PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Joe Harris
SF: ???
PF: ???
C: Anderson Verejao/Brendan Haywood
2015 Free Agents
PG Matthew Dellavedova (RFA)
PF Tristan Thompson (RFA)
SG Iman Shumpert (RFA)
G/F/C LeBron James (player option)
PF Kevin Love (player option)
SG Mike Miller (player option)
SG J.R. Smith (player option)
C Timofey Mozgov (team option)
F James Jones
C Kendrick Perkins
F Shawn Marion
2015 Draft Picks
1-24
2-23(53) via Portland
Team Needs
LeBron is opting in, so Cleveland's roster needs will be about building around him. What Cleveland's other free agents do, namely Kevin Love, are more up in the air, however Cleveland aren't going to be able to replace him at this point in the draft so it doesn't really matter in regards to their draft plan. While conventional wisdom says you need to surround LeBron with shooters, rebounders, and defenders but as the Finals have shown, Cleveland needs shot creators and smart offensive basketball players that can create some offense outside of LeBron. Kyrie Irving helps with that, but in four straight seasons he has got hurt, and even when healthy Cleveland needs more or else all the pressure of perimeter offense will be on two players instead of one.
Potential Fits
There are several perimeter player available in the late first round range that can create offense from th perimeter. Duke point guard Tyus Jones is a high IQ player that can run an offense all on his own and shoot the ball as well. Delon Wright of Utah is similarly smart, and though not as pure of a point guard or as good of a shooter, he offers rebounding and excellent defense in addition to creating off the dribble. UNLV's Rashad Vaughn is a classic scoring two-guard in the J.R. Smith mold, but a little more likely to attack the basket and a little less combustible. Role playing 3-and-D players will likely also catch Cleveland's eye, Justin Anderson of UVA and Stanford's Anthony Brown would fit, but again while those players are valuable they also contribute to overworking LeBron and Irving, which over time will shorten their window.
Mock Draft
24. Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
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