Tag Archives: NBA Draft

With A Jimmmitude: LaMelo, Pistons, Wiseman

Posted on by
Advertisements
LaMelo Ball to the Hornets

Charlotte may be one of the better landing spots for LaMelo Ball. The Hornets are a team that has a ways to go in regards to the rebuild department, but this is about some other aspects of his selection. Contrary to the first team his brother played on (the Lakers), Charlotte is not going to attract the same amount of attention as Los Angeles. This is good news not only for LaMelo, but any type of attention that his father LaVar would bring.

LaVar Ball has been pretty much off the radar for some time now. Lonzo no longer playing for the Lakers definitely has to play a factor, but it is also worth nothing that he has worn out his welcome at a wide variety of outlets. LaMelo playing in Charlotte, for a team owned by Michael Jordan, should keep any unnecessary nonsense in check. If there is anyone who can keep LaVar quiet it is “His Airness”. Additionally, we may finally get that game of 1-on-1 that we are all hoping for. Here’s hoping.

Detroit Pistons continue youth movement

If there is a team that needed a change of direction it was the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has been stuck in neutral for some time now and they began reshaping their roster last season by trading Andre Drummond to Cleveland. The Pistons took the next step in their process by adding four players through the draft (Killian Hayes, Saben Lee, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart), The youth movement is clearly in full force for Detroit and it only seems like a matter of time before they start making some more trades with other veterans on their roster.

James Wiseman to the Warriors

The second overall pick seemed to be in question right before the draft due to the recent injury to Klay Thompson. With his injury there were some who thought that Golden State would opt to select a guard in an attempt to limit the impact of Thompson’s absence. That did not come to fruition as the Warriors still ended up selecting center James Wiseman.

James Wiseman has a skill set that none of the Warriors current stars have, the skill set of a big man. This addition will give their offense a dimension that they did not have previously. The Warriors should be able to balance their usual three-point barrage with a presence down low, giving them an offensive attack that will be the envy of the league.

With or without Thompson, Wiseman should be a productive for Golden State. Wiseman does not have to be a star, unlike many other players selected near the top of the draft. All Wiseman needs to be is a secondary or even tertiary option for Golden State. The Warriors will be able to ease him in nicely and let him adapt to the NBA game on a timeframe that should not be impede his development.

Cavs select Isaac Okoro fifth overall

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected the Auburn forward with the fifth overall pick.

There were rumors leading up to the draft and even when the Cavs were on the clock that they made trade the fifth overall pick. They were just rumors as the Cleveland Cavaliers made Auburn forward Isaac Okoro their selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Isaac Okoro is a player that has some intangibles on offense and is good defensively, the only issue is his jump shot. Okoro’s jump shot is a work in progress and is something that will have to come later. Luckily his defense will make an instant impact for a Cavs team that desperately needs it. Saying that Cleveland has been abysmal defensively the past few seasons is a compliment, they needed help in that area and Okoro certainly addresses that.

Looking at the Cavs roster it seems like there is a great opportunity for Isaac Okoro to take a starting spot. This would result in moving Cedi Osman into a bench role, something that he is actually suited best for. Okoro as a starter along with Collin Sexton and Darius Garland is a great start as the Cavs are looking towards building for the future.

CBS mock draft has Obi Toppin to Cavs

Posted on by
Advertisements

A mock draft by Kyle Boone of CBS Sports has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the Dayton forward fifth overall.

The NBA Draft is fast approaching and there is another mock draft that has the Cleveland Cavaliers making a familiar pick. Kyle Boone of CBS Sports has the Cavs selection Obi Toppin with the fifth pick in the draft. Below is Boone’s reason for the pick.

“With Cleveland using top-10 picks on guards in consecutive years, they go big here to add weapons around them. Obi Toppin is a freakish athlete and rim-runner who can give Collin Sexton and Darius Garland a can’t-miss lob target who can also step out and hit 3-pointers.“

This is solid reasoning from Boone. Cleveland needs to put together a transition plan for the post-Kevin Love era and they could do a lot worse than Obi Toppin. There is the possibility that the Cavs could trade Love soon and that would open up playing time for someone such as Toppin.

