C:tB Mock Draft 2015!

Welcome to the 2015 Cavs: The Blog NBA Mock Draft!

This year, in addition to some of the regular C:tB bloggers, we invited a few draft-savvy commenters to help out with the mocking festivities. So, joining me, David Wood, Cory Hughey, Ben Werth and EvilGenius are guest mockers: Robert (AKA DellaveYoda), Christopher (AKA CLF), Ross (Gumdrop) and Carson (AKA cwzagger). Using a snake draft format, we randomly represented each of the 30 NBA teams (plus an additional second round mock choice for the Cavs and one crazy mock trade from round 1).

And the results just might surprise you…

1.) Minnesota Timberwolves (David Wood): Karl-Anthony Towns, 6-11, Kentucky, C. History has taught us that people with two first names are more likely to commit high profile crimes. Karl-Anthony won’t be the exception. He is going to slaughter the ball with some monstrous rejections and may face serious jail time. Or, just get some technicals for mean mugging his victims. Karl averaged 4.3 blocks per 40 minutes in college. He has a 7’3.5” wingspan and is already 250 pounds. He’s only going to get more muscular and become an even better shot blocker. He’s also not a total offensive liability, and has the shooting form of a much smaller man. Towns and Andrew Wiggins give the Wolves the perfect defensive core to build around.

K-AT mean mugs twice as hard as dudes with just one first name…

2.) Los Angeles Lakers (Ross Gumdrop): D’Angelo Russell, 6-5, OSU, PG/SG. Los Angeles is going to kick the tires on trading this pick to Sac-town for Boogie. And, frankly, they should explore the Kings’ interest in a deal. Cousins is more of a sure thing than anyone in this draft except for (maybe) Towns. He’s already an All Star caliber player, and he’s only 24 years old, so he is still years away from his prime. However, it’s more than likely the Lakers make a pick at #2. And, if they do, they should go Russell, the smooth lefty out of Ohio State. Jahlil Okafor is obviously in play here, but the past few months of lead-up to the draft have not been kind to the one-time consensus No. 1 overall pick. His love of the game has been questioned, he’s going to get targeted (see: humiliated) in pick and roll defense by smart teams, and his dad has actually been seen in this shirt (he REALLY loves his son). Russell is the best guard in the draft. He can score off the dribble, he can shoot, and he’s lethal in the pick and roll. Even better, he arguably has the best court vision and passing acumen in this draft too. He’s the whole package on offense. Added bonuses: Nick Young can observe someone up close who has the same amount of swagger as him AND the requisite talent to not become a punch line. Also, Kristaps Porzingis can be groomed into an NBA player outside the bright lights of Hollywood, and be saved from his likely death at the hands of the Black Mamba.

3.) Philadelphia 76ers (CLF): Jahlil Okafor, 6-11, Duke, C. The Lakers simplified the choice for the 76ers. There was a real chance of the 76ers drafting Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky with the 3rd pick if Okafor wasn’t here, which I think would’ve accurately reflected the competency, of lack thereof, of the 76ers’ front office. Instead, the 76ers grab arguably the most dominant offensive force in the college game this past season. Jahlil Okafor is a match made in heaven with the 76ers. His impressive offensive game, and his lack of defensive prowess, complements the 76ers’ above-average defense and pitiful offense. Also, news of Joel Embiid’s continuous health troubles further simplified the decision making process.

4.) New York Knicks (Cory Hughey): Kristaps Porzingis, 7-2, Latvia, PF.  The New York Knickerbockers are a 1600 Lumen LED flash bright, but light on substance. If the franchise was a living, breathing person, they would be Muppet chef Guy Fieri. If you aren’t familiar with Guy Fieri, imagine that Diamond Dallas Page impregnated a fajita, and the baby was baptized in a pool of hydrogen peroxide. If the NBA were to print their own currency, team president Phil Jackson would certainly be on a bill. He has nothing left to prove to cement his legacy. He’s won 11 rings, gotten biblical with his boss’s daughter, and turned the Lakers fan base against her nemesis/brother Jim Buss, by saying he wanted to coach the Lakers after the fact, even though he didn’t really want the job. Could Phil have been secretly sent by Jeanie Buss to sabotage the Knicks? Both teams are rebuilding at the same time, and both are major market draws. Porzingis would offer a stretch big to open up the elbow and paint for Anthony. If he’s halfway between Dirk and Darko, he’ll be worth the selection.

