Power Rankings Third Edition

Photo from SI.com

One month down, and these Cavs have been about as bipolar as a team could be. There have been two bright spots on the team. I bet you could easily guess who they are, anyways, let's get on with it.

#1 - Anderson Varejao (Up six spots) 
Andy has been a monster to open up the season. He's playing like a top three NBA center right now and come deadline time, teams will be blowing up Cleveland's phones, attempting to obtain the wild thing. The question is, who has the right package to give? Seriously, does anybody? He's peaking at 30, which is rare in it's own right, but the amount of minutes he's played in his career rival that of 5th year players who aren't ever injured. He has productivity still left and it would be a shame to ship him away for next to nothing. He's averaging 14.5 points per game and 14.9 rebounds per game, which by the way is 1.7 more rebounds a game than the next best rebounder at this point. But he's so much more than that, his passing is far underrated, we all know of his hustle and determination, his defense is good and he's even been hitting jumpers with some consistency. Had Kyrie not gotten hurt, this may still be his spot, but Andy has just been playing out of his mind.

#2 - Kyrie Irving (Down one spot)
Kyrie has played in ten games thus far, but will be out about another three weeks. He's still this high on my list because even without playing the five games he's missed, he's still the best this team has, and was arguably the most productive player on the roster when he was healthy. Kyrie is the closer, no doubt about that, he steps his game up to crazy levels when the fourth quarter hits and you have to wonder with all the close games the Cavs have lost in his absence, if the outcome would have been any different. He's averaging 22.9 points a game along with 5.6 assists per game. Kyrie is the most valuable piece this team has and he will probably step back into his number one spot, once he's fully back from his injury.

#3 - Alonzo Gee (Up two spots)
Gee has been solid this year, averaging 11.8 points per game and leads the Cavs in steals at 1.7 per game. Gee has the motor to compete in the NBA, as well as highlight finishes at the rim. But he's a great defender and that's why he's number three in this edition. Add in his decent jumper to go along with his range and he can make you pay. I had said before that I felt like C.J. Miles could take his job at some point this year, the only way that happens is with a Gee injury.

#4 - Boobie Gibson (Up two spots)
Gibson has been the bright spot off the bench, averaging just over 9 points in about 23 minutes a game. He's shooting 43 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep. Byron Scott even goes so far as to call him the teams best perimeter defender. I don't agree with that, but he's a decent one. The most important thing about Gibson is he is the lone productive member of a bench that has struggled mightily overall in the first month. He's missed a few games too thus far, but he should be good to go from here on, ready to knock down those threes when the Cavs need him to.

#5 - Jeremy Pargo (Up five spots)
Donald Sloan beat out Pargo for the role of back-up point guard when the season started. That clearly didn't work out and Byron Scott made the switch that was necessary. Then Irving went down with a broken finger and Pargo stepped up in a big way. Not only has he been productive with Irving out, but it finally looks as though there is a decent option to back up Kyrie once he gets back. In eight games, five of which he started, Pargo has averaged 10.5 points per game with 3 assists a game. On top of that, his turnover rate is pretty low (2.13) and Pargo plays pretty good defense. It's going to be interesting to see what this team does with Irving back, especially with the second team that will now be run by Pargo.

#6 - Dion Waiters (Up two spots)
Waiters has pretty good stats, but there are things he needs to work on. He's averaging 15 points per game on 37 percent shooting. Dion takes far too many bad shots, possibly just too many shots on top of that. In the four losses without Irving, you can make the argument that Waiters has shot the Cavs out of the games. With the exception of the Suns game, the other three were close losses, where Waiters missed quite a few more shots than he made. Then there is the matter of Waiters complaining about not getting calls. I tend to agree with him on that, however you need to make a name for yourself in the NBA before you start getting those calls. It's just how it is. Is it fair? No, but it's the way t works. Refine your game a little Dion, stop driving so much and throwing up prayers, stop taking contested jumpers and unnecessary step-back jumpers with time remaining. Take your time, move the ball, if you're open, then take the shot. It'll get better for this kid in time.

#7 - Tristan Thompson (Down three spots)
TT is a weird one. Advanced stats suggest that he is a good player, but things like box scores and watching him play suggest otherwise. Overall defense is better with him on the floor and I feel like he's partly responsible for Andy playing like he is. He's averaging 8.9 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game. Those are decent numbers, but you want a little more from a number four overall pick. His work on the offensive boards is commendable. Watching TT play offense is one of the hardest things in the world to do, it's like a car crash, you can't look away. He hasn't shown that he has a jumper (even though he spent a lot of offseason time working on one), His pump fakes are predictable and he gets blocked way too much and his free throw numbers still aren't at a productive level. He's got a ways to go and I hope he figures it all out, because at this point he really doesn't look much like a starter.

#8 - Omri Casspi (Up one spot)
Casspi has had a limited role thus far in the season, playing just 12.5 minutes per game. I am already seeing more production out of him than I saw all of last year. He averages 5.4 ppg on 45 percent shooting and 50 percent from deep. If you adjust those stats to starter minutes, that isn't bad. If he can be that catch-and-shoot small forward off the bench -- which is the reason the Cavs traded for him -- bench production has the potential to increase, as it has recently. Casspi has been a part of that.

#9 - Tyler Zeller (Down six spots)
Zeller is a rookie who is trying to figure out the NBA game and it doesn't help that he has to do so with a protective mask. Still Zeller hasn't been bad, but he's got a bit to go still. I don't think I've seen enough of Zeller to make a definitive statement on him yet, although I mostly like what I have seen.

#10 - Samardo Samuels (No change)
Samuels beats out C.J. Miles, Jon Leuer, Donald Sloan and Luke Walton for the last spot. Unlike Miles, Samuels doesn't shoot the Cavs out of games. Although, I hate that elbow jumper he keeps trying. Unlike Leuer, Samuels doesn't get thrown around in the post too badly. And unlike Sloan and Walton, Samuels isn't completely worthless. That's all I can say about it.

Biggest Winner: Anderson Varejao: Up six spots
Biggest Faller: C.J. Miles: Down nine spots
Cracking the top ten: Jeremy Pargo
Falling out of the top ten: C.J. Miles  

Phoenix 91 - Cleveland 78

The way the Cavs played tonight, you can disregard what was said in the last post. One bright spot is that Anderson Varejao is a monster, 20 points and 18 rebounds tonight. Here are my two schools of thought on the rest of the season:

First, Kyrie comes back and stays healthy. He keeps putting up 23 and 6 every night, along with Varejao's 15 and 15, and they get help from other Cavaliers. If that happens and the team plays like it did in the first four games of Kyrie's absence, no doubt they should be thinking playoffs.

Secondly, and admittedly most interestingly, the season ends with a Cavs lottery pick. I don't need to explain how that will happen, we've seen it two years in a row now. If Cleveland can nab one of the first two picks and take whoever is there, it could be magical going forward. Right now the top two seem as clear as day, in no particular order, UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad and Kentucky's Nerlens Noel. With Muhammad, it would allow Alonzo Gee to come off the bench, and with that be a very productive member of the second team, probably the best the Cavs would have. With Noel, he could start at Power Forward or Center in combination with Varejao, with a secondary unit of Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller. That would be intersting either way.

But here's the thing, The Cavs are too good to have that good of a percentage for the lottery, right? I get that the record is bad, but look at all the close games they've lost, look at the teams they've beaten/almost beat. Maybe if Varejao is traded, then we can start talking top three picks again, but let's face it, he should absolutely not be moved this year. He has proven that he is an absolute beast, there would hardly be anything worth moving him for. Bad teams won't come calling with their high draft picks, fringe playoff teams won't have a package worthy of parting with him and championship contenders, who will need him most, will have absolutely nothing of value to give. Best case scenario is trading him to the Thunder for a package headlined by that Raptors draft pick, but even then I don't like it.