Exactly what the Cavs plan on doing in the draft may become a bit clearer starting on Monday at noon as that is when teams are permitted to make trades again. If they trade one or more big men it will be abundantly clear they plan on addressing that area in the draft. If not, the mystery of what they will do will continue.

LaMelo Ball falls to Cavs in recent mock draft

Posted on by
Advertisements

A recent mock draft appearing has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the youngest Ball brother in the 2020 NBA Draft.

There is the belief that LaMelo Ball could slip in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft. A mock draft appearing on SportingNews.com has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Ball fifth overall. Here is the reasoning provided by Eric Fawcett, the creator the mock.

The most recent evolution in NBA basketball is the move from small, traditional point guards handling the rock to bigger wings being the primary initiators, a trend started by LeBron James and Kevin Durant and more recently advanced by Ben Simmons and Luka Doncic. In this draft class it’s LaMelo Ball who brings ball handling and offensive creation to the table at 6-foot-7 and his ability to read defenses and make the flashy pass or get into the paint and demonstrate his otherworldly touch around the rim makes him an enticing prospect at the top of the draft. Teams will be hoping his jump shot straightens out and his effort on defence will finally improve under the bright lights of the highest level of hoops but offensive instincts at 6-foot-7 are tough to ignore.

There is some solid points here. Larger players who are the primary ball handlers are definitely valued by NBA teams. A team like the Cavs could use a distributor type player to get the ball to their shooters. As the above also mentions there are issues with his jump shot and defense, the latter being an issue for the Cavs as a whole.

The question in regards to LaMelo Ball and the Cavs is fit. Cleveland has a lot of young players who they are looking to use as their foundation moving forward including Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. Cleveland will be looking to incorporate who they end up selecting in the draft with their current roster. In additions to making decisions on their current players, they will have to figure out if someone like LaMelo Ball fits their future roster plans. That includes the possible relegation of players to a bench role if not trading them elsewhere.

Isaac Okoro to Cavs in mock draft

Posted on by
Advertisements

A mock draft appearing on NBC Sports has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the Auburn forward with the fifth overall pick.

Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia put together a mock draft and has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Isaac Okoro fifth overall. Levick provided some reasoning for the selection.

The Cavs have had the NBA’s worst-rated defense the past two seasons. They’ve taken Darius Garland, Dylan Windler and Collin Sexton in the last two drafts and could certainly use an outstanding wing defender like Okoro. 

Levick on mocking Okoro to the Cavs

The reasoning is sound, Cleveland’s defense is atrocious to say the least. Adding a wing defender like Okoro to the mix would definitely help improve that group. Considering they’ve been offensive heavy in their recent drafts, this would be an intriguing way to help provide some balance to their lineup.

While Isaac Okoro is mentioned for his defense, he was still able to provide some production on the offensive end. Okoro averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game during his lone season with the Tigers. Okoro doesn’t need to be a primary option on offense, but he is able to contribute when given the opportunity. With Cleveland already having plenty of shooters on the roster, Okoro being someone who doesn’t need to shoot to be productive is noteworthy.

The Cavs may not end up selecting Isaac Okoro when it is time to make their pick. Although, if he is available consideration is more than warranted.

Obi Toppin to Cavs in Sam Vecenie’s mock

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the 22-year old forward from Dayton with the fifth pick in the draft.

Obi Toppin to the Cavs? It may be a possibility. In Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft he has Cleveland selecting the sophomore out of Dayton with the fifth overall pick.

Vecenie mentions that adding Toppin to the Cavs would be a boost offensively as a combination of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and Andre Drummond. There are concerns that are also noted, those being defensive. While Toppin helps the team offensively, defensively it does not help and that’s a problem for Cleveland. The Cavaliers have not been good defensively for some time now and at some point that needs to change, even with the league not placing a premium on defense anymore.

Selecting Obi Toppin at five would fall under taking the best available player style of team building, a strategy that Vecenie does not necessarily agree with. However the Cavs are a team currently right in the middle on the competitive spectrum. Not good enough to contend and not bad enough to tank. The uncertain future Kevin Love in Cleveland only complicates matters. Until the Cavs are fully on one end of the spectrum taking BPA is really the only way to go. Eventually things will work themselves out one way or the other and until then they should just collect talent.