5.) Orlando Magic (EvilGenius): Mario Hezonja, 6-8, Croatia, SF. Despite frantically working the phones to try and trade down for the Myles Turners, Bobby Portises or Kevon Looneys of the draft (and pick up some extra picks in doing so), GM Rob Hennigan resigns himself to pulling the trigger at No. 5, but is able to resist the temptation to take offensively limited big man, Willie Cauley-Stein. Ignoring the ghost of another former Magic first round pick who opted to stay in the Spanish League (Franz Vazquez), Robby H decides he just can’t quit the Euros, and takes “Super” Mario Hezonja. He fills the need for three point shooting and aggressive offense for a Magic team that desperately needs a go-to scorer.

6.) Sacramento Kings (Nate Smith): Emmanuel Mudiay, 6-5, China, PG. George Karl gets his next generation Gary Payton. Mudiay is this draft’s great unknown (even more than Porzingis). After leaving the Congo at five, Mudiay became a prep star in the U.S and then opted at the last minute not to play for Larry Brown at SMU. He instead took a $1.2 million dollar contract to play in Guangdong, China, to support his family. Injured for much of the season, because of a sprained ankle, Mudiay refused to go home, and recovered to play in the semifinal series against Chinese legend Stephon Marbury, where he held his own for at least one game. Back stateside, Mudiay refused to participate in the combine in May, and supposedly his stock has dropped because of shooting, inconsistency on D, and his propensity for turnovers. But watch the videos. At just 19, this kid has a feel and vision beyond his years. All his problems will get fixed under coach Karl, who finally has a point guard with some size. I’m not betting against Mudiay’s toughness, work ethic, athleticism, and feel for the game. He’s got as good a chance as anyone to be the best player in this draft. But let’s hope he can avoid some of the cray-cray going on in the offices of the Kings.

7.) Denver Nuggets (DellaveYoda): Justise Winslow, 6-6, Duke, SF. The Denver Nuggets appear to be in full-reload-mode. After trading away Aaron Afflalo, they tested the waters in the top six to find a trade partner who would take grumbling Ty Lawson or versatile Wilson Chandler off their hands, hoping for a second lottery pick in exchange (to no avail). Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justise, Winslow gets the nod at No. 7. With prototypical size for an NBA wing (6’6”+, 222 lbs., 6’10” Wingspan), athleticism, and potentially elite defense, Justise Winslow will be a handful for whomever the Legion of Doom… errr the NBA throws at him on day one. Winslow’s defense (.9 blocks, 1.3 steals/game) and rebounding (6.5/game) alone project his floor as a quality role player, and if he is able to round out his offensive game (mid-range, finishing over bigger defenders), he has a “Kawhi Leonard/Jimmy Butler” type ceiling.

Justise is the most impressive Winslow since Carl…

8.) Detroit Pistons (Ben Werth): Stanley Johnson, 6-7, Arizona, SF. Stan Van Gundy gets his Mickael Pietrus 2.0 for his Piston squad. Johnson is thought to be one of the safest pics on the board. If he can continue to improve his jumper, he will be an ultimate 3-D guy. Dude is straight solid. At 19, he is 240 plus pounds of bone and muscle. Here’s hoping he won’t end up haunting the dreams of Cavs fans like Pietrus still does.

9.) Charlotte Hornets (Ben Werth): Devin Booker, 6-6, Kentucky, SG. Let’s not make this too complicated. Booker is arguably the best shooter in this draft. The Hornets have trouble tossing trash into a dumpster fire. Match made. Booker has a bit more spring than most people realize. He should be able to hold his own on the defensive end as well as most rookie two guards. If he can knock down his J from day one, Jordan will throw a party.

10.) Miami Heat (DellaveYoda): Kelly Oubre, 6-7, Kansas, SF. Pat Riley consulted long time confidant and hairstyle-homie Wolf “The Dentist” Stansson on who the Heat should select in this year’s draft. “I told him that I saw a lot of Gunnar Stahl in Oubre,” The Dentist began. “I coached Gunnar at the Junior Goodwill Games in ’94. Both guys have great size and athleticism for their position. Both can really get out in transition and finish the break. Each is a very capable defender, with a quick stick and hands, respectively.” Wolf continued, “They share the habit of favoring the left side. While Oubre’s left is his dominant hand, Gunnar does this only to be fancy.”

