Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 6:35 pm
Sessions could get squeezed by draft
OSU product Lighty works out for Cavs
By Jason Lloyd
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Sunday, Jun 12, 2011
If and when the Cavaliers draft Kyrie Irving in 11 days, it will give them three quality point guards on the roster. That might be one too many for Ramon Sessions' liking.
Sessions would seem to be the odd man out, with Irving as the point guard of the future and Baron Davis on hand to groom him as such. Sessions averaged 13.3 points and 5.2 assists last season, his first in Cleveland. Now 25 and a four-year veteran, Sessions believes he can start in this league. That doesn't appear likely to happen in Cleveland.
Sessions' agent, Chubby Wells, hasn't asked the Cavaliers for a trade yet. That might change after the draft.
''Obviously something has to give,'' Wells said. ''I don't see how they can keep all three of those guys.''
Coach Byron Scott said during the season he likes to have three point guards available, but the Cavs may struggle to find enough minutes to keep Sessions happy.
He averaged 14.5 points and 5.9 assists in 38 starts for the Cavs, compared to 12.2 points and 4.5 assists as a reserve. He played most of the season with a hernia that has since been surgically repaired.
Wells said Sessions' final checkup following surgery is in the next couple of weeks, after which time he'll be cleared to begin working out. Sessions has been healing at his home in Atlanta.
His name popped up in trade rumors around the All-Star break and there would likely be a decent market for Sessions, who resuscitated his career here after one miserable season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
''He's in a good place right now,'' Wells said. ''He's not a rookie anymore.''
Draft talk
The adidas Eurocamp is this weekend in Italy, showcasing Europe's top talent available for this draft.
The Eurocamp is structured much like last month's NBA combine in Chicago, which featured 60 draft-eligible college players. The Eurocamp has a fewer number of participants, but this year could produce at
least a handful of lottery picks with Jan Vesely, Bismack Biyombo and Donatas Motiejunas.
Jonas Valanciunas, the 19-year-old center whom the Cavs have scouted, is not attending because he is with Lithuania's U-19 national team preparing for the world championships.
Biyombo didn't help himself much with a poor private workout on Saturday, according to reports. Biyombo, projected as a late lottery pick, chose not to participate in group workouts and instead performed alone. That could've been a mistake.
He airballed some layups, missed plenty of jumpers and showed a general lack of offensive skill in the private showing, according to Draft Express, but his incredible athleticism will keep teams interested. He has been compared to the Miami Heat's Joel Anthony, which isn't necessarily a compliment. But Biyombo appears to be a better athlete.
Closer to home
Ohio State product David Lighty worked out for the Cavs on Friday. He is projected to be a second-round pick.
Lighty grew up a Cavs fan and was excited to see them land two of the top four picks in the draft, but flashed a good sense of humor about it at the NBA combine last month.
''I don't think they're picking me [at four],'' he said.
Marshon Brooks was supposed to work out with Lighty, but couldn't because of an ankle injury.
Pay up
The news keeps getting worse for the Los Angeles Clippers.
First they lost out on the No. 1 pick because of their trade with the Cavs. Now owner Donald Sterling has lost the $12 million he saved in the deal.
The Clippers were willing to send the Cavs an unprotected lottery pick (which turned into the No. 1 overall selection) because they were going to save about $12 million — the difference in the amount of money owed Mo Williams and Baron Davis over the next two seasons.
But an arbitrator ruled in favor of former coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy on Friday, awarding him the $13.5 million owed to him on his previous contract. The Clippers stopped paying him when they dismissed him in March 2010, but Friday's ruling essentially grants him the balance of the contract.
Trade talk
The Golden State Warriors have made it clear around the league that Monta Ellis is available. The Warriors were fun to watch with Ellis and Stephen Curry in the same backcourt, but they were also shredded on defense by taller, more physical guards.
Ellis, who won't turn 26 until late October, will earn $33 million over the next three years. He is an explosive scorer who averaged 24.1 points this season, but is a liability defensively. The Warriors have talked to the Philadelphia 76ers about moving Ellis for Andre Iguodala.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.cavs.ohio.com. Follow the Cavs on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJCavsInsider
OSU product Lighty works out for Cavs
By Jason Lloyd
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Sunday, Jun 12, 2011
If and when the Cavaliers draft Kyrie Irving in 11 days, it will give them three quality point guards on the roster. That might be one too many for Ramon Sessions' liking.
