Fear The Sword: FanPosts

Why we shouldn't draft McLemore with the #1

2013-05-24T14:34:50Z

I have seen a lot of traffic regarding Kansas Jayhawk SG Ben McLemore. Some have been for and some have been against drafting him. I've seen some people saying to trade Waiters in order to draft McLemore and improve another draft pick. There are a lot of things to consider when we do this.

1 - Tale of the Tape: McLemore is a slightly longer and taller player, but also is 30lbs lighter. Both players have adequate height and length to play the position (offensively and defensively) in the NBA. Ultimately, the .75" in height is nearly negligible. Same with the .5" in wingspan. The 2.5" standing reach advantage that McLemore has over Waiters is a more impressive number though. McLemore also showed up in better shape when it was time to go through the testing, but we did find out that Waiters was nursing an ankle injury, so I'm not sure what to say about the difference in body fat (5.0 vs 8.5%). Because Dion shut down interviews (and pretty much everything else) for the combine, we have absolutely no athletic measurements to go on. Having seen his quick first step in an NBA game and his ability to get to the rim (though struggle to finish) against NBA talent, I'd like to think that athleticism is absolutely not a problem.

2 - Tale of the Stats: Let's start with college...and on that, let's make note of something. McLemore was an older Freshman. He's a year younger than Dion...and Dion has two years of college experience and a year of NBA experience. His body was far more mature than your typical freshman. Regardless, he played more minutes per game last year than Dion did in either year. McLemore was clearly the more efficient scorer and shooter than Waiters. That's taking into account ONLY Waiters Sophomore campaign. McLemore scored 3.2 more points on 1.2 more shot attempts. He has a really good FT% and was close enough to the 50-40-90 line to make you think he could (with a lot of work) threaten that at the next level. McLemore also was a significantly better rebounder. Where Dion trumps Ben is in the AST:TO ratio. Dion never had a negative AST:TO ratio.

Rebound numbers for SG's can often be attributed to the system a player is playing in. Particularly defensive rebounds. If Dion was asked to leak out at Syracuse looking for fastbreak numbers, he will get less boards.

3 - Tale of the Team: Here's where things start to get less "hard line" than others. You can't question that McLemore was a more efficient scorer/shooter. You can't question that Waiters was better playmaker for his team. You can't question that McLemore is a taller/longer player. From here, we have to delve into how said players will fit into the team.

3a - We start McLemore and make Waiters the 6th man. Starting another rookie SG isn't really all that great of an idea as they are rarely efficient. Dion is just behind that second group, but is clearly ahead of the 3rd pack. Waiters has also gone on record and said he does not want to be a 6th man. He did that in college where coaches have all the power. In the pros, he will find his power very soon. I can see the idea that having Dion come off the bench and play Manu Ginobli/James Harden role or us is enticing. I can see where McLemore's sweet jumper helps Kyrie out on offense too. It makes sense. It is short sighted. (We'll get to that.)

3b - We start Dion and have McLemore come off the bench. A rookie SG with a good stroke should do well off the bench. We can cycle Dion and Kyrie around McLemore (always having a ball-handler with him) and still have a nice lineup. McLemore will make both Kyrie and Dion better...and when Dion/Kryie play together...if one is tired, the other can handle the rock to give him a pseudo-on court break.

3c - We move McLemore to the 3. Seriously, I've seen this. It's ridiculous. He's 190lbs and under 6'6. There's no way McLemore is guarding a 3. Only in a small ball lineup could we make this work...but we don't have a legit SF and dominant SF yet. Not to mention the hole we have at the Center spot (because we can't quite count on Andy yet.)

3d - We trade Waiters and draft McLemore. I hate this on so many levels. We KNOW what Waiters can do in the pros. We know that we can ask him to handle the ball and he won't screw it up. We know he can create his own shot against NBA talent. We know that we have holes at the 3 and 5. McLemore solves none of this. I look at McLemore as a SG version of Harrison Barnes with a better shot. A guy who tests well athletically but needs someone else to set up his shot. He struggled in Kansas first two wins and then played well in their loss to Michigan. He could very well be a very good NBA player...but I don't see it because of his weakness with his handles.

Even if McLemore is an upgrade over Waiters. What is a better lineup?

Kyrie - McLemore - Gee - Thompson - Zeller (with Dion off the bench)

Kyrie - Waiters - Gee - Thompson - Zeller (with McLemore off the bench)

Kyrie - Waiters - Porter - Thompson - Zeller

Kyrie - Waiters - Gee - Thompson - Noel

Even if you were to argue over the last two lineups, there's no way that you can think that either lineup wouldn't beat the first two. I did leave Andy Varejao out or several reasons. I'm thinking long term here. And I'm concerned with injuries...even if it has been a different freak injury after another...there is still some concern.

We don't need a SG...even if he would be an improvement over our current SG. We need to fix the rest of our lineup. The teams that have non-D-league talent at every position can afford to go BPA. We really can't. We need to fix our lineup then draft BPA and figure out how to make them fit. Even if McLemore is better than both Porter and Noel, is the difference between him and Waiters that much better than the difference between Porter and Gee or Noel and Zeller? Because that is something that seems to be ignored by those who want us to draft McLemore.

Even if McLemore is an upgrade over Waiters. What is a better lineup?

Kyrie - McLemore - Gee - Thompson - Zeller (with Dion off the bench)

Kyrie - Waiters - Gee - Thompson - Zeller (with McLemore off the bench)

Kyrie - Waiters - Porter - Thompson - Zeller

Kyrie - Waiters - Gee - Thompson - Noel

What if we did this?

2013-05-23T20:22:56Z

The Cavaliers have a load of options when it comes to the number 1 pick. Do we trade it? Draft Noel? Or do something completely different? What about this scenario:

1. Trade Back with Phoenix

Cavs Get: #5 Overall, 2014 1st Rounder (unprotected), Marcin Gortat

Phoenix Recieves: #1 Overall, Alonzo Gee

2. Draft Victor Oladipo

Crazy athlete that allows him to play either the 2 or the 3. Lock-down defender with amazing finishing ability. While his jump shot is a project, Mike Brown will fall in love with this kid's work ethic, athletic ability,and his great defensive presence. And even if the Cavs would get a high pick with Phoenix's 2014 lottery or their own pick, he would make a great sixth man behind Dion.