11.) Indiana Pacers (Nate Smith): Frank Kaminsky, 7-1, Indiana, C/PF. I know. I know. Cauley-Stein’s still on the board. But does anyone think Larry Bird’s Pacers are passing on Frank Kaminksy? I mean, the jokes practically whrite themselves. There hasn’t been a pick this obvious since the Celtics drafted White Basketball Jesus, himself. In all seriousness, Kaminsky is a solid pick for a team that is going to need frontcourt help in the future. Plus, David West just opted out. The Pacers may have a hole at power forward, and sharpshooting Frank the Tank could play very well alongside bruisers Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi. Let’s hope Larry Legend makes Frank watch old clips for inspiration.

12.) Utah Jazz (EvilGenius): Willie Cauley-Stein, 7-1, Kentucky, C/PF. The Jazz pick gets slightly delayed when GM Dennis Lindsey almost knocks himself unconscious by falling out of his chair after realizing that Willie Cauley-Stein is actually still available with the 12th pick in the draft. The Jazz, who already have their starting five set for the foreseeable future, relish the chance to get a potentially game changing big man to add to The Stifle Tower to form a new monolithic front-court rotation to dwarf the rest of the Western Conference. It’s a snug fit for the man who legally changed his middle name to “Trill.”

13.) Phoenix Suns (Cory Hughey): Sam Dekker, 6-9, Indiana, SF. I’ve only been to Phoenix twice in my life, and both times were in late June/early July. The first trip was for my BFF’s wedding at the 2011 MLB All-Star Game (I was too drunk to be allowed into Justin Upton’s soiree at a Scottsdale nightclub), and last summer for the Indians/Diamondbacks series and the 2014 NBA Draft. Dry heat supporters are full of it; summers in Phoenix are Bible hot. The wind blows so hot it like feels like opening an oven door. Dekker’s versatility and ability from downtown, could open up drive and dish opportunities for Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight the way Channing Frye did a few years back… if he can stand the heat.

14.) Oklahoma City Thunder (CLF): Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, 6-7, Arizona, SF. The OKC Thunder consider taking highly rated PGs Cameron Payne or Tyus Jones with the 14th pick. Then reality strikes the Thunder front office: Payne nor Jones will never touch the ball with Russell Westbrook, Dion Waiters, and Kevin Durant running the team’s offense. So, with that in mind, OKC takes athletic freak Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, a player that, by all accounts, should rarely touch the ball on offense. Hollis-Jefferson brings his elite defensive game and energy to an average defensive team. RHJ won’t need to score with OKC’s explosive offensive players surrounding him. He can match up against the opponent’s best wing/perimeter scorer, and offers OKC some lineup versatility. RHJ will run like the wind in transition, which OKC is wont to do. Perhaps Justin Anderson has a more balanced game, but RHJ can dominate immediately on defense.

15.) Atlanta Hawks (Ross Gumdrop): Myles Turner, 6-11, Texas, PF. BREAKING NEWS: Billy King offers Joe Johnson and the 29th pick to Atlanta for the 15th pick. (Wait a second, you’ll get it). Back to reality… oh wait Billy King is incredibly incompetent in reality. Anyway, Atlanta doesn’t often draft underclassmen, but Mike Budenholzer should be elated if Myles Turner, a lottery talent, falls to them. Turner is the rare pick that shores up a team’s flaws and seamlessly fits into its strengths. In Atlanta’s case, Turner would be an immediate boon to their undersized front court — a deficiency that Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov were eager to exploit. Turner will give the Hawks an elite rim protector and very solid rebounding ability, particularly on the defensive end. These are glaring holes on Atlanta’s roster. Furthermore, Turner is an excellent face up shooter for a big man, and would be a Spursian cog in the Atlanta ball movement attack. Possessing good shooting mechanics, he has legitimate range out to the college 3 and shoots over 80% at the charity stripe. He’s the rare big who provides legitimate floor spacing, rebounding, and rim protection. Now, just don’t let him go clubbing with Thabo Sefolosha and Pero Antic in NYC.

Unfortunately, Turner will need to wear his shades to the stage to avoid severe retinal damage from holding up his new team jersey.

