Cleveland Shockers: Cavs Nail No. 1 Pick
2014-05-20
No Nick Gilbert? No problem. General Manger David Griffin is all the magic you need, Cleveland. In a truly shocking bit of ball bouncery, the ping-pongs came up Cavs netting the team the top overall pick in the most anticipated draft since the 2003 Draft which featured game changers like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony (among others) and which the Cavs, coincidentally, also won.
The Cavaliers finished this season at 33-44, the ninth worst record in the league. They had only a 1.7% chance of getting the top pick, but the crowd in attendance at the Times Square Studio in New York City started grumbling when they learned the Cavs had jumped up into the top three. They knew the Cavs had just gotten very lucky. What they didn’t know was exactly how lucky.
An hour earlier, Cavs Vice Chairman, Jeff Cohen, who had been the team’s representative in the sealed-off room where the number combinations are drawn in past years, as well, saw their winning combination of 7-9-13-14 come up. It’s a feeling he’s now known three times in the last four years.
“This really is it,” Cohen told a reporter after the lottery. “I’m not coming back.” Cohen, of course, echoes Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert’s proclamation following last year’s lottery that the Cavs would not be back again this year. But back in the lottery they were. However, now some good feelings might also return to a Cavs organization that widely underachieved this year, leading to the firing of former General Manager, Chris Grant, and head coach, Mike Brown, all while having four recent top-four picks on their roster.
“I feel really blessed that we’re in this position,” Griffin said. “I don’t think that there’s a clear number one in most drafts,” but, he continued, “we’re going to try to get radically better much quicker” then added “we’re very open to what that means.”
Does that mean the Cavs would consider trading the number one pick and the chance to get a potential franchise changer like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid? “I don’t think we’ll ever rule anything out,” Griffin said. “I’d trade me if it made the Cavaliers better.”
Griffin already seems poised to make the Cavs better, though, so fans may want him to stick around. On this night, the newly-named GM got a little help from his late grandmother and from Nick Gilbert’s closet. His two lucky charms, which he declined to reveal before the win, were a pin worn by his grandmother, Dana Griffin, who passed away the Saturday after the trade deadline, and the younger Gilbert’s wine-colored bow tie disguised as a pocket square.
“I didn’t wear it,” Gilbert joked, “because no one else can swing Thor’s hammer.”
The lottery win shocked everyone in attendance at the Time Square Studio Tuesday night, Griffin included, but he immediately slotted it in and shifted focus to how it can help make his team better.
“We’ve got very clear criteria for what we feel makes us better as a team,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of young talent. A lot of young talent that, in some cases, doesn’t fit terribly well together and, in some cases, has really helped each other grow. We need to get the right mix, the right person to advance us the quickest.
“Everything fits sort of like a puzzle, so we might have some piece that would augment the kid we would draft and vice versa. So, in terms of finding the middle, that will be a big function of the coaching staff. … Once we get to the point where we all know more of what this will look like, it will be easier to fit pieces into it.”
Lucky, lucky: Griffin’s grandmother’s pin
Oh, that’s right. The Cavs still have to hire a new head coach. Right. “If anything, I think [the lottery win] makes us a more attractive destination. But that’s a process that’s really is in its infancy right now and I don’t think of them as being correlated.”
For now, though, the team that was so short on luck during the regular season just got a great big dose of it.
Thanks grover, I didn’t realize those guys had back trouble specifically. Although in McGrady’s case I believe it was knee problems that forced him to retire early.
“Besides athleticism, I am curious what elite basketball skills you see in [Wiggins]? ”
Defense.
And he didn’t “struggle” in the tourney – he had several good games and one bad one. Parker struggled.
“I don’t particularly see much risk in the back injury. Was there ever a young star whose back problems ended up aborting his career?” Robin- you’re joking, right? Just off the top of my head: Ralph Sampson-20/10 guy first three years in the league. Hurt his back in 3rd year….never started more than 40 games in a season again. Brad Daugherty- forced to retire at 28 Tracy McGrady- started having back problems at age 26; after two years, never started more than 40 games in a season again. Larry Johnson- best year statistically was the second year of his career… Read more »
dang grover – now I REALLY don’t want Embiid.