3. Trade up with Dallas

Cavs Gets: #13 Overall

Dallas Gets: #19, 31, 33 Overall

4. Draft Steven Adams or Rudy Gobert

While both are huge projects, each has great potential. One article I recall reading claimed that Adams would be a future all-star. If not Adams, Gobert has crazy length that can make him a force if he progresses.

5. Hope that Phoenix tanks next year enough that their pick is within the Top 3.

If we would get Phoenix's 2014 pick unprotected, that would potentially give us two lottery picks in the draft. With Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins likely to declare next year, you have double the chance to get into the Top 3. If that fails, you can always trade those two picks away to get one of the top 2. Also, Jabari and Wiggins might not live up to their hype, so their draft stock might slip.

While unlikely, this is the scenario that would be a dream IMO. You get a high motor, defensive athlete in Oladipo, draft a big man project with good potential, and also double your chance of getting a top pick in a much "better" draft next year.

The Cavaliers have a load of options when it comes to the number 1 pick. Do we trade it? Draft Noel? Or do something completely different? What about this scenario:

1. Trade Back with Phoenix

Cavs Get: #5 Overall, 2014 1st Rounder (unprotected), Marcin Gortat

Phoenix Recieves: #1 Overall, Alonzo Gee

2. Draft Victor Oladipo

3. Trade up with Dallas

Cavs Gets: #13 Overall

Dallas Gets: #19, 31, 33 Overall

4. Draft Steven Adams or Rudy Gobert

5. Hope that Phoenix tanks next year enough that their pick is within the Top 3.

Poll

How do you feel if the Cavs drafted Oladipo?

On Winning Now

2013-05-23T14:25:09Z

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Hello FTS, I have seen the term “Win Now” thrown around far too much on this site for the last 2 days. This term is used incorrectly on almost every account. I will, as usual, be the shining light of knowledge in the shrouded darkness of ignorance that is the internet. Set the fork in your soup aside and we can grow as a community and learn about what that term means for a lottery team.

I believe the misuse of this term is due to the “Win Now” mentality expressed by the organization during the final years of the LeBron era. During LeBron’s last two seasons, the Cavs gave away every possible asset in order to try and secure that 1 or 2 last piece that would be needed to push them over the top. Subsequently, when LeBron left, the cupboards were completely bare. We traded draft picks, young players, and severely overpaid role players in a last ditch effort to secure a championship. “Win Now,” as it applied to that team, does not hold the same meaning for the current Cavaliers organization.

To fully understand this phenomenon, we need to understand what “Not Winning Now” means. A great illustration for this is the opening day roster for the Cavs this season. The following people were getting paid millions of dollars by the Cavaliers on short term contracts

Luke Harangody
Jon Leuer
Jeremy Pargo
Luke Walton
Daniel Gibson
Omri Casspi

These players existed as “roster filler” we needed warm bodies, but we did not want to pay any of them any money. None of these players were options as long-term role players.

Chris Grant assembled a roster that would lose a lot of games on purpose.

I repeat: ON PURPOSE. The roster was designed to allow our young players room to grow, while simultaneously losing as many games as possible to preserve our draft position. In the NBA, being middle of the road is a worst case scenario. You need to be a top playoff team or bust. Anything in between does not work.

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A paradigm shift for the Cavilers trying to “win now” does not mean over paying role players, or trading away assets, it means future rosters will not be designed for the specific intent of losing games. No longer losing on purpose is “Winning Now” for lottery teams. We will sign better role players, use our cap space, and stop signing D league players. Given the talent on this team, this is enough to merit the 8 seed in the East.

Buy or Sell: 2012/2013 NBA Edition

2013-05-23T11:11:28Z

Note: A fanpost not about the lottery?! What is this black magic!?

Hello, my name is GodZeller, and I am a Cleveland Cavaliers fan.

2012/2013 marked my second ever season following the Wine & Gold, and my first as a member of the world's most exclusive gentleman's club, FearTheSword. I thought I'd celebrate this with a little thing I like to run on some other sites called Buy and Sell. Basically, if you agree - buy the statement and argue your case, if you disagree - sell it and give your reasons. Simples.

Below are some delightful statements for you to ponder whilst we wait for a 7ft flat topped Adonis to sweep us up in his hunky cartoonish arms....

....

Anyways ...

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1. After the controversy surrounding Noah's overturned tip in, the NBA goal-tending rules need reassessing in favour of put backs and tip ins.

2. George Hill is the most underrated PG in the NBA

3. The Trailblazers have the worst logo in the entire league

4. Brook Lopez is a better player than Dwight Howard

5. Chris Bosh deserved being picked for the All Star game, but shouldn't have started.

6. The Seattle trauma is the best thing that ever happened to the Sacramento Kings

7. If Chris Paul had moved to the Lakers, they would have won the Championship this year

8. And finally, Kazcmarek or Zavac?

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I'll post my answers below. I plan on doing some more quizzes, competitions and random bits and bobs throughout the offseason, providing people care enough and aren't too busy talking about draft strategies and possible trades.

Have fun all,

GodZeller

Note: A fanpost not about the lottery?! What is this black magic!?

Hello, my name is GodZeller, and I am a Cleveland Cavaliers fan.

Below are some delightful statements for you to ponder whilst we wait for a 7ft flat topped Adonis to sweep us up in his hunky cartoonish arms....

....

Anyways ...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. After the controversy surrounding Noah's overturned tip in, the NBA goal-tending rules need reassessing in favour of put backs and tip ins.

