Let's Stop Neglecting the Draft

[Nirvana]

Everyone is crying for more talent, and rightly so. We have very few players that can score the ball efficiently, and only one player that create points for himself on a consistent basis. Another issue is that Z, Wallace, and Smith are all on the wrong side of 30 and AV kind of sucks, so our front court has some glaring holes.

I know that we want immediate improvement so we can assure that LeBron will stay. Since we don't have any young talent that we're willing to part with in a trade or that anyone would want, our only trade assets are the glut of expiring contracts and the future first round picks we have. A lot of people think we should trade first round picks along with our expiring contracts for a #2 player to complement LeBron. While in some instances this is acceptable, I think we need to remind ourselves why we are so deficient in talent to begin with.

We have only two players on the roster that were drafted by us in the past 5 years, LeBron James and Daniel Gibson. The only other Cavs draftee is Big Z, way back in 1996. We had no picks in 2007, courtesy the Jiri Welsch trade and the AV/Gooden for Battie trade. Our 2006 first round pick was Shannon Brown, a shooting guard who couldn't shoot. In 2005 we had no first rounder (Sasha Pavlovic trade, I believe) but got Martynas Andriuskevicius in the 2nd (OH BOY!!!)... In 2004 we drafted Luke Jackson. In 2003 the city of Cleveland received a rare treat and we drafted LeBron James, 2nd round pick was Jason Kapono who we let go. And, I'll only go back one more year to avoid raising too many repressed memories, in 2002 we drafted Dajuan Wagner in the first and Carlos Boozer in the 2nd.

There are some bright spots in our drafts, but for the most part they have been underwhelming and disappointing, especially with the lack of any first round talent since we drafted LeBron. LeBron is young enough that the guys we draft now could end up playing with him for a decade. If we are trying to mimic an organization like the Spurs, then the emphasis on acquiring talent should shift towards the draft, not trades or free agency. Look where our traded first rounders have gotten us so far; we are in a bigger hole than when we started. We will only get older and the contracts will get more expensive if we continually trade picks rather than utilize them.

People assume that the only talent that can help LeBron is an established star in the league. I feel that he

[L&H_05]

Look man, we've drafted Trajan Langdon, Jamal Crawford, DeSagana Diop, Dajuan Wagner, Luke Jackson and Shannon Brown all within the last 10 years...

We're not neglecting the draft.. The draft is neglecting us..

[Nirvana]

Maybe it is a sign that we are not scouting properly, not coaching the young talent properly, and trading away first rounders needlessly.

[Rise Against]

Well, one thing you cannot fail to mention is the fact that we haven't been lucky with drafting for the last couple of years, with the exception of getting a steal with Boobie a couple years ago and of course LeBron. Who knows? History may have its repeat but it isn't very likely. Take a look at where Shannon Brown was when we drafted him. He played remarkably well in the summer league but didn't buy any minutes playing under Mike Brown during the season. And now he is gone. The only reason why Boobie is playing extended minutes is because he is able to show what he can do. And that is too shoot well consistently. Is there any chance that the player in whom we will draft will be able to do the same? I'm not too fond of it.

So probably one of the better decisions to make is to probably trade the pick along with some expirings for a veteran who can score and shoot for us or possibly an ideal sidekick with LeBron.. People tend to like the value of draft picks nowadays, so why not take advantage of it? Also, if we were to draft a rookie, he would have trouble finding playing time especially considering that Mike Brown don't play them too often besides garbage minutes, which hardly happens.

[B Mac]

We just need to only draft in the second round.

Boozer
Kapono
Gibson

[gflem]

to the OP, remember the Spurs only got to draft Duncan b/c David Robinson got hurt, otherwise they would have been drafting in the mid 20's.

Now they did get Ginobilli and Parker later in the draft, but they were ahead of the curve in scouting, drafting, and in the draft and leave in euro for a season or two before bringing a guy here.

For the most part every team in the L has a presence in euro and elswhere now, so that well of talent that the Spurs mined so well is much better scouted now.

I agree the best way to build is to go through the draft, but that isnt the only way, Riley wheeled and dealt his way to a title in Miami, so there is no "correct" way to get a title.

[tarheelsncavs]

and look where the Heat are at now??? They suck...no depth....they're gonna get better as long as they hold on the Wade and Marion but they got some time before they're at the Championship again....you have to stay in the draft...I made that point on another thread a couple of days ago....scout these guys and find someone who you think will get some minutes and possibly contribute to your team this year and remember, no matter who you draft they get the help of learning next to Lebron James who has turned into possibly the best on floor leader in the game....there are also some guys that could be in free agency that could be worth a chance...Sean May and Emeka Okafor....both have been injured and not logged a lot of minutes but Boozer was in the same situation a few years ago when they didnt resign him...May and Okafor have played well when they were healthy.

[Icness]

Look man, we've drafted Trajan Langdon, Jamal Crawford, DeSagana Diop, Dajuan Wagner, Luke Jackson and Shannon Brown all within the last 10 years...

We're not neglecting the draft.. The draft is neglecting us..

Good line. Don't forget we dealt Crawford for Chris Mihm, making that look even worse.

One thing that pretty much all those guys had in common is that they all were real good at one particular thing and not very good all-arond basketball players. Langdon could shoot wide open 3s, Crawford could create shots...for himself, Diop was really tall, Wagner could get to the rim on anyone...and fail to finish, Jackson was kind of an all-around guy but he got hurt, and Brown couldn't do the one thing that got him drafted--man to man defense. Even Kapono was strictly a wide-open 3pt shooter when he was here, he worked real hard to develop his defense and quicker release once he was gone.

I want to see the Cavs draft an all-around baller, a guy with a high hoops IQ. I don't want a sniper, I don't want a developmental banger, I don't want a dribble king penetrator, I don't want a skinny shot blocking PF. I want a guy like James Posey or Matt Harpring (oh to have him back!) or Luke Walton or Shane Battier. Those guys can all score a little, play solid defense, handle the ball, rebound, and understand floor spacing and off-ball movement. That is what this team needs, not a guy who offers one skill markedly better than what those guys bring but doesn't do much else.

Edit--As I watched about 8 total hours of college basketball all of last year, someone tell me some names of who fits that bill that can realistically be had for the Cavs pick.

[Hydroponic3385]

Bill Walker perhaps? Guys like CDR, Koufos and Speights I want as well, but they don't fit that mold.

[CzBoobie]

Rush or bust...