Long time NBA analyst, insider, and expert David Aldridge is one of the most respected and well-known men in the business, and he hates mock drafts. That being said, his employers told him to do one, and he had no choice but to oblige. We as fans benefit from this, because this is valuable information and much more than just an educated guess. David Aldridge has sources all over the league, and he knows what teams and executives’ tendencies are.
So who does he predict the Cavs will take?
Not surprisingly, his first pick for the Cavs is point guard Kyrie Irving of Duke, so in case you are keeping track at home, that’s three mock drafts and three Irving projections, and there are likely many more. Aldridge’s analysis is short and sweet:
Rebuilding starts in earnest with the quicksilver point guard.
Aldridge also hints that the Cavs could be the first team in line to trade down in the first round, with Enes Kanter on the board at four overall and a multitude of other needs. The Cavs could move down and acquire more picks and/or veteran players, or they could stay put and get an impact player like Kanter, a guy who can play either power forward or center for them. Aldridge has the Cavs taking Kanter, and here is his explanation:
The line to move up to get Kanter or Jan Vesely starts here. But Cavs may not be able to pass up on a big who can come in and play right away.