I feel like if this Cavs roster all stayed in place next year, an extra year of maturity for the entire team, we would be talking playoffs, no doubt. That's why this is interesting. The bench struggles, the injuries, the shooting slumps are all keeping the Cavs talking about adding another premiere player to this already ridiculously talented roster. Look out in two or three years when all these youngsters are in their prime, Irving, Thompson, Dion Waiters, Zeller and whatever new players Cleveland adds in the draft. They should be a force, and the best part is, they did it the right way.

Cavs minus Kyrie Summary

Since Kyrie has been out, the Cavs are 1-3, which initially sounds bad, however, that 1-3 record is a very respectable one.

The first game without Kyrie was played against the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that beat the Cavs (with Kyrie) just three days prior. Behind an improbable starting debut from Jeremy Pargo, the Cavs dropped the Sixers 92-83. This is a key game because this was the start of figuring out how to correct the bench struggles for Byron Scott.

Next up was the Orlando Magic. This was a winnable game even without Kyrie. Dion Waiters had a big scoring night (25), Anderson Varejao had a big rebounding night (17) but the Cavs fell 108-104. Omri Casspi played a good game and the bench was the best that I've ever seen them so far this year. This game was Cleveland's to lose, and they did.

The next night the Cavs were in Miami to take on the bad guys. Unlike the Magic game, without Kyrie Cleveland had no chance, right? The Cavaliers led mostly all game and even struck double-digit leads. The defense was good, the bench was good, the starters were good. It was a great performance from a team without their best player, taking on the defending world champs. Miami pulled it out 110-108.

And finally the Cavs traveled to Memphis to take on the best team in the league, the Grizzlies. More of the same, the Cavs played good basketball but slipped up in the fourth quarter, only scoring nine points. That could possibly be attributed to one of the leagues best closers on the Cavs bench with a splint on his finger. Varejao and Waiters each scored 15 and Varejao had another ridiculous rebounding night, pulling down 22 boards. By the way, he has 191 rebounds in 13 games. The Grizzlies beat the Cavs 84-78.

Overall great things so far in the four games that Kyrie has been out. Cleveland beat a probably playoff team in the Sixers, dropped a close game against the terrible Magic, but the led most of the games against two Championship contenders in the Heat and Grizzlies.It looks like the bench situation is figured out, the Cavs finally have a legitimate backup point guard for Kyrie and Varejao is playing out of his mind. If Kyrie and Varejao stay healthy and the Cavs can pull off a good move or two at the deadline, I don't think the playoffs are out of the question yet. Even with a 1-3 mark in this stretch of four games, this was the best four game streak of basketball Cleveland has played all year, and guess what, it was without their star. It's also worth mentioning that C.J. Miles is playing better as of late. Good things could be in store for Cleveland in the near future. By the way, John Hollinger's power rankings have the Cavs at number 18, even though they are tied for the second worst record in the league. As I've stated in this post, the record is not indicative of how the Cavs have been playing. So stay tuned, this will be an interesting season.

Cleveland just became unwatchable for about a month.

Kyrie Irving has a broken finger. Early indication is that he will miss about a month. Irving is the reason to get excited about Cavs basketball. This would be a great time to step up young Mr. Waiters.

Cavs bench struggles

After watching almost all Cavs games so far this season, I've seen how terrible the bench is. I wanted to brainstorm some ideas on how to make it better, here is that list.

First, here is the second team that keeps giving away Cavaliers victories:

PG: Donald Sloan
SG: Gibson
SF: C.J. Miles/Omri Casspi
PF: Jon Leuer/Luke Walton
C: Samardo Samuels

1) The obvious thing is to have either Kyrie or Varejao on the floor with Daniel Gibson and the scrubs. Maybe rest Kyrie with about four or five minutes left in the first, put him back in, in the second quarter, while you give AV a five minute rest or vice versa. You could do this with quarters three and four also. Especially when Tyler Zeller comes back, this second team may not be half bad.
With this lineup, there is no doubt points can be scored:

PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Gibson
SF: Miles
PF: Leuer
C: Zeller

Alternatively, if you let Varejao rest in the first:

PG: Sloan
SG: Gibson
SF: Miles
PF: Varejao
C: Zeller

Not as ideal as the first, but it could work if Miles ever comes around.

2) This is along the same lines as the first, but with different players. With this option, you would play Kyrie the entire first quarter as Dion Waiters would get pulled with about three or four minutes remaining in quarter one. Gibson would come in for him, and stay in during Kyrie's rest time.

PG: Gibson
SG: Waiters
SF: Miles
PF: Leuer
C: Zeller

Here I would play Gibson at point guard, specifically for defensive purposes. Watching him try to defend Joe Johnson the other night wasn't pretty. So we'll let Waiters handle the bigger guys. The offense however would go through Waiters. He's a better ball handler/playmaker than Gibson.

3) Run the offense through the bigs. Here I would sit Tristan Thompson and Varejao for a bit in the first. This way, you have a respectable amount of defense on the court, plus TT and AV can go up and get the rebound on the inevitable misses. I'd like to see a lot of pick-and-rolls with Varejao with this team.

PG: Sloan
SG: Gibson
SF: Miles
PF: Thompson
C: Varejao

4) Sign free-agents! There are plenty out there that frankly it's a surprise they don't have teams. The Cavs are so far below the salary cap that they could probably sign four or five players. It won't hurt the rebuilding effort to give some of these guys one or two-year deals. Admittedly, this one is more for fun, but here's what the bench could look like.

PG: Delonte West/Gilbert Arenas
SG: Gibson
SF:  Miles/Mickael Pietrus
PF: Eddy Curry
C: Zeller

An overhaul that big wouldn't be welcome I don't think. But an acquisition like West may pay dividends. We all know he has talent, offer him a contract where if he screws up, he's done. It would be Chris Grant's terms, make it low risk and high reward. West would instantly make the bench better.

Cleveland 91 - Oklahoma City 106

Cleveland again started out strong only to let it slip away over the course of the game. There is absolutely no way that any team will beat the Thunder when Russell Westbrook is making multiple three-points shots from literally everywhere on the court and Kevin Durant is hitting jumpers while being tripled teamed and fouled. I'm also not ok with Jon Leuer getting more minutes than Dion Waiters.

Here are some things that need to be fixed going forward:

- Anderson Varejao needs to quit taking elbow jumpers. You've hit it a few times Andy, but it's just not a good attempt from you. There is a reason that shot is and always will be open for you. Stick with the post game and scoring from the pick-and-roll. Please stop taking those shots.

- The combination of Donald Sloan and Daniel Gibson is on the court together too much. Gibson is a threat, but not with someone like Sloan running the offense. Sloan barely made the team, yet he's getting big minutes in crunch time, I don't get it. More often than not, I feel like at least one of Kyrie Irving or Dion Waiters should be on the floor, they both don't need to sit at the same time to start the fourth quarters.

- Free throws need to be worked on. Cleveland is the worst free-throw shooting team in the league and that shows every game. They were 16-of-23 tonight, which is just under 70 percent. They need to get better, as missing these free throws is leaving a lot of points on the table so far over the course of the first seven games.

Cleveland 96 - Golden State 106

Back to watching Cavs games! I'm going to keep this brief, here are a few thoughts from the game.

- This game was uglier than the score shows. Cleveland put together one good run, which they promptly lost right away. Anderson Varejao and Tyler Zeller were both out tonight and Golden State's big men took full advantage of that. Hopefully one or both of them will be back by Friday.

- C.J. Miles is really starting to irritate me. I had/still have high hopes for him as a sixth man, but if he keeps throwing up the ball every time it's in his hands, I hope his minutes drop. For the most part his shot selection was bad, here and there he had open shots which he missed as well. It crossed my mind in the second and third quarters that Miles was losing the game. If your shot isn't falling, find other ways to be productive, don't try to shoot out of your slump, the back of your jersey says Miles, not Bryant.

