2011 NBA Draft: Cavs And Others Making Final Preparations

With the 2011 NBA Draft just hours away, teams are scrambling to work the phones and complete their draft boards. Final scouting reports and information is coming out on possible lottery players, and trades are within range, but not yet completed. Needless to say, Cavs fans are scouring the interwebs for any and all news before Cleveland is on the clock. 

So what are some of the top stories to keep an eye on?

• With the news that the Cavaliers value both Jonas Valanciunas and Tristan Thompson very highly, Chad Ford echoed what has been thought since the Draft Order came out--that the Cavs are very inclined to work their way back into the Top Ten. The best way to do it? Using the TPE that Cleveland received in the "trade" with Miami involving Lebron James a year ago.

• Cult favorite Bismack Biyombo's meteoric rise into the Lottery hit a snag today when Andy Katz announced that he has roughly a $1.5 million buyout.

Sources said Biyombo's name was on a list sent out by the NBA Wednesday detailing players who were subject to a buyout. Teams have investigated and concluded that Biyombo would owe roughly $1.5 million, possibly equal to his NBA rookie contract, to get out of his deal with Spanish team Fuenlabrada.

Sources said the buyout figure could be negotiated, but the matter also could end up in court.

That sum is definitely not enough to keep a team sold on Biyombo from drafting the 18-year-old forward, but it may give pause. As it stands now, Biyombo is expected to go somewhere in the 7-12 range.

• Although it's been long assumed Kyrie Irving will hear his name called at number one, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, nothing's done yet:

• Wojnarowski also explored the possibility of a deal with the Bobcats netting the Cavs the ninth and Bobcats' 19th pick. The Cavs want Jonas, but with Detroit and the Kings in the mix for the Lithuanian, the deal would be a gamble at this point.

• Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio thinks that the Cavs and Wizards could make a deal--if Enes Kanter is still on the board at pick four.

The talks with Washington seem to be very real. The supposed deal? The Cavs trade the fourth pick to the Wizards for the sixth and 18th. It may not happen until both teams see if Turkish center Enes Kanter is still on the board at No. 4. That is who the Wizards want.

I'd love this deal for the Cavs, as it would give them more flexibility to draft Jonas if they think he'll slip past five...or Tristan Thompson, who assuredly should still be on the board at that point as well.

• Oh, yeah, and it seems the trades have begun:

Details are still rolling in, but according to Chad Ford, the deal looks like this:

Milwaukee Bucks receive Beno Udrih, Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston and the 19th pick.

Charlotte Bobcats receive the seventh pick and Corey Maggette.

Sacramento Kings receive the 10th pick and John Salmons.

Hold on tight. Here we go.