2011 NBA Draft: 5 Reasons the Cleveland Cavaliers Should Take Enes Kanter No. 1
While the Cavaliers were handed a gift from the basketball gods with the number one overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, I'm here to tell you why Enes Kanter—not Kyrie Irving should be their man.
The Cavaliers also have the number four overall pick in their possession, giving them a serious chance to set a solid foundation for the future of the franchise with the right selections.
For a team that went 19-63 last year after Lebron James decided to take his talents to South Beach, things can only get better for the city of Cleveland in the 2011-2012 season.
5. The Problem with Kyrie Irving
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If the Cavaliers take Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 overall pick, they will lose out on Kanter and Derrick Williams—and in return would have no need for Brandon Knight who would still be on the board.
Unless the Cavaliers are convinced Kryie Irving is going to be the next Chris Paul, I don't see enough positives in taking Irving.
Dominate big centers are prized possession in the NBA and the Cavaliers will regret passing on their chance to add one to their roster.
4. Kanter Provides More of a Need
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The Cleveland Cavalier are desperate for a true center that can lineup next to power forward J.J. Hickson.
With Enes Kanter, the Cavaliers would have their Center of the future and could also form a nice frontcourt combination with J.J. Hickson.
J.J. Hickson put together a nice run after the All-Star break last year; averaging nearly 17 points and 11 boards per night. Hickson is only 22 years old so he is a forward that you can build around for the future.
With Kanter and Hickson holding down the frontcourt, Cleveland can now focus on other areas in need of improvement.
3. Brandon Knight
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No, Brandon Knight is not Kyrie Irving--but he has just as much potential to be an elite point guard in the NBA.
Knight averaged over 17 points per game for the Kentucky Wildcats last year, while dishing out four assist per game. Brandon Knight can stretch the floor with his outside shooting ability (38 percent from three point range) and also penetrate and get to the rim.
Physically for Brandon Knight, he is everything you want in an NBA point guard.
Knight stands 6'3" weighing in at 180 pounds and at only 19 years of age the ceiling appears to be endless for Brandon Knight.
Obviously there are no guarantees that Knight would be available but he more then likely will be.
The Minnesota Timberwolves would for sure take Kyrie Irving at number two, leaving the Utah Jazz to select Derrick Williams, so Brandon Knight would be there for the taking.
2. Enes Kanter and Brandon Knight
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The Cavaliers starting line-up could look something like this with Enes Kanter and Brandon Knight:
PG - Brandon Knight/ Baron Davis/Ramon Sessions
SG - Anthony Parker/Daniel Gibson
SF - Joey Graham
PF - J.J. Hickson/Antwan Jamison
C - Enes Kanter/Anderson Varejao
The Cavaliers still have some major needs on their roster, but they should be setup nicely for the future with a young but talented roster.
Ramon Sessions or Baron Davis would likely be dealt, maybe for an upgrade on the perimeter, somewhere the Cavaliers are weak at.
1. New Faces for the Franchise
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With Enes Kanter and Brandon Knight the newest members of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, Byron Scott and the Cavaliers can officially begin moving on with the post Lebron James era.
Fans of Cleveland will be able to see some promising signs for the future of the organization with the additions of Kanter and Knight.