Sessions would seem to be the odd man out, with Irving as the point guard of the future and Baron Davis on hand to groom him as such. Sessions averaged 13.3 points and 5.2 assists last season, his first in Cleveland. Now 25 and a four-year veteran, Sessions believes he can start in this league. That doesn't appear likely to happen in Cleveland.
Sessions' agent, Chubby Wells, hasn't asked the Cavaliers for a trade yet. That might change after the draft.
''Obviously something has to give,'' Wells said. ''I don't see how they can keep all three of those guys.''
Coach Byron Scott said during the season he likes to have three point guards available, but the Cavs may struggle to find enough minutes to keep Sessions happy.
He averaged 14.5 points and 5.9 assists in 38 starts for the Cavs, compared to 12.2 points and 4.5 assists as a reserve. He played most of the season with a hernia that has since been surgically repaired.
Wells said Sessions' final checkup following surgery is in the next couple of weeks, after which time he'll be cleared to begin working out. Sessions has been healing at his home in Atlanta.
His name popped up in trade rumors around the All-Star break and there would likely be a decent market for Sessions, who resuscitated his career here after one miserable season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
''He's in a good place right now,'' Wells said. ''He's not a rookie anymore.''
Draft talk
The adidas Eurocamp is this weekend in Italy, showcasing Europe's top talent available for this draft.
The Eurocamp is structured much like last month's NBA combine in Chicago, which featured 60 draft-eligible college players. The Eurocamp has a fewer number of participants, but this year could produce at
least a handful of lottery picks with Jan Vesely, Bismack Biyombo and Donatas Motiejunas.
Jonas Valanciunas, the 19-year-old center whom the Cavs have scouted, is not attending because he is with Lithuania's U-19 national team preparing for the world championships.
Biyombo didn't help himself much with a poor private workout on Saturday, according to reports. Biyombo, projected as a late lottery pick, chose not to participate in group workouts and instead performed alone. That could've been a mistake.
He airballed some layups, missed plenty of jumpers and showed a general lack of offensive skill in the private showing, according to Draft Express, but his incredible athleticism will keep teams interested. He has been compared to the Miami Heat's Joel Anthony, which isn't necessarily a compliment. But Biyombo appears to be a better athlete.
Closer to home
Ohio State product David Lighty worked out for the Cavs on Friday. He is projected to be a second-round pick.
Lighty grew up a Cavs fan and was excited to see them land two of the top four picks in the draft, but flashed a good sense of humor about it at the NBA combine last month.
''I don't think they're picking me [at four],'' he said.
Marshon Brooks was supposed to work out with Lighty, but couldn't because of an ankle injury.
Pay up
The news keeps getting worse for the Los Angeles Clippers.
First they lost out on the No. 1 pick because of their trade with the Cavs. Now owner Donald Sterling has lost the $12 million he saved in the deal.
The Clippers were willing to send the Cavs an unprotected lottery pick (which turned into the No. 1 overall selection) because they were going to save about $12 million — the difference in the amount of money owed Mo Williams and Baron Davis over the next two seasons.
But an arbitrator ruled in favor of former coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy on Friday, awarding him the $13.5 million owed to him on his previous contract. The Clippers stopped paying him when they dismissed him in March 2010, but Friday's ruling essentially grants him the balance of the contract.
Trade talk
The Golden State Warriors have made it clear around the league that Monta Ellis is available. The Warriors were fun to watch with Ellis and Stephen Curry in the same backcourt, but they were also shredded on defense by taller, more physical guards.
Ellis, who won't turn 26 until late October, will earn $33 million over the next three years. He is an explosive scorer who averaged 24.1 points this season, but is a liability defensively. The Warriors have talked to the Philadelphia 76ers about moving Ellis for Andre Iguodala.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.cavs.ohio.com. Follow the Cavs on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJCavsInsider