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Cleveland Cavaliers: 2009 NBA Draft
May 6th, 2009
by Jason Tomassini
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2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects |
- We’ll update our Team Capsules with more specific info once the lottery is complete.
Cleveland Cavaliers
2008-09 Record: 66-16
Draft Picks: 30, 46
Key Free Agents:
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (ETO)
Anderson Varejao (PO)
How They Got Here:
By being extremely good at basketball and having a player that is a freak of nature. But seriously, this team took one of the best individual seasons ever and matched it with an incoming all-star (Mo Williams) and surprisingly great seasons from Delonte West and Anderson Varejao to basically save basketball in Cleveland by giving Lebron a potential reason to come back. And that they did it on defense, with some guys not really known for D (Ilgauskas, Szczerbiak, Daniel Gibson), is a testament to Mike Brown and of course, Bron Bron.
What They Need:
If they could possibly draft a top-notch butler or chauffeur for Lebron, someone that makes him really comfortable in Cleveland, I’d go that way. Maybe Eric Devendorf is available. But seriously, the Cavs frontcourt doesn’t look so hot right now, so they need to sure up some depth there. Varejao should be back, but expensive, Joe Smith is likely gone, Ilgauskas should be back but is old and Ben Wallace has the unfortunate situation of being Ben Wallace. JJ Hickson, by all accounts, was a nice pick, but they are going to need an experienced big man that can give them immediate minutes.
Who They'll Take:
This is an atrocious draft for big men, especially centers, and even the top guys, besides Griffin, look very suspect. So they need to just find a guy that can play solid defense and maybe knock down open 15-footers. Taj Gibson, Jeff Pendergraph, Dante Cunningham and Jeff Adrien seem exactly like the kind of guys that could flourish in Brown’s defensive system and overcome their lack of ideal NBA size by playing alongside Lebron. Josh Heytvelt would even be tempting, as long as they don’t ever let him hang out with Lebron.
Cleveland Cavaliers Draft History (since 2000)
2008: JJ Hickson (19)
2007: No Picks
2006: Shannon Brown (25), Daniel Gibson (42), Ejike Ugboaja (55)
2005: No Picks
2004: Luke Jackson (10)
2003: LeBron James (1), Jason Kapono (31)
2002: Dajuan Wagner (6)
2001: DeSagana Diop (8), Brendan Haywood (20), Jeff Trepagnier (36)
2000: Jamal Crawford (8)
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2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects |
Top Prospects
Stephen
Curry - PG/SG - Davidson
Tyreke
Evans - PG/SG - Memphis
Blake
Griffin - PF - Oklahoma
James
Harden - SG - Arizona State
Jordan
Hill - PF - Arizona
Ty
Lawson - PG - UNC
BJ
Mullens - C - Ohio State
Ricky
Rubio - PG - DKV Joventut
Brandon
Jennings - PG - Arizona
Hasheem
Thabeet - C - UCONN
Comments
cav s
Submitted by Hunter Hadley (not verified) on Thu, 2009-06-04 11:03.
The Cavs are tough to solve they have great players, honestly they have the best player that will ever play the game if all goes well.But what the cavs lacked this year was Height,Post presence, and everyone But Lebron. But this years draft will be a strong one..
Well lets look what is the one thing that killed cleveland this year?
MATCHUPS.
Cleavlands small guaards and Orlandos 6,10 guards. Why not aquire a tall guard or two?
The Players i think would benefit Cleveland the most is
1)Danny Green (UNC) 6"6- This guard is one of the hardest playing players you will ever see( except one to be named later in the Message) But he has a great shot and great range. He has a 38 inch verticle and can finish around the rim, Also a great shot Blocker would add well needed defense and offense.
2)Marcus Thornton 6'4 LSU- a great guard as he proved through out the year but he has one of the best shots in college this year averaging 28 points a game that would definately help lebron!
3)TYLER HANSBROUGH 6'9 UNC- HARDEST PLAYING PLAYER I HAVE EVER SEEN!!
He brings all he has every day something cavs players failed to do this year Except Lebron.... He has the best shot of any big man in the draft he will be the best player the cavs could draft......
I like the cavs chances in
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2009-06-20 12:41.
I like the cavs chances in 2010 I think hansborugh will get picked up way b4 the cavs have a shot but Marcus Thornton is an awesome player as stated earlier and would most likely go late 1st or early 2nd round.
GO CAVS
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About Jason Tomassini
Columnist
Freshman 10, Commentary
Contact
jtom21@gmail.com
Background
Jason Tomassini recently graduated from the University of Delaware where he was the managing sports editor at Delaware’s student-run newspaper The Review. He is also a freelance sports journalist with frequent contributions to the Wilmington News Journal in Wilmington, Del. His favorite team is Syracuse and his most hated teams are Duke, Pittsburgh and whoever Dick Vitale decides to yell about. While he has a degree in English/Journalism and a minor is business administration, he does not recommend getting either for yourself.
Location
Newark, DE
"If they could possibly
"If they could possibly draft a top-notch butler or chauffeur for Lebron, someone that makes him really comfortable in Cleveland, I’d go that way."
Loved this.