2. George Hill is the most underrated PG in the NBA

3. The Trailblazers have the worst logo in the entire league

4. Brook Lopez is a better player than Dwight Howard

5. Chris Bosh deserved being picked for the All Star game, but shouldn't have started.

6. The Seattle trauma is the best thing that ever happened to the Sacramento Kings

7. If Chris Paul had moved to the Lakers, they would have won the Championship this year

8. And finally, Kazcmarek or Zavac?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have fun all,

GodZeller

With SO Many Options Now, Which Would Be Best? Lets Decide

2013-05-23T00:36:16Z

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In the words of Magic Johnson, "The basketball Gods are smiling down on Cleveland". Yes they are! After suffering through a devastating lose of the best player of this generation in humiliating fashion, the future looked gloomy and filled with mystery. Looking back on that night July 8, I can recall sitting in my brothers basement watching "The Decision" and feeling so lost after hearing Lebron's decision. Thinking to myself "What now?" We had Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Antawn Jamison, and Andy V as our starters in the next season. We were the laughingstock of the entire NBA/country. Fast forward 3 years and I can say that it sure feels good to be a Wine and Gold fan.

By winning the Draft Lottery, the Cavs not only won the first pick in the draft, but they have the chance to improve the roster in so many ways. Drafting Nerlens Noel is the for sure way, but free agency is now a real possibility for the Cavs as well as making a blockbuster trade for a proven star. We can take any one of these directions to improve, and every route will lead to a major piece to our puzzle (if the situation is managed correctly, of course). Lets examine what possibilities lie ahead for the Cavs, and determine which you guys think is the best option.

Option: Draft Nerlens Noel, sit him for the year, get one more top pick in 2014

Many of you will not like the idea of picking high again next year. However, lets look closer at the idea of picking again in 2014. Nerlens Noel will not be ready for start of season, and he expects to be back by January next year. So, if the Cavs were to hold him back as long as possible and we finish season with a bottom 5 record, we would be guaranteed at least a top 5 pick. In 2014's draft, getting a top 5 pick is just as good as hitting this years lottery. I will say that the whole "this draft is weak" thing is so overblown. How many times did we hear 2011 draft was weak, then we snagged Kyrie, who along with many others such as Klay, Tristan, Parsons, Faried were all studs. Then, in 2014 you have a young roster of Kyrie, Nerlens (who I think will be one of best shot-blockers off the bat), 2014 lottery pick, possibly Dion if not traded, possibly Tristan, and whatever surrounding pieces. That would be a young contender for years to come. The Cavs really have nothing to lose in this draft as long they are exciting to watch next year while losing Im good with one more losing season if it means we get a top pick next year. Plus, with Nerlens sitting out and other variables, we would have a built-in excuse as to why we didnt make the playoffs.

Option: Trade pick for proven star

A real possibility is that the Cavaliers will move the pick for a proven star. With so many assets in players, draft picks, and cap space, their seems to be something big coming soon. One name that consistently comes up is Kevin Love, who I love (pun intended). I am extremely saddened that GM David Kahn got fired before this draft because I am convinced by his track record that we could have stolen Kevin Love easily with this pick alone. If we needed to throw in a player, we give them Shaun Livingston (the man seriously has a love for collecting PG'S). On a serious note, I think the Cavs could acquire Kevin Love and Derrick Williams for the #1 pick,#19, Alonzo Gee, and Andy. I do believe that either Dion or Tristan would have to be involved for Minn to accept so if I had to choose one I would say give up Tristan and keep Dion. Kevin Love would fit perfectly next to Kyrie Irving in the P-N-R, allowing Kyrie more space to get into the lane and kick or finish. His assist would go up at least to 8-10 a game, with other capable shooters being added to the mix. Also, maybe Derrick Williams will become a serviceable 3 until we find a better solution. I have heard Demarcus Cousins name floated out there, but the fact that he has such a bad reputation dating back to college is not a good thing you want for a young team. Yes, Demarcus is talented, but I don't think it is a good idea to add him to a mix of young players. If we do a trade, Kevin Love would be the best case scenario.

Option: Free Agency

The Cavaliers may be in the best position to make all the right moves with all of their assets. I can't imagine that they will draft 4 rookies to go along with Kyrie (21), Dion (21), Tristan (21) and Zeller (22), making at least 8 players of 15 under 22 years of age. So, trade is the most likely possibility for the Cavs. However, free agency now seems like a real option that never was there for us even when we had Lebron. The NBA is changing now due to the cap rules the league has put in place starting next season. We saw OKC give up James Harden, and Memphis give up Rudy for basically nothing but money reasons. Now, although the Cavs may someday face that same problem with so many upcoming players, we have many assets to offset the losses that OKC and Memphis did not. My point is that with teams now scrambling to stay under cap, top free agents wont have many places to look when they hit the market. Not only are the Cavaliers stacked with young prospects and a superstar in Kyrie, but we have the most cap space of any team, which means most money for top players. Now, more than ever, we will be attractive to those top players because of our players, our money, and lack of other viable options.

Option: Lebron James

I know I know, you're saying to yourself "Its not gonna happen move on". My personal preference would be to take one of the previous options, but lets be serious when I say that if Lebron James wanted to come back, we would all welcome him back. Sure, it would look like an old ex leaving you for someone better, then when he gets bored with his new fling and you are doing really well, he comes back to you. I get it folks, we want to show some dignity and pride. However, pride and common sense are different and common sense tells you that if the best player in the world wants to play for your team, you take him. If we draft Nerlens, a lineup of Kyrie, Dion, Lebron, Tristan and Nerlens would be so much fun to watch. Imagine the fast breaks, we would be the quickest team in the league. The defense would not be able to keep up with us because every rebound be a fast break. I admit that I was one of the fans saying to shut the Lebron return stuff down because its not happening and it makes us look desperate. However, as unlikely as it seemed before, it seems like a real possibility now, with Wade breaking down, Ray Allen/Battier retiring soon. I prefer the other options instead of waiting for this one, but it is a option to consider.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a plethora of options at their disposal, and as long as we manage the situation right, we should be competing for a NBA championship by the year 2014. Lets discuss which option would be best for us, or which option you would want us to pursue. Its a fun to be a Cavaliers fan!

