The Cleveland Cavaliers have extended qualifying offers to center Semih Erden, guard/forward Alonzo Gee and forward Luke Harangody. Cleveland owns the right to match any offer sheet they may sign with another team. Erden, 25, averaged 3.5 points on .527 shooting and 2.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game in 28 games (nine starts) during the 2011-12 season. Gee, 25, averaged career highs in points (10.6), rebounds (5.1), assists (1.8) and steals (1.3) in 29.0 minutes per game in 63 games (31 starts) this season. Harangody, 24, averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game in 21 games (one start). |
April 2012 Cleveland Cavaliers Wiretap
Dion Waiters is confident that he can live up to the billing of being the fourth overall pick.
“I’m an all-around player,” Waiters said. “I feel I don’t have any weaknesses in my game.”
The Cavaliers scouted Waiters throughout the 6-foot-4 guard's sophomore season at Syracuse.
“We did an enormous amount of research [on Waiters],” general manager Chris Grant said. “Maybe more than we’ve ever done.”
“This is a guy who can do a lot of things with the basketball,” Byron Scott said. “I just think he has something special … I think we got a steal.”
The Cavaliers picked Dion Waiters with the fourth overall selection and also ended up with Tyler Zeller later in the first round.
“We knew we needed to add scoring and more playmaking and we were able to do that with Dion,” said Chris Grant. “He’s an aggressive, athletic, explosive player that is a great fit for our team. We also knew we needed another big man that can shoot, rebound, defend and get up and down the court with our style of play. We were able to do that with Tyler and we feel he is also a great fit for our team.”
The Cavaliers are offering the 4th, 24th and 33rd picks to the Bobcats for the 2nd and 31st, according to Chris Broussard.
Cleveland is presumably trying to jump ahead of the Wizards to select Bradley Beal.
The Bobcats are in discussions with the Cavaliers and Rockets about a deal involving the second overall selection.
Charlotte began Thursday in talks with five separate teams.
The Cavaliers' interest in Dion Waiters with the fourth overall pick has increased significantly, according to sources.
Waiters hasn't visited the Cavaliers for a workout or a meeting with officials, but he remains in play for the franchise, especially if the team is unable to draft Bradley Beal.
Sources believe the Cavaliers would take Waiters with the fourth pick if Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal are off the board.
Cleveland has intensified its background checks on Waiters.
The Cavaliers would prefer to move up to draft Beal, but have resisted agreeing to a trade with the Bobcats due to their unwillingness to take back Tyrus Thomas.
As one league source connected to the talks said, "The rest of the deal would have to be very strong for [the Cavs] to take on [Thomas]."
The Raptors have been aggressive in moving ahead of the Warriors in pursuit of Waiters, according to sources.
Jared Sullinger will work out for the Cavaliers on Friday.
Sullinger, projected to be a lottery pick, has been medically red-flagged by NBA doctors.
Cleveland owns the owns the No. 4 and No. 24 overall picks in the upcoming draft.
Andre Drummond is expected to work out for the Cavaliers on Monday.
Drummond averaged 10 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a freshman with Connecticut last year.
Cleveland owns the fourth overall pick and is reportedly excited about the possibility of pairing either Harrison Barnes or Bradley Beal with Kyrie Irving.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal are set to work out for the Cavaliers, who have the No. 4 pick in the draft.
Barnes tested well at the Chicago draft combine, posted a vertical leap of 39 1/2 inches.
Beal is only working out for teams inside the top four picks.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is slated to workout for the Bobcats next week.
Kidd-Gilchrist also has workouts scheduled with Cleveland, Washington, Portland, and New Jersey.
The Nets have no first-round pick, but Kidd-Gilchrist is from New Jersey and rooted for the Nets growing up.