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Cleveland Cavaliers: 8 times they missed out on a superstar in the NBA Draft

By Tony Pesta

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on January 14, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on January 14, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) /

8. Gilbert Arenas – 2001

Entering the 2001 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers were growing desperate for a return to the postseason. They had a promising young center in Zydrunas Ilgauskas but needed additional talent to get over the hump and break their three-year playoff drought.

The Cavaliers finished with just 30 wins in the 2000-01 season and landed the eighth overall pick in the draft. They chose to get risky with this selection, choosing DeSagana Diop, a prospect coming straight out of high school.

As a senior at Oak Hill Academy, Diop averaged 14.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 8.1 blocks per game. This was enough for the Cavaliers to buy in on drafting another center despite the already efficient Ilgauskas holding down the paint.

It didn’t take long for the Cavaliers to realize their mistake. Diop started in just five games throughout his four seasons with the team and averaged a whopping 1.6 points.

Still on the board later in the draft were future All-Stars such as Tony Parker, Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace. However, no player left on the board was as prolific of an individual as Gilbert Arenas.

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Arena’s time in the spotlight was brief but iconic to this day. Across his three All-Star seasons, the high-scoring guard averaged 27.7 points and dropped an unforgettable 60 points over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Arenas would have been a perfect fit for the Cavaliers at the time. He was an electric point guard that was ready to help bolster the Cavs bottom-10 offense.

The Cavaliers had not only one but two chances to draft Arenas who fell to 31st in the draft. Along with Diop, the Cavs chose Brendan Haywood 20th overall. Haywood had a much better career than Diop but it is mind-numbing to decypher why the franchise drafted two seven-footers in the same draft when they already had Big Z on the roster.

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