And obviously, if we’re thinking about recruiting a certain superstar SF, there’s an issue of fit. Having a young PG/Center combo is just infinitely better than PG/SF. With Kevin Love as a true PF it’s not really an issue, but I think it’s still probably easier to fill in the wing than find a guy who can really hold down the Center position.
KJ is right about Embiid. The guy has height, athleticism, and instincts to be a major defensive force early in his career. His offense should come along more slowly but he has huge potential on that end as well. His defense, particularly from the center position, is what will allow the team to start winning quickly, especially with one or two (more on that later) established offensive stars sharing the roster. I don’t particularly see much risk in the back injury. Was there ever a young star whose back problems ended up aborting his career? Knee issues are a great… Read more »
This is a great point – it takes a while for players to get good at defense. I think offensively, though, he’ll be a force almost immediately.
I couldn’t care less that Wiggins struggled in the tourney. The amount of importance people place on the tourney is bananas. Plenty of great NBA players struggled in the tourney and guys who lit it up had middling careers in Israel. Maybe he’s not Lebron. McGrady with perimeter D is fine by me. He’s Canadian too. Canadians seem to have better dispositions than American players.
I agree with @KJ – as long as Embiid’s health checks out, I’d take him first. Wiggins is a close second. CtB folks should understand that Wiggins is also an elite defender with a long wingspan. I wouldn’t be disappointed with Wiggins at all. He is not Harrison Barnes – he’s a much better talent. And, while I think Kevin Love is a splendid player, I would not trade this #1 pick for him. He’s a special talent, but he not a transformational talent and it’s questionable whether he has has the desire to play defense and lead a team.… Read more »
Embid is a better prospect than A. Davis right now. He is a young David Robinson with some Hakeem in him. Take him as he WILL make the Cavs better from DAY ONE because of his DEFENSE. A rim protector changes EVERYTHING (ask OKC) for a team.
You can sign a veteran SF and a veteran big and this team is in the playoffs. Period.
Embid or Parker are the only guys id like to see picked #1. I don’t get Wiggins hyper. At the end of the day hes another very athletic young guy who needs the ball in his hands and cant shoot. Just like the tourney showed – just play off of him and stop penetration he cant hurt you. I don’t want another potential guy to hope he develops.
Don’t understand the “trade the pick” approach at all. We have the #1 pick in a draft that has been compared to 2003. If you want to win now, move kyrie or waiters or whoever. Supplementing a team that went 33_49 w a Kevin love isn’t going to move the needle significantly. Take embiid/Parker/wiggins and build around that pick. Please for the love of god do to appease kyrie here for 10 more wins next year.
My typical fellow CAVS fans are over thinking the draft, like we do every year (because its all we got). Don’t screw around and take Wiggins. Screw Love…he doesn’t play great defense and he is a stat guy. Wiggins is the most athletic guy with superstar potential. …he is 6’8″ (versus 6’6″ last year), he doesn’t handle the ball as well as Kobe or shoot like Durant but he is the best player in the last two drafts.
I would offer Philly the number 1, Tristan, and 15 and 17 picks (top 10 protected) for 3 and 10. Take Jabari, Wiggins, or Embiid at 3. Then we give Kyrie to the Lakers for number 7. With 7 and 10, they should take two- Saric, LaVine, McBuckets, Hood, Stauskas, Young or Ennis.
Jabari can be an almost Carmelo, Wiggins a T-Mac, Embiid a Ibaka/Hakeem.
McBuckets could a be a Bird-lite. I’d like that the most.
This could be fun.
Wiggins is the only pick. He is the only of the 3 with All-Star potential.
Last year we had the worst starting SF in the league.. and the best way for us to be competitive immediately is to address that with Wiggins.