16.) Boston Celtics (David Wood): Montrezl Harrell, 6-8, Louisville, PF. When the Celtics tried to destroy the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs, they had a lot of guys playing dirty. That wasn’t cool. If you want to push the limits of what’s acceptable, you need to have hustle players, see Matthew Dellavedova. Montrezl is all hustle. He is short for a power forward; however, that didn’t stop him from sucking up 3.2 o-boards a game during his junior year. His wingspan is 7’3.5”, which is unbelievable considering he’s only 6’6.” He looks to outrun opposing big men, finished 65% of his shots at the rim, and weighs 253 pounds. He is the anti-Kelly Olynyk, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t hope he accidentally bumps Olynyk into oblivion when boxing him out during a practice.

17.) Milwaukee Bucks (David Wood): Kevon Looney, 6-9, UCLA, PF. The Bucks lost Larry Sanders this past season because he just wasn’t feeling basketball anymore. Looney can’t replace Sanders, but he’ll wear some rec specs and try his best to. Kevon averaged about a block and a steal per game playing in UCLA’s zone defense. His length helps him close out on shooters, and as he adds to his slim 222 pound frame, he will become a formidable small ball rim protecting center. He shot 41.5% from behind the arc as a freshman too, and will help a Bucks team that desperately needs shooters. Jason Kidd worked magic with a bunch of lengthy guys this past season. It will be great to see what he can do with one who can use his insane 7’2” wingspan to drain bombs, and can occasionally go coast to coast off a rebound if he feels like it.

18.) Houston Rockets (Ross Gumdrop): Cameron Payne, 6-2, Murray St., PG. Daryl Morey will be in analytics heaven if he actually gets to have his choice of Payne, Tyus Jones, and Jerian Grant. The Rockets likely won’t have the luxury of taking their favorite PG of the three, but if they do, the choice will be Payne. There might not be another player whose stock has risen so dramatically during the predraft process. He’s a probable lottery pick now, despite entering college with little expectations two seasons ago at unheralded Murray State. Nevertheless, he’s firmly on everyone’s radar now. He should be on Houston’s as Golden State demonstrated in the West Finals that they desperately need another offensive creator other than James Harden when the opponent traps him and forces the ball out of his hands. Payne fits the bill; he was a high usage shot maker and offensive initiator for the Racers. He’ll be a perfect complement to the Rockets style, as he’s excellent in transition, can space the floor, and is a superb passer. He can run the show when the Beard sits to eat his Taco Bell breakfasts, and he can be effective off the ball when Harden pounds the rock.

19.) Washington Wizards (CLF): Tyus Jones, 6-2, Duke, PG. The Washington Wizards have the misfortune of being run by a Duke fan, thus ending up with Tyus Jones, PG from Duke. The Wizards’ front office agonized over selecting Justin Anderson… but Jones has high caliber three-point shooting and above average playmaking ability to maximize the talents of their titillating twosome, John Wall and Bradley “St. Weirdo II” Beal. Jones will get killed on defense. But he may allow Wall the freedom to operate off the ball at the SG at times, and Jones’ fantastic perimeter shooting should space the floor for Wall and for Beal’s paint attack game. Passing on offensive talent Trey Lyles may get the Wizards’ mock GM fired quickly. However, going small is the new big in the NBA… so, when in Rome…

20.) Toronto Raptors (Cory Hughey): Bobby Portis, 6-11, Arkansas, PF. Masai Ujiri has earned a rep for being a master of profanity and roster construction in a short amount of time. I don’t doubt that Ujiri is a savant with the seven dirty words, but he’s the reason the Nuggets are a mess. He dished out the big money extensions to JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler that castrated the Nuggets cap sheet and forced this rebuild. This is a fulcrum offseason for the Raptors, and Ujiri appears ready to shake up the Raptors roster that he inherited. I doubt that Tyler Hansbrough and Amir Johnson both return next season, and Portis would give them a physical and versatile prospect to add to their young core, or what’s left of it.

21.) Dallas Mavericks (EvilGenius): Jerian Grant, 6-4, Notre Dame, PG. With the Rajon Rondo Experiment failing worse than the Stanford Prison Experiment, Mark Cuban has GM Donnie Nelson held down by actual inmates while he has another one give him a prison tat on his right forearm that reads “draft a better point guard!” Donnie does just that by grabbing possibly the most NBA-ready PG in the draft in Grant. Terrific in the pick-and-roll, and able to switch to the two guard spot (since Monta also looks like he might make a break for it), Grant is about as close to a no-brainer as the Mavs can find at this stage of round one. He should also keep poor Donnie from future ink, unlike his predecessor.

