Links to the Present: Mid May Round-up Edition — Now Updated with All-Rookie Team Links!
2013-05-14
Not a lot of Cavs news lately, but there have been a couple stray bits of information that filtered out over the last few days. Let’s round ’em up.
In not so shocking news, another mock draft, this time at nbadraft.net, has the Cavs taking Otto Porter at number three.
Saturday, Bob Finnan of the News-Herald told us not to expect the Cavs to “spend like summer of 2005.” He also reported that the Cavs are expected to “kick the tires” on O.J. Mayo in free agency this summer.
Bill Simmons over at Grantland finally completed his annual NBA trade value series which stretched over three weeks this year. He ranks Kyrie Irving at #7, one spot ahead of Chris Paul. He sums Kyrie up nicely and ominously with a comparison to current Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson.
So we’ll see about Irving, an electric offensive player who is already one of the league’s best clutch scorers.15 He’s only two years into a favorable rookie contract. And he’s also just 21 years old, a baby for God’s sake. There’s a lot to love. Ironically, I think he’s Kevin Johnson 2.0 as a basketball player — just as devastating off the dribble, just as unstoppable getting to the rim. Let’s hope that comparison doesn’t stretch to his durability, too.
Oh, and the footnote? “15. He’s a weak defensive player right now. Has to be mentioned. Not good at all.”
In the best news of the weekend, Mary Schmitt Boyer of Cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer dropped this pleasant bit in her “Hey Mary” Q&A column: Anderson Varejao is off blood thinners and should be ready for training camp.
Finally — and the connection to the Cavs is tenuous at best — Grantland’s Zach Lowe profiles Buckeye alum, Mike Conley. I’ve been saying all year that Conley is the most underrated player in the NBA, and one of the best two way players out there. If there’s one player that Kyrie Irving should be emulating when it comes to development, it’s Conley. Similarly ambidextrous, Conley has gone from being a “frail” defender to one of the top five in the league, and has become a pick and roll savant. Irving could do a heck of a lot worse than becoming a better version of Mike Conley.
Self indulgently, I’ll leave you with this gem from Simmons on pick-up basketball, just cause I liked it so much.
I love playing basketball — even now, with my body breaking down and my game decaying to alarming degrees — if only because it’s one of the few places left on earth where you can connect with total strangers like that. Age doesn’t matter, backgrounds don’t matter, nothing matters. You have four teammates, they can be anybody, and you either know how to click with them or you don’t.
–Update–
Well, speaking of teams of five random guys, nba.com posted the all-rookie squads this afternoon, and Dion Waiters made the first team, along with Anthony Davis, Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, and rookie of the year, Damian Lillard. Tyler Zeller represented the Cavaliers on the second team, but was the lowest vote getter on the two teams. Still, the fact that Zeller beat out the likes of Moe Harkless and Andrew Nicholson when voted on by a panel of 30 NBA head coaches bodes well for him. Congratulations, Dion and Tyler.
Dion was the third best rookie. This mirage that the national folks seem to have that Beal had a better year than Dion is just that, a mirage and falls apart on examination.
Again, just cuz Barnes has had a few good games, his SEASON LONG PER was like 11.
It’s not a lock for me- trying to talk a buddy from Cleveland into it. But trying hard to make it work. I’ll try even harder if I get to watch Otto Porter in a Cavs uniform (or mock-t-shirt, as they wear in summer league)
@Grover n @Cory …. Just left Vegas this weekend. Made the drive from PHX and like you guys I plan on making a trip if the summer roster is good enough.
When the time comes ill be on the lookout for a Summer Camp party….er gathering.
@grover I didn’t go last year because I effed up the scheduling with a project. I kind of hate Vegas which is funny. It’s all flash and no substance whatsoever. If Las Vegas was an NBA player it would be Vince Carter in his prime…And yet going there sounds like a good idea every 4 to 6 months. Summer league would give me something else to do other than just lose obscure 10 game parlays by one game and medicating my lose by drinking a bottle of Fernet at a blackjack table. I’d probably get a new appreciation for the… Read more »
@Ben F- Keep in mind- it’s a trade value ranking….not best player ranking. The reason why Paul is below Melo is because he’s a free agent this year….therefore less valuable to his current team than Melo, who is under contract for a little longer. @Cory- I’m also considering going to the summer league for the first time. We’ll have to get semi-organized and pick a good watering hole to talk all things Cavs. As for the rookie teams….that bodes well for judging Grant’s draft (after one year, anyway). As the votes are not positionally based, and made solely due to… Read more »
IIRC, Kobe had made it clear that he would demand a trade if he didn’t get picked by a team he wanted. (And got his wish.) Who did he get traded for and would he have been good for the Cavs (relative to VP)
I really think Dion is the key to our future success. I think we more or less know what Kyrie is, and for all the growth of Tristan this year, he probably needs a jump shot to ever be an all star. But what is Dion going to be? I feel like he could be a Gilbert Arenas type offensive player, and potentially a great defender. As he matures his shot selection improves and VIOLA! we have a nasty backcourt capable of hurting defenses in even more ways than the young backcourts in Golden State and Washington (Dion and Kyrie… Read more »
I’m going to summer league this year for the first time and Dion is a major reason why. It should be a fun Mancation.
@ JHill
I didn’t see the video (obviously) but I’m quite happy to hear that Dion is putting in the work. I told one of my buddies a few weeks ago that I just hope he shows up for Summer League in shape this year and it sounds like he will. Good deal.
The Ukraine Train!
If Dion plays to his strengths, takes the lean out of his shot (he’s working on it) and can be a good team defensive guard (right coach for it) he should be an All-Star someday. No matter what becomes of Barnes or Drummond you won’t regret the Dion selection in that scenario. The Dion selection will never be HOLY SHIT WE TOOK VITALY POTAPENKO ONE SPOT AHEAD OF KOBE!?!?! You regret catastrophes. You don’t regret solid selections.
Vitaly – the pride of Wright State University!
Vesus, there was a video posted on the comments here about a week ago, Dion has been in Vegas for like 3 weeks already doing basketball camps. Said he wants to be great and you can’t do it without work. I wasactually really ssurprised and pleased, looks like another CG decision has worked out pretty well, that or Scott’s training camp scared the shit out him last year because he was overweight coming in.
I think Chris Paul’s knee issues are the reason he isn’t higher on the trade value list
Also, Dion made 1st team all-rookie, Zeller 2nd team – hope Dion is celebrating in the gym and not in front of a Cheesesteak.
The only cat to eff over New Orleans more than Chris Paul, was his brother Cliff Paul for denying all those flood insurance claims after Katrina. Some how Paul got a pass on being the pampered superstar who forced his way to a bigger market. Perhaps it’s because Stern vetoing the Lakers/Hornets/Rockets trade over shadowed it (totally agree with him doing it btw). I could be wrong but I believe Paul has only made it out of the second round once in his career. The truth is that stock Chris Paul could crash at any minute and handcuff your team… Read more »
Not a huge fan of having Kyrie behind Carmelo in a trade value list…but ahead of Chris Paul. It makes no sense to me at all. Chris Paul should definitely be ahead of Melo. He’s a far better defender and capapble of doing more damage on offense. If Kyrie is ahead of CP3…then he’s easily ahead of Melo (who could be a much better defender if he was interested in doing so.)