Cleveland Cavs (2016 NBA Champions)

[LordJeffBuck]

To me it seems like they are going to have to start him at the 3 in a standard lineup and move him over to the 4 when they go small with Irving, Waiters, Karasev, and TT/Andy.

So is Bennett a short 4 or a fat 3?

I really have to question Chris Grant's overall philosophy. For years this team has been stockpiling assets to give them flexibility, and then they get stuck taking three picks in the worst draft in recent memory. It just doesn't make any sense at all - there had to be some trade option that was better than staying pat.

In the post-Lebron era, the Cavs have had six picks in the first round, and have ended up with:

1. Kyrie Irving - a bonafide superstar
2. Tristan Thompson - an undersized power forward with limited skills on both offense and defense; now likely a bench player with the addition of Bennett
3. Dion Waiters - a shooting guard who can't shoot, and won't play defense; much better suited as a sixth-man
4. Tyler Zeller - a back-up center, and not a very good one at that
5. Anthony Bennett - a classic tweener who's already trying to eat himself out of the league (reportedly weighs 260+)
6. Sergey Karasev - a tweener and a project

So in three drafts, the Cavs still haven't obtained a starting 3, a starting 5, or a legitimate perimeter shooter.

 

[buckeyesin07]

So in three drafts, the Cavs still haven't obtained a starting 3, a starting 5, or a legitimate perimeter shooter.

Bingo. If they didn't like Len or Noel, fine--then take Porter who could've filled a huge hole at the 3. I just don't see how Bennett fits with Thompson.

Also baffling is not taking Withey at #31 or #33, who would've been good value at either of those picks. Even though he's not an NBA starter, he could give good minutes off the bench at the 5. Instead they take two more guards and elect to trade the better of the two while keeping the guy who no one even had being selected in any mock draft I saw.

 

[exhawg]

So is Bennett a short 4 or a fat 3?

I really have to question Chris Grant's overall philosophy. For years this team has been stockpiling assets to give them flexibility, and then they get stuck taking three picks in the worst draft in recent memory. It just doesn't make any sense at all - there had to be some trade option that was better than staying pat.

In the post-Lebron era, the Cavs have had six picks in the first round, and have ended up with:

1. Kyrie Irving - a bonafide superstar
2. Tristan Thompson - an undersized power forward with limited skills on both offense and defense; now likely a bench player with the addition of Bennett
3. Dion Waiters - a shooting guard who can't shoot, and won't play defense; much better suited as a sixth-man
4. Tyler Zeller - a back-up center, and not a very good one at that
5. Anthony Bennett - a classic tweener who's already trying to eat himself out of the league (reportedly weighs 260+)
6. Sergey Karasev - a tweener and a project

So in three drafts, the Cavs still haven't obtained a starting 3, a starting 5, or a legitimate perimeter shooter.

a or b? :p

I'd say get Bennett on a diet and have him play this season at 230 and then add good mass over the next couple years. Let him be a slow 3 that can play 4 when they go small. In a perfect world Irving, Waiters, Bennett, and Karacev all turn into legitimate perimeter shooters although Waiters will be best as a slasher similar to Wade. Zeller and Thompson need to bulk up enough to play the 5 and limit Andy to 25 minutes a game.

The biggest key will be getting Mike Brown to teach a bunch of guys that haven't been interested in playing defense how to play defense.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

I'd say get Bennett on a diet and have him play this season at 230 and then add good mass over the next couple years.

Or trade him to the Browns, where he could fill a need at tight end....

The biggest key will be getting Mike Brown to teach a bunch of guys that haven't been interested in playing defense how to play defense.

QFT

 

[buckeyesin07]

I was telling my buddies before the pick that it was probably going to be someone that we never expected and at least I was right. I'm shocked, but I'm not going to say anything negative since Bennett would probably make me look like an idiot when he starts putting up 20 and 10 a night.

I keep hearing this in regards to Bennett, but I'm a bit skeptical, considering he only put up 20 and 10 in 8 of UNLV's 35 games last year (and most of those 8 games were before conference play started).

 

[AKAK]

3. Dion Waiters - a shooting guard who can't shoot, and won't play defense; much better suited as a sixth-man

To be honest, I was almost waiting for them to take Oladipo, and I was gonna be pretty happy with the backcourt after that, and just tell myself this draft sucked and they took the BPA, what else could they do?

 

[Brutus1]

So is Bennett a short 4 or a fat 3?

I really have to question Chris Grant's overall philosophy. For years this team has been stockpiling assets to give them flexibility, and then they get stuck taking three picks in the worst draft in recent memory. It just doesn't make any sense at all - there had to be some trade option that was better than staying pat.

In the post-Lebron era, the Cavs have had six picks in the first round, and have ended up with:

1. Kyrie Irving - a bonafide superstar
2. Tristan Thompson - an undersized power forward with limited skills on both offense and defense; now likely a bench player with the addition of Bennett
3. Dion Waiters - a shooting guard who can't shoot, and won't play defense; much better suited as a sixth-man
4. Tyler Zeller - a back-up center, and not a very good one at that
5. Anthony Bennett - a classic tweener who's already trying to eat himself out of the league (reportedly weighs 260+)
6. Sergey Karasev - a tweener and a project

So in three drafts, the Cavs still haven't obtained a starting 3, a starting 5, or a legitimate perimeter shooter.