Cuban’s boys already touched up Donnie once after the season ended…

22.) Chicago Bulls (cwzagger): Justin Anderson, 6-6, Virginia, SF. Unknown to Jerry Reinsdorf, it’s been LeBron James who has acted as de facto owner of the Chicago Bulls since 2010. In a move to expand his influence beyond Northeast Ohio, LeBron appoints himself Grand Marshall of the Bulls (who can’t be bothered to correct his usage of the initials “GM”) and selects Justin Anderson of Virginia with the 22nd pick of the draft. “With his 7’0″ wingspan and athleticism,” LeBron the Great bellows at the podium, “Justin fills a role for the Bulls as an explosive small forward who can hit long-distance shots and lock down the perimeter, a perfect fit for any Thibodeau-led t–erm… That is, I’m sure this standup young man will prove a valuable asset in the Bulls’ path to a champ– …Well, hopefully he will provide me with a much needed challenge on this team Hahahahaha!” The Immortal LeBron cackles as he transforms into a wine-and-gold phoenix, and flies off into the sunset in front of a stunned crowd in New York.

23.) Portland Trailblazers (DellaveYoda): R.J. Hunter, 6-6, Georgia St., SG. With the potential loss of Wesley Matthews and Arron Afflalo, the Crafters of Beers and failed playoff runs grab a great shooter and scorer in Hunter. He measures up with Jamal Crawford, but has a smoother stroke. The Brass up in Oregon can sit back and enjoy a nice Blue Dot Double India Pale Ale after this pick.

It’s a Klutch world… we just live in it.

24.) Cleveland Cavaliers (Ben Werth): Trey Lyles, 6-10, Kentucky, PF. The Cavs giggle on their way to the podium to snag 19 year old Trey Lyles. LeBron nods knowingly while fist pumping Rich Paul under the table. It’s awkward for everyone. The young Klutch player played at both forward spots at Kentucky. He has a much better stroke than his three point percentage indicates. His slightly doughy physique leaves Lyles room to improve. Kevin Love shakes his head slowly as Twitter asks how many PFs are legal on one roster.

25.) Memphis Grizzlies (Ben Werth): Robert Upshaw, 7-0, Washington, C. At 24 The Grizz go for more giant grind, selecting the largest decent player in the draft, Robert Upshaw. He is, literally, a reach pick with a ridiculous 9-foot-5 inch standing reach. No one in Memphis really expects Marc Gasol to leave in free agency, but Kosta Koufos is likely out the door. Upshaw has enough upside to take over the backup center spot. It must be mentioned that he has been dismissed from a couple teams. But hey, if the Grindfather and Z-Bo are on your squad, you can afford to roll the dice on a guy like that. They will keep Upshaw on the up and up. (Ok, I am annoying myself now.)

26.) San Antonio Spurs (DellaveYoda): Guillermo Hernangomez, 6-11, Spain, C. Greg Popovich smugly walks to the Podium in his finest six-hued sombrero, hands the pick off, and joins a Mariachi Band as Adam Silver announces “GUILLLLLLLLLLLLERMO HHHHHERNANNNNNGOMEZ… That’s what you wrote Greg? Seriously. David would have none of this.” Popovich needs no explanation for picking a 6’11” beast of a Spaniard.

Los Spurs strike again!

27.) Los Angeles Lakers (cwzagger): Chris McCullough, 6-9, Syracuse, PF. It started with Ramon Sessions. Then came Mike Brown. And now they’re onto Byron Scott. The Los Angeles Lakers have been unable to help from recycling through all of the Cavaliers’ old scraps as they find themselves caught in an unfamiliar basketball rut these past few seasons. Sorry LA — it seems as if a little bit of that Cleveland Rust has rubbed off on the Lakers, who are officially in Waiting for Next Year mode, selecting Chris McCullough with the 27th pick of the draft. Pegged as a potential lottery pick had he stayed in school a year longer, McCullough enters the NBA coming off a torn ACL injury and will likely not see any playing time this year, a la Nerlens Noel in 2013. Not to worry, as the 6’9″ power forward from Syracuse has the ability to stretch the floor, defend multiple positions, block shots, and move with uncommon agility for a big man. Following a year in which his team will likely attempt to go #allin for what appears to be Kobe Bryant’s swan song season, McCullough will provide fresh, new talent for the Lakers in a couple seasons, should the team encounter the harsh reality of true rebuilding. So for the Lakers, at least in the case of this talented young big, there’s always next year.

