Apparently, Dan Gilbert’s new Horseshoe Casino has the entire Cavaliers’ organization in the gambling spirit, because GM Chris Grant did not take the safe route in the 2012 NBA Draft.
The safe pick would have been to take Thomas Robinson after the Cavs first choice, Bradley Beal was taken at #3 by Washington.
Robinson was the best player remaining on the board, and figured to be one of the three players left for the Cavaliers after Anthony Davis was made the first pick in the process by New Orleans.
The former Jayhawk wouldn’t have filled a need, since the Cavs have Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson, but you can never have enough big men.
Plus, Robinson was regarded by many scouts to be the safest pick in the draft.
However, Grant threw caution to the wind and went with the wing player the Cavaliers really need, guard Dion Waiters from Syracuse, who didn’t start for the Orange.
It’s not a huge reach because most mock drafts had Waiters going in the 7-10 range. But, there are plenty of questions about the new Cav’s game.
He’s a good shooter, strong, and can finish at the rim. He can create his own shot, something very few Cavaliers can do. A few people have compared his game to Dwyane Wade.
On the other hand, Waiters doesn’t seem to go to the basket that often, averaging only 2-1/2 free throws per game. He’s also just 6’4″, so will he be able to guard the #2 guards who have two to three inches on him.
Also, he played in Syracuse’s famed zone defense, so can he defend at the NBA level?
That’s a lot of questions for the fourth pick in a very, very deep draft.
Grant did make a solid move later in the evening, dealing the 24th choice in the first round and two second round picks to move up to #17, and taking the second best center this year, North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller.
Zeller is a legitimate 7 footer, and can run the floor, which should fit well with Kyrie Irving leading the fast break.
He’s also a good shooter, with range to around 18 feet and he’s good from the charity stripe as well, shooting 76% last year.
He does need to gain strength, though, like pretty much every collegiate big man. He will also have to learn to pass out of the double teams that will await him in the pro game.
All in all, it’s a pretty good gamble in the middle of the first round. Several mock drafts had the big man (The New Z?) going in the 10-12 range, so to get him at 17 is a good deal.
Cleveland also received G Kelenna Azubuike in the deal. He’s suffered through injuries the last two years, playing only 12 games combined. He did average 14.4 points per game for Golden State in 2008-09.
He tore his patella tendon in 2009, and had complications with the surgery to repair the injury. If he’s healed, he can be a rotation player for Byron Scott this season.
Another move worth the gamble.
Grant’s legacy is most definitely tied to the Waiters pick. If the guard develops into some version of Wade, he will be hailed as a supreme talent evaluator, if he doesn’t and Robinson turns into a solid pro, he will be vilified.
There have been reports that several scouts feel Grant made one helluva pick.
We’ll let what happens on the court make that decision.
Grant is hoping he hits blackjack at the Horseshoe.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 