Cleveland has the 12th pick. They received this pick from the Washington Bullets in exchange for Mark Price (this deal took place on 9/27/95. The Cavs GM is: Steve Chapin and the Cavs select: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, 7'1", Lithuania ========================================================================= I. Team Needs/History Again this year, the Cavs overachieved enough in the regular season to earn a chance at an early playoff exit. Mike Fratello is a good enough coach to get his guys to play some of the best team basketball in the NBA, but they just don't have the firepower to match up with the stars they face in the higher-intensity playoffs. In effect, the Cavs play the whole year as if it were the playoffs, and have nothing left to give at the end. Obligatory whine: the best team defense in the NBA, and the highest any Cav finishes is third-team all NBA on defense? Man, that Mike Fratello must be one hell of a coach. Of course he never gets any votes for CoTY, either. Their needs this year are the same as last: a true center and a dynamic scorer for the 2/3 position. I expect the Cavs to try and fill at least one of these positions through the draft, and the other through free agency. The problem may be that there might well be only 2nd-level big men available with the #12 pick, and 2nd-level scorers with the #20. Spending the #12 on a scorer might be an option, but it would "overspend" that pick. In particular, the picks I'd like to see them get both come from MSU: Eric Dampier and Dantae Jones. However, I'm sure Dampier will be gone by #12, and I expect Jones will be gone by #20. Jones could be picked with the #12, but that seems a bit of a reach. Oh, yeah, and Danny Ferry will be with this team forever. Bleah. A. CENTER Michael Cage is still an adequate backup, and John Amechi might reach that level someday. Neither they, nor any of the other PF the Cavs have been playing as centers should ever be mistaken for a true NBA starting center. The Cavs will have to resign Cage as a FA, and I'm sure they will. Brad Daugherty has finally realized he won't be back in the NBA any time soon (*), so the Cavs will have his salary slot available this year. If only he'd realized this more than a year ago, when they could've used the money to sign someone. Given that the Cavs are picking at #12, and that the true center prospects will most likely be gone then, I expect them to pursue a FA solution to their problem at center. Shaq is right out, so that leaves them looking at players like Brian Williams. He would be adequate (I hate to admit that about Brian Williams (*)) but not a real long-term answer. Dikembe Mutombo would give an inside presence, and I can entertain dreams of Alonzo Mourning or Juwan Howard, but I don't think any of them will actually be available. (*) Never, actually, but Bad Brad can't bring himself to admit that, yet. (**) Brian Williams is a stiff. B. POWER FORWARD No problems here, as long as Tyrone Hill fully recovers from his auto accident last year. He struggled when he first came back, but signs late in the season lead me to believe that he'll be ok. John Amechi, Michael Cage, et al. can fill the backup, and this position is solid enough that drafting here would only be an incremental improvement, rather than the real push the Cavs need to become a threat to actually win a first-round playoff series. C. SMALL FORWARD Again, the Cavs have adequate SF in Chris Mills (and sometimes Danny Ferry), but no star. This is one of the positions they must be examining for improvement. I'd like to see John Wallace here, but I'm a realist; he won't be available at #12. Dantae Jones would be a great fit, but again I'm concerned about overspending the #12 for him. Dan Majerle did ok splitting time as a SF/SG, but his 3-pt percentage is way down from prior years, and I don't expect the Cavs to go out of their way to resign him. D. SHOOTING GUARD Bobby Phills has improved his shooting touch so that rims no longer cringe in anticpation of his thundering bricks. He is still one of the strongest 2-guards around, but he'll never have the range to strike fear into opponents. Bob Sura was an extremely pleasant surprise, as he actually scored more often than he threw the ball into the stands. He could develop into a quality #2, although not all-star caliber. A dynamite #2 would be a good use of the #20 pick, but we'll have to wait and see who's available. E. POINT GUARD Terrell "I can block Dikembe Mutombo, and you can't!" Brandon finally got out of Mark Price's shadow, and made the all-star team. He will give the Cavs fine leadership for several more years. John Crotty was a sometimes-adequate backup, and Sura spent some time backing up the point as well. I don't expect to see this happen much this year. Crotty should be let go, and Sura moved to a #2 full time to challenge Phills. The Cavs should sign a backup PG off the free agent list (can you say Mark Price? I knew you could). ************************ To summarize, the Cavs are strong at PG, solid at PF, and may develop a good shooting guard from the crop they have. They lack any prospect of a center, and could use a dynamic small forward. I place higher priority on the center position. II. Your Selection (and explanation) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Lithuania He's a true center, definitely has the size for the position, and has improved his game recently. His pre-draft rating has been going up, to the point where he may well be gone before the Cavs pick. III. Others considered (and why considered) The two other players I would've taken with this pick, Dampier or Wallace, both went earlier (no surprise). I think that Priest Lauderdale will be around later, or as an undrafted free agent, if the Cavs want to take a flyer on him. Todd Fuller might be a good choice, too. I considered Dantae Jones now, because I don't expect him to last until #20. However, Chris Mills is adequate as a SF, and the Cavs needs are greater at center. IV. Who the team will probably take A darned good question. I'm sure they'll go after some big body, but I don't know which one. Todd Fuller, perhaps, if he's still available (he wasn't in the Usenet draft). V. Other moves that the team should make 1) Sign a backup PG (Mark Price? Robert Pack?) 2) Pick up Brian Williams, or equivalent, as a FA. 3) Arrange a convenient back injury for Danny Ferry to get his salary slot back. 4) Pursue Jon Barry (yeah, like it'll happen).