2011 Cleveland Cavalier Offseason/Draft

• KR1245

  

  hoops23;812426 wrote:The first round was very good for the Cavs...
  
  If Kanter or DWill weren't there at #4, I wanted to trade down... However, I wanted to trade down with Tristan Thompson in mind.
  
  I'm not real sure why people are shocked about the TT pick. Dude is athletic, goes all out, plays great defense, both off the ball and 1-on-1, and has a solid post game...
  
  The writing is on the wall for Andy or JJ... I think the Cavs could keep JJ and use him at center, but I definitely think Andy will be traded.
  
  Also, the offseason isn't over yet. The Cavs still have the TPE and I believe Sessions will be traded as well.
  
  The second round was pointless... But whatever.

  
  
  My biggest problem with the Thompson pick is that the Cavs already have a better version of him in JJ. I have only seen him play a few times but JJ is a much better offensive player at this point. Thompson can finish around the rim but he doesnt really have a back to the basket game or a jumper, hes also an awful FT shooter. I think this means JJ is gone and that dosnt make me happy. I thought the kid was starting to come along towards the end of last year.
  
  I'm still not dissapointed in the draft though, I think Irving is going to be a stud.
• KR1245

  

  iclfan2;812384 wrote:Wonder if we are just going to waste the TPE?

  
  I think they will. They dont have much time left, my guess is that they sit on it and hope that their appeal goes through
• mucalum49

  

  Al Bundy;812432 wrote:JJ is too small to play center except for a few minutes a game.

  
  Not that it means its sustainable but last year JJ played better starting at center than PF.
  
  As a C - 32 minutes per game, 15.4 points, 11 rebounds (in 32 games)
  As a PF - 27 minutes per game, 14.3 points, 8.1 rebounds (in 34 games)
• SportsAndLady

  

  I've probably seen Tristan Thompson play more than a lot of you have, considering my ties to big 12 basketball, when they took him I was very happy..the Guy is a beast and has a great attitude. I really liked the pick..what else were we gonna do? Draft someone we didn't have full confidence in (Jonas)? Trade down for another couple first Rounders in a draft that isnt full of barely any talent? No, take the Guy you've liked from the start and be happy.
• OneBuckeye

  

  I hope you are right. I wouldn't have minded the big guy the wizards took 5th. All I see when I think about Thompson is the beat down Sullinger put on him in HS. I just can't imagine drafting a PF that can't shoot or make free throws. JJ 2.0?
• lhslep134

  

  SportsAndLady;812476 wrote:I've probably seen Tristan Thompson play more than a lot of you have, considering my ties to big 12 basketball, when they took him I was very happy..the Guy is a beast and has a great attitude. I really liked the pick..what else were we gonna do? Draft someone we didn't have full confidence in (Jonas)? Trade down for another couple first Rounders in a draft that isnt full of barely any talent? No, take the Guy you've liked from the start and be happy.

  
  I don't think we could have traded down, otherwise we would. I have a gut feeling no one wanted to trade up for the 4th pick.
• BR1986FB

  OneBuckeye;812479 wrote:I hope you are right. I wouldn't have minded the big guy the wizards took 5th.

  
  In hindsight, Vesely probably would've been my choice there. They were raving about how well he'd be doing in the transition game with Wall (probably just as well with Irving). ESPN also had the Wiz as their top "winners" in this draft. They felt that they went from a lottery team to a playoff team with last nights' selections.
• sportswizuhrd

  OneBuckeye;812479 wrote:I hope you are right. I wouldn't have minded the big guy the wizards took 5th. All I see when I think about Thompson is the beat down Sullinger put on him in HS. I just can't imagine drafting a PF that can't shoot or make free throws. JJ 2.0?

  What about Kanter lighting Sullinger up in the Nike Hoops Classic two years ago? Set the record for most points in it, going for 34 along with 13 boards. The game is the same event where Biyombo gainted a TON of attention a few months ago. Kanter went one spot ahead of Thompson.
• SportsAndLady

  

  lhslep134;812487 wrote:I don't think we could have traded down, otherwise we would. I have a gut feeling no one wanted to trade up for the 4th pick.

  
  Yeah I think that, as well.
  
  I just think taking a bit of a reach on someone you really like is better than taking a guy you aren't very high on but is projected around that pick.
• Crimson streak

  

  Lol at people talking about hs. That was what 2-3 years ago. Get real. I've seen Thompson play a lot last year. I wanted them to trade down and take him at 8 but it didn't happen and had to pick someone. And Thompson doesn't have that bad of a jumper. He is still a little raw but he is a beast athlete
• lhslep134

  

  SportsAndLady;812497 wrote:Yeah I think that, as well.
  