Wow, the ultimate in Cleveland woe is me fan attitude.

 

[starBUCKS]

Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 28m

Undrafted free agent Kenny Kadji will play for the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league team.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Wow, the ultimate in Cleveland woe is me fan attitude.

Wow, the ultimate in-depth response.

In case you haven't noticed, the Cavs have won 64 games in the past three seasons combined. And Cavs' fans are supposed to have a positive attitude?

And feel free to point out where I was wrong.

 

[Brutus1]

Wow, the ultimate in-depth response.

In case you haven't noticed, the Cavs have won 64 games in the past three seasons combined. And Cavs' fans are supposed to have a positive attitude?

And feel free to point out where I was wrong.

Truth hurts, huh? Well, we are 40 pages in and your first replies in the thread are crying about who was drafted the last three years. That just screams of typical Cleveland woe is me attitude. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just calling it how I see it.

Yea, you're probably right that Grant passed on the opportunity to trade out of the spot.

I bet you're a hell of a Monday morning qb.

I guess we'll see you in the Cavs thread in a year from now.

 

[stowfan]

Wow, the ultimate in-depth response.

In case you haven't noticed, the Cavs have won 64 games in the past three seasons combined. And Cavs' fans are supposed to have a positive attitude?

And feel free to point out where I was wrong.

Same rookie shooting percentages as a bum named, Mark Price.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg-MWDad_zc"]Dion Waiters vs Heat (Full Highlights) [24.02.2013] - YouTube[/ame]

 

[BayBuck]

I like the pick, Bennett was one of my favorite prospects in the draft (no expert here obviously, but all the top picks were flawed and he was generally a beast when I did catch UNLV games last season). Is he a 3 or a 4? A little of both obviously, but this is a team with a need for starters, and he's got the body and game to play ahead of most of the schmoes on the roster already. There just was no franchise center available in the draft, so whaddayagunnado?

But I do not get the 2nd-round picks at all. There were several legitimate big-man contributors still on the board: if they wanted a defense-only player, why not take Withey?

 

[LitlBuck]

I think the problem with the Cavs is that they keep building, like all Cleveland teams, for the future and the future never comes. I also do not understand all the love for Dan Gilbert because in my mind he is no different than any other Cleveland owner in that he has not brought a championship to Cleveland so until that happens he is no better than any other Cleveland owner.

 

[exhawg]

I like the pick, Bennett was one of my favorite prospects in the draft (no expert here obviously, but all the top picks were flawed and he was generally a beast when I did catch UNLV games last season). Is he a 3 or a 4? A little of both obviously, but this is a team with a need for starters, and he's got the body and game to play ahead of most of the schmoes on the roster already. There just was no franchise center available in the draft, so whaddayagunnado?

But I do not get the 2nd-round picks at all. There were several legitimate big-man contributors still on the board: if they wanted a defense-only player, why not take Withey?

I was calling for Withey at 33.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Truth hurts, huh? Well, we are 40 pages in and your first replies in the thread are crying about who was drafted the last three years. That just screams of typical Cleveland woe is me attitude. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just calling it how I see it.

Yea, you're probably right that Grant passed on the opportunity to trade out of the spot.

I bet you're a hell of a Monday morning qb.

I guess we'll see you in the Cavs thread in a year from now.

Again, great in-depth analysis - I like how you disputed each of my assertions point by point:

1. First, question my knowledge/fandom ("Well, we are 40 pages in and your first replies in the thread...")

2. Then repeat your original derogatory remark ("That just screams of typical Cleveland woe is me attitude.")

3. Next add a sarcastic comment ("Yea, you're probably right that Grant passed on the opportunity to trade out of the spot.")

4. Throw in a completely unnecessary an ad hominem attack ("I bet you're a hell of a Monday morning qb")

5. Finish with the obligatory emoticon ( )

So, kudos to you - you really know how to present an argument. And you also contributed a lot to the discussion, which, if I remember correctly, was concerning Chris Grant's draft history.

As far as Grant passing on the opportunity to trade the #1 pick, I never said that he did. I will now give you a second opportunity to read what I actually wrote:

"For years this team has been stockpiling assets to give them flexibility, and then they get stuck taking three picks in the worst draft in recent memory. It just doesn't make any sense at all - there had to be some trade option that was better than staying pat."

I never specifically mentioned the #1 pick, although that certainly could have been a key piece in any of the numerous proposed trades. And the Cavs were actively shopping the pick, according to Cavs' insider Sam Amico (FOX Sports Ohio): LINK

In addition, Amico reported this morning on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland that the Cavs' war room was "subdued" after a big trade fell through; he didn't mention the #1 pick specifically, but it was certainly implied in his comments. Amico then added that a front office person on the other side of the proposed trade told him that "Chris Grant's need to fleece the other team really cost him tonight."

So, Grant didn't pass on the opportunity to trade #1, but rather that opportunity passed him by.