- Kyrie killed it again. He had the flu of some sort, it didn't matter. 29 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

- Luke Walton didn't play, I have no problem with that.

- Tristan Thompson had a good stat line, however two thoughts here on TT. First, please stop trying to block everything. David Lee torched you on the offensive end because you tried to block every one of his shots. You need to learn when to go after the ball and when to stay home and play D. Second, watching Thompson try to create a shot from 10-feet away is painful. Keep working on it big guy, I know you have the ability.

- Dion Waiters had a pretty poor day shooting the ball, 5-of-15, but still scored 12. His shot selections looked alright to me, could have made a few better decisions, but all-in-all not bad. Waiters also had five assists, coupled with no turnovers.

- Daniel Gibson shot well from deep; 4-8 from beyond the arc.

So there you have it, a few random thoughts from this game, lets hope for a better result on Friday when the Cavs travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns. My prediction: Cleveland 96, Phoenix 91.

Weekend Recap (Cavs bench sucks)

The Cavs went 0-2 this weekend, dropping games to the Bulls and the Bucks. I was only able to catch bits and pieces of both games, but the one thing that I can conclude is this: The Cavaliers desperately need a better bench if they want to contend for a playoff spot. Playing Luke Walton at all does nothing for a team aiming to win games.

So far in three games, I've watched big leads reduced and lost with the Cavaliers' second team on the floor. If by chance Cleveland is close to the eight seed around the trade deadline, I hope Chris Grant makes a move or two to strengthen the bench, and if by doing that Walton and his expiring contract go out the door, I would feel mighty fine about that. Otherwise, C.J. Miles really needs to start playing like he did in the preseason. If he can do that, one of the problems goes away.

The other is still Luke Walton. Against the Bulls, I watched him airball about a 10-foot jumper. Ball movement temporarily stops when he gets the ball at the top of the key, he passes up open shots and takes bad shots. This guy can't seriously be an NBA player. He needs to be dressed in a suit on the bench and used like the asset he truly is, an expiring contract.

On to the Bulls game. I was only able to watch the first half, but let's be honest, that's all I needed to see. Too many turnovers and bad shots. In my opinion, the best player on the court all night for Cleveland was Samardo Samuels. Seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and five rebounds. Him and Tyler Zeller were the most efficient shooters all night. He was tied for the most rebounds with Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao. Varejao played 30 minutes and Thompson played 24, Samuels only played 18. I personally, 100% wish that Samuels would come in with the second team at power forward instead of Mr. Walton. I think it's time he got that chance.

Now on to the Bucks game. I admittedly only saw Jennings' "game-winning shot." The only reason I knew it was a shady play is because Byron Scott brought up the fact that the clock started way late. Going back and looking at the replay, sure enough it started probably about 4/10 of a second late, meaning the shot shouldn't have counted as the game clock had only 7/10 of a second left. Regardless, it was a great shot and you still don't know what would have happened in overtime, though I still liked Cleveland's chances. The starters played very well in this game, the bench, not so much. Kyrie Irving and Varejao added impressive statlines to their already impressive seasons.

I was going to do it's own separate post for this, but at this point it'll fit in fine here. Three games in so far in this young season, C.J. Miles has gone 4-of-22 from the field. This guy is supposed to be the strength of the second team. It's no wonder why these big leads are being erased. I'd like to see Omri Casspi get more time with the second team until Miles can figure this out.

So instead of the second team being Sloan, Gibson, Miles, Walton and Zeller, let's give Sloan, Gibson, Casspi, Samuels and Zeller a shot. It's got to be more productive than what Scott keeps putting out there. That group erases leads far to fast, then the starters are asked to run away with the game. Well guess what, it works against teams like the Wizards, but it won't work against playoff teams, like the Bulls and Bucks.

Washington 84, Cleveland 94.

Things I liked:
- A healthy Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao.
Huge games from the two players that Cleveland desperately needs to be healthy. 29 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists for Irving and 9 points, 23 rebounds and 9 assists from Varejao.
- Rebounding.
Varejao had a monster game on the boards with 23 rebounds, Thompson did his part with 10 as the Cavs out-rebounded the Wizards 54-39.
- Full-court press.
It was only every now and then, but it caught the Wizards by surprise. This team is athletic enough to pull that off, so it's a good thing to see.
- The energy of Varejao and Tristan Thompson.
They both played to the whistle, all game. That scrappy, hustle type play is what wins ball games, and they both play that way.
- The defensive play of Thompson.
As I said above, he plays a very valuable type of basketball. He alters shots, blocks them if he can and is always fighting for rebounds.
- Dion Waiters.
Waiters was the wildcard tonight. He played well, scoring 17 and stealing three. I can get used to seeing these kinds of performances from Waiters this year. Definite rookie of the year contender if he keeps this up.


Things I disliked:
- Luke Walton getting minutes in crunch time.
Self explanatory, I'd much rather have anyone else on our roster out there.
- Irving early foul trouble.
Kyrie had to sit three minutes in the first half that he should have been out there playing because of silly fouls.
- Cavs second team defense.
Twice, decent leads were shrunk because of lazy defense from the Cavs second team.
- Lack of production from CJ Miles.
1-5 shooting with 2 points. He also had three turnovers. He's a guy that has got to play better. He is going to be our second-team offense along with Boobie, he needs to get it figured out.
- Cleveland losing a 16-point lead.
The starters were pulled for rest and the team we had on the floor looked like a D-league team. Forcing quick shots, allowing easy shots, turning the ball over and committing bad fouls. Good thing they overcame the Washington run in the end.

Turning Point:
- The Cavs had lost an 16-point lead and trailed by two, Waiters pulled up and nailed a three and was fouled, converting a four-point play that put Cleveland up by two. They didn't trail again. 

Player of the Game: Anderson Varejao. 9 points, 23 rebounds and 9 assists. The rebounds and assists were career highs. Of course Kyrie's 29 points were very valuable, but you just can't argue with how valuable Varejao was tonight.

2012-13 Cavs predictions

With the NBA season set to tip off tomorrow night, the first game of the season being in Cleveland, I wanted to take a few minutes to offer up a few predictions on the Cavaliers season. Here we go.

1) Kyrie Irving represents the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game.

2) Anderson Varejao will be traded; the Cavs will take an offer that isn't what he's worth.

3) Tyler Zeller will have a better rookie campaign than fourth overall pick Dion Waiters.

4) Both Irving and Varejao will miss at least ten combined games (Plausibly way more) due to injury.

5) Daniel Gibson will shoot better from deep than he has in his entire career; will be dealt at the deadline.

6) CJ Miles will average about 12 points off the bench and threaten Alonzo Gee's starting job at some point.

7) Cleveland will beat Miami once and there will be endless discussion of LeBron coming back to the Cavs.

8) Cleveland will beat a championship contender by 15+ on the road. Cleveland will then lose to a lottery team by 15+ at home.

9) Luke Walton will see the court way too much; will never play in the NBA again after this season.

10) Cleveland will be the eighth seed in the East, IF, Irving stays healthy.

So, over/under on five being right?

(Almost) Opening Day Power Rankings

Photo courtesy of Waitingfornextyear.com

The preseason is now over, roster has been trimmed to 15 and here is Cleveland's power rankings for the start of the season.

#1 - Kyrie Irving (No change)
Not a surprise. He's the man.

#2 - CJ Miles ( Up three spots)
Miles was the Cavs best player in the preseason not named Kyrie. At 11.9 ppg he was the second highest scorer on the team and at this point it looks like he'll be a fairly serviceable player this year.