  I just think taking a bit of a reach on someone you really like is better than taking a guy you aren't very high on but is projected around that pick.

  
  Yup which is why I'm perfectly okay with the pick. It'll be interesting to see what happens the rest of the offseason.
• Wooball

  

  I didn't mind the Irving/Thompson combo with the #1 and #4 picks. Irving was definitely the best player in the draft, and Thompson is a player that appears worst case will be a guy that gets you offensive rebounds, defends his position well, blocks shots and can play in the pick and roll. Best case, he develops a little bit of a jumper and is JJ Hickson offensively w/ better hands, and actually plays defense, something JJ doesn't like to do.
  
  The 2nd round, mainly #32, was mind boggling. At #32 they could have taken any number of players that could have come in and competed to start at the 3, or taken Jeremy Tyler as a project at the 5. Instead they took another 4, then traded him for 2 future 2nd rounders. Then they take a Serb w/ their last pick that probably never comes to the NBA. And if he does, what position does he play? Oh, yea that's right, he is a 4. I'm not sure how a team that void of talent, especially on the wing, just throws away 2 picks, one being the 2nd pick in the 2nd round.
  
  I will leave judgement on this draft until after we see what the Cavs do w/ the TPE, Ramon Sessions, Baron Davis, Boobie Gibson, JJ Hickson, Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao. I would think 2 or 3 of those players will have to be moved. Sessions or Gibson have to be dealt, or 1 of them will rot on the bench. They should probably move Sessions now when his stock is at its peak. They also need to move one of the 4's they have on the roster. I don't think Hickson has to go yet, but they have to free up minutes for Thompson. I don't see how Hickson, Jamison and Thompson can all be on the same roster and get the minutes that they need to be getting. And don't give me the BS that Hickson's #'s were better when he played the 5. If JJ Hickson is playing a lot of minutes for your team at the 5, you are in serious trouble.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  I watched Texas play about 3~5 times last season, but dont remember Thompson much. I also didnt read a ton of the kid coming into the draft this yr, I guess I was expecting one of the V euro kids. I'm happy with Irving though.
• sleeper

  

  Looking back, I think the Cavs drafted the second round with the idea in mind that they didn't like any player available in the second round.
  
  It'll be interesting to see how active the Cavs are in the trading market, and I'm still wondering about the TPE.
  
  Also, about Hickson, people need to get over him. He's not good, he's not terrible, so I wouldn't care if we gave him up at this point.
• BR1986FB

  sleeper;812599 wrote:
  Also, about Hickson, people need to get over him. He's not good, he's not terrible, so I wouldn't care if we gave him up at this point.

  
  Agreed
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Since I don't follow the NBA as closely as you folks, when is the trading deadline? Is it when the current contract runs out (June 30)? Does a decision on the TPE have to be made by then, also, or does that just expire, along with the current labor agreement?
  
  Assuming any/all of this is the case, then I guess the Cavs are still on the clock, so to speak. They need to make whatever other moves they were hoping to make before everything gets taken away and shut down.
  
  Finally, on the Orlando trade: Is it possible they didn't like anyone that late in the second round so they went ahead and traded the player they took for the draft choices, perhaps hoping (planning) to use them as trade fodder at some point? I can't believe they expect to get anything of value, since Orlando is likely to be a pretty good team the next two years.
• royal_k

  

  I actually liked the 1st round picks. But like most others, am a little underwhelmed by the 2nd round action.
  
  And I think we can say we've probably have seen the last of JJ.
• BR1986FB

  I think the Cavs have less than a week to use the trade exception.
• SportsAndLady

  

  I'm assuming, as far as the orlando trade goes, that Orlando wanted the Richmond guy, so they had Cleveland take him, then made the trade. It'd be no different if the Cavs made the trade before their pick, so Orlando would then be "on the clock"
  
  Like already mentioned, I really feel like the Cavs were not interested in any of these 2nd round guys so they traded out. They got their 2 guys they wanted, Thompson and Irving. Successful draft. No need to waste a 2nd round pick on someone who probably isn't gonna pan out (not many of them do) and someone they didn't even feel were any good.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Could not disagree MORE with this guy
  

  1. Cleveland Cavaliers — Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke: I'll go on record right here saying I don't like this pick. Irving is probably going to be a good point guard, but you don't draft somebody No. 1 because they'll be good. You draft them to seriously alter the franchise's fortunes, and Irving doesn't do that. You're taking somebody with conditioning issues and letting him learn from Baron Davis, not exactly ideal. Irving lacks elite athleticism or elite shooting, and who's he going to pass to on that roster? I don't want to bash him too much, because he's a quality player -- I'm just not sold on him going No. 1 overall. Derrick Williams should have been the pick here -Eric Yearian

  So many things I disagree with in there
  
  More grades:
  http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/2011-NBA-Draft-pick-by-pick-analysis-Kyrie-Irving-Derrick-Williams-Enes-Kanter-062311
• SportsAndLady

  

  Same guy, I do agree wtih him on this one
  

  4. Cleveland Cavaliers — Tristan Thompson, F, Texas: The Cavs wanted a big man to pair with Irving, and they passed up on Litunanian Jonas Valanciunas who they were said to like, for somebody they knew they could count on to step in and play right away. Thompson is a quality defender and looks to fit well alongside J.J. Hickson. They did pick up a quality forward with good size who can bang with anyone in the league. If he develops an offensive game he could be a good catch. A bit of a reach, but pretty good pick. -Eric Yearian.

• Wooball

  

  BR1986FB;812640 wrote:I think the Cavs have less than a week to use the trade exception.

  
  The Traded Player Exception (TPE) is good for 11 days after the current CBA expires. The Cavs have petitioned the league to allow the TPE to be good for 11 days after the new contract is approved. The problem is, I don't think they will have a ruling on that until after the TPE "expires" so if they don't use it before June 30th they run the risk of their request being denied and losing the TPE. At this point, their best opportunity was to use the TPE last night so I don't expect them to use it before June 30th, especially not knowing what the new CBA is going to look like.
• Wooball

  

  SportsAndLady;812659 wrote:Same guy, I do agree wtih him on this one

  
  #1 - his Irving breakdown is horrendous. The reason he doesn't like him is because he thinks he is only going to be good and at #1 you need to take a franchise altering player, and then says they should have taken Derrick Williams. Does he really think Derrick Williams is going to change the fortunes of the timberwolves? Then he says Kyrie isn't an elite shooter. He sure as hell seems to be for his position. And asks who he is going to pass to? Well, unless I missed something, this is the beginning of the rebuild and the Cavs are likely to add a dynamic wing scorer in the next draft or 2.
  
  #2 - How does he see Tristan Thompson and JJ Hickson fitting together well alongside each other? I can't fathom how those 2 would play on the floor together, unless it is with the 2nd unit.
• Heretic

  

  Here's the synopsis of the two first round picks I got from Yahoo.
  
  Irving:

  Jeff Eisenberg of The Dagger: Odd as it may seem for a kid who played only 11 games worth of college basketball, Kyrie Irving is probably the most sure-fire pick in this draft. The former Duke star may not have the athleticism of a Derrick Rose or a Russell Westbrook, but his impeccable character, consistent outside shot and quick first step to the rim make him a potential top 10 NBA point guard within the next few years. In a historically weak draft at the top, that was enough to make him a no-brainer for rebuilding Cleveland at No. 1.

  Thompson:

  Jeff Eisenberg of The Dagger: Apparently unwilling to wait a full year for Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas to have the opportunity to come stateside, Cleveland instead selects a big man capable of aiding its post-LeBron rebuilding process as soon as next season. Ex-Texas star Tristan Thompson is an excellent shot-blocker and offensive-rebounder, but he may need a year or two to develop his post game and a consistent outside shot. Thompson becomes the highest Canadian-born pick in the history of the draft.

• hoops23

  

  mucalum49;812451 wrote:Not that it means its sustainable but last year JJ played better starting at center than PF.
  
  As a C - 32 minutes per game, 15.4 points, 11 rebounds (in 32 games)
  As a PF - 27 minutes per game, 14.3 points, 8.1 rebounds (in 34 games)

  
  Yes, JJ played much better at center last season. He may be 6'9, but his athleticism makes up for the couple of inches lost. There are not too many legitamate centers in the NBA anymore.
  
  JJ went head to head against some good centers and held his own. Brooke Lopez had trouble against JJ last season, and JJ matched up very well against Amar'e.
  
  Tristan WILL be a better player than JJ. He's already a better rebounder and defensive player. He also plays within himself, something JJ sometimes has trouble with.