The month of June is one of the NBA's best.
The start of the month is controlled by the league's heavyweights - four squads slugging it out to reach the Finals and the two winners fighting for the crown. The end of the month is controlled by the league's lightweights - who perennially hold the keys to the NBA Draft.
That's the case again this year, with the Timberwolves, Wizards and Grizzlies - three clubs that combined for one more win (67) than the Cavaliers had as a team - dictating the events of much of the first round.
The T-Wolves have now become the biggest players in the entire Draft. They don't have a head coach, but they do own the 5th, 6th, 18th, and 28th picks in Round One. Word on the street is that they're looking to move up to get Hasheem Thabeet and are willing to move No. 5 and 18 to get him.
The Wolves' dealings don't immediately put them into playoff contention, but a healthy frontline of Al Jefferson, Kevin Love and Thabeet is one to watch in the future. And it's worth noting that this is one of the deepest point guard Drafts in recent memory. The Wolves can soothe the pain of trading O.J. Mayo - and fill the hole left by recently-dealt Randy Foye - by grabbing any number of quality ones with the No. 6 or 28 selection. (Or packaging those picks.)
Mayo's current club - the Grizzlies - hold the top pick in play (Blake Griffin is a lock for L.A.). They can stand pat and select Thabeet - who, like Spanish playmaker Ricky Rubio, is not thrilled with the idea of languishing in the River City. Or they can deal it to any number of clubs who covet the seven-footer from UConn.
That leaves the Wizards - the Cavaliers' three-time playoff nemeses - who dumped a bunch of salary and acquired Foye and Mike Miller. You have to hand it to Wiz GM, Ernie Grunfeld. Despite repeated disappointments, he refuses to break up D.C.'s Big Three of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas. (Of course, let's see if that's still the case on Friday morning.)
The Wizards dealing the No. 5 overall selection was one of two big trades on Tuesday. The Bucks and Spurs made the other deal, with Milwaukee sending Richard Jefferson to San Antonio in exchange for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. (Oberto was then dealt to Detroit for Amir Johnson.)
How will these moves affect the Cavaliers?
Other than Bruce Bowen being in the Central Division, not much. But the Cavaliers have not ruled out getting up into the first round, and Minnesota is obviously flush with picks. Milwaukee's salary dump might also give them the cash they'll need to ink Charlie Villanueva, who could be a Cavaliers' target in free agency.
Although some local radio personalities seem to think there's no players that could benefit the Championship-contending Cavaliers in this Draft, there are quite a few athletes that could improve the squad. Just this past season, the Magic reached the Finals with a rookie (Courtney Lee, No. 22 overall) as their starting two-guard.
The 2009 Draft is point guard heavy, and although the Wine and Gold would have a hard time passing on a plummeting point guard like Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings or Patty Mills, the glut of guards could push some wing players and big men towards the bottom of the first round.
Danny Ferry conceded on Monday that the Cavaliers are in the market for some length and athleticism and there should be plenty to choose from near the second half of the first round. These players may not make the immediate contribution that Courtney Lee made in Orlando, but both Cavalier rookies were integral in Cleveland's 2008-09 season, including Darnell Jackson - the No. 52 overall pick.
Cavaliers' PR whiz and amateur draft guru, Garin Narain and I have been comparing wish lists as Thursday approaches. He's high on a pair of UNC swingmen - Danny Green and Wayne Ellington - followed by rock-solid big man, Jeff Pendergraph, of Arizona State and rangy guard, Patrick Beverly, who started out at Arkansas and wound up playing (naturally) in the Ukraine.
My wish list consists of DeMarre Carroll, the do-it-all small forward from Missouri, followed by PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Taj Gibson of USC, and then the crafty Tar Heel, Ellington.
The Cavaliers would do well to get any of these six players at No. 30 and there's an outside chance one could slip to No. 46.
Of course, by the time you read this, Minnesota might have already made another trade or two. But that's the beauty of the last week of June. Moves are made, new blood invigorates the league as teams are built and re-built.
In many ways, the 2009-10 season begins on Thursday night. And after the unfortunate ending to the Cavaliers' campaign earlier this month, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to get the next one rolling right now.