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Option: Draft Nerlens Noel, sit him for the year, get one more top pick in 2014

Option: Trade pick for proven star

Option: Free Agency

Option: Lebron James

Mclemore over Nerlens, Porter

2013-05-22T20:34:45Z

Cleveland Cavaliers stats

Here is my problem with taking Nerlens Noel at 1. He'll make an impact on defense but on offense his game will be limited to say the least. He could get some boards and put backs but his game needs a lot of work, too much so to justify taking him #1 overall especially with a bum knee. I think Greg Oden as a free agent could be aquired at a minimum to fit that need and would bring more to the table sooner than Nerlens with little risk. Alternativly we could also couple some of our picks together to move up in the draft and get a solid big man in this years draft. I think we should use the pick on Ben Mclemore. He is crazy athletic and is already as good a defender as Otto Porter and i think can be built into a great defender with some work. On the offensive end i think he's so much better than Porter it's scary. His jumper is silky smooth, he has a huge vertical and he can dribble well enough to get to the hole as well as create his own shot. Sure he disappered at times last year but he's a freshman. It happens. Drafting Porter just because he fits a need is a terrible idea and gets teams in trouble (see Sam Bowie). Mclemore's ceiling is way higher and makes him the best player in the draft IMO. Another argument i hear for Porter is that we took Dion Waiters last year so we can't take Mclemore because he plays the same position. Having a good 6th man coming off the bench is a huge asset in thsi league and i think Dion's game makes him perfectly suited for it. He can come in and provide a huge boost with Mclemore or Kyrie on the bench. Alternativly we could move McKlemore to the 3 and have Dion at 2 and play small ball which has been proven can be sucessfull in the NBA. To summurize if it was up to me (which it's clearly not, not trying to say i'm a GM by any means)in my opinion I think we should take Mclemore at #1, pick up Greg Oden/ couple picks together to move up and get a big man, and pick up a 3 guard in free agency 2014/ aquire one in a trade. Just wanted to get some opinion's on this/ Mclemore in general. -----

Poll

Would you be ok with Ben McLemore at #1

Trade Options with #1 Pick?

2013-05-22T18:49:54Z

With the Cavs winning the #1 pick last night in the NBA Draft Lottery, the Cavs management definitely have a lot to consider with the #1 pick? Should they draft Nerlens Noel? Otto Porter Jr.? Ben McLemore? Someone completely different? I am one of the people who believe that with no true #1 talent in the draft, the Cavaliers should look into trading the pick. With that being said, there is some different rumors floating around, so I decided to bring my own ideas into good trade the Cavs could make with the #1 pick. Keep in mind that these are my opinions, and you might see some assets that could be added and removed from each deal or just find some deals to be completely unrealistic.

Trade Idea #1

Cavaliers receive: DeMarcus Cousins, Pick #7

Kings receive: Alonzo Gee, Pick #1, 19, 31, 33 (possibly future pick)

Trade Idea #2

Cavaliers receive: Nick Batum, Pick #10

Trail Blazers receive: Pick #1, Pick #19

Trade Idea #3

Cavaliers receive: Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, #2 Pick

Orlando recieve: Alonzo Gee, #1 Pick

*Note: I would prefer Tobias Harris in this deal, but I felt that Harkless would be the one more likely to be dealt.

Leave your thoughts or own trade ideas in comments.

Trade Idea #1

Cavaliers receive: DeMarcus Cousins, Pick #7

Kings receive: Alonzo Gee, Pick #1, 19, 31, 33 (possibly future pick)

Trade Idea #2

Cavaliers receive: Nick Batum, Pick #10

Trail Blazers receive: Pick #1, Pick #19

Trade Idea #3

Cavaliers receive: Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, #2 Pick

Orlando recieve: Alonzo Gee, #1 Pick

*Note: I would prefer Tobias Harris in this deal, but I felt that Harkless would be the one more likely to be dealt.

Leave your thoughts or own trade ideas in comments.

Poll

What should the Cavs do with the #1 pick?

What winning the lottery means for the future of the Cavaliers

2013-05-22T15:58:45Z

Gather round! Gather round!

via www.thegreatoutdoorstore.net

Everyone relax and take a seat around the fire. Old man Witmi is going to explain what the Cavs winning the lottery means for our beloved Cavaliers. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, at one point, Aviate and Vottomatic are going to try and kill me, but if we stick together we’ll get through this.

#1. The Cavs are going to select Nerlens Noel. They are not going to take Alex Len; they are not going to take Macklemore, or Otto Porter. I maintain this is the only pick they will seriously consider.

Anything else you see or hear will be nothing more than a smoke screen generated by Chris Grant.

At one point 2 years ago, some people were convinced we would take Derrick Williams, he was never seriously considered.

via thebigmanblog.files.wordpress.com

#2. The Cavs will not trade the pick for DeMarcus Cousins, or anyone else. The advantages of the rookie wage scale will trump the allure of any existing veteran. I think we should listen long and hard if we get offered Demarcus Cousins, but Demarcus is going to get paid serious money in about a year, the Cavs will opt to preserve their cap space. I do not know if this is the best idea, but I assure you, this will happen. Old man WitMi sees far and true.

#3.

Tristan Thompson just became expendable

If Nerlens is the defensive player we believe he will be, TT is not a good fit beside him. The Cavs should explore moving TT for a stretch 4, immediately. The Cavs will need a PF that can move out of the paint and still score or the lane will constantly be clogged for Kyrie and Dion. We all love, TT, I love TT, we should play him for another year to show improvement, then move him for a piece that better fits our future roster. I know everyone will hate this, but it’s the best course of action. Memphis’s defensive minded front court only works because both Gasol and Zbo have really solid offensive games. Gasol steps out to the free throw line and hits that set shot an incredibly high % of the time. ZBO is an incredible low-block player. Tristan is none of these. If TT is smart, and I like to think that he is, he is currently shooting 1,000 jumpers a day trying to develop a midrange shot. His spot on this roster depends on it.

#4. The Cavs are now a serious contender for the Lebron James sweepstakes in a year. Until last night, I never seriously entertained Lebron returning. Not once, not seriously at least. Now, with 2 #1 picks at opposite ends of the court, this Cavs team is now a very attractive option for Lebron, as he would fit the existing roster perfectly. With one existing elite option at PG, 1 potentially elite option at center, and an above average SG, the Cavs have the best young roster in the NBA.(Yeah I said it) I thought Nerlens was the Cavs only shot at possibly attracting him back here, I now believe this is possible. I am not saying likely, but it IS possible.

#5. The Cavs will resign Ellington, then trade for a player, or spend at least 8 million in free agency this summer. I can’t predict who, but we will make significant additions to the back end of our roster. We will now start to pay role players who can legitimately contribute off of our bench. There is a lot of value on the cheap available, and the Cavs will begin to make their surge into the post-season.

#6. Nerlens will look awful for the first two months he plays. I mean really awful, he will not know where to stand or what to do, and he will get bullied by bigger players. Analytics will post 3 times a day about how we should have taken Otto Porter, who will win rookie of the year with the Wizards. The last month of the season and into the playoffs, Nerlens will shine as a weak side defender. Nerlens ability to defend the rim is absolutely incredible; I don’t understand why everyone is losing sight of this.

He will be able to block shots right away in the NBA.

This portion of his game will not take years to develop; he will alter shots immediately in the lane. As he matures over the next few years, the Cavs guards will simply need to funnel opposing guards towards him, the effect this will have on our defense cannot be stated enough. When Mike Brown gets his hands on this kid, he is going to turn him into a perennial all-NBA defender. He is THAT good defensively. Offensively he is athletic enough to eventually physically dominate matchups. He will be good on the pick and roll and will dunk a lot.

#7 As a side note, reports out of Kentucky is that Nerlens is a really good human being. There are dozens of stories of him working with sick kids and taking time to help charities. College kids don’t have to do this, are not expected to do this, and they rarely do. He comes from a well-grounded hard-working immigrant family from Haiti. You don’t hear stories about Nerlens having character issues; Chris Grant values these types of players.

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Fresh Prince of Lake Erie

2013-05-22T14:43:27Z

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Now this is the story all about how

My life got flipped, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a city near Lake Erie

In Everett, Massachusetts born and raised
On the playground where I spent most of my days
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool
And all shooting some b-ball at the UK school
When a couple of guys, they were up to no good
Started making trouble in my neighbourhood
I tore one little ACL and my mom got scared
And said "You're moving with Kyrie and Tristan in Lake Erie"

I whistled for a cab and when it came near the
License plate said "Gold" and had wine in the rear
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought nah, forget it, yo homes to the Q!

I pulled up to the Q about seven or eight
And I yelled to the cabbie "Yo, Austin smell you later!"
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the prince of Lake Erie

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Now this is the story all about how

Once Upon a Time: The Tale of the 2013 NBA Draft

2013-05-22T02:20:19Z

Once upon a time…. The clock strikes 8:00 and the night has just begun. The Cleveland Cavaliers currently hold the number 1 selection in the NBA Draft as well as the 19th, 31st, and 33rd overall picks. Cleveland Cavaliers fans wait in anticipation of the nerve wracking night ahead.

8:05- Commissioner Stern arrives at the podium to loud boos from the audience. Stern embraces the hate as it fuels his body. He thrives off of hatred, dead puppies, and children’s tears.

8:08- The Cavaliers are officially on the clock.

8:08:01- Commissioner Stern is back at the podium to announce the pick for the Cavaliers. The video feed floats over to Dan Gilbert who has wet himself in the excitement. Stern announces that the Cavaliers have taken Nerlens Noel, the Center from the University of Kentucky.

8:10- Noel arrives on stage, shakes hands with Stern, and smiles for the cameras. As Noel walks off stage, he is met by Mike Brown who hugs and kisses him. Brown thanks the basketball gods for his luck.

8:12- Bill Simmons is discussing his latest theory that the lottery was rigged to bring Noel to the Cavaliers. This theory involved three midgets, a talking elephant, the Queen of England, and four strippers. Long story short, Stern gave Noel to the Cavaliers to give Lebron an incentive to come back so Gilbert would stop leaving voicemails regarding tampering charges.

8:17- The Orlando Magic take Trey Burke, Point Guard from the University of @$%&!#&. Jalen Rose expresses what an incredible selection this will be for the Magic with no bias to his alma mater at all.

8:25- The Washington Wizards select Anthony Bennett, the tweener from UNLV. Charles Barkley discusses the similarities he sees between Anthony Bennett and former Number 2 overall selection Derrick Williams. John Wall cries.

8:30- David Stern realizes the draft is moving too quickly to get all the commercials in so he decides to pause the draft for 20 minutes due to “technical difficulties”.

8:50- The Charlotte Bobcats select Ben McLemore, Shooting Guard out of the University of Kansas. The Bobcats cannot believe their good luck in having McLemore fall to them. First week of summer league, Michael Jordan challenges McLemore to a game of one-on-one. McLemore beats Jordan 21-19. MJ proceeds to trade McLemore for “undisclosed basketball reasons”.

8:55- WHHHHAAAAAATTTTTTTT???????? THE PHOENIX SUNS HAVE TRADED THE NUMBER 5 OVERALL SELECTION TO THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS!!??!!?? The Cavaliers traded the 19th, 31st, and 33rd overall picks as well as Alonzo Gee and a future pick from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the number 5 overall selection.

8:58- The Cavaliers select Otto Porter, Small Forward from the University of Georgetown. Dan Gilbert cries tears of joy and writes a 12 page letter in comic sans font thanking the fans of the Cavaliers and making thinly veiled comments regarding how much he hates the Miami Heat.

