After having a full day to soak in the 2012 NBA Draft I can see the pieces of the puzzle coming together. The rebuild is in full steam now with two more young players in the fold. My thoughts:

THEY’RE REALLY HAPPY

I think most Cavs fans felt that initial jolt when #4 was announced.  The results of our mock draft based craziness when it comes to drafts reared it’s ugly head.  REACH!! WHO?? I’m Done!!!  We all saw it on twitter or heard it in person.  Basically nobody, and I mean NOBODY, had Waiters slotted to us therefore it was a crazy thing to do right?  Well, don’t tell that to Chris Grant or Byron Scott because they’re acting like that dude in Die Hard 3 riding out of NYC with dump trucks full of gold.  Based off of what they’re saying and the insight in the great article by Brian Windhorst, who was in the Cavs war room, it appears the Cavs had a plan and executed it to a tee.  My own initial reaction was about 10 seconds of disappointment followed by happiness.  I wanted Barnes because I wanted the Cavs to think scoring.  They clearly had that mindset but just had Waiters way over Barnes on their board.  I also was high enough on Waiters to tweet a few days before the draft that I could see him winning rookie of the year.  I just had no idea he’d be in play for us at #4.  It seems, on the surface, the Cavs came away with two young players at extreme need positions that they were targeting all along.

ON DION WAITERS

I love a lot about this pick but have questions also.  I guess my only gripe is not sitting down and interviewing this kid.  If I’m Chris Grant there’s definitely questions I want answered but I’m not going to focus in on that right now because I’m feeling pretty optimistic about this pick overall.  First off, I love that he truly loves basketball.  I love the story of him almost collapsing in tears after the Buckeyes ended his season this March.  I love that when he was dealing with family tragedy after family tragedy he took to the courts.  His Mom said he was out there all day and night rain or shine playing basketball.  He has a bravado on the court that leads people to refer to him as “a pit bull” or say that he “doesn’t shy away from anyone.”  He brings a playground toughness to our team that we don’t have.  He’s physical and he thinks he can destroy anyone.  I get the feeling we’re going to love rooting for this kid because on top of his mentality he has loads of talent.  According to Draft Express he shot 47% from between 17 ft and the 3 point line.  He shot 36% from 3 point range (better than Beal) and is a nightmare in both transition and in pick and roll.  But his overwhelming strength is, scouts say, that nobody can keep him out of the lane.  I can already feel myself berating NBA officials on his behalf.

ON TYLER ZELLER

I really wanted to see the Cleveland Cavaliers draft Michael Kidd-Gilchrist last night. I had completely convinced myself that Thomas Robinson would end up going second to the Bobcats. There was no doubt in my mind that Bradley Beal would go three to the Wizards. MKGtoCLE felt R-E-A-L. I was planning on toasting the pick at our Draft Tweet-Up immediately upon its announcement. One of those 'remember where you were moments in Cleveland sports history' was about to unfold, I thought. The Bobcats would take Kidd-Gilchrist off the board at pick number two, however, and the dream died. Quickly. It took me about twenty-minutes to realize what just happened. Then #DionWaitersToCLE did.

Wadduppppp yourself, D. Welcome to Cleveland.


I'm not going to get too carried away with the fact he didn't start as a sophomore at Syracuse last year either. It is kinda strange to wonder what he did at practice to make Boeheim not start him, but then again there was a lot going on last year at 'Cuse. He averaged 24.1 minutes per game last year, shot 48% from the field, 36% from three, and averaged 12 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. He tests out through the roof analytically, there's reports of GM's around the League saying they secretly had him high on their respective board now surfacing this morning, and he's definitely a young kid loaded with potential. He'll be an exciting player in transition on the wing next to Kyrie Irving, and he may have been the best wing player available at pick number four. My Cavaliers board read MKG, Beal, Harrison Barnes. MKG and Beal were gone. The Cavaliers liked Dion Waiters more than Harrison Barnes. It's that simple really, and now Waiters is a Cavalier.




