Cleveland Cavaliers hold all the aces as Draft draws near - NBA Update
The transition from one of the top teams in the league, to the worst in the East and the second worst overall has been a very painful journey for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The franchise that sank to new depths of frailty after LeBron
James embarked on his journey to the South Beach however has finally got something to cheer about.
And it is fate that has taken them on the same track, they graced in 2003, perhaps a step further. As the 2011 National Basketball Draft draws near, the franchise is all set to rope in two of the top five talents available. After
going through a 63 game tailspin in last season, the Cavs are all set to be rejuvenated with No. 1 and No. 4 pick in this year’s draft. And, as expected, the franchise seems quite exciting about it. Cleveland fans are also highly anticipating the draft since
they haven’t celebrated anything since the last year.
Scott Sargent, a co-founder of the Cleveland sports blog ‘Waiting for Next Year’ said, “Cleveland fans are resilient. They’re just hopeful that — I don’t want to say, ‘Pain,’ — but that after all the turmoil that the franchise
went through over the last year, that there is some end story to it that it is worthwhile.”
Duke University Blue Devils guard Kyrie Irving and University of Arizona Wildcats’ Derrick Williams are the two hot shots in this year’s draft. There is a high probability that the Cavs will pick Irving as the number one pick and
use No. 4 to add a new centre in their line-up. Enes Kanter and Jonas Valanciunas are two very talented international players, who have made their mark at the centre position.
The 6 ft 2in Irving participated in only eight games for the Dukes this season and has only just recovered from a turf toe injury. In those eight games, Irving scored at an average of 17.4 points with a shooting percentage of 53.2
percent. He also dished out 5.1 assists, clutched 3.8 rebounds and snatched 1.5 steal during that period. Williams on the other hand, is a seasoned campaigner and is known for his excellent perimeter shooting, his versatility at both forward positions and
his dibbling abilities.
However, Irving still holds an advantage, not only because the Cavs are in need of a quality play maker but Irving has the ability to mature into an on court leader – a facet Cavaliers desperately need.
Kanter is another exciting prospect and the Cavs are so interested in him that they have twice conducted is pre draft trials. Kanter has played for a major club in Turkey and he was also a part of the Turkish national junior team,
where he won a bronze medal. Plus, he is an athletic big man and this breed of basketball player is becoming extinct. The only problem is that Kanter is a hot property and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the second ace, have also shown their interest
in him. If they don’t pick him, the Utah Jazz are almost certainly going to draft him.
However it is still an open playing field for the Cavs and the decision still remains with the Cavs, whom they will pick from the draft on June 23.
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