9:00- Nobody honestly cares what happens after this.

Then Kyrie Irving woke up……….

Lottery Position- Now with an Amazing Poll!!!

2013-05-21T15:04:44Z

The lottery is finally here and everyone is eager to have their official draft position solidified. Last year Cavs fans everywhere freaked out when the ping pong balls (aka David Stern) gave Cleveland the fourth selection, which meant Chris Grant and Co wouldn't be able to add Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, or Bradley Beal to the promising young roster. But after a year of the Dion Waiters Experience, the disappointment of a year ago has significantly diminished.

So going into the lottery tonight, which picks are you hoping to get? Will only a top 2 or 3 selection calm your nerves over the next month or are you confident the Cavs will grab a star regardless of position? Vote and give me your rationale in the comments!

Poll

What's the lowest draft spot you would be happy with?

#1- aka Noel or Bust

3 votes

#2

3 votes

#3

11 votes

#4

14 votes

#5

1 votes

#6- aka "I have total faith in Chris Grant"

10 votes

42 votes | Poll has closed

A case for Anthony Bennett

2013-05-20T17:44:28Z

It seems a case has been made for the Cavs taking every top prospect with the exceptions of Ben McLemore and Anthony Bennett, So I'm going to play a little Devil's Advocate and see if I can't create a case for Mr. Bennett.

There are two immediate objects to drafting Bennett.

1. He doesn't fit the Cavs, with TT already at the PF position it appears redundant to draft another PF especially an "undersized" one at that.

I concede that it is hard to imagine a team starting two power forwards making a finals run with them at the center of the team. However I think its a pretty big mistake to look at draft prospects for a 20 win team and say "this guy slots in at PF and then next year we draft a SF, and then sign a C and our championship team has a starting lineup of V, W, X, Y and Z." Realistically the Cavs are several years away from contention and how that contending team shapes up in the end is still far from clear. How much do Waiters/TT/Irving/Zeller progress? Does one get injured or bust? Can we land a big name FA and fill a position without a pick? Can we trade for an established star?

With all the uncertainty about how the final core of the team shapes up I think the pertinent questions about draft picks boil down to two.

A. How good of a prospect is he and

B. Can we get him on the floor to develop and see what we have while showcasing him to teams that might be shipping out an all star level player (ie Love, Horford, Cousins)

I'll cover A in a sec but I think B can be done quite easily. Here is a list of big man mins played for the Cavs last season.

TT- 2500

Zeller- 2000

Andy- 900

Walton- 850

Speights- 700

Jones- 300

Samuels- 200

Leur- 100

For TT thats 82 games at 31.3 mins a game. He might go 2-300 more total that that but not much higher in the long run than 34-35 mins a game.

Zeller did not produce at a high level for those 2000 and if he doesn't progress a lot in this offseason I would expect them to be cut way back.

Andy obviously we hope to see him play more but he has only 2 seasons in his career playing > 2,000 mins in 9 years as a pro, while playing fewer than 50 games 5 times.

From these three I keep TT~ the same # of mins for 2013/14 and TZ and Andy's mins combined at a similar rate with (hopefully) Andy taking ~1800 and Zeller looking at ~ 11-1200 (~15 mins a game with a few missed games).

We are left with a hodgepodge of players that I think most fans would be happy to not see on the floor next season who totaled ~2200 mins. at 25 mins a game over say 75 games for Bennett that leaves ~ 400 mins left for random D leaguers as injury fill ins or to be spread out among the other three mentioned above.

AS an example of a team that has done something similar recently the Jazz managed to get significant mins to 4 big men this past year (all playing in 70+ games) while fielding a fringe playoff team -they barely missed in the West and would have been the 7 seed in the east and only 2 games out of the #5 spot. They did this without having a single player outside of those 4 big men rack up a PER over 17.

Objection #2- Bennett is undersized for a PF.

Simply put I disagree. Three of the top PFs of all time, Barkley, Rodman and Malone, were 6'6", 6'7" and 6'8". If you consider Duncan and Garnett Centers you could argue that the top three PFs of the past 25 years have all been < 6'9.

Kevin Hetrick over at Hardwood Paroxysm (he also posts on Cavstheblog) did a series on this year on what combine measurements are positively correlated with success at each position. Here was his conclusion for PFs

For big men, increased length lightly corresponded with improving power forward offense, with reach providing the best correlations. On defense, and for centers at both ends of the court, size measurements frequently, and surprisingly, calculated as very-low and often negative correlation with performance. Over two-thirds of the correlations between height and Points Stopped ended negative for the front-court players. There are so many factors influencing effective defense, that the impact of an extra inch here, two inches there, doesn’t prove as a primary means of separation between players.

Long story short I don't think the undersized/Tweener argument holds up for PFs in the NBA.

If you drop the concerns about fit and height Bennett is an intriguing prospect. AT 240 lbs with a 7'1 wingspan there will be many players he can potentially bully in the post (he is 15 lbs bigger than TT for example with a near identical wingspan, and is 20 lbs heavier than Serge Ibaka) on both ends of the floor. His production in college was very good and he already has a decent outside shot which we have seen Kevin Love turn into a devastating combo for a skilled inside big man.

Sadly we don't get his combine measurements because of a a torn rotator cuff, but I think he has shown enough in college that if the Noel and Otto are off the board I would not at all be upset if the Cavs made anohter surprise move and took a guy no one had them looking at.

There are two immediate objects to drafting Bennett.

1. He doesn't fit the Cavs, with TT already at the PF position it appears redundant to draft another PF especially an "undersized" one at that.

With all the uncertainty about how the final core of the team shapes up I think the pertinent questions about draft picks boil down to two.

A. How good of a prospect is he and

B. Can we get him on the floor to develop and see what we have while showcasing him to teams that might be shipping out an all star level player (ie Love, Horford, Cousins)

I'll cover A in a sec but I think B can be done quite easily. Here is a list of big man mins played for the Cavs last season.

TT- 2500

Zeller- 2000

Andy- 900

Walton- 850

Speights- 700

Jones- 300

Samuels- 200

Leur- 100

For TT thats 82 games at 31.3 mins a game. He might go 2-300 more total that that but not much higher in the long run than 34-35 mins a game.

Zeller did not produce at a high level for those 2000 and if he doesn't progress a lot in this offseason I would expect them to be cut way back.

Andy obviously we hope to see him play more but he has only 2 seasons in his career playing > 2,000 mins in 9 years as a pro, while playing fewer than 50 games 5 times.

Objection #2- Bennett is undersized for a PF.

For big men, increased length lightly corresponded with improving power forward offense, with reach providing the best correlations. On defense, and for centers at both ends of the court, size measurements frequently, and surprisingly, calculated as very-low and often negative correlation with performance. Over two-thirds of the correlations between height and Points Stopped ended negative for the front-court players. There are so many factors influencing effective defense, that the impact of an extra inch here, two inches there, doesn’t prove as a primary means of separation between players.

Long story short I don't think the undersized/Tweener argument holds up for PFs in the NBA.

What If Noel And Porter Are Off The Board?

2013-05-19T17:33:01Z

This Tuesday is an important day for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That evening the NBA Draft Lottery takes place, determining the order for the teams possessing the top fifteen picks in the draft. If everything stood as is, the Cavaliers would pick third overall, and according to a plethora of mock drafts, would select Georgetown small forward Otto Porter. While most Cavs fans would love to see this take place, life and the NBA Draft Lottery doesn’t always go according to plan. It’s entirely possible that the Cavaliers could draft fourth, fifth, or even (gasp!) sixth in the upcoming NBA draft. At that point, Porter and Nerlens Noel, reported to be the top two players on the Cavaliers’ draft board, will probably have already been drafted by other teams. Never fear, even if the Cavaliers’ fortunes take this tragic turn, there are many possibilities that could lead to a successful draft night for our favorite team. Here is one scenario that appeals to me.

Assuming that Noel and Porter are off the board, the best pick for the Cavaliers could be Maryland Center Alex Len. If you took the time to read eraulli’s excellent post on Len, you already know that Len is a talented offensive player and underrated defender. ESPN’s Chad Ford has compared Len to former Cavalier Zydrunas Ilgauskas due to his size, rebounding, and ability to score both at the rim and with his midrange game. While there is some question about Len’s drive due to his lack of dominance at Maryland despite his size and skill, much of this can be attributed to Maryland’s poor guard play. Comments from Len, his coaches, and teammates paint a far different picture of his drive. Len also seems like an excellent fit for the Cavaliers for many reasons. He can run the floor well, play the pick and pop and pick and roll with Irving and Waiters, and his offensive and defensive skills both fit well with Tristan Thompson’s as the Cavaliers’ front court of the present and future.

After drafting Len, the Cavaliers can turn their focus to the only position they have not addressed through the draft, small forward. There is no denying that after Porter there is a significant drop at the small forward position. That being said, a realistic option for the Cavaliers could be to package the 19th, 31st, and 33rd picks to move up far enough to draft the one small forward who has been rated above Otto Porter at times this season, Shabazz Muhammad.

As noted by numerous analysts, Muhammad’s draft stock has fallen from potential number one pick to late lottery status over the past year. Currently he is ranked eleventh on Chad Ford’s Big Board and is ranked behind both Porter and Dario Saric at small forward. While Ford still has Muhammad being drafted ahead of Saric in his second mock draft, this could easily change as well. Kevin Pelton also had a pretty harsh assessment of Muhammad when predicting his future WARP (Len didn’t fare well either). Muhammad has been criticized for being a one dimensional scorer and bad teammate, to say nothing of the whole age debacle.

In all fairness to Muhammad, there are plenty of signs he still should be able to be a productive NBA wing. As Tom Ziller wrote, Muhammad seems to have become this year’s Harrison Barnes, a wing who hasn’t lived up to pre-college expectations, isn’t super-efficient, and is therefore overly criticized. While Muhammad isn’t as big or athletic as Barnes, it should be pointed out that Barnes is an athletic player who doesn’t play athletically. In addition, Muhammad could be affected by the "Howland Variable" John Hollinger used in his 2011 draft rater. For those who don’t have ESPN Insider, the basic gist is that Howland’s system doesn’t allow for as much individual success for NBA prospects at UCLA as other systems. Citing the success of players such as Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, and Darren Collison, Hollinger created a variable that was supposed to account for the system and predicts the NBA success for UCLA. Shabazz Muhammad had far more individual success than most UCLA players, and if the Hollinger’s theory is to be believed, he could be better in the NBA than he was in college. Finally, one thing all scouts agree on is Muhammad’s work ethic. He has a reputation as a gym rat with a tremendous motor. His participation in all of the drills at the draft combine shows his willingness to both prove himself, and improve his game.

The question now is how far up the draft do the Cavs have to move to take Muhammad as well as Len? The other lottery teams in need of a small forward are the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. For Otto Porter to be off the board, at least one of these teams will have to leapfrog the Cavs in the lottery. You can then assume that Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, and possibly Dario Saric will be drafted before Muhammad, filling the need at the wing for many of these teams. Chances are the Cavs will only have to leapfrog one of these teams with their second pick, if that. If I were Chris Grant, I would start by packaging the 19th, 31st, and 33rd picks in this draft to move up to the spot the Cavaliers need. If more was needed I would consider adding the heavily protected pick of the Sacramento Kings, the 2015 Heat pick, or one of the three second round picks the Cavaliers have the rights to in 2014. I would not include all of these things, the Memphis Grizzlies future first round pick, or the Cavaliers own first round pick.