Video about the potential Return of Lebron:
https://vimeo.com/92261125
All of these trade scenarios where we move out of the top 3 are just idiotic. You have three franchise players and then everyone else. You take Embiid or Wiggins, and if you are dumb enough to trade back to #3 you take Parker. But Embiid and Wiggins should be higher than Parker on our board. Also, if we’re keeping Kyrie, you can’t have 2/5 of your starting 5 be TERRIBLE on defense. You just can’t. Bad defensive teams don’t win championships. Draft Embiid or Wiggins and move forward with Kyrie-Dion/Wiggins-TT-AV or Kyrie-Dion-FA-AV-Embiid and be happy that we’re competing for… Read more »
I don’t understand why everyone wants Love, he wants to play for a winner NOW, he listed GSW and Chicago as his top destinations. Going to Cleveland doesn’t put us into contending mode even in the East. Everyone complains about the lack of defense on the Cavs how would Kevin Love make a difference we still will give up tons of points. Lebron hasn’t flat out said I’m coming back if you build me a winner, c’mon lets be real here. You need to build a winner with what you have and the pieces that are giving to you. The… Read more »
It’s not a stretch to say that there are 6-7 players in this year’s draft that would have probably been drafted #1 last year. I’d like the Cavs to keep their pick and draft Wiggins or Embiid. Right now, I’m leaning toward Embiid who seems to have several elite skills and has learned quickly. It seems like Embiid’s floor is a 7′ Serge Ibaka. That seems like a pretty good player. I’d also like the Cavs to attempt to package a combination of future picks and anyone not named Kyrie for another top pick in this year’s draft. What would… Read more »
Please don’t trade the pick, Cleveland. I want Wiggins or Embiid. No thanks on Parker. No defense. That would hurt us in the long run. Embiid would be my pick if it weren’t for the back problems. At is stands, I’d go with Wiggins. If you’re going to make a trade for Love, I’d rather trade Kyrie than the #1 in this draft. I know the #1 pick is unproven, but given Kyrie’s total lack of defense and questions as to whether he can ever share the ball enough for his team to win games, I’d trade him for Love… Read more »
Either way these are awesome problems to have and I’m on board with multiple scenarios above. As much as the team disappointed me this year they are puppies, and puppies will shit on your floor and chew up your shoes from time to time.
If you want Love. Build an attractive team and sign him. Don’t pull a James Dolan and trade all your talent for him.
I cannot understand the mass appeal of Love.
Grover13, Thanks for pointing out that Love is injury prone. He is unsigned. He is getting older. He has never won. He might be a bit of a head case. Dion might be a better player in a couple of years.
If you are thinking about LBJ, would he rather be with Love for one year, or spend his late career with one of the best collections of young talent ever, as they hit their stride?
With all the Cavs’ assets, I think a good team to try and model would be the Pacers, a la acquiring a David West-type veteran who is able to guide a young team to the next level. Jarret Jack has clearly not had this type of impact.
@Hot Sauce hits all the nails on the head to me. The draft prospects may look great, but even the best rookies do not typically equate to winning basketball. In the NBA, contention is basically exclusive to veteran teams. No rookie is worth the risk of another damaging year in the development of the other recent lottery picks. That being said, winning yet another #1 overall pick to make it 3 in 4 years is truly unprecedented. We’ve just opened a Pandora’s Box worth of possibilities in terms of trades and coaching prospects. Griffin has his work cut out for… Read more »
rick in boise beat me to it- trade the #1 for #3 and #10, take Embiid and McDermott. There is a lot of likelihood in this scenario. If Wiggins and Parker go 1 and 2, Philly really gets screwed, as Embiid has no fit on a roster with Noel. It relies on a lot of contingencies in terms of draft order. The way it would go down is Cavs draft Wiggins, then IF: (1) Milwaukee chooses Parker, Phlly can take Embiid, and then IF (2) McDermott is still there at #10, Philly takes McDermott and subsequently makes the deal then.… Read more »
@Scott – That is a fair analysis. I agree we need more talent. Where I disagree is that I think the young talent in this draft is very risky, so I would prefer to add talent by parlaying young assets with upside into proven talent.
On Love, I agree with Jim. The dude has his flaws, but he is an ELITE player who we can only hope Wiggins/Embiid/Parker MIGHT turn into in like 3-5 years. His contract issue is a huge deal, but if there is a way to get him here, it’s worth exploring.