#3 - Tyler Zeller (Up three spots)
Zeller was very productive in the preseason despite starting only one game. He was at 8.4 ppg, and he did that on an efficient 55% shooting. He's not a bad passing big man either, getting a little over two assists a game. Rebounding will be an area of improvement going forward, but I liked what I saw from Zeller to this point.

#4 - Tristan Thompson (No change)
In just about 20 minutes per game, Thompson put up eight points and six rebounds. He shot 50% from the field and if this carries over to the regular season with his increase in minutes, I'll be very content.

#5 - Alonzo Gee (Down three spots)
It'll be interesting to see what Byron Scott does at small forward. Miles obviously played better in the preseason, but I feel like his scoring off the bench would be more valuable. Gee shot decent from the field and played good, hard defense in the preseason, but that was expected. No doubt am I glad we got him re-signed. He'll be productive in whatever role he gets.

#6 - Boobie Gibson (Up one spot)
Gibson looked alright in the preseason all things considered. Shot well, moved the ball well and even snagged a few rebounds per game. He's back from the torn ankle tendon he suffered last year, but this season will be interesting for a few Cavs, Boobie being one of them. He could be moved by the deadline.

#7 - Anderson Varejao (Down four spots)
Like Boobie, it's nice to see Varejao back playing after his season-ending injury from last year. His productivity should increase when his minutes do, but otherwise it was the same ole' Varejao. The scrappy big man playing to every whistle, and doing the little things that help Cleveland win games. Here's to hoping he stays healthy this year.

#8 - Dion Waiters (No change)
I'm pretty glad the preseason is over, if for nothing else, because everything is so over analyzed. And in Waiters' case, that was magnified. Yes, he was the number four pick and I think he'll be fine, but through the preseason, he showed no reason that he should have been taken that high. He's a wait-and-see kind of player at this point. In the next power rankings, I won't be surprised if either he moves up in the top five, or drops off this list. My hunch, however, is that Dion will figure it out sooner rather than later.

#9 - Omri Casspi (Up two spots)
When I first did these rankings, I kept Casspi off the list because of how bad he was last year and how little playing time he will probably get with Miles and Gee both ahead of him on the depth chart. But Casspi shot the ball very well not only overall, but from deep which was something he struggled with last year. If he can shoot like that in the regular season, minutes will be there for him, possibly at shooting guard.

#10 - Samardo Samuels (Up one spot)
Samuels slimmed down, looks more athletic and played decent enough in his limited time. He'll be in the mix in the Cavs frontcourt and his expectations, for whatever reason are moderately high. I like Samuels for the record, I think he plays with a lot of energy and passion and hopefully cutting weight can make him a more efficient player.


Biggest Winner: CJ Miles and Tyler Zeller; Up three spots.
Biggest Faller: Anderson Varejao; Down four spots.
Cracking the top ten: Omri Casspi and Samardo Samuels.
Falling out of the top ten: Donald Sloan and Kelenna Azubuike

2012-13 Cleveland Cavaliers Power Rankings. Pre-season.

Photo from Bleacherreport.com

This is an idea that I just came up with that I thought would be a neat little series. The concept is power rankings, but with players on the Cavs instead of teams in the league. Once a month over the course of the NBA season, I will give you the Cavs top ten players. So in the first installment, I give you my Cavaliers pre-season power rankings.

#1 - Kyrie Irving.
 No surprises here, Kyrie is the best player on the Cavs, the leader, the franchise, etc. He is by far the most important player on the Cavaliers roster and I frankly can't wait to see what he does in his sophomore season with the Cavs.

#2 - Alonzo Gee.
Gee gets the nod here over Anderson Varejao because of the injury that sidelined Andy for much of the 2011-12 season. Gee worked hard, and was possibly the NBAs most improved player last year. He plays fantastic defense and has a quick step that allows him to finish at the rim with good success. Gee just inked a three-year deal with Cleveland, so look for him to earn that money this year.

#3 - Anderson Varejao.
Nobody brings more effort and hustle to a team than Andy, when he is healthy. He will fight for rebounds and loose balls, play hard defense and execute the pick-and-roll game masterfully. The keyword here is healthy.

#4 - Tristan Thompson.
Thompson improved in nearly every facet of his game over the course of the 2011-12 season. If he can keep that going into this year, he could become something special.

#5 - C.J. Miles
Miles is a guy that wants to be in Cleveland, he feels it's the perfect situation for him. He's got talent, there's no question about that, hopefully this proves to be the situation that he needs to break out.

#6 - Tyler Zeller.
The rookie looked impressive in the summer league and he has all the tools to be productive in the association. If he plays like he did in the summer league, he'll be climbing up this list in no time.

#7 - Boobie Gibson.
Boobie is the teams best three-point shooter and a valuable asset off the bench, seeing as he can play either guard position. It'll be interesting to see if he can bounce back from last years injury.

#8 - Dion Waiters.
A few months ago, I was shocked when Chris Grant and Co. selected Waiters over Harrison Barnes. I learned to like this pick real quick, the kid can flat out play basketball. He however struggled in the summer league and showed up out of shape. There's no telling how he'll do, but he could shoot way up this list with no problem once the season gets underway.

#9 - Donald Sloan.
Kyrie's back-up looked pretty decent last year when he stepped on the court. The Cavs thought highly enough of him not to pursue a back-up point guard in free agency. As long as he comes off the bench for Kyrie when he needs a rest, Sloan will be just fine.

#10 - Kelenna Azubuike
One of the newest additions to the Cavs, Azubuike is an under the radar type player. He averaged 14.4 ppg in his last full season. Over the last two seasons though, he's played a grand total of nine games. If he stays healthy, he'll be an asset off the bench.

Post-Draft Thoughts

 

 

 

Photo from Cleveland.com

After the inevitable Anthony Davis selection by the New Orleans Hornets, my mind started to wander. What was next? Will the Cavs trade up to take Bradley Beal, would Charlotte take Beal as trade bait, hopefully for Cleveland, would the Bobcats take Thomas Robinson? What would it be?

And then to me, they did the unthinkable. The Charlotte Bobcats select ... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. WHY!? Well, he is the second best prospect in this years draft. Everyone has heard all the good about him and I'm sure Michael Jordan was tired of hearing all of that draft criticism. Now back to that three-letter question. There was almost no ties with MKG to the Kitties, and that selection had me, the Cavs fan, worried. Because I surely knew who the next pick was going to be.

Sure enough, Beal went to the Washington Wizards third overall. There went our top two players, just like that. I don't recall ever seeing a mock draft that didn't give us the choice to take one of those two stellar prospects. Beal wasn't a surprise, the selection was more like a kick while we were down. Immediately, I thought the selection for the Cavs at four would be Harrison Barnes. And why not, at points the Cavs front office had him ranked higher than both players that went two and three. But there was also lingering concern for me that Chris Grant would aim for the best player and take Thomas Robinson. That selection would pretty much render the Tristan Thompson pick from last year worthless. But maybe not, I don't work in an NBA front office.

Then came possibly the biggest surprise of the night. Dion Waiters at number four. For the record, I've liked this kid a lot, since his freshman year at Syracuse. His game truthfully has few weaknesses and on shots he'll likely take in the pros, he shoots a fantastic percentage. His comparisons are of a Dywane Wade/Russell Westbrook hybrid. Byron Scott lobbied for this selection for three weeks now, and it got Grant and Dan Gilbert's blessing. So get ready for my honest take: I love Waiters, and would have loved this pick had we traded down to six or seven. That way, we could have got our guy and either picked up the 11th or 30th pick as well.

After seeing Barnes fall to seven, I'm a tad upset that Cleveland didn't pull the trigger on the offer from Golden State: Anderson Varejao and pick #24 for the seventh pick. Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Harrison Barnes. Wow, is all I can say about that possibility that we passed up. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer is reporting that we aren't giving up and working to acquire Barnes from Golden State, but at this point I think it's an afterthought.

