smokescreen or a tell-tale sign that if given the opportunity over a need at small forward like Derrick Williams, the Cavs could take Kyrie Irving at point guard instead.
The Chicago Bulls used this same draft strategy in 2008, and it worked out alright for them.
But It's Not Just About the Talent
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"You want to look for the best talent and human beings. The human being part is very important."
I love this line from Grant. When picking in the first couple spots of any draft, you need someone who will represent your organization on and off the court.
This years draft doesn't appear to have many lottery selections with character concerns, however, which is a very good sign.
Be it Derrick Williams, Kyrie Irving, Jimmer Fredette or others, all seem like high-character guys who would do their best to represent whatever franchise they were lucky enough to be selected by.
Gotta love that.
Cleveland Will Take a Point Guard
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Be it Irving with the first pick, Brandon Knight or Jimmer Fredette with the second or Norris Cole in the second round, the Cavaliers will take a point guard in the draft at some point.
Baron Davis has no future with the Cavs, and has an early termination option on his contract after next season.
Ramon Sessions was great last season, but it's still yet to be seen if he can captain a winning team and develop an outside shot.
Byron Scott is a master point guard guru, and will want to take his own guy to help lead Cleveland back to the playoffs.
But They Won't Touch Kemba Walker
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Kemba Walker is from New York, sports a Yankees cap, apparently enjoys chatting with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, threw out the first pitch at a Yankees game and has said publicly he'd love to play for the Knicks and that "Carmelo Anthony has been my favorite player so wherever he goes, I go."
Cleveland doesn't need "The Decision: Part 2"
They won't go near a kid who doesn't seem to have much interest in playing for anyone outside of the Big Apple.
Irving's Injury Won't Scare Cleveland Away
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Nor will it any other team, it sounds like from reading draft reports.
It appears the general consensus on Irving is not a lack of playing time, but a lack of ceiling. People who look at Derrick Rose and John Wall and compare them to Irving are giving Kyrie an unfair comparison.
Irving appears to be the next Chris Paul at best, but could also turn out to be the next T.J. Ford. Great during his time in college, but an underachieving NBA guard.
If Irving is passed on by Cleveland it won't be because of his injury or lack of playing time, they might just think someone else represents a better pro prospect.
An International Player Will Be Taken
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Grant has made numerous trips to Europe in the past few months scouting international talent.
While it hasn't been announced who he's gone to see specifically, it can only be assumed some of the names would include Jonas Valanciunas and Donatas Motiejunas of Lithuania and/or Jan Vesely from Serbia. All could wind up being lottery picks in a draft as slim as this.
A possible second round pick would include Lucas Nogueira out of Brazil.
With foreign born players (Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao) thriving in Cleveland before, don't be surprised if the Cavs draft outside of the USA with at least one of their picks.
A Wildcat Will Become a Cavalier
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Kentucky's Brandon Knight, Enes Kanter, Terrence Jones and DeAndre Liggins will all be selected in the draft, the first three being likely lottery picks.
Will Cleveland take Kanter with their first pick? Knight or Jones with the second? Liggins in the second round?
Only time will tell, but with all of them satisfying needs on the Cavs, I'd be very surprised if Cleveland doesn't hit on at least one.
A Second-Rounder Will Be a Familiar Face
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The Cavaliers have two second-round picks. Odds are you might recognize one of them.
Look for Ohio State's David Lighty and Jon Diebler, and Cleveland State's Norris Cole to all possibly have their named called in the second round on draft night.
Lighty and Diebler would both be great bench pieces for the Cavs and are both from Northern Ohio.
Cole is a Dayton native and terrorized the Horizon League last year. NBADraft.net currently has him going 32nd overall to the Cavs. While this seems a bit high, don't be surprised if it happens.
Grant realizes that the attendance is likely to drop off a considerable amount next season. Adding a local talent may help fix that.
The Draft Will Decide the Future of Grant
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Cavs owner Dan Gilbert gave Chris Grant the unenviable job of replacing Danny Ferry as Cavs GM last summer.
The options were either: A) Win a championship or bust with the current team, or B) completely rebuild a young roster into a playoff caliber club.
Grant's tenure so far has been defined by the deadline trade of Mo Williams to the Clippers for Baron Davis and their unprotected first-round pick.
If the Cavs hit on the pick Grant looks like a genius. If the players busts, Grant begins dusting off the old resume.
The success of this draft (or lack thereof) will very much decide Grant's future in Cleveland.
