Posts
The beginning of their roster gut will start with the worst contracts on the team, Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison. The Cavaliers already have the least talented roster in the entire NBA, with Jamison and Williams likely to be dealt for expiring contracts (or the combination of picks and expirings) the Cavaliers will be even worse.
As a result, the Cavaliers will be without their top two scorers this year, and they will likely be replaced with bench warmers or with nothing at all until this coming June, or possibly even a few June's down the road (stemming directly from the trade).
With that said, I think it is safe to assume that the Cavaliers will have the highest chance of winning the lottery when this June rolls around.
Kyrie Irving is the top point guard prospect eligible for this year's NBA draft. Kyrie has exceptional point guard skills, better than anyone in this class of NBA eligible players.
He has good pick n' roll play, and if you throw in the ability to score the ball in multiple ways including knocking down the long ball efficiently, you have a great talent at point guard. That is not to mention his nice size at the point guard position, and the fact that he is cat-quick with, and without, the ball.
More importantly, he has the brain: The guy has the poise and the understanding of the game to be trusted to start at point guard as a freshman for arguably the most prestigious college basketball program in the world, and is also learning under Mike Krzyzewski, one of the greatest coaches of all-time.
Now many of you are wondering why anybody in their right mind would leave Duke early to pursue a career with (most likely) the Cleveland Cavaliers, the worst team in the NBA.
Kyrie would be entering what many people are calling a shallow draft, and is likely to be picked higher and receive more money and press than next year, when the draft is expected to be deeper and probably much different considering the new CBA.
Rumor has it that they are trying to allow high school kids to enter the draft again, consequently making it harder for everyone to get drafted high.
There is not a soul who would have Kyrie Irving going outside of the top-five, and for most, the top-three in this draft.
This draft is also extremely potential-based: When you look at it, Perry Jones, Harrison Barnes, and Kanter are all expected to go in the top-five, and are all guys who are going to be drafted that high based on their potential.
This is why Kyrie's draft stock shouldn't take a hit, even with his injury.
One of my favorite websites, draftexpess.com, still has him going No. 1, and I trust their insight. In a draft that is "potential-centric," I don't see why a guy like Kyrie who could contribute both immediately and potentially even more in the future shouldn't go No. 1.
OK, Kyrie can get drafted first overall, but would this be more advantageous than learning for one more year under coach K? I think it would, since this year he will have the highest chance of being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This probably sounds ridiculous to you, I know.
The Cavaliers don't have "that guy" yet, and Kyrie Irving would immediately become "that guy." Not only that, he is entering the best situation to reach his potential and become a top flight point guard in this league.
Byron Scott is the reason. Byron Scott has taken the two teams he's coached from terrible first seasons to quickly reach great heights.
Byron Scott won 26 games with the New Jersey Nets in his first year there, but the second year he led them to 52 wins and a trip to the NBA finals, and reached the finals the following year as well.
With the New Orleans Hornets, he took them from 18 wins in his first year, to 38 wins the next season, and by his 4th season they went to a tough Game 7 loss in the second round against the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.
But what about Byron Scott's history makes him the coach for Kyrie Irving?
Byron Scott's team in New Jersey and his team in New Orleans both have multiple things in common, but one thing stands out in particular: They both had great point guards in Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Not only are they the best playmaking point guards of their era, but they are also the best rebounding and defensive point guards of their time.
Kyrie Irving has all of the qualities that Chris Paul had coming into the NBA, which is why he has drawn comparisons to Chris Paul or a Chris Paul/Mike Conley hybrid. It is safe to say that Kyrie is even a better natural shooter and scorer than Chris Paul was when he was entering the NBA.
Byron Scott made both Jason Kidd and Chris Paul better. There is no better coach for Kyrie Irving to play for than Byron Scott; he of all people would know how to take him to the next level, and the shot is already there (unlike Chris Paul).
Don't be surprised to see Byron Scott turn Kyrie into the next great point guard in this league. Kyrie has all the potential, and Scott has all the knowledge.
He should take advantage of it!
For the Cavaliers, this makes Ramon Sessions and/or Boobie Gibson expendable. They are two players that are drawing lots of interest on their team right now. They are also likely to be overpaid for Ramon Sessions this summer because he should have a breakout second half this year, now that the Cavaliers are forced to play him no less than 30 minutes a game.
Also found at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/593548-nba-draft-should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-kyrie-irving-should-enter-the-draft.
No comments:
Post a Comment