2011 NBA Draft Official Thread

[e0y2e3]

Glad you are now sourcing Skip Bayless to protect your Gilbert obsession though.

Yes, its all about Gilbert and nothing to do with Grant seeing something in Thompson over the other guys. Get over yourself.

I love how you can pick and choose your sourcing.

Ford, Amick, Woj all had the Cavs settling in on and zeroing in on Vala.

Best report is that he had a good workout against D-Will and then dazzled Gilbert in his interview (from Berger, an actual source).

But keep on trucking and posting shit that is wrong from Skip.

Your love affair lives on.

[JJN]

I'm now begging for JJ to TOR for Vala. That has to be what is happening, right?

Can't believe Kawhai has dropped this far. We had better be on the phones trying to snag him. Too much value at this point to pass up.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

I love how you can pick and choose your sourcing.

Yes, heaven forbid any of us try to find something good about Thompson.

But whatever. It is what it is.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Ralphie wasn't this disappointed in A Christmas Story when his decoder ring told him to drink his Ovaltine.

[OldDawg]

Everyone thought the Cavs would be the talk of the draft. Maybe they are... but for the wrong reasons.

[BruceK]

Amick right now over at SI:
"Thompson shot up the draft boards in the last 48 hours, with his motor and desire to improve resonating with a Cavs team that wants to add impact players now. He can score, rebound and defend. In other words, he's the poster boy for this draft: not sexy as a player but effective and looking at a long career. The Cavs were slated to take Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas here, but his sticky buyout situation with his overseas team clearly scared them away. Valanciunas might not be able to play in the NBA next season because of the contract.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/2011/draft/tracker/draft_analysis/index.html#ixzz1Q9OG59bJ

[OldDawg]

What, another PF was Big12 POY in Marcus Morris. How could it not have been TT????

[e0y2e3]

Got scared about play now crap that makes no sense and went w/ a safe guy who is a + defender and can't score at all. Out of the + defender prospects he's the safest to be okay but also has a the lowest ceiling.

What they did is clear.

What kind of fucking logic that is while rebuilding and during step one of the rebuild is not.

[Orenthal]

Or that any ill move must be Gilbert. Knee jerk. I hate the pick, but what do I know of the War Room. Cavaliers keep everything so close to the vest they don't even let Irving know he is #1 pick, yet all these guys talking Vala and TT, and TT was mostly just in case when Kanter to Utah started getting legit.

I see Franschilla/Bismack no different then Givony(DX)/Kanter. Givony has been so much more negative on Kanter then anyone else. Ranking him #12 out of 100. Fuckers get out of control with their bias, shit not smelling.

[YahooFanChicago]

Still don't get the TT pick. Hopefully it works out but I don't get it. Not the BPA and not a position of need either. Strange.

Even stranger still, the CBS Sports Live Draft Grades...check them out, they are worth a laugh: http://www.cbssports.com/#!/nba/story/15260158

They give us a "C" for the Irving Pick, They give the Twolves an "A" for Derrick Anderson, The Jazz an "F" for Kanter since I guess they should have taken Jimmer, The Cavs a "D" for TT and the Raptors round out the top 5 with and "F" for Jonas Val.

Their analysis is even worse than our #4 pick.

[StewieG]

WFNYScott Scott @ WFNY
Certainly an interesting dynamic with LRMR representing Thompson. #Cavs fans should note, however, that Dan Gilbert was his biggest fan.

[e0y2e3]

Givony has had the most accurate mock thus far by far.

And the line-up of what occured here wreaks of Gilbert. Don't care if you don't want to see it but we watched this play out in slow mo. Close to vest? Everyone in the league had the leak on Kyrie, we are just unprofessional fucks.

[e0y2e3]

WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
The Spurs may have a deal with Indiana for Kawhi Leonard, sources say.

^ SMART

[e0y2e3]

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Pacers have traded this pick to the Spurs for George Hill sources say.

^ DONE

[JCoz]

Sad part is this pick, even just on draft day perception, still can't touch the Cavs management at its "best".

It just goes into the big pile.

[YahooFanChicago]

WFNYScott Scott @ WFNY
Certainly an interesting dynamic with LRMR representing Thompson. #Cavs fans should note, however, that Dan Gilbert was his biggest fan.

Damn, so Maverick Carter/Lebron represents him and Gilbert selected him at 4? WTF, this just keeps getting weirder.

Maybe Gilbert knows that the new CBA will have a MLB like compensation pick in the subsequent draft if you don't sign your previous year pick and he would prefer to have #4 in 2012.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Isiah pick.

