Inside the Cavaliers's Draft War Room

[Meticode]

Editor's note: ESPN.com writer Brian Windhorst was embedded with the Cavaliers on draft day. With four picks in the top 34, the Cavs were in one of the most intriguing positions in the draft. They did not disappoint, making what many considered the surprise pick of the first round and then executing the biggest trade of the night. This is how it all happened behind the scenes.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/8111377/2012-nba-draft-cleveland-cavaliers-scenes

[AMISTILLILL]

If Waiters pans out to be the perfect running mate for Irving... :eek:

[Meticode]

If Waiters pans out to be the perfect running mate for Irving... :eek:
We'll see...a lot of teams closed the door on him for two reasons. He didn't workout at the combine and he came off the bench his two years in college. Neither of these things don't mean he'll work out.

[LBJMVP]

it soungs like they know somthing....

you just don't take that kinda risk without a reason.

byron saying we got a steal and he will turn that kid into a player.
gilbert be 100% on board.

boheiem saying no one in the nba but russell westbrook can guard the kid... well we'll see.

[GOBB]

Cavs had the second best draft to me. Taking Waiters and bypassing the quantity and going for quality with Tyler Zeller. Damn that team has something to work with.

Irving
Waiters
Gee
Thompson
Zeller

Youth movement. If Waiters can be that All Star caliber complimentary player to Irving the franchise? Look out.

Houston was first to me though.

[ZenMaster]

Can he guard defense?

Players picking Syracuse with that horrible zone only system, it's just stupid.

[PleezeBelieve]

Cavs had the second best draft to me. Taking Waiters and bypassing the quantity and going for quality with Tyler Zeller. Damn that team has something to work with.

Irving
Waiters
Gee
Thompson
Zeller

Youth movement. If Waiters can be that All Star caliber complimentary player to Irving the franchise? Look out.

Houston was first to me though.
Yea, if Waiters hits, man oh man, watch out.

[RedBlackAttack]

I'm sort of surprised the Cavs gave that kind of access to Windy, especially since neither Chris Grant nor Byron Scott was in place when Windhorst was the Cavs beat writer. It was a totally different front office... Isn't like they have a long history together.

I'm thinking maybe the Cavs realized that picking Waiters would result in some question marks from their fans and they thought that this kind of article, which basically goes through their decision making process, was appropriate and would help alleviate some of the pressure coming from outside the franchise.

I'm on-board with Waiters. I wanted either MKG or Beal, but neither were there and I absolutely didn't want Barnes or Robinson. Waiters made sense.

[sixer6ad]

I'm sort of surprised the Cavs gave that kind of access to Windy, especially since neither Chris Grant nor Byron Scott was in place when Windhorst was the Cavs beat writer. It was a totally different front office... Isn't like they have a long history together.

I'm thinking maybe the Cavs realized that picking Waiters would result in some question marks from their fans and they thought that this kind of article, which basically goes through their decision making process, was appropriate and would help alleviate some of the pressure coming from outside the franchise.

I'm on-board with Waiters. I wanted either MKG or Beal, but neither were there and I absolutely didn't want Barnes or Robinson. Waiters made sense.

For right now, I'm on board with Grant as GM. In his last four picks, he has drafted the NBA Rookie of the Year - Point Guard, a slashing 2 guard who can run, a 4 Man with high energy, and a 7 footer who was the ACC player of the Year AND who ran with the highest scoring team in college basketball. Alonzo Gee at Small Forward is an absolutely sick athlete, but that position will remain wide open until LBJ returns.

Grant got rid of BDiddy and has created 23 million dollars in cap space and at the same time at least provided direction. He's doing a good job.

[RedBlackAttack]

For right now, I'm on board with Grant as GM. In his last four picks, he has drafted the NBA Rookie of the Year - Point Guard, a slashing 2 guard who can run, a 4 Man with high energy, and a 7 footer who was the ACC player of the Year AND who ran with the highest scoring team in college basketball. Alonzo Gee at Small Forward is an absolutely sick athlete, but that position will remain wide open until LBJ returns.

Grant got rid of BDiddy and has created 23 million dollars in cap space and at the same time at least provided direction. He's doing a good job.
Get in the real world, my friend. Absolute silliness.

As for Grant, we'll see. A lot of his success has been in large part due to Gilbert's willingness to spend whatever it takes to improve the team. A lot of GMs would thrive in that environment. I'm not going to give him many kudos for picking Kyrie, as it was an obvious choice regardless of what people around here were saying at the time. I'm definitely good with the Zeller move.

At the end of the day, Grant's legacy thus far will come down to his two No. 4 picks... Tristan and Dion. How those guys pan out will decide whether or not he is the long-term GM of this franchise.