@scott Westbrook isn’t going to be traded. Westbrook is too much a part of OKC regardless of an exit. If Ibaka was healthy there’s a possibility Westbrook is traded if they don’t reach the finals. Still very low. I think the team needs to take Wiggins. Wiggins will get baskets in transitions, has the energy to run around and cut like a much faster/younger Deng did at times with the Cavs, and will be a lock down defender. Wiggins isn’t going to be in the corner clapping for the ball, which Kyrie and Dion will appreciate. They’ll also appreciate a… Read more »
If Love would agree to a sign and trade you absolutely trade the number one pick for him. Not sure why everyone is so down on Kevin Love. 26/12/4 with a PER of 26.97. T-Wolves also outscored their opponents by almost six points a game when he was on the floor. WS of over 14…. any way you cut it Kevin Love is an elite player.
You would obviously hope Wiggins, Embiid, Parker could become an elite player like Love, but why risk it?
Wait. So instead of waiting for Love to be a free agent in 2015, you want the Cavs to pull a Larry Dolan move and trade half their talent for him, now? This makes all the sense in the world.
Outside of Mark Price (because Wiggins needs to learn to shoot), I would love George Karl: a guy who will push the pace, They need to move Kyrie, a guy who doesn’t push pace, and then fly up and down the court with Delly, Dion, Wiggins, Tyler, and Andy (for the outlet passes).
@Hot Sauce – not sure what team you’re watching, but the Cavs do NOT have a very talented roster at all. They have one possibly elite player, two young players that may have ‘starter’ potential and several journeymen vets. CtB readers need to understand that the Cavs missed the playoffs in a horribly weak conference because they lack talent. Sure, Mike Brown’s lack of handle on the team didn’t help, but expecting the Cavs to suddenly morph into a playoff team is about as far-fetched as Dolan expecting the Knicks to win a championship. And Love is not the answer.… Read more »
I’d take Wiggins over Embiid all day. This is 2007 all over again, while Wiggins isn’t as skilled as Durant was coming out of college, I’d rather take him over a injuried center. You don’t need a dominate big man to win in this league anymore, if that was the case Dwight Howard teams would have a couple more rings. Its all about wing play and Wiggins has a very high ceiling at being an elite wing player. Wiggins is what the Cavs have been waiting for a skilled 2/3 player with length that can score and defend.
Simmons will continue to rip the lottery until the C’s win it. Cory hit it on the head, I can’t believe the hypocrisy after listening to him and his posse complain about tanking all season. I will say that after the euphoria of winning the lottery wore off, several realities set in: 1. The issue of finding the right coach. I don’t even know where to start with this one. 2. How to actually use the #1 pick. Take Wiggins, a guy who terrifies me with his ability to completely disappear on the basketball court even though he is head… Read more »
@HoopsDogg – Besides athleticism, I am curious what elite basketball skills you see in him? He doesn’t see the floor, has no handle, has an average jumper. I don’t see anything more than Harrison Barnes. I want to love him, but when I watch him play I just see a great athlete who is not a great basketball player. He has amazing potential, but he is a project.
For example, check out the weaknesses section of his Draft Express video. It is kind of scary. Meanwhile, all of his highlights entail him making layups over inferior athletes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE0wOOk07ko
him to west coast anyway. Embiid sounds great, I think Cavs has to take a chance and think about a great team they can built forWow, that is what I can say. To those people that they wanted playoff ” Playoff'” What playoff and an early exit is worth he number one pick ? Playoff ? Love is good, he is a very good power forward on a very good team, six years with Wolves and no ” Playoff” doesn’t make him worth a lot. I go with TT and the first only and only if he sign with Cavs… Read more »
Calling Wiggins “just another young player” is like calling beer “Just another beverage. “
One other thought here: I think I am also a bit more skeptical about the draft prospects than others. The media has hyped this draft as the greatest thing since sliced bread, but NONE of these dudes are sure things. There is no LeBron, no Davis, no Howard, no Durant, etc. There are A LOT of high potential prospects, but no sure things. The last thing this team needs is another high-talent. high-potential, short-run project player. The team has enough talent. What it needs to do is flip the culture and learn to win.
Seriously – We spent the whole year on this blog blasting the Grant’s “asset accumulation” model. Even those of us who like Grant realized that accumulating young talented players is NOT a recipe for winning. If we just add another young guy, we won’t get better and then Kyrie, Dion, TT, etc. will have yet another year of a losing culture with whispers of fighting and heads rolling, etc. I am not sure the Love move is the right move, but I am surprised how many people want to just take this pick and add another young player to our… Read more »
The Cavs should draft Wiggins and then see if there’s any way to pry the #3 pick from Philly if the Bucks don’t take Embiid at #2.