Thanks for stopping by the Draft Tweet-Up Last Night, you guys: Really appreciate everybody that came by Mullarkey's last night. Big shout out to Cleveland.com and Glenn Moore for teaming up with us to broadcast live from Mullarkey's Pub in Downtown Willoughby. Great working with the Social Dudes as always on everything. Thanks to Gray & Company, Team Cribbs, the Cleveland Browns, Verizon, Fresh Brewed Tees and Sports Time Ohio for the giveaways. Really awesome of you guys, and I had a lot of fun. Hope we can do it again soon. Felt like the broadcast with Glenn went great, and thanks to everybody who participated on Twitter in the Cavaliers Trivia Contest we put together too. I plan to be recapping the party in a bit more detail over the weekend, but just wanted to genuinely say thanks first this morning.


I'll be down at the media availabilities later today and plan to have more here at StepienRules following all that. More on Tyler Zeller then too; not mad at either pick, feel like the Cavaliers got two nice pieces last night.

We will be streaming live tonight on Cleveland.com from the #Cavs #DraftTweetUp at Mullarkey's Irish Pub in Downtown Willoughby. I will be joined by the critically acclaimed Sports Producer at Cleveland.com Glenn Moore for the live NBA chat.

Below are the details on our upcoming broadcast, and here is the show link:

Join our live audio broadcast and online chat from Mullarkeys Pub in Willoughby starting at 6:30 p.m. Log in, listen and chat with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore and Brendan Bowers of StepienRules.com as they set the stage for the draft and then break down the picks as they happen and possible trades that could take place. Express your opinions and ask your questions in the chat room or by calling into the show at 440-678-7599. Our live coverage is scheduled from 6:30-7:35 p.m., with the actual draft starting around 7 p.m. Until then, read what Glenn (@GlennMooreCLE) and Brendan (@BowersCLE) have to say about the draft on Twitter.

Update on Cavs Draft Tweet-Up Details:

As a reminder, following the broadcast at 7:35, we will be having an interactive Social Media Cavs Draft Trivia contest up until the Cavaliers next pick at number 24 overall. If they trade that pick, we'll run the trivia contest all the way up until the Cavs 33rd pick instead. I was able to compile quite a few questions for it too. Hope you guys are studied up on the career of Bobby Sura, that's all I can say for now. 

If you missed my tweets last night, the Cleveland Browns gave us some really awesome prizes we will be giving away tonight. By awesome I mean an autographed Joe Haden mini-helmet (pictured below) for starters, as well as a ton of other items like shirts, hats, glasses, key chains, wrist bands, and pins.


Really cool of the Browns to do that, and I can't say how much we appreciate it.

Whether it’s cheers for Kyrie Irving or the collective grown for selecting DeSagana Diop, the NBA Draft is an exciting day. Especially for Cleveland fans, who've seen their team pile up a ton of losses in anticipation of a pick like the one the Cavaliers hold today at number four overall. It’s the time where we can sit back and look forward to the new year, with a new hope. 


The Draft always carries a sense of mystery as well. Even if it is not with our favorite teams, there is still nothing like a team making a blockbuster trade that completely shakes up the draft spectrum. Draft nights are always must-see TV for me. Either the NFL or NBA, it’s always something I make sure I don’t miss (sorry MLB, you don’t do it for me). I still remember vividly my favorite draft moments, from drafting LeBron James, to the Browns, at the time, making the move for our new franchise QB Brady Quinn.

I don't expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to end up trading with the Charlotte Bobcats for the 2nd overall pick. Charlotte is asking for too much (4+24+34) and they will keep asking for too much all the way up until they run out of time. Maybe if they reasonably asked the Cavs for 4+33 in order to move back two spots and take the player they'll end up taking second at four anyways, it might be different. But in the end, the Cavaliers will stay at four because there's too many good reasons to simply stay there and take a quality player for free. With that in mind, below are my odds on which player is most likely to finally come off the board to the Cleveland Cavaliers at pick number four on Thursday night.


Thomas Robinson (Kansas) 15:1 - Of the players considered in that top-5 group after Anthony Davis, I'm giving Robinson the longest odds of ending up in Cleveland as a member of the Cavaliers. He might be the most NBA-ready player in this Draft, and I expect him have a productive year next season. I love this kid's story, love his work ethic, and I think he's going to be a good NBA player for a long time. I also think he has the best chance of actually surviving his first season as Charlotte Bobcat; better than anybody else who could end up starting their career's there. He'll make things happen for himself inside; he'll rebound, he'll score double figure points and he'll defend. He just won't be drafted by the Cavaliers because Charlotte will take him second.