[StewieG]

The only thing worse than letting Isiah Thomas run your draft is letting your owner run it.

[daddywags]

Somebody's got to be contrarian here, I suppose it might as well be me. I would have preferred Valanciunas (obviously), but if not him (and after taking Irving at 1) I like Thompson as much as anyone else. Every time I turned on the TV to watch Jordan Hamilton play last season I came away more impressed with Thompson (even though I didn't really know who he was at first). I was more impressed with his defense on Derrick Willaims in the loss than I was with Williams' offense. He's got no offensive game other than put-backs and drive and dish dunks, but maybe that's what Irving is for. If he allows us to move JJ for a 2012 pick (or a young wing player) it's better yet.

FTR: Without reading the whole thread who, besides Valanciunas (who I know some of you didn't really like at all at least at first) would you rather have taken at 4?

[Kingpin74]

This sucks, a total reach at 4 and we're going to let the trade exception expire for nothing. Norris Cole at 32 is the only thing that can revive me at this point.

[StewieG]

Somebody's got to be contrarian here, I suppose it might as well be me. I would have preferred Valanciunas (obviously), but if not him (and after taking Irving at 1) I like Thompson as much as anyone else. Every time I turned on the TV to watch Jordan Hamilton play last season I came away more impressed with Thompson (even though I didn't really know who he was at first). I was more impressed with his defense on Derrick Willaims in the loss than I was with Williams' offense. He's got no offensive game other than put-backs and drive and dish dunks, but maybe that's what Irving is for. If he allows us to move JJ for a 2012 pick (or a young wing player) it's better yet.

FTR: Without reading the whole thread who, besides Valanciunas (who I know some of you didn't really like at all at least at first) would you rather have taken at 4?

Nobody. I would have taken Valanciunas. Biyombo after that, but Vala was my pick.

[JJN]

Biyombo, Leonard, Burks.

I really really hope this means we have a trade lined up for JJ.

[StewieG]

Pretty much the only thing that can talk me off the ledge right now is trading JJ to the Nets for their 2 picks next year.

[Orenthal]

Wags I would have opted for Vessely or Vala (being that my fanboi pick was gone).

HOWEVER, I value the opinion of Samn Amick as much as any other NBA writer and he was on of the first calling TT. Called TT when it was a complete surprise before anyone else put him in as the Vala contingency.

From his mock, "The Pistons could opt for Bismack Biyombo, but Thompson has received similar -- and perhaps even more -- praise for his motor than the Congolese forward and isn't likely to fall past here." (Pistons@)

Also catching an interview with Thompson. Saying once he saw Enes go at 3 knew he had a slight chance to go the the Cavaliers. I'm letting it sink in, because in all honesty what do I know.

[jerryroche]

Thompson appears to be one of those guys who you like to play on the defensive end during the last few minutes of close games for his defensive and shot-blocking ability, but then you've got to get him the hell off the floor when you go on offense or it'll be hack-a-Tristan time. In other words, not really a prime-time/crunch-time player, which IMHO is an almost total waste of the No. 4 choice.

Hope I'm proven wrong, but history tells us that a guy who shoots 49% from the foul line when he's 20 is not likely to shoot 70% when he's 25.

[Orenthal]

Local hack perception on the radio agree's with e0 regarding Gilbert. Also their guy in New Jersey says national perception amongst reporters there is that this was a reach for Thompson, bringing it back to e0's point again...

[e0y2e3]

Amick changed his pick to Vala today OJ, you can't just keep ignoring that.

And Amick isn't a scout, him saying one guy said nice things about TT is good and all, but it's a fucking reach and in the first year of a rebuild not going BPA is the dumbest thing you can possibly do.

[e0y2e3]

And according to everyone Biyombo shit on TT in Detroit, was great in his Toronto workout and just killed his Charlotte workout.

[motherscratcher]

Remember the good old days when the Cavs were picking 1st, 6th, 10th, and 18th?

Yeah.

[Kingpin74]

I congratulate the Cavs. They may find a way to make their fanbase more excited about a 32nd pick than a 4th pick. "I'm not even mad, that's amazing."

[e0y2e3]

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Wolves will send Jonny Flynn & rights to Motiejunas to Rockets for 23 & Brad Miller.

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Wolves also get a future first round pick from Houston

SpearsNBAYahoo Marc J. Spears
Nuggets get Andre Miller back from Portland for Raymond Felton. Probably swap picks.

[Orenthal]

Jeff Phelps of FSOhio says once Kanter to Utah became a done deal they went for the next NBA ready guy. He is at Cleveland Clinic Courts right now, says it is pretty quiet.

