With the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Syracuse guard Dion Waiters, a versatile sophomore scorer who will accompany 2011-12 Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving in the backcourt for the next half decade.
A 6-foot-4 guard who didn't start a single game last year for Jim Boeheim's Orange, Waiters is a dynamic offensive weapon who can beat opponents in a variety of ways, and projects as an ideal shooting guard in the NBA. He scored 12.6 points per game last year as a sophomore in a sixth man role, and literally soared up draft boards after a series of impressive workouts early on in the process.
Owners of three more selections before the night is out, pick No. 24, No. 33, and No. 34, the Cavs are in a prime position to add a significant amount of bulk to their burgeoning roster heading into next season. As far as the rumored deal earlier in the night where Cleveland would have traded up to the No. 2 slot, Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that nothing was ever close:
Charlotte and Cleveland "never had anything close," to a deal, source tells Y Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 28, 2012
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