The next thing Cleveland did was move all their remaining picks -- #24, 33, 34 -- for the draft rights to Tyler Zeller. I absolutely love this move. Zeller will fit in nicely to this Cleveland team. He runs, all the time, a center willing to run on fast breaks is a great thing to have. He's also a great post defender and has the best current offensive skill set of any of the Cavalier big men. Even though Cleveland gave up a lot for him, it will be worth it.

Today the Cavs also signed Kevin Jones from West Virginia. Personally, I can't believe Jones didn't get drafted as he can become a pretty good player off the bench.

But with all of these picks, obviously nothing is certain and time will tell how these three men will pan out in the NBA. Let's all hope that it's for the better.

Mock Draft #2

Well here we go, this is my first attempt at a full mock draft, and while I'm certainly no expert at this, I've been doing my fair share of reading (lots) about team needs and prospects in this draft. While mock drafts are never right because of massive amounts of smokescreens thrown out by teams up until draft night, I figured I'd give my glorified, educated guesses for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours as well. One last thing, trades happen. I will NOT be taking any trades into account. So without further adieu my 2012 NBA mock draft: Round One.

Pick One: Anthony Davis - PF, Kentucky
No need to beat around the bush. The Unibrow is the selection here.

 Pick Two: Thomas Robinson - PF, Kansas
This is where things get interesting. Cleveland has been linked to this pick because if Bradley Beal is their guy, he'll be in a Wizards jersey by the time pick #4 rolls around. If the Cats won't or can't move this pick, Robinson should be the guy here. Harrison Barnes is also rumored to have a top five promise, and there is UNC ties galore in the Charlotte organization. Robinson would give the Bobcats a pretty formidable frontcourt to build a team around. With Robinson's scoring and rebounding paired with Bismack Biyombo's insane ability to block everything they would be a step closer to building a playoff team, but still nowhere close. Other picks here could be Barnes, Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Andre Drummond.

Pick Three: Brad Beal - SG, Florida
The Wiz just traded for Trevor Ariza, and even though they say that has no bearing on their draft board, getting Beal here fills a need as well as adds a damn good player. Beal is the consensus best shooter in this draft and has even drawn Ray Allen comparisons. His game doesn't stop as a shooter though, he can get to the basket and finish at the rim, handle the ball, play defense, basically a little of everything. Not only is this a great pick for the Wizards, it would be immensely fun to watch him with a young, athletic point guard. Beal and John Wall could be the start of something great in Washington. If the Cavs pull the trigger and trade for the number two pick, The Wizards should have no problem taking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist here. 

Pick Four: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - SF, Kentucky
This was tough. If Cleveland stays at four, this pick will ultimately be between Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes. Even though Kyrie Irving is best friends with Barnes and has expressed a desire to play with him, MKG, who was Kyrie's high school teammate by the way, has a far bigger upside than Barnes at this point. Kidd-Gilchrist is most everyone's second best prospect behind Anthony Davis, but he isn't close to being a total package. The knock on MKG is his inability to jump shoot. He shot 49% from the floor, but just 26% from three-point range. However, jump shots can be corrected. What MKG will bring to the table is very valuable in it's own right. His best quality right now may very well be his lock-down defensive ability. MKG has a real shot to be the best perimeter defender in the NBA, for a long time. That alone warrants him being selected at number four. This Kidd (see what I did there?) despises losing, he flat out hates it. He is probably the hardest worker in this years class, he literally wants to be the best. He has strong leadership qualities as well, and you pair them with his raw basketball talent and MKG is a flat out steal at number four. I'll be ecstatic if Cleveland comes away with either Beal or MKG, but won't be disappointed if Barnes is our guy either.

Pick Five: Harrison Barnes - SF, North Carolina
This pick could center around the Kings willingness to roll the dice on Andre Drummond. Because a frontcourt of Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins could be potentially nasty. But that's a big "if."  It's probably not the smartest thing to put two headaches/prima donnas on the same team. I think the kings will go the safer route and take Barnes, the best scorer in this years draft. Scouts have said he'll be a better pro than he was at UNC, and even a slight upgrade from the Tarheels version of Barnes would make most every team happy. He was penciled in as a number one pick before he even played a game in college, and his stock was that high at one time. I don't buy into why it dropped however. He had a few bad games and that's literally the reason. His workouts and combine must have been very good, because this stock-dropping nonsense has quieted lately and he'll fit in fine in Sacramento. Confusing thing however -- he cancelled his workout with the Kings, but I can't see him going ahead of MKG. It would make sense for Charlotte to nab him at four if they indeed trade their pick to Cleveland. If not, I think he lands with the Kings.

Pick Six: Damian Lillard - PG, Weber State
I've read a lot that the Blazers are in love with Lillard and frankly, I don't see him lasting until they pick again at 11. So they have a bit of a dilemma, take the far superior talent in Andre Drummond and hope he pans out, or make sure they get their guy by reaching a tiny bit. Lillard is by far the best point guard prospect in a class that isn't very deep at the position, and Blazers severely need someone to run the floor up in Portland. To me this pick is literally a coin flip between the two, just depends on the powers that be for the Trailblazers. My gut says Lillard.

Pick Seven: Dion Waiters - SG, Syracuse
For some reason, I got a mega version of the Warriors logo, couldn't get any others to work. Nevertheless here we go. Last year the Warriors shipped off Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut. That trade is relevant on both fronts for this pick. The arrival of Bogut means no Drummond while the departure of Ellis means there's a spot where Waiters will fit in nicely. This kid will be good, and his ability to get to the rim will only complement the Golden State shooters. I've even read from a quite respectable draft analyst, that he believes Waiters could be as good as Beal. So not that big of a reach at seven.

Pick Eight: Andre Drummond - C/PF, Connecticut
Ahh, logos that fit in. Anyways, you got Andrea Bargnani, and that's it at center. If Drummond hits his full potential, this team could work for him. He could even co-exist with Bargnani as they have two way different styles of playing the game. This may not necessarily be ideal for Toronto as they have no one to really teach Drummond, but it's a risk worth taking, especially at eight considering he has top three talent. Another pick that could fit in here is Austin Rivers, but at this point, if Drummond is still here, he'll be the pick. Scary thought: if he slips past Toronto, Detroit has a stud center in Greg Monroe, they'll surely pass. That leaves New Orleans, frontcourt of Anthony Davis and Andre Drummond anyone?

Pick Nine: John Henson: PF, North Carolina
Henson is pretty polished at this point in his career, and I've read that after Eyebrow, Henson is the most NBA ready big man in this draft. He's certainly going to have to put on some muscle because right now he'd make Chris Bosh look like Hulk Hogan. The UNC junior average double digit points and rebounds last year. He's a good shot blocker and has good shooting range for a big. Just pack on them pounds son.

Pick Ten: Meyers Leonard - C, Illinois
This could mean no worries at the four and five spots for the Hornets. If Eric Gordon is re-signed, him along with Davis and Leonard are a pretty solid foundation for a team going forward. Leonard has the size and the length to really make an impact, especially if he's playing next to Davis' brow.

Pick Eleven: Jeremy Lamb - SG, Connecticut
Lamb is a guy that I haven't heard much about recently. He rolled his ankle in a workout and maybe thats affecting his stock, I don't know. What I do know is Portland needs a shooting guard. Jamal Crawford will be leaving as a free agent and Wesley Matthews has been a disappointment. Grabbing Lamb here and pairing him with their sixth pick, Lillard, could kick start Portland back into contention for a playoff spot.

Pick Twelve: Tyler Zeller - C/PF, North Carolina
Since the trade for Ellis took the last remaining legitimate center off of this team, that should be what Milwaukee will address in the draft. Zeller is the next best available center and in some ways may even be better than college teammate Henson, who I have going three spots ahead of here. The thing that sticks out to me from watching UNC games last season was how anti-sluggish (+1 for made up phrases) Zeller is. He'll be right there on a fast break, something few centers do, if any. He's a good post defender as well, but that should be a given. Not a bad pick here for the Bucks if Zeller is here.

Pick Thirteen: Austin Rivers - SG, Duke
Rivers has been a name that I've been increasingly hearing and reading about. Word is he has received a promise, but from who? Nobody knows. Rivers would be a great pick here for the Suns, who have no idea if Steve Nash is packing up and leaving yet. At least they won't be drafting an inferior twin this year.

Pick Fourteen: Terrence Jones - SF, Kentucky
One or both of these Rockets first rounders may be traded, but again, I'm not dealing with trades. Jones is probably one of the more talented players in this draft, but like a few other prospects, it doesn't seem like he gives 100% all of the time. He needs to be put in a position to succeed, rather than trying to earn it by himself. He could do good things though, after all, he did something few people have ever done ... played a second season for John Calipari.

Pick Fifteen: Perry Jones III - SF/PF, Baylor
Jones is a fun one to try and figure out. I heard the other day on TV, someone said he could be in the Hall of Fame, or he could be out of the league in three years. The same person also went on to say that neither would surprise him. The Sixers don't really have a glaring need, and Jones III would be their best bet at a pick. He could do the most right away, play a few different positions and eventually earn a starting spot. He would have been a top-five pick had he came out in 2011, but his disappointing sophomore year has him in a free fall down the draft board. I personally really like him, and feel he'll succeed in the NBA. I'll leave you with this: DraftExpress listed his best and worst case scenarios. The best is Rudy Gay meets Josh Smith. Not too shabby, right? Worst is Yi Jianlian. Not too good, eh? He'll be a fun one to watch if he can get this game figured out, and if he does, this would be an absolute steal for Philly.

Pick Sixteen: Kendall Marshall - PG, North Carolina
Kyle Lowry has some sort of issue with Rockets coach, Kevin McHale. Whatever that issue is, it may be smart to grab a point guard here. Marshall's game needs work but he can definitely distribute a basketball. He'll run the floor and get everyone involved while making plays. Again, this pick may be in play, so who knows what happens.

Pick Seventeen: Terrence Ross - SG/SF, Washington
To me, this pick makes sense for two reasons. Those two reasons: the two positions Ross will play in the NBA. The Mavs need help at small forward, and if Ross inevitably puts on some muscle, he'll be a fit there. He played shooting guard in college, and with Jason Terry possibly jetting out of Dallas, he could fit a few needs for the Mavericks.

Pick Eighteen: Arnett Moultrie - C/PF, Mississippi State
The Timberwolves have two legitimate needs, shooting guard and center. And at this point it's a reach for any shooting guard available. Moultrie is a big body, at 6'11 he'll be playing right alongside double-double machine, Kevin Love. Minny's got pieces in place and Moultrie has a chance to be a solid starter, especially when their most notable center is Darko Milicic. I've heard Moultrie called an "alley-oop machine." Sound good Mr. Rubio?

Pick Nineteen: Jared Sullinger - PF/C, Ohio State
Sullinger is way too talented to fall this low. Sully is a great post-scorer, a good rebounder and a guy who won't take plays off. Unfortunately he was tagged with medical red flags due to a back issue. Who knows if that will affect him or not, but the bottom line is he'll fall way farther than he should because of said back problem. With all the uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard, the Magic should go ahead and just take the best available player, and in this case, it's Sullinger. On a more biased note (you are reading a Cavs blog) I would love if he slipped to 24, and the Cavs took a chance with him. Don't think it happens though.

Pick Twenty: Quincy Miller - SF, Baylor
The Nuggets have pretty good depth all around. That would allow them to take the best available player. And to me, at this point its Miller. He's a 6'10 small forward with the potential and talent to be great, just like Baylor teammate Perry Jones III. The jury is out on him still, he's battling back from a terrible knee injury and I've read some say if he can get his athleticism back, he's a top 10 player. Others think he should have stayed in school, and one executive didn't think he was even a first-rounder. We'll see what he can do, but at this point, I don't think many opinions of this kid are the same.

Pick Twenty-One: Royce White - SF/PF, Iowa State
Here's another player that I wouldn't mind slipping to the Cavs at 24, I really don't think he gets by Boston, as to me he seems like a prototypical Doc Rivers type player. Kevin Garnett may retire or leave via free agency, White is a guy that can step in and give some valuable minutes. He has some off the court issues, but he'll be fine and I think he'll be a good player in the Association.

Pick Twenty-Two: Fab Melo - C, Syracuse
Melo is going to be a project at center, but it's a project that could pay off immensely. It's going to be interesting to see what direction the Celtics go with their franchise. They have one of the best point guards in the league and a good small forward as well. With Garnett and Allen both possible departures, they may have some holes to fill. With these back-to-back picks, they can address two areas of need.

Pick Twenty-Three: Marquis Teague - PG, Kentucky
This would be pretty cool, the Hawks drafting their starting point guards little brother. I think Marquis will be better than older brother Jeff, and probably take his starting spot at some point. What a story that would be. Other picks here could be Evan Fournier or Moe Harkless. Just depends on the direction Atlanta wants to go.

Pick Twenty-Four: Andrew Nicholson - PF/C, St. Bonaventure
There are rumors of Anderson Varejao getting moved on draft day. Even if he stays, this would be a great pick up. The Cavs frontcourt has next to no depth, and Andy is too injury prone to count on every night. Nicholson could be the perfect piece to come off the bench and give both Varejao and Tristan Thompson rest. As a rookie, he would be Cleveland's best scoring big man. Nicholson has an amazing post game and is a surprisingly good perimeter scorer. Nicholson can pull up and shoot, or shoot off the dribble. He's a very crafty scorer, and for the love of god, that will be welcome in Cleveland with open arms. Let's just say I really want him in a Cavs jersey.

Pick Twenty-Five: Tony Wroten - PG/SG, Washington
I've heard comparisons of Tyreke Evans for Wroten. As a combo guard, he could provide valuable minutes for Memphis' two weakest spots in their starting five.

Pick Twenty-Six: Evan Fournier - SG/SF, France
Danny Granger needs to rest at some point, right?

Pick Twenty-Seven: Festus Ezeli - C, Vanderbilt
The Heat need a center, Ezeli is the best available here. You know the drill.

Pick Twenty-Eight: Jeff Taylor - SF, Vanderbilt
Best player available scenario here. Taylor is a freak athlete and will be a great defender in the NBA.

Pick Twenty-Nine: Tyshawn Taylor - PG, Kansas
I have no idea with this pick. The main reason being that Chicago is actively trying to trade their starters for cap relief and trade exceptions. Making a run at next years lottery? Anywho, Derrick Rose will be out most of next year, so grabbing a point guard here makes sense.

Pick Thirty: Moe Harkless - SF, St. Johns
First of all, damn you Golden State for having two first round picks, and in turn for making me put this massive logo up here twice. Anyways, Moe Harkless here would be an absolute steal. He very well could go before this, but if the Warriors can nab him with the last pick in the first round, then I'd say the had a pretty successful draft.

2012 NBA Mock Draft (Lottery Edition)

Pick One: New Orleans Hornets
Selection: Anthony Davis, PF/C, Kentucky
I read a comparison today of Anthony Davis that was very telling. On offense, think Tim Duncan, on defense think Tyson Chandler. Who wouldn't want that? Just a year after the departure of their star point guard, the Hornets get their next franchise player and they desperately hope they'll have a better outcome with him. Not only does he make the Hornets better right away, do you think Eric Gordon is going to want to skip town now? I don't see it, Congrats New Orleans you not only secure the best player in this draft, you managed to swing the news away from bountygate. I don't feel the need to get into what void he'll fill or the statlines he threw up in college, it's common knowledge that the uni brow will be the selection here.