After those two, I think Exum, Parker and Gordan have the most star potential
Ideal scenario is taking Wiggins and seeing how free agency plays out. If you can pull something off like the Celtics did in 2009 you do it. If you can’t you reshape the team around Wiggins and Irving with complimentary players.
F trading. Take Wiggins and count your blessings.
Ideal scenario would be taking Wiggins at 1 waiting to see how free agency could play out. If Lebron is open to returning they could package Wiggins with Andy and Bennett or Thompson. Love wouldn’t walk away from that. Zeller and miles could fill in around that trio and look like stars.
I haven’t been paying that much attention to the top guys since I never thought we’d have a shot of getting them. Reading about back injuries Embiid’s doesn’t seem that alarming. Drummond had the same thing, and before him Okafor had a similar injury in college and recovered without it recurring in the pros. The thing I like about Embiid is that he has learned the game so quickly. Certainly his stats look terrific — shot blocking, rebounding, nifty moves and touch around the rim. Maybe after Bennett they have to go with the sure thing and take Wiggins. Go… Read more »
I love Bill Simmons, but he’s proven himself to be a hypocrite. He’s bashed the tanking mantra all season. He’s lauded a “tournament” for draft order and even given air time to Zach Lowe’s bat shit crazy wheel proposal. The Jazz, 76ers, Lakers, CELTICS, Magic, Bucks and Pistons opening tanked at some point during this season and he’s pissed off that a team that desperately tried to make the playoffs won the lottery. The Cavs went 17-16 after firing Grant. The Suns are the only non-playoff team with a better record over the last 30 games than the Cavs and… Read more »
3 and 10 for 1. Move the 3 and TT to Utah for 5 and Derrick favors. Draft Noah Vonleh 5 and Dario Saric 10.
David, McDermott is a rookie but played 4 years of college.
Do we really need TWO more rookies? No.
#3 and #10… Hmmmmmm…
Probably means Embliid & a shooter like McDermott…
Of course the Cavs should take Embiid or Wiggins. But these are the Cavs, so I can easily see them doing something insanely dumb. Would the Cavs trade their top pick for Love (without any guarantees) and then overpay for someone like Deng or Gasol? It’s always possible. The Cavs desperately want to make the playoffs, but it’s unlikely that the addition of Embiid or Wiggins would get them there. Here’s the Cavs roster: Kyrie Irving – can perhaps be the best pg in the league, but can just as easily be the 6th or 7th best (arguably, Paul, Westbrook,… Read more »
In a weird messed up Cleveland fandom miserable sort of way, I would almost prefer the number 2 pick.
Yeah I gotta say I am not a huge Love fan. If we got Lbj back (which we won’t if the heat win) it would be worth it. I think trading for love is too risky. If another player on that level became available then I might listen. However, as I commented in the previous article, I really think it is a crapshoot between Parker, Wiggins, and Embiid. Embiid is the clear number one if not for the back problems, but I won’t lie, those back problems scare the crap out of me. Oden 2.0 would probably kill my fandom.… Read more »
I think he definitely signs an extension if lebron comes back but that is probably the only way he stays.
I’m fine for trading for Love as long as he signs an extension (which he won’t). Not my first choice as I’d rather take one of Wiggins, Parker, or Embiid.
These comments by Cavs brass are terrifying. They’re going to pass on Embiid and trade the pick. They’re trying to get “radically” better as quickly as possible. Good call. Pass on another franchise center for a shot at the six seed….
Bill Simmons wants new rules.
There is no way in the name of Larry O’Brien that Love signs an extension with us. NONE. He is going where he wants to go, most likely back to L.A. Let’s be real here. Even if LBJ came back!
Kyrie, Jack, LeBron, Love, Hawes
Varejao, Zeller, Bennett, Delley, Miles,
Make it happen Griffin
Embiid! He is the clearly the best prospect. All depends on the back but Drummond had a similar problem and seems to have recovered nicely, so…