Cleveland Cavaliers: Why Drafting Otto Porter No. 1 Could Make Sense

Much has been made of the 2013 NBA Draft. The general consensus is that it is a weak draft class. While it is perhaps not the best class to have the No. 1 pick — there is no consensus No. 1 pick — it still offers the Cleveland Cavaliers the opportunity to find a solid player that can fill a gaping hole in their lottery team.

Alonzo Gee would be better off the bench. (Photo by Cavs History/Flickr.com)

The biggest hole is at small forward. Simply put: The Cavs don’t currently have a 3 worthy of being a starting NBA small forward. Alonzo Gee can provide spectacular highlights on occasion, but he can’t be trusted to consistently produce at either end of the floor. A bench role is one that would suit Gee more. Players like Omri Casspi and Luke Walton simply don’t cut it. 

It is for this reason why it makes sense for the Cleveland Cavaliers to draft the best available small forward with their first pick in the NBA Draft. And that man is Otto Porter out of Georgetown. He has tremendous length — standing at 6’9’’ with a remarkable 7’1’’ wingspan, he can make plays on both ends of the floor and would be able to come in and immediately make a difference. 

Nerlens Noel is a solid player, but can Cleveland look past the ACL injury?

Photo Credit: SportsAngle.com

Nerlens Noel is the player many have touted as a potential No. 1 pick. He’s a solid player and would bring shot-blocking prowess and be a threat in transition, but if Cleveland can get Anderson Varejao healthy, there really isn’t a need for Noel at this moment in time. Additionally, weighing at 206 pounds, Noel would be the lightest center in the NBA — by some distance. It’s a telling stat and one that Noel needs to change if he ever wants to become a major player in this league. Back to Varejao; the Brazilian center was brilliant in the first half of last year — and had he kept that up, he would have almost certainly been an All-Star. Alas, injuries got the better of him, but if Andy can stay healthy, I’d give the Cavs as good as chance as any of the lottery teams to make the playoffs next season.

Could LeBron James be back in Cavalier uniform come 2014?

(Photo: Keith Allison/Flickr.com)

A lot has been written and said about a possible move for LeBron James in 2014. It is for this reason why a move for Otto Porter has been ruled out; perhaps the Cavs would be better served bringing in a veteran free agent for one season and hope that LeBron will fill the forward gap long term — nullifying the need for Porter. I disagree. In today’s NBA, LeBron James can play the 4 position very well. Not only can he get inside and bang with the power forwards, he creates mismatches and spreads the floor on offense. A potential lineup of Irving-Waiters-Porter-James and perhaps a new center — surrounded by other role players — would be a deep-playoff to title-challenging team.

On to the next reason why I’d be more inclined to use the No. 1 pick on a forward/guard. There are plenty of big men in this draft. If Cleveland wants a shot-blocking big man to hold down the paint, why not look at Gorgui Dieng with their No. 19 pick? He provides a similar threat to Noel on the defensive end — but also possesses the girth that Noel doesn’t, meaning he can be better defending post-up situations.

Could Dieng be the way to go with the No. 19 pick?

To conclude, I would be hesitant to draft Nerlens Noel with the No.1 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. An ACL can be a hard injury to come back from — and it’s not as if Noel was even a fantastic prospect before that. His game is very limited. That’s not to say I’m not a fan; I am. I loved watching him for Kentucky this season. However, drafting Otto Porter would fill an instant need and allow for Dan Gilbert and the Cavs to get something similar to Noel later on in the draft — killing two birds with one stone. Or two holes in one draft, whatever way you want to look at it.

This is all assuming that Cleveland does not trade away its No. 1 pick. In fact, that could be the way to go. Whatever the Cavs decide to do, it will be an exciting draft to watch this year. I’m not sure there has ever been a tougher call with the No. 1 pick.