Pick Two: Charlotte Bobcats
Selection: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF Kentucky
Charlotte will have to settle with Kentucky's second best player, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Kidd-Gilchrist had one of the best motors in the country this past season and his athleticism is at an elite level. He's good enough now on the defensive end and has room to grow into a very good perimeter defender. He can pull-up and take a jumper from anywhere on the floor, but his strength lies in attacking the basket as he's at his best in transition. He avaeraged almost 12 points per game on a stacked Kentucky team. MKG will be welcomed on a team with needs everywhere, small forward may be their biggest need. This selection makes sense for both parties involved.

Pick Three: Washington Wizards
Selection: Bradley Beal, SG Florida
With this selection, the Wizards are able to pair Beal with John Wall, which will automatically give the Wizards one hell of a backcourt. I've been hearing comparisons to Ray Allen all week for this kid. He's a great shooter from anywhere on the floor, especially from downtown where he's got scary range. He's a great athlete as well and will attack the rim and finish more often than not. He shot about 45% from the field at Florida and averaged 14.8 points per game. He's a great rebounder for a guard, pulling down almost seven a game in his freshman season. This pick makes so much sense for Washington, but I would be thrilled if they passed on Beal for Thomas Robinson. Beal would look way better in the wine and gold than red, white and blue. Nevertheless, I don't see it happening and Beal will fit in great as a Wizard.

Pick Four: Cleveland Cavaliers
Selection: Harrison Barnes, SF North Carolina
This is a tough pick, the ping-pong balls gave the Cavs a selection just one spot out of where they wanted to be. Bradley Beal would have been the ideal pick here, as he would have went third overall and possibly even second to Cleveland, had they had those picks. So this pick will be a choice of Barnes or Andre Drummond, depending on which direction Cleveland wants to go. Barnes is more seasoned at the collegiate level, which ironically is why his stock dropped. I don't buy into that however as he's still one of the best scorers, if not the best, in this years draft. His jumper is just beautiful and he can score just about any way. He'll give Cleveland that strong number two option that they need. He averaged 15.7 points a game in his sophomore season, down just a bit from his freshman campaign. He's a good free-throw shooter and a decent rebounder. One of the strengths of his game though is his defensive ability. He's a great perimeter defender which would be welcome in Cleveland. All in all, I'll be very satisfied with this pick.

Pick Five: Sacramento Kings
Selection: Andre Drummond, PF/C Connecticut
Andre Drummond is one of the most talented players in this years draft. He had a lot of hype surrounding him in high school, but had a disappointing freshman season at Connecticut. He has a lot of tools to succeed in the NBA, and the Kings hope that pairing him with DeMarcus Cousins will help not only Drummond bring out his full potential, but help Cousins play to his as well. Drummond averaged only 10.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per, but his potential says he can do way better. He needs to be in the right situation and buy into the team, but he could certainly be great, and the Kings hope it'll be for them.

Pick Six: Portland Trailblazers (By Way of the Brooklyn Nets)
Selection: Perry Jones III, SF Baylor
Had Jones declared for the draft last year, he would have been a top three pick. He didn't slide too far as he has all the tools to succeed in the right situation. He's a very raw player averaging 14 points a game, and 7.7 rebounds a game. He's 6'11 but only 235 pounds. I think he'd see time a small forward, especially if he's drafted by Portland. He played plenty of small forward at Baylor before freshman Quincy Miller stepped in at SF, and Jones was moved to power forward. At 6'11 though with his skill-set, Jones will be a headache to guard at small forward.

Pick Seven: Golden State Warriors
Selection: Thomas Robinson, PF Kansas
I've seen Robinson go as high as two in some places, but given circumstances and team needs, I can see him slipping to a team that could really use him, such as Golden State. My only problem with Robinson is he seems to small for his size. Although undersized, high-energy NBA players have proven recently that they give enough to stick around. Robinson fits that mold quite well. He's one of the hardest workers in this draft class, and thanks to three years at Kansas, he's NBA ready as of now. At 17.9 points, and 11.8 rebounds per game he's the kind of player that would fill in a frontcourt with Andrew Bogut better than David Lee. Because, let's face it, David Lee off the bench wouldn't be so bad.

Pick Eight: Toronto Raptors
Selection: Jared Sullinger, PF Ohio State
A lot of the things I had to say about Robinson can also be said about Sullinger. Of everyone drafted to this point, Sullinger is the biggest potential bust. He has a fantastic basketball IQ, but my question is can he play against the bigger players in the NBA. Sullinger went for 17.6 and 9.3 per game in a great conference. His success could be determined who his coach or frontcourt mate happens to be. How a team uses Sullinger will also be essential to how good he can be.

Pick Nine: Detroit Pistons
Selection: Jeremy Lamb, SG Connecticut
Lamb would be the second shooting guard from Uconn on this team, the other being Ben Gordon. Lamb could give good minutes off the bench in his rookie year, and start shortly after. At 17.7 points per game in his sophomore season, his scoring would be welcomed by Toronto. From the looks of things now, he'll never be a leader and doesn't have that killer instinct thats so important in the NBA, but the kid can score. His jumpshot is deadly as he shot 48% from the field and 34% from deep, which was actually down from his freshman season His size also allows him to play small forward if a team needs him to. His strengths outweigh his weakness to be the ninth pick.

Pick Ten: New Orleans Hornets (From the Minnesota Timberwolves)
Selection: Damian Lillard, PG Weber State
Lillard is a player I don't know much about. What I do know is Lillard is the best point guard in this draft, the Hornets need a point guard. A+B=C. The Hornets struck gold with their first pick, Anthony Davis, and if you pair that with a scoring backcourt headed by Lillard and Gordon, the Hornets could have something going for them. Lillard averaged 24.5 points per game at Weber State. He won't be the only scoring option on the Hornets though, which is something he should, and probably will understand.

Pick Eleven: Portland Trailblazers
Selection: John Henson, C/PF North Carolina
This pick would give the Blazers a pretty good PF/C foundation with Henson and LaMarcus Aldridge. Henson went for 13.8 points and 10.1 rebounds in his junior year. He knows what it takes to play center and I believe that if he's drafted here, he will be Portland's center. Meyers Leonard or Tyler Zeller could also be the pick here, but Henson's superior defense likely lands him the pick. Like a few big men in this draft, Henson needs to hit the weight room to strengthen his body as well as his game.

Pick Twelve: Milwaukee Bucks
Selection: Meyers Leonard, C Illinois
The Bucks best big man is Kwame Brown, that's something that desperately needs fixed. Leonard already has the body of an NBA center and he's very athletic. He's much like Drummond, being a work in progress, but he definitely has the skills and size to become a solid center. He wouldn't be the flashy rookie to start, it's going to take time for him to settle in and find consistency in the NBA, but once he does, he'll be a fine center.

Pick Thirteen: Phoenix Suns
Selection: Kendall Marshall, PG North Carolina
Kendall Marshall fits here for so many reasons. Steve Nash is a free agent, if he leaves, the Suns have Marshall. If Nash stays, he's still 38 and the Suns will need a point guard soon after anyways. Marshall was one of the best facilitating point guards in the country this past season, and his injury in the NCAA tournament made that evident. The Tar Heels missed him quite a bit. Can he learn to score if needed, can he play better defense? He's worth a gamble at 13 regardless.

