The Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of flexibility heading into the 2011 NBA Draft, as they own the first and fourth overall selections. Though trading the top pick, certain to be Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, is out of the question, it’s becoming clearer and clearer the Cavs are open to dealing the fourth pick on Draft night. From a chat ESPN’s Chad Ford conducted Thursday afternoon:
Teams are telling me that trade talk really started picking up on Tuesday. Cavs are looking at potential deals using the No. 4 pick and either Baron Davis or Ramon Sessions.
Irving’s imminent arrival means either Davis or Sessions, the Cavs’ incumbent point guards, will find himself out of the rotation were they to start the season with the club. Packaging one of them with the fourth pick clears playing time for Irving and should bring back quality talent in return.
Davis, acquired in the midseason trade with the Los Angeles Clippers which also netted Cleveland the top overall draft choice, has $28.6 million remaining on his contract over the next two seasons. In 15 games (nine starts) as a Cavalier, Davis averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 assists.
Sessions, 25, averaged 13.3 points and 5.2 assists for the Cavs last season, his first in the wine-and-gold since arriving in a summer trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves.