NBA Draft 2013: Cleveland Cavaliers Draft Preview

This post was contributed to FanSided.com by Zak Kolesar, editor of FanSided’s very own Cleveland Cavaliers blog, Right Down Euclid. For more Spurs news and rumors, be sure to check out RightDownEuclid.com.

Having the No. 1 pick in the Draft can be either be a gift or a curse whichever way you look at it. This year for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who currently own the top slot (and pick Nos. 19, 31 and 33) but it wouldn’t be surprising if they tried to move that pick, there are many options for a team that would have a much easier time with their first pick if they would have chosen a SF like Harrison Barnes, who went a pick after Dion Waiters, in last year’s draft.

Obviously we can’t discuss “what ifs” now, but this team’s needs are much more broad because of their decision in 2012. A dominant shot blocker who can impact the game tremendously on defense like Nerlens Noel was the first rumored No. 1 pick, but now Maryland center Alex Len is the new favorite.

The injuries and Noel’s frame are concerning in the tough Central Division, though. Bench defense and tenacity is missing as we saw from the many second half collapses last season, and a player like Victor Oladipo would fill that need right away, but that leads me to my next point:

Ben McLemore may be the most talented player in the Draft, but with Cleveland investing their chips in Waiters being that guy, it is unlikely that they will be spending back-to-back picks on starting SGs. That leads me to Otto Porter, who I think is one of the most surefire, know-what-you’re-going-to-get prospects in the 2013 class. His wingspan makes him a great perimeter defender, and a coach like Mike Brown will only help improve on that.

Alonzo Gee is simply just not a starting caliber SF in the League, and his on-the-ball defense would help the Cavs’ bench more than if he was in the starting lineup. With four picks and the uncertainty of there being a potential starting SF at No. 19 (bigs will definitely be available there), Porter will be an immediate answer to gluing the backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Waiters together.

Picking a player like Noel who won’t be able to start the season will just set Cleveland back even further and will not please our star who wants to get to the Playoffs this season. Porter would help Cleveland contend for a lower seed in the weaker and less compact Eastern Conference, and he’s the best pick in this Draft in regards to making the future of the Wine and Gold a bright one.