28.) Boston Celtics (EvilGenius): Anthony Brown, 6-7, Stanford, SG. In this alternate reality where Danny Ainge gets some front court depth with Montrezl Harrell earlier in the round, he gleefully rubs his Leprechaun digits together as realization dawns that he doesn’t have to trade up to snag a terrific spot-up wing shooter with size who can pair with Marcus Smart to create a supersize guard tandem. Brown, who shot 45% from deep this past year, should instantly help upgrade the position (over the potential formerly known as Evan Turner), and give the C’s a deep threat that is over 6′ tall.

29.) Brooklyn Nets (Cory Hughey): Terry Rozier, 6-2, Louisville, PG.The Nets left the swamps of New Jersey, for the sleek Barclays Center in hipster-scum Brooklyn. They even went with the best possible color scheme of black and white (I would have gone with “Ebony and Ivory” because it’s my second favorite Stevie Wonder song after “Sir Duke”). That’s all that’s gone right for the franchise since the move. The roster construction by GM Billy King has gone over like the Hindenburg, but without the shady Nazi coverup. The Nets are picking 29th this year because they took on Joe Johnson’s albatross of a contract, and as the payment for that privilege, agreed to give the Hawks the right to swap picks. With Jarrett Jack and Deron Williams on the trading block, the Nets could use a young point guard to groom for the future. Knowing King’s history, he’ll probably draft Rakeem Christmas just because he has a sweet name.

30.) Golden State Warriors (CLF): Joseph Young, 6-2, Oregon, SG. The Golden State Warriors decided one baby-faced assassin wasn’t enough, so they drafted another… “Mighty” Joseph Young of Oregon. Talk of drafting Cliff Alexander or Dakari Johnson quickly vanished as the FO decided to ban drafting or playing players taller than 6’8″. Joseph Young is a clone of Stephen Curry. Unlimited shooting range, no conscience, and comes into the NBA after a spectacular conference and NCAA tournament run. He shoots spot-ups, pull-ups, and around the basket. He makes plays off the dribble, especially because of his shooting range. His defense is sub-par, but his nickname is not.

53.) Cleveland Cavaliers (Ross Gumdrop): JP Tokoto, 6-6, North Carolina, SF. David Griffin shocked the world in the first round by drafting another PF at the team’s most loaded position. In the second round, he goes conventional and grabs an athletic wing in Tokoto. J.P. is a high flying, above the rim wing who scores most of his points in transition and projects to have some definite defensive potential at the next level. He’s the kind of guy who stands out during a game but when you look at the box score, you’re surprised he didn’t make more of an impact. With some more development and refinement to his half court offense, he could be a very serviceable role player. If he doesn’t pan out, well at least he looks like a parakeet.

Crazy Trade (David Wood): On draft night, Larry Bird and the Pacers officially decide it is time to rebuild. The big bad David West has declined his player option. Roy Hibbert is seven feet tall, can’t grab more than eight rebounds a game, and could turn down his 15.6 million dollar player option considering the Pacers have tossed around the possibility of reducing his playing time. And, finally, Rodney Stuckey was the second leading Pacer scorer last season with just 12.6 points per game. This team is in shambles, even if Paul George makes “the leap” for a second time twice in one season.

Indiana probably should have attempted this project last year with their star out, but I won’t fault them. The Cavs send them their 24th pick of this draft, Joe Harris, and Brendan Haywood’s contract. In return, the Cavs get back former Cavalier CJ Miles and a respectable rim protector, Ian Mahinmi.

This trade gets the the Pacers an extra draft pick, some cap space if they waive Haywood, and a young guy with the chance to be the next Kyle Korver (I kid, but you never know). CJ Miles can shoot the 3-ball and is a pretty good defender who has no problem covering shooting guards or small forwards. Miles’ 3-point percentage dropped to just 34% this past season, but he was the primary scorer for the Pacers and had the biggest workload of his career thus far. He could take some minutes from LeBron James or play alongside him and hit open jumpers.

Last season Ian Manhinmi contested 52.4% of all shots at the rim when he was on the floor. That’s one of the higher rates for a backup big man. Although that number is partially a result of the Pacers’ defensive system, it shows that he is willing to move around to hunt the ball. Mahinmi is a great insurance policy for Cleveland just in case Anderson Varejao goes down for an extended amount of time.

CJ Miles makes $4,394,225 next season, and Ian Manhinmi makes $4,000,000.