Deni Avdjia to Cavs in NBA Mock Draft

Posted on by
Advertisements

A recent NBA Mock Draft on NBC Sports has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the 19-year old forward with the 5th overall pick.

The NBA season is over and mock drafts are going to be more and more common. A mock draft on NBC Sports has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Deni Avdjia at No. 5 overall.

Avdjia appeared in 26 games for Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv last season, averaging 4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Those numbers are not all that encouraging, but it’s not about what he could do and not what he’s done in the past. There is a lot of upside with Avdjia and that is what teams would be banking on.

If the Cavs were to select Dani Avdjia it would be a talent collection move for the future. Cleveland has a lot of sorting out to do with their roster and the current construction of it. The long term futures of Kevin Love and Andre Drummond are unknown at this time. Trade rumors always surround Love and are sure to pop up with Drummond sooner or later. There is also the trio of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and Kevin Porter Jr. to consider. The Cavaliers will have to figure out how they work together and how someone like Avdjia fits into the mix.

If Cleveland truly believes that all of these pieces can work together than it would be a wise decision. If there any doubts, they will have to properly evaluate the roster and figure out the best way to build a core of a team to get back into contention.

Obi Toppin to Cavs in NBA mock draft

Posted on by
Advertisements

In a NBA mock draft published on Bleacher Report the Cleveland Cavaliers are slotted to pick Dayton forward Obi Toppin fifth overall.

With the conclusion of the NBA Draft Lottery there is a little better idea of how the draft might go. A mock draft from Bleacher Report has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Obi Toppin fifth overall.

LaMelo Ball, Onyeka Okongwu, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman go before Cleveland in that order in this particular mock. This gives the Cavs the opportunity to select the Dayton forward at five.

Obi Toppin played two years at Dayton and was outstanding during his second season. Toppin averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1 steal per game. Toppin made 63.3% of his field goal attempts including 39% from three-point range.

Adding Toppin to this current Cavs lineup would be interesting. Cleveland currently has Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. as their primary power forwards. Of course the Cavs could always trade Love which would open up playing time for someone like Toppin or they could choose not to re-sign Tristan Thompson and opt to go with only one true center. This would allow Cleveland to mix and match forwards in order to maximize lineup options.

Drafting Obi Toppin fifth overall may not be the best fit at this current time. Luckily for Cleveland they need to be in talent collection mode and not worry about fit. The Cavs are not anywhere near contending right now, they just need to add talent and figure the rest out later.

Cavaliers land 5th pick in NBA Draft Lottery

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Cavaliers landed the fifth overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.

For the second consecutive season the Cleveland Cavaliers will pick fifth in the NBA Draft.

With the way the draft lottery is now conducted the fifth pick was the most likely outcome for Cleveland.

Cleveland selected Darius Garland fifth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and will look to add more talent in October’s draft. The Cavs also added Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr. to supplement their roster. The fifth overall pick will be Cleveland’s only selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.

James Wiseman to Cavs in mock draft

Posted on by
Advertisements

A new mock draft on Bleacher Report has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Memphis center James Wiseman with the second overall pick.

On one hand the Cleveland Cavaliers need talent. On the other they need to try to address their needs in the draft thoughtfully. That is why their selection in a mock draft on Bleacher Report is so interesting. With the second overall pick the Cavs take Memphis center James Wiseman.

If the news about the Cavs looking to keep both Andre Drummond and Kevin Love did not surface last week this pick may make a bit more sense. Considering that both players appear to be in the plans for the Cavs in 2020 this makes the pick interesting to say the least.

Perhaps Cleveland would be looking to have James Wiseman come off the bench alongside Larry Nance Jr. at the beginning and if their season goes south, moves him into the starting lineup once they trade Drummond and Love. This would require some longterm planning and building a foundation of young players. The only issue is that Cleveland seems to be persistent in their belief that they will compete next season. That sort of creates some problems when taking Wiseman is mentioned with their current roster construction.

The Cavaliers just need to determine a realistic plan and stick with it. Taking James Wiseman would be a great move towards building something for the long haul. If that is what they end up doing in the draft, it would be hard to complain about.