Pick Fourteen: Houston Rockets
Selection: Terrance Jones, SF Kentucky
Jones has the talent to land in the top ten, and he'll be a steal at this spot for Houston, who could also use a small forward. Jones is a phenomenal defender and as athletic as they come. Jones was behind Kidd-Gilchrist on Kentucky, so no shame in seeing limited court time on that team. Jones is athletic enough to create for himself, but he's too inconsistent for a teams liking. His offensive game needs to develop and he'll be a fin small forward in the NBA.

Uncle Drew

Just watch and be amazed. 

Outside the Box

Photo courtesy of Sportsgrid

First things first, this is only indirectly related to the Cavaliers, as I, along with the entire city of Cleveland and the entire Cavs fan base is still rooting for the Heat to be bounced from the playoffs. If you fall under one of those categories and you say it's in the past and you're over it, that's a flat out lie. With that said, enjoy.


In so far, the worst showing of the playoffs, the all of a sudden classless Dwyane Wade lost his cool (and probably lost the game as a result) and fouled Darren Collison when he didn't have the ball. The officials blew the whistle right away and issued a flagrant foul on Wade.

But that isn't where the drama began, let's back up a few seconds. Wade went to the basket, where Dahntey Jones was waiting. Jones went straight up, arms in the air, in other words good defense. Wade stood on the floor pouting before a few possessions later when a fast break attempt for Indiana happened. Wade sprinted the length of the floor tackling Collison, because, well, who knows why he would do something like that.

Had it been Mario Chalmers or Shane Battier or Ronnie Turiaf that fouled Collison, you better believe it would have been a flagrant 2, resulting in a 2-game suspension. But no, it was Dwyane Wade. David Stern knows he needs the Heat for ratings. Stern knows the Heat can't beat Indiana without Bosh and Wade. It sickens me that he's getting a slap on the wrist for this.

This foul immediately made me think of Jason Smith. Smith ran the length of the court and tackled Blake Griffin. Sound familiar?

Well it is familiar, it's this same foul down to the letter, except Griffin actually had the ball. The result of Smith's foul was a flagrant 2 foul, an ejection and a two-game suspension. The result of Wade's? None of that.

 How do you justify what he did? How do you justify the lack of a suspension or ejection? How can someone with a big name get a slap on the wrist for an unprovoked foul that could have led to a serious injury?

I'm aware that Griffin's may have looked a tad more brutal, thats because the foul was from one power forward to another, not a shooting guard to a point guard. The bigger guy is going to fall harder. Blake laid on the ground and milked his foul, while Collison, being the true professional that he is, got right up and walked in the opposite direction of Wade.


Smith was no different, so how can this not be the same penalty?


That's right because Wade's name means too much to the NBA, and Collison's, not enough. He didn't foul one of the superstars of the game, and he doesn't come off the bench. That's got to be it, it's the only thing I can think of anyways.


Stern needs to step in and get this right, because it's a precedent the NBA does not want to set.






In case anyone missed either of these calls, here they are:


Wade on Collison:





Smith on Griffin:

Kyrie Irving (Officially) wins Rookie of the Year

Photo from Sportsmediaworld.com

No surprises.

Kyrie Irving officially won the Rookie of the Year on Tuesday by garnering 117 of the possible 120 first place votes. Irving averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.4 assists per game while leading the NBA in "crunch-time points." Irving becomes the first Cleveland player to win the Rookie of the Year since... Do I have to say it?

Kyrie is that special kind of player, he's humbled while at the same time a leader. He's a facilitator that is a scorer. On and off the court he sounds like the type of person everyone would like to be around.

Going into his second year, he's admitted to exceeding his own expectations in his rookie season. Byron Scott will expect much more of the 20 year-old kid as the entire Cleveland fan base will be eager to see what he'll be able to do.

What's evident to me, is the amount of fun he injects into this team. At his ROY press conference, Kyrie was all smiles and even cracked a few jokes. He talked about the third game of the season -- Kyrie's first career game winning shot which came against the Pacers -- and how in the huddle, Scott called a high pick-and-roll for Kyrie, to win the game. Kyrie smiled and proclaimed that it was neat that someone he barely knew would call a play for him with the game on the line.

"I didn't really know the bald head man." Kyrie joked.

Kyrie took the ball, got a good look at the rim, and exploded towards it, laying the ball in for the Cleveland win.

He made the 2011-12 season so much more enjoyable to watch over the 2010-11 season, even though the Cavs won only two more games. It was fun, there were flashes of great things this year, pieces are still missing and Kyrie is still learning, but dare I say the 21 win season was enjoyable to an extent, while the previous seasons 19 wins seemed like a train wreck.

The names of the NBAs top rookies of years past stick out. Most have done great things, individually and/or team oriented. Some of the greatest to ever play the game have won this award. While I'm not ready to compare Kyrie to anyone on this list, he's started off right. He's got the support of a wonderful organization, an owner willing to spend money and despises losing, a coach that can and will do wonders for a young point guard and the best fans in the NBA to back him.

This was step one in what will hopefully be a many step journey with Kyrie in Cleveland.

So Much For That Idea...

Courtesy of Bleacherreport.com

While doing a radio interview, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Tom Reed suggested that the Cavaliers won't be spending big money on a free agent. The only guys the Cavs will look to bring in are smaller type role players. Which evidently means Cleveland will be taking the OKC approach and trying to solidify their future through the draft.

As Kevin Durant was the centerpiece, in the next two years the Thunder added Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and James Harden. It wasn't until Harden's rookie year that the Thunder were able to nab an eight seed in the playoffs.

With Cleveland youngsters Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson set to lead this team into the future, the Cavaliers have a bevy of draft picks over the next four years. One has to assume some sort of package deal will be struck at some point, because let's face it, 8 first round picks alone in four years is just too many players. Where will they all fit?

Cleveland has obvious needs at shooting guard, small forward and center. Luckily since the Cavs top pick can be no worse than sixth, there will be talent that can fill a need at any spot. Anthony Davis first, followed by in no particular order, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond and Harrison Barnes. You're probably thinking, that's only five, what about the sixth guy? Well that sixth guy is Thomas Robinson. The Cavs won't take him, but he won't fall to six either. So one of those five, or possibly Jeremy Lamb, will be a Cavalier.

The question is which one? Davis is the obvious pick at one, but after that it gets difficult. I've stated plenty of times my want for Cleveland to grab either Kidd-Gilchrist or Barnes, but now knowing that an Eric Gordon or O.J. Mayo won't be an option, that shakes up the thinking a bit.

Right now if it were up to me, Beal would be the guy. And he would be the guy strictly because of the talent at small forward that will be there at 24. At 24 you probably have the choice between Jeffery Taylor or Moe Harkless, which is just fine.

In that scenario, it would appear the Cavs could fill two starting spots in the draft alone. At the center position, Anderson Varejao could be plugged in there again, and/or a second round pick could be spent to try and develop Festus Ezeli or Fab Melo into a starting center.

Omar Asik could be a potential target for the Cavaliers as well to slot in at center, which would allow Andy to come in off the bench, where he's at his best in my opinion.

I can't say that I'd be sad with the draft night selections of MKG, Barnes or Drummond but if one of those three is the selection, there will be more ground to make up. I personally think Barnes is right now the best, and will have the best career of the other three, but the Cavs are way weaker at the two-guard and Beal just makes the most sense to me, if he's available when the Cavaliers have their name called.

Cleveland also has enough ammunition to move up and select two picks in the top five. Whether or not Chris Grant and Co. are willing to do that, or if they could work anything out with another of those top five teams, we'll have to wait and see. But a potential future of Irving, Beal, Barnes, and Thompson could become a reality.

Whatever the future holds, it's potential has me, along with every other Cavs fan, excited. Oklahoma City has proven that a team -- even a small market -- can build it's core through the draft, and has proven that it can be enough to seriously contend with the right pieces. Cleveland is going to give it a whirl and hope it can pull off what the Sonics/Thunder ultimately did over the last five years.