Waiting for something to happen... Didn't expect this silence. Expected buy a pick, trade, TPE...

[jta1975]

Keep the statistics majors out of the draft room...Analytics made this pick(TT)

[StewieG]

Keep the statistics majors out of the draft room...Analytics made this pick(TT)

Dan Gilbert made this pick.

[e0y2e3]

Keep the statistics majors out of the draft room...Analytics made this pick(TT)

As much as I like stats and what not I don't buy analytics bringing a guy soaring up draft boards in a 48 hour period. The numbers haven't changed on him since day one of evaluations post season.

[Kingpin74]

How could they be this f***ing shortsighted??? The most "NBA ready guy" for THIS roster? If you added Teen Wolf to the 2010-2011 Cavs, they wouldn't sniff the playoffs. Formulate a multiyear plan for crying out loud. All this tells me is that Gilbert took an absolute bath on season tickets and is freaking out.

[OldDawg]

HOWEVER, I value the opinion of Samn Amick as much as any other NBA writer and he was on of the first calling TT. Called TT when it was a complete surprise before anyone else put him in as the Vala contingency.

Yeah, but this doesn't mean Amick thinks this is the right pick. This only means his "sources" indicate that the Cavs were stupid enough to fall in love with a guy that's barely in the top 10 at #4.

[Orenthal]

Amick changed his pick to Vala today OJ, you can't just keep ignoring that.

And Amick isn't a scout, him saying one guy said nice things about TT is good and all, but it's a fucking reach and in the first year of a rebuild not going BPA is the dumbest thing you can possibly do.

I saw him go back to Vala, like the rest of the herd, and who I figured the pick to be even before Kanter went to Utah. I know Amick isn't a scout he was a beat writer, turned national guy, who seems the most credible. His mock wasn't too far off for not adjusting to the trade that happened hours b4 the draft.

Just pointing out what I had seen about Thompson, not trying justify anything, cuz I'm not bullish on this for the reasons you point out.

[jta1975]

Keep the statistics majors out of the draft room...Analytics made this pick(TT)

As much as I like stats and what not I don't buy analytics bringing a guy soaring up draft boards in a 48 hour period. The numbers haven't changed on him since day one of evaluations post season.

Yeah, I agree the numbers haven't changed but the numbers coupled with simply liking the player as a person made it real easy to justify...making the call

[OldDawg]

TMLP shoulda sent his son to the war room instead of himself.

[jta1975]

Give me a name for 32 that gets the draft back on track...we are at 23 now..

[YahooFanChicago]

Has anyone seen TT play a lot? Is his upside potential Dennis Rodman without the weirdness? If not, what would his upside be and who would that comp be?

[Triple-S]

In his interview with Hammer, Tristan Thompson called said @KingJames is "like a big brother to me..."

per rizzo.

fail.

[OldDawg]

Give me a name for 32 that gets the draft back on track...we are at 23 now..

Tristian Thompson... oh no, he's already gone.

[e0y2e3]

Keep the statistics majors out of the draft room...Analytics made this pick(TT)

As much as I like stats and what not I don't buy analytics bringing a guy soaring up draft boards in a 48 hour period. The numbers haven't changed on him since day one of evaluations post season.

Yeah, I agree the numbers haven't changed but the numbers coupled with simply liking the player as a person made it real easy to justify...making the call

That still doesn't cover a 48 hour rush up.

This was going for a single to try and get more money next year, only explanation.

Especially w/ the focus on players who can contribute "right away"

And this was a Gilbert call, I'll put money on it.

[StewieG]

WFNYScott Scott @ WFNY
Ugh. In interview with ESPN Cleveland, Thompson calls LeBron a "big brother." I see this going over well. #Cavs

And now I hate that pick even more.

And fuck. Mirotic is getting traded to the Bulls. Really wanted that kid.

[StewieG]

Has anyone seen TT play a lot? Is his upside potential Dennis Rodman without the weirdness? If not, what would his upside be and who would that comp be?

His upside is Tyrus Thomas.

[e0y2e3]

Yeah that was an awesome grab for Chicago.

[e0y2e3]

Has anyone seen TT play a lot? Is his upside potential Dennis Rodman without the weirdness? If not, what would his upside be and who would that comp be?

His upside is Tyrus Thomas.

W/out the freakishly insane athleticism (this isn't to call him not athletic).

[Kingpin74]

In his interview with Hammer, Tristan Thompson called said @KingJames is "like a big brother to me..."

per rizzo.

fail.

I'm going to keep drinking.