Cavaliers Grab J.J. Hickson
Posted at 9:32 p.m. EDT
Well, the Cavaliers confounded everyone - not going for the big names like Kosta Koufus or Chris Douglas-Roberts - but instead opting for NC State freshman, J.J. Hickson.
Hickson played big in the country's toughest conference and is already developed physically - with a strong upper and extremely strong lower body for a 19-year-old. He prefers to play with his back to the basket, but can also knock down the 18-footer. Even for a young guy, he's a tough matchup because of his combination of strength and quickness and has a nice array of moves under the basket.
Hickson has drawn comparisions to Al Harrington - a player the Cavaliers were reportedly interested in as of late. At 6-9, he's relatively small for a PF. He doesn't have great mechanics and questionable hands. Hickson also doesn't have much of a left-hand at this point - a concern for a player who likes the action close to the basket.
He has the potential to be an excellent rebounder, and he'll be with one of the top rebounding teams in the NBA. Hickson gives the Cavaliers an athletic player at a position where they desperately need it.
The Countdown Begins...
Posted at 9:02 p.m. EDT
The word on this Draft was that it was deep one, and that's proven to be true through the first dozen picks. The Nets have to be tickled that Brook Lopez fell to them at No. 10. And the Pacers - in one day - made a major upgrade of their point guard position, snagging Jerryd Bayless at No. 11 just hours after picking up T.J. Ford in the Jermaine O'Neal trade.
Sacramento just surprised everyone by drafting Rider's Jason Thompson at No. 12.
Brandon Rush, as expected, came off the board to Portland. The Cavaliers were high on him, but as the Draft continues to shake out, some names are beginning to slip closer to No. 19.
Cleveland will be keeping an eye on Philadelphia - another team in need of a big. Again, the decision will be whether the Cavaliers go with a wing player or a big. The Sixers are reportedly high on Kosta Koufus and if he comes off the board, that could change the Wine and Gold's plans.
The Cavaliers are within minutes of making their choice ...
And They're Off...
Posted at 8:12 p.m. EDT
So here we are after the top five picks have come and gone ...
The big mystery of the early stage of the Draft was answered when the Heat ended their smokescreen and drafted Michael Beasley with the No. 2 overall pick. Pat Riley had questioned Beasley's dedication, but when the smoke cleared, the choice was easy. Many people feel that the K-State phenom will be a double-double machine from day one.
For all the bluster about Miami grabbing O.J. Mayo and the Heat waiting to acquire Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer next year, it was Beasley with the pick.
Mayo went to the Timberwolves, who will go with Al Jefferson at the "5" again this upcoming season - unless they make another move between now and Training Camp. (Or the end of the night.)
The Sonics took defensive-minded combo-guard, Russell Westbrook, with the No. 4 overall pick. Most of the punditry here at CCC feels that was a stretch for the Sonics. (Put it this way: Westbrook wasn't even at Madison Square Garden's Green Room.) But the combination of Westbrook and Kevin Durant is still a nice one-two for Seattle.
With the fifth pick, the Grizzlies stuck to the script and went with Kevin Love - the prolific freshman from UCLA. Love has dropped a ton of weight since the NCAA season ended and will fill the frontcourt void left by the departure of Pau Gasol. Memphis has to feel good about this draft.
With Gasol's younger brother, Marc, agreeing to join the Grizzlies this season, Memphis has to feel like they got two lottery picks out of the night.
The Knicks are on the clock now, and that's always good for some electricity at MSG ...
Let the Games Begin
Posted at 7:18 p.m. EDT
Right now, the talk around Independence is about the same as the buzz around the basketball community - and most of it focuses on the Nets-Bucks trade.
Of course, the name of a player not involved (Michael Redd) is what the media is talking about. Does the deal that sends Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee indicate that Redd is expendable? Or does it portend that Milwaukee is building for this year, and giving Redd a sidekick like R-Jeff is an indication that the Bucks are looking at making a move.
Of course, from the New Jersey side - as it will be from now until 2010 - folks are concerned that the Nets are making salary-cutting moves to make a pitch at LeBron. And it's not completely crazy to think that way. New Jersey did give up one of the Eastern Conference's better small forwards for two non-starters. The jury is still out on Yi Jianlian.
I've had a couple of readers write in to ask who the Cavaliers would prefer - CDR or Courtney Lee. I think they're high on both players, but it'll probably boil down to a simple choice of whether they want a wing player or a big man like Roy Hibbert or Kosta Koufus - if either (or any of the four players) are available.
The Cavaliers do like Courtney Lee and Danny Ferry has said that he likes Douglas-Roberts' game. Either would certainly solidify the two-guard spot. Both guys are "basketball players" - meaning they're not shooters or ball-handlers or defenders. They can do it all, and versatility at that position has to be a priority going into 2008-09.
The 2008 tips off in just a few minutes ....
Trade Winds Blowing in the Draft
Posted at 5:07 p.m. EDT
I'm here at the Cavaliers state-of-the-art training complex - Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence - where we media members will take in the 2008 NBA Draft. I'm going to be blogging from here as the Wine and Gold work their way towards the No. 19 pick.
This is one of the most wide-open drafts in recent memory. And it's a deep draft.
As many as six point guards - Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, D.J. Augustin, Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook - could be lottery picks. The entire first round is deep with big men - even in the bottom half and past where the Cavaliers select. Quality wing players like CDR, Bill Walker and Courtney Lee should be, as well.
The story going right now is that the trade winds are beginning to blow. And all the action has been in the East.
Pending physicals ...
Jermaine O'Neal got shipped to Toronto to shore up their frontline. T.J. Ford got sent to Indy to shore up their backcourt. Each player was on the clock with their former teams, so the fact that both moved is no surprise. And it puts an end to the rumor that O'Neal might wind up in Cleveland.
The second big deal also involves a Central Division and Atlantic Division team with the Bucks sending Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to New Jersey for Richard Jefferson.
Yi moves to the big market, which his people wanted the entire time. And Bobby Simmons ends a snake-bitten stay in Wisconsin. New Jersey has now shipped out two-thirds of their Big Three and continues to get younger.
Boston's Championship is already having ripple effects across the league, and it's certain that the complexion of the East is going to be dramatically different between now and October.
And we haven't even seen the first pick of the Draft yet. Stay tuned ...