Photo: Josh Gunter - The Plain Dealer
- Troy BallardIn what can only be explained as heavy drinking and a nasty hangover after watching LeBron James win his first NBA Championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers' front-office has managed to do the impossible once again -- tank another draft.
Unlike last season where the Cavs' were locked in with the first-overall pick and the sure-fire selection of Kyrie Irving, the 2012 NBA Draft threw the team for a loop. It was a rough-ride that involved the biggest reach of the draft and a trade that left everyone wondering just what exactly in the hell is going on in Cleveland.
But to the credit of the Cavs' -- Dion Waiters (or if things don't workout like planned, Dion Floppers), has been compared to Dwyane Wade by numerous scouts. That's something. However, on the note of Tyler Zeller, there's not much of anything to say other than yikes.
With this draft causing a crashing-wave of criticism and an even larger tsunami of frustration, we all need to take a step back and think through how to keep wearing those Cavs' jerseys and flat-brimmed hats.
#5. Gloat All About Irving
Listen, there hasn't even been a sniff of an All-Star nomination in Cleveland since LBJ left -- but Kyrie Irving exploded and wiped the floor with his Rookie of the Year award. His speedy-cuts and smooth-jumper were a shot of life to a flat team, and his play was as good as advertised.
I'll even go as far as to claim that Irving will be a top-three point guard in the NBA in another three-seasons. Count it, Cleveland. Most teams in the NBA have nothing more than figure-head point guards that allow superstars to take over the game -- having a force like Irving is something that deserves excessive gloating.
#4. Banking Big-Time on Waiters Being Baby D-Wade
Best case scenario with Waiters -- he breaks into the NBA with a knock-down mid-range jumper and can draw fouls like he's paying off the refs. Waiters is the perfect wing-man for Irving, talking him up at bars and finding open space on the court. He quickly matures at the next level and shows that Syracuse isn't a one-hit wonder with Carmelo Anthony.
Worst case -- he is a volume scorer with shaky confidence and has difficulty getting to the line when driving to the rim. He gets selfish around the chicks at the bar and blows off wide-open passes and doesn't reward Irving for looking his way. Waiters acts how many NBA rookies act, and doesn't contribute immediately nor as effectively like Cleveland expected him to.
Hope for the former.
#3. Live up Not Being the Worst in the NBA
Last season may not have been an epic playoff run filled with nail-biting excitement, but the Cavs' managed to do better than the Charlotte Bobcats. Much better, in fact. And that's an improvement over 2010. Beyond that, there only one place to go from here -- and that's up.
Not to mention -- Irving is still a Cleveland Cavalier! (noticing a trend here?)
#2. Don't Forget About Tristan Thompson
I wasn't in love with TT when he was drafted out of Texas. There was more than a handful of doubts about how his skills would translate to the NBA, and scouts were under the impression it might take a few seasons for him to arrive. However, in his first season he shut me and scouts up and was an excellent compliment to Irving (that name just keeps coming up).
He's still young enough to break-out and become a cornerstone in Cleveland, and it's a safe-bet to assume he will be tagging along with Waiters and Irving when the two go bar-hopping. These three have the potential to not only rock any club in the Big C, but also develop into a nasty three-punch combo.
#1. Embrace Kyrie Like LeBron
When someone like LeBron James stabs a fan base in the back the way he did, it's not easy to hand out favors and give another player the same kind of trust. What LBJ did was not only cold, but it left a void in the heart of every single Cavs' fan.
Kyrie Irving is the void-filler.
Time to let things go. Allow Irving to be that guy. He may not be as flashy or as sure-fire takeover as James -- but he's still damn good. He's going to be the face of Cleveland for the next decade, and something tells me he sees the value in staying with the same team for as long as he can.
Forget the past and embrace the future, and once that happens, it starts to be really easy to don that Cavs' jersey.
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