Tag: dion waiters

Cavs Lead Summer in Rumors

In some respects, the Cleveland Cavaliers are like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, they seems to be constantly involved in the rumor mill.

Everyday, there is a new trade proposal out there involving the Cavs.

First, it was the Dwight Howard mess, with the Cavs getting a bunch of picks, some cash and Kris Humphreys for Luke Walton.

No brainer, right?

Then the wine and gold were involved in a possible sign and trade with the Nets for F Antawn Jamison.

Since Jamison was leaving anyway, it would be great to get something for him, correct?

Then it was back to Howard again, this time the Cavs would get Lakers’ C Andrew Bynum in a three-way deal which would send the current Magic big man to the Lakers.

Getting a 24-year-old all-star would be a great move, without a doubt.

They also were interested in F/C Luis Scola, amnestied by the Rockets, but they came up short on their bid.

It is all just speculation, and so far, GM Chris Grant has not made any move.

We understand the Cavs have a plan and want to build a team through the draft, using the “Oklahoma City model” as many have called it.

Still, there are plenty of holes remaining on the roster that need to be filled, and the GM needs to address them.

A look at the current roster would show a starting lineup of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters at guards, Alonzo Gee and Tristan Thompson at forward and Anderson Varejao at center.

Who would back them up?

And this is assuming the Cavaliers will match any offers for Gee, who is a restricted free agent.

They do have Donald Sloan to back up for Irving, although there are rumors they are looking at Johnny Flynn.

They have Daniel Gibson to be a reserve at shooting guard, but he’s injury prone, and the guess here is the front office doesn’t want to bring him back.

They also have Kelenna Azubuike on the roster, but he’s missed most of the last two seasons with a knee injury.

Among the big men, they do have first round pick Tyler Zellers and veteran Samardo Samuels to provide depth, but there really isn’t anyone behind Gee, if he indeed returns, except Omri Casspi, who wasn’t very good in his first year with the team.

So clearly, there is still much to do to get this roster ready for the regular season, that is unless the Cavs plan on winning about 20 games again in 2012-13.

People will point out that Cleveland wouldn’t mind getting back in the draft lottery again next summer, and while that may be true, they also don’t want to regress from last season.

To show improvement, Grant is likely to bring in a productive veteran to take some pressure off of Waiters, so the coach Byron Scott doesn’t have to count on the rookie to score 15 points per game.

That is unless either feel comfortable giving meaningful minutes to guys like Luke Harangody or D. J. Kennedy, and that is extremely doubtful.

There have been reports that now that the initial wave of huge cash being spent on free agents has passed, the Cavs will be active soon.

However, fans don’t want rumors and speculation, they want to see a young team improve even more.

JK

Cavs Take a Gamble in Draft

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