You've got the top selection, and there's no reason for secrecy. You're taking him, period. This was the case with the Cavaliers taking LeBron James in 2003, the Clippers taking Blake Griffin in 2009, and the Wizards taking John Wall last June, plus countless other examples.
Most teams in that position get to work right away, taking the guy's picture and mailing out pamphlets for season tickets, erecting billboards, and so on and so forth.
The Cavaliers this year aren't doing that.
Which is interesting, because there's no reason they shouldn't. Kyrie Irving is the best player in this draft, and he's considered to be just as sure a thing at No. 1 as any of the above guys. That's not to say he's an equally good player, but relative to the rest of the class in a weak draft, Irving's the guy.
But the Cavs have yet to make any kind of public statement about taking the young Duke point guard, nor have they specified their plans beyond the No. 1 pick.
The Cavs are the first NBA team to pick twice in the draft's top four since the 1983 Rockets, whose selections of Ralph Sampson and the underrated Rodney McCray did not disappoint. They're facing pressure to land two impact players now. They just lost the aforementioned James last summer, they suffered through 63 losses this past season, and they need to add quality players. Desperately.
So they're doing some sketchy things. They have the Nos. 1 and 4 picks. Irving is the consensus No. 1, and everyone around the league says Derrick Williams of Arizona and Brandon Knight of Kentucky will go second and third. Yet the Cavs are still working out Williams and Knight, with the draft right around the corner.
What can it mean? Either the Cavs are still thinking about that crazy pipe dream of trading up to obtain both Nos. 1 and 2, or — God forbid — they're still undecided about who goes first.
The Cavs should take Irving. He's the best player available to them, even if injuries prevented him from doing much to prove it at Duke. He's crazy athletic, he's an intelligent floor leader, and he's got the pedigree. He was a heralded top recruit in high school, groomed by the nation's best college coach.
Irving is the right man for the job, and the Cavs have had a month to realize it. They're doing all the posturing in the world, but why? We all know how this story ends. First, they take the banged-up Blue Devil, then they wait for No. 4 and select a big man who can rebound. There are a few interesting foreigners out there — Enes Kanter, Jonas Valanciunas, maybe the Cavs even reach for the undersized Spaniard Bismack Biyombo.
Forget about the smokescreens and the theatrics. Irving is the best player in this class, and everyone in Cleveland knows it. It's only a matter of time before the Cavs act on it.
Do you think Kyrie Irving is a lock at No. 1? Share your thoughts below.
