By acquiring two key veterans in recent days, the Cleveland Cavaliers did more than meet LeBron James’ demands and give the club some much-needed depth.
They also moved their roster into uncharted territory.
The Cavs officially signed Andrew Bogut on Thursday, three days after bringing in point guard Deron Williams. Both players aren’t spring chickens but bring impressive résumés — Bogut is a former No. 1 overall pick, while Williams went third overall.
Their additions beg an important question: Just how many top draft picks does Cleveland have? The answer: A lot.
With Bogut and Williams in the fold, the Cavs now boast seven players drafted No. 5 overall or higher, and eight who were taken in the top 10. That’s essentially half of their roster. It’s also the NBA’s highest total in both categories: The Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves are next with four top-five players each, while the Clippers and Orlando Magic have seven top-10 players each, per Sporting News.
Cleveland’s bevy of draft stars also includes three No. 1 overall picks. Here’s the rundown:
LeBron James — 1st, 2003
Andrew Bogut — 1st, 2005
Kyrie Irving — 1st, 2011
Derrick Williams — 2nd, 2011
Deron Williams — 3rd, 2003
Tristan Thompson — 4th, 2011
Kevin Love — 5th, 2008
Channing Frye — 8th, 2005
Remarkably, the Cavs employ three of the top four picks in the 2011 NBA Draft. (Enes Kanter went third overall to the Utah Jazz). Their list of No. 1 overall selections could be even higher, too, as they traded away 2013 No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett and 2014 No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins.
Of course, where a player was drafted doesn’t determine his NBA success. Just look at Bennett, who’s been a massive flop, or Isaiah Thomas, who went dead last in the 2011 draft but has developed into a star who helped the Boston Celtics vanquish the Cavs on Wednesday night.
But there’s a takeaway here: Cleveland has a pretty stacked roster of experienced, veteran talent, and Bogut and Williams only help the cause. This will be one of the most seasoned NBA teams entering the postseason, which means the Celtics and the rest of the NBA will have their work cut out for them to knock off the defending champs.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