Well Cavs fans, what do you think? Would Alex Len and Shabazz Muhammad be a great draft for the Cavs if Nerlens Noel and Otto Porter are gone? Should the Cavs trade up for Muhammad? Should they focus on Dario Saric instead? Do they focus on players who have better advanced metrics? Let me know what you would do if you were Chris Grant and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

There They Stayed, and Scored An Important Blow For Small Markets Everywhere

2013-05-16T22:22:45Z

In Cleveland, It is impossible not to look at the Kings situation and harken back to a few situations. We were the town not good enough for Art Modell, the place where Carlos Boozer couldnt get enough attention to become an All Star, and of course, the city so vile that the "Chosen One" was chosen to leave almost as soon as he was drafted. Every offseason, in every sport, we hear about how we are never going to be a destination for free agents. No one wants to come here, it is cold sometimes, and its not in Florida. We aren't good enough. Our state isnt warm enough. We don't have enough money. To a lot of people (sadly) we are just a collection of farmers and factory workers, cobbling together enough pennies to see a sure fire losing team. We are all small market, and we are not alone.

Sacramento has a terrible basketball team, and a terrible arena. Both having been unceremoniously dropped from the highs of the Vlade and C-Webb years into a dump of poor play, poor attendance and general apathy around the league. Owned by a family that inherited their father's money, businesses, and hard work, and quickly bankrupted almost all of it. This is a franchise ripe for the taking, and this is also potentially a defining NBA moment for our generation. Having rebuffed silly offers from Virginia Beach, Las Vegas, and Anaheim, the City was in serious trouble. Seattle, a great and proud sports town, and home of some of the wealthiest people on the planet, had put together a superb ownership group. Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer, with others, form what would probably be one of the better situations for the NBA. They have the money, the passion, and the will to build a state of the art arena in a major TV market, and right the horrible wrong that was done to them in 2008, when they lost their sonics to Oklahoma City. Certainly OKC had proven they deserved a team, but much like Seattle today, they didnt deserve THAT team. Seattle presented an option that on paper, the people of Sacramento could never contend with. They aren't as big, can't afford the same type of arena, and could never garner the TV money a Seattle franchise could. On paper, and to many in Seattle, only a moron could turn down this amazing deal to instead favor an ownership group glued and scotch taped together by Kevin Johnson, and an Arena deal with more questions than seating capacity. The precedent was there, begging to be set. Back up the Brinks truck, and the team is yours.

Thankfully, for those in Milwaukee, Sacramento, Charlotte, Indiana, and maybe even us one day, the NBA chose not to "open the door" so to speak. That is not to say that Seattle isn't deserving, they certainly are, but choosing the money, over the history, the fans, and the efforts of Sacramento would put everyone on the firing line. As was the epidemic nearly three decades ago, the bottom dollar would trump history, and no small market would be safe. You dont have a lease? Your owner is free to accept offers from anyone he wants if he wants out, and you better hope that you can find some local people to match or else your team will soon become someone else's team. For every Dan Gilbert or Tom Gores, that have the money, and want to build their market up, there would be a Chris Hansen or Clay Bennett looking to bring your history to their town. Even though the Cavs have never won a title, and have been bad more often than not, they're mine. That is connection we form as fans, with the team, and (sorry LeBron) with the players too. It would kill me see them go elsewhere just because their rich guy is richer than our rich guy.

So, even though some in Seattle may hate me for it, and I do sincerely hope they get a team soon: Thank you David Stern. Thank you 22 NBA owners who believed that the incumbent should just have to be NBA quality, not better than the other guy. Most of all, thank you Kevin Johnson and Sacramento, for helping everyone else who is "not good enough, rich enough, or glamorous enough" feel like they can go a few rounds with Goliath too.

Otto Porter is the BEST player FOR THIS TEAM in this years draft.

2013-05-16T02:03:12Z

Let me start first off by saying that I'm a student at The University of Kentucky and know everything there is to know about Nerlens. He is an incredible athlete no doubt about it. His offensive game is raw and not even close to ready for the NBA, but his ability as a shot blocker and a defender still gives him tons of upside.

But does he fit the Cavs?

No. Not at all. And here is why.

We don't need an athletic big man who can't make any jump shot besides a hook. He can't dribble and beyond 10 feet he is worthless as a shooter. WE HAVE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. And we won't make it if we draft him, even if we get the first pick. We would then have two, young, raw and inconsistent centers. Although Zeller and Noel are inconsistent in different ways, we still wouldn't get good results regardless. If you even want to dream about LeBron coming back, you have to make the playoffs. Wont happen if we take Noel.

Otto Porter is a different story. This team needs someone who can play D, has a solid offensive game, has a great work ethic but most of all plays great defense. His wingspan helps him get steals and deflections and he always knows where the ball is. He is a great defender. He also has a great basketball IQ. Kyrie has a great IQ and Dion is learning, but we need more. Otto knows when to slow the game down and when the game should be going at a fast pace. He always is in the right place and really thinks through everything going on in the game. He is a complete player who can come in and immediately play the SF position.

Oldapio is not tall enough to be a starting SF in the NBA. You can't be barely 6'5 and get good results, sorry, not happening. He can't slow the game down like Porter and his sense of the game isn't like Porters either. He can shoot but he doesn't play as good of defense (not that he is bad, porter is just better) and doesn't fit this team like Porter.

The Cavs know this, as they have Porter ranked higher than Oldapio according to Chad Ford.

Look if we get Nerlens, your not going to see me complaining. He is an incredible athlete and his intangibles are high.

But this team needs a SF who can make an impact from the start in all areas, and that is Porter.

I even think Porter will be the rookie of the year. He is the best all around player in this draft and should not have any trouble winning ROY.

The Cavs need to take him and our young core will take us places next season.

But does he fit the Cavs?

No. Not at all. And here is why.

The Cavs know this, as they have Porter ranked higher than Oldapio according to Chad Ford.

Look if we get Nerlens, your not going to see me complaining. He is an incredible athlete and his intangibles are high.

But this team needs a SF who can make an impact from the start in all areas, and that is Porter.

I even think Porter will be the rookie of the year. He is the best all around player in this draft and should not have any trouble winning ROY.

The Cavs need to take him and our young core will take us places next season.