The Cleveland Cavaliers had two of the top four picks in the 2011 NBA Draft -- a rare occurrence, and unprecedented for the franchise. The top pick, Kyrie Irving, was a no-brainer, but the No. 4 spot had untold amounts of intrigue. How did Cleveland do with it?
NBA Draft Grades 2011: Cavaliers Land Star In Kyrie Irving, Question Mark In Tristan Thompson
Gained: Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Milan Macvan, two future second-round picks from Magic.
Gave up: Rights to Justin Harper.
Synopsis: It’s hard to find fault with a team that lands the best player in the draft and a promising big man like Thompson. But ...
Thompson wasn’t in play at No. 4 as recently as Tuesday. It seemed almost as if the Cavaliers got too cute and tried to add assets instead of picking the prospect they apparently really wanted in Jonas Valanciunas. Perhaps Thompson was the pick all along -- it just doesn’t remotely seem that way, and Cleveland management wasn’t convincing in their comments late Thursday. Thompson’s as much a project as Valanciunas at a lesser position. It could work out famously, or Jonas could thrive in Toronto while Thompson plugs away. We’ll see. I think Valanciunas is the better prospect at No. 4.
Macvan seems to be a decent pick-up in the second round. He wowed at the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit. He’s an asset, if nothing else.
Grade: B.
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