Heading in to the 2011-12 season, we figured we would get the ball rolling on some admittedly early NBA Draft talk. Unless the Cavaliers shock the world (150/1 odds as NBA Champion, bettering only Toronto), it is widely assumed that the team will be selecting fairly early in the lottery once again. That said, we’re going to provide WFNY readers with some thoughts on who should be a target of Chris Grant come this spring.
We will update this not-so-big board on a bi-weekly basis – feel free to comment, critique or debate in the comments below. Do enjoy.
| Player | Thoughts | ||
| 1 |  Harrison Barnes, SG (North Carolina) |
Anyone who’s telling you that Harrison Barnes is failing to live up to expectations simply has set the bar a bit too high at this point in the season. Sure, a 5-for-12 line against Kentucky leaves a lot to be desired, but Barnes is showing all the signs of being a top scoring option at the NBA level. The willingness to go into the paint can be coached; I’d much rather have a guard who won’t slash than one who can’t hit a jumper and Barnes is showing that he’s a big-time shooter. If he shows a tad more aggression at the rim, his status as a top-three selection this spring is a lock. | |
| 2 |  Andre Drummond, C (Conneticuit) |
It only took a pair of weeks, but Andre Drummond has already lost his top spot on the WFNY not-so-big board. The flashes of brilliance became relatively opaque following a one-point, one-rebound outing against the Arkansas Razorbacks; simply not acceptable for a player who should be the next dominant big man. Everyone wants to focus on Anthony Davis who is showing nothing offensively. There are legit concerns in some league circles that Drummond is also forming diva-like work ethic. But in the early battle of underachieving big men, I’ll take the guy who projects to be an All-Star center at the next level. | |
| 3 |  Jeremy Lamb, SG (Connecticut) |
Since we last spoke, Lamb has done nothing but continue to pour in scoring stats from all areas of the floor; 14 points, six boards and two threes against Arkansas; 18 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three treys against 24th-ranked Harvard. He’s racking up a ton of minutes and hasn’t had a slip-up like the majority of the kids being grouped in amongst lottery-pick talks. The only thing that could hurt Lamb in the near term is the fact that the Huskies have a huge gap in playing time between their last game and their next, this Sunday against Holy Cross. Expect more of the same from this top-flight wing. | |
| 4 |  Anthony Davis, PF (Kentucky) |
I was hoping to find a reason to move Davis up these here ranks, but he’s just not doing it for me. Yes, the kid has crazy potential, but is it enough to get the Cavaliers to move this year’s fourth-overall pick to a reserve role right out of the gate? Davis largely struggled on the big stage against UNC and didn’t wow anyone against the Indiana Hoosiers. He’s been a blocking machine, but the lack of offense has been troubling. He’s looking more like Hasheem Thabeet than Hakeem Olajuwon. You know, if both big men were power forwards instead of centers. | |
| 5 |  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, F (Kentucky) |
The first new name to get lofted into one of the ever-coveted spots amongst draftniks, Kidd-Gilchrist boasts the pedigree as well as the work ethic. League scouts tout this kidd’s mental make-up and in the post-LeBron era of the Cavaliers, this could carry a lot more weight than in other circles. Don’t fret though, the Cavaliers wouldn’t just be drafting a choir boy, they’d be picking up a much-needed wing player who just finished dropping 17 points and 11 rebounds against the North Carolina Tarheels. If he can polish his jumpshot, look for Kidd-Gilchrist to become even more coveted by this spring; a top-five sleeper to be certain. |
Some additional thoughts on…
Perry Jones, PF (Baylor) – Is it too much to ask to have Baylor, a top-10 team, have a nationally televised game this weekend? I did think long and hard about placing Jones III among the top five due to his numbers thus far, but the wing player will continue to get the nod until proven otherwise. That said, if he can continue tallying the numbers he has against stiffer competition, it’s going to be very tough to not move him up the ranks.
Bradley Beal, SG (Florida) – Since we last spoke, Beal dropped 18 on Rider, but combined to go 6-for-18 (2-for-8 from three-point range) against Syracuse and Arizona. I’m a big fan of this kid’s make-up – as he was a top-five name two weeks ago – but he will have to prove to be better against the higher-end competition. The Gators play 22nd-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday (untelevised), so a rebound would greatly help Beal’s cause.
Terrence Jones, F (Kentucky) – If you just watched the first half of the UK/UNC game a few weekends ago, you likely came away enamored with Jones. Fourteen points, seven rebounds and three blocks are nothing to ignore when you consider that it was compiled via the paint as well as a mid-range game. Unfortunately, he disappeared in the second half and started settling for low-percentage shots. Also not helping Jones move into top-five consideration is the “poor attitude” tag that has been lobbed his way.
Patric Young, C (Florida) – Several sources have mentioned Young’s name as a possibility in the event the Cavaliers can nab another first round selection. Where Beal struggled against Arizona, Young provided the Gators with 25 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots; Ohio State fans may remember him as the guy who put up 14 and 10 with a blocked shot against Jared Sullinger. A plus-passer (great for the Princeton offense) and a motor that could rival Anderson Varejao, Young is unfortunately undersized for the center spot at the next level coming in at 6-foot-9, 245 lbs.
Quincy Miller, SF (Baylor) – Though Jones III gets all the love, Miller could very well be a player who the Cavaliers could use in the not-so-distant future. At 6-feet-9-inches, Miller can play both forward spots; a dynamic athlete who can rebound and block shots in the paint but also hit the mid-range jumper. He’s been hit-or-miss at times this season, but his skill set can’t be denied. Certainly a wing player to keep an eye on as the Big 12 games get underway.
Required Viewing
12/17 (2) Ohio State at South Carolina – 12p EST, ESPN
12/17 Chattanooga at (3) Kentucky- 8pm EST, ESPN3
12/17 Appalachian St at (6) North Carolina – 6pm, ESPNU
12/18 Holy Cross at (10) Connecticut – 1pm EST, ESPN3
12/19 UNC Greensboro at (5) Duke – 7pm EST, ESPN3
12/19 Mississippi Valley State at (13) Florida – 7pm EST, ESPN3
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