Since the Draft Lottery first positioned the Cavaliers at 4th overall, there's been rampant speculation that Charlotte at number 2 could be a potential trading partner for Cleveland. Today John Telich reported that the two teams are currently talking, and that Cleveland is willing to give up picks number 24 and 34, in addition to 4, in order to move up two spots. It is then assumed, in my opinion at least, that the Cavaliers would make that move in order to pick Bradley Beal before Washington has the opportunity to do so at 3. Below is what Telich reported specifically:


If Chris Grant ultimately makes this move, I believe it will come to define his tenure as Cavaliers General Manager one way or another. I understand the rebuild has a long way to go. I get that we're heading into only the second season of the Kyrie Irving Era. I also clearly understand that four Cavaliers rookies will not make the opening night roster. But to make this trade, one thing you are doing is specifically and deliberately passing on two players figured to go in the top-5 that your franchise player has a close relationship with. If Beal's an All Star that's not a problem, if he isn't though?

Neither Harrison Barnes or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist elected to workout for the Kings who are picking 5th. Assuming it does go AD, Robinson, Beal - or you think it would go that way, and you make this trade anyways - the Cavs are first passing on the opportunity to chose between Barnes and MKG at no cost. Then you're spending two picks that could turn into at least one solid rotation player in order to move up and take Beal in this spot. Regardless of how many picks the Cavaliers have this year, next year, or the one after, this move seems extremely aggressive. I'm not sure Beal's that much better than those two other guys. If Grant does, I hope he's right. 

Beal's certainly good, but stop comparing him to Ray Allen:

If Jared Sullinger falls all the way to the Cleveland Cavaliers at pick number 24, I would draft him there without hesitation. I wouldn't trade up to get him, obviously wouldn't take him at four, and if the Cavaliers find themselves holding pick number 15 or 16 by some sort of unforeseen wheeling and dealing I wouldn't use that pick on him either. But at no. 24, in that spot specifically on Thursday, I'd gladly make the 6-9 PF from Ohio State a Cleveland Cavalier. Sullinger is currently the only big I'd take with the 24th overall selection too, should the Cavaliers end up eventually picking there.


I've been saying for a few weeks that my Draft philosophy for the Cavs generally includes taking two wings in the first round, and then taking two chances on bigs at 33 and 34. Micheal Kidd-Gilchrist and another wing player in the first round, as an example, then going from there. My reasons include the fact that the Cavaliers need wings on their roster in a bad way, but also that I haven't seen too much size I'd be interested in spending a late first round draft pick on at that spot. Fab Melo I suppose, but two years ago him and Sully were playing completely different sports as college freshmen. As a defensive presence off the bench maybe Melo wouldn't upset me at 24. Maybe a guy like Andrew Nicholson wouldn't either - if you were insisting on going big in that spot over a wing. But Jared Sullinger's a different type of big altogether. 

This time of year, people make the mistake of trying to project All Star caliber attributes on all of these Draft prospects. If a guy doesn't look like an NBA All Star, then people don't want him. Maybe that, in addition to his back issues, is some factor in why Sullinger is falling. The problem with that line of thinking is that the NBA only employs approximately 10 or 12 superstars in the entire League. Another 10 or 12 guys are second tier stars after that. Combined those 24 guys make up the All Star team. On Thursday night, 30 players will be Drafted in the first round. They won't all be stars, but there's more than a handful that will end up being consistent payers who can add value in a role for an NBA team. Sullinger will be that type of player, I believe, and I'd spend the 24th pick on him to bring that value to Cleveland.

Omri Casspi has been teaming up with Tamir Goodman over the last few Sundays in an effort to help Cleveland area kids learn about the game of basketball with the Omri Casspi Basketball Camp Series. I linked up with Omri over at Fuchs Mazarachi School in Beachwood for day three of the camp yesterday afternoon, and our conversation is below. We talked about his work with the kids who attended his camp this summer, what he learned during his first year in Cleveland playing under Byron Scott, and his thoughts heading into the 2012/13 campaign with the Cavaliers.


StepienRules: After being traded to a new team, going through the lockout, and then having to adjust to a new system in Cleveland, what do you feel like you learned looking back at this past season?

Omri Casspi: I learned a lot last season. I told Coach [Byron] Scott at the end of the season that wherever I'm going to go from now on in my career, I will always look at this past year, my third year in the League, my first year under Coach Scott, as the year that made a big change in what I understand about the game of basketball. I learned so much, and I'm grateful for it. I didn't have a great year obviously, but it's something that I needed. I'm happy that it happened when I'm still young and I'm still learning, and I'm not a 33-year old guy when I learned all the things that I did from Coach Scott. I think I can grow from what I learned. I'm settled now, I know what I need to do, I know my role, I know the defensive schemes, and I know everything that we do as a team now, so I feel good heading into next season.

StepienRules: Now that you are settled in Cleveland, do things feel different for you heading into next season compared to how you felt one year ago?

Omri Casspi: Absolutely. Training camp was short last year, I got hurt during training camp, I was playing with pain during the season, and I wasn't one hundred percent. But now I've had that time to adjust to everything, and get everything right heading into this next season, and I feel good right now.

StepienRules: How has this camp experience been for you, interacting with these kids over the last few weeks?

I wrote about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the latest issue of SLAM Magazine, which is on newsstands now. Go ahead and pick that up people. In my write-up on MKG, I called him the second best talent available in this Draft. As I told the Ombudsman Joe Lull on Saturday afternoon when I joined him on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, I continue to believe that, with my Cavs Draft board reading MKG, Brad Beal, and Harrison Barnes respectively. 

For the print piece I wrote, SLAM played off the MKG / MGK theme with Machine Gun Kelly's LACE UP as the headline. Our interview taking place in Cleveland had something to do with that too I imagine. Below is the picture of it I posted on Instagram over the weekend:


There's seems to be a growing sentiment that Kidd-Gilchrist could be on the board too when the Cavaliers end up selecting at 4 on Thursday night. In their latest Mock, Draft Express has MKG eventually landing in Cleveland, noting the following:

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: The Cavs have virtually nothing on the wing going into next season and would be very happy to see Kyrie Irving's former high school teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist available right here. Kidd-Gilchrist could fill an immediate hole, bringing intensity and toughness that will immediately improve Cleveland's shaky perimeter defense. He's one of the most competitive players in this draft. Still very much a work in progress offensively, he would form a formidable transition duo with Irving and athletic forward Tristan Thompson.

We'll have plenty more this week leading up to the Draft, stay tuned Cleveland.

Be There Thursday: Stepien Rules Cavs Draft Tweet-Up June 28th at Mullarkey's Irish Pub with the Social Dudes - hope you can make it!

In addition to the 4th overall pick on June 28th, the Cleveland Cavaliers also own the 24th, 33rd, and 34th selections. In a continued look at who could be available late in the first round for the Cavs this Thursday, below is our final installment of this series on Moe Harkless from St. John's.

To follow StepienRules.com Writer Nick Mancini on Twitter go here: @nickmance

No. 20 – Moe Harkless, Freshman, St. Johns; 2011-12 stats: 15.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 44% shooting


In what was a bit of a rough season for St. Johns, due in part to head coach Steve Lavin’s illness, one of the bright spots was freshman wing Moe Harkless. the Queens, New York product put together a very nice season, sort of under the radar, and has turned himself into a first round Draft Pick.

Harkless is another one of these players that is a long and athletic wing. He has tremendous size for a 3, standing 6-9. Physically, he is ready for the NBA. His athletic and leaping ability will be his greatest assets when he enters the League. Offensively, he does a lot of his damage in transition and attacking the rim. He is extremely quick and agile for a player of his height, and is tough to stop when he gets a head of steam. Harkless is also a superb rebounder and shot blocker. He excelled at both areas in college, and there is no reason it cannot translate to success at the next level for him.

At times this season, Harkless would take some plays off occasionally. He was not always as aggressive or assertive as he should have been for a player of his talent. He has the ability where he could have really been a force for the Red Storm, but was never able to consistently play with that aggression. Harkless also lacks a consistent jumper right now, but I always feel that is something that can be developed. If he is able to improve on his jump shot and become more of a complete scorer, Harkless could be lethal.