As it stands now, the Cavaliers don't have any selections on Thursday night, but anything can happen between now and then. As the 2010 NBA Draft approaches, we'll still be taking a look at some potential picks.
Cavs.com continues its positional preview, focusing today on some of the Draft's available big men.
Also see: Point Guards | Shooting Guards
Solomon Alabi – 7-1, 237 – Born: March 21, 1988 (Nigeria) – College: Florida State – Continued to add weight and muscle to his frame through three years at FSU; has great physical tools; 11.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg last season; excellent free throw shooter; decent mobility for 7-1; needs to work on left hand at the next level; nice jumper when he has space, but not comfortable putting the ball on the floor; positions himself well, is not foul-prone; could struggle against quicker, more agile NBA centers; doesn’t have great lateral quickness; not a great rebounder for his size; has great intangibles – known as a great teammate, worker and person; still considered a project, especially on the offensive end of the floor.
Daniel Orton – 6-10, 269 – Born: August 6, 1990 (Oklahoma City, OK) – College: Kentucky – Averaged just 3.4 ppg and 3.3 rpg in his lone season with Kentucky, yet should be off the board in the second half of the first round; NBA-ready body, long wingspan; nimble for a man his size; good hands; got lost – at least offensively – on a star-studded Kentucky team; has wide shoulders to clear space and is a strong finisher at the rim; no left hand and is a poor ball-handler; passing skills are non-existent; not a high-flyer, but still a solid shot-blocker; missed most of his senior season in high school with left knee surgery; not considered a great “athlete”; shows a soft touch around basket, with a nice hook shot, but gained very little offensive experience at Kentucky.
Larry Sanders – 6-10, 222 – Born: November 21, 1988 (Fort Pierce, FL) – College: VCU – Hybrid big man; can be an interior force if he can add weight; same huge wingspan (7-7) as DeMarcus Cousins; started out as a project at VCU; long, quick, athletic, can really run the floor; excellent finisher around the rim; improved in each season – averaged 14.4 ppg and 9.1 rpg as a junior; not a strong shooter; not a physical post player; probably can’t consistently bang with centers, but rare physical tools could make him good defender; solid rebounder; can play either 4 or 5 at the next level – can run like a guard and finish like a forward; overall, needs to add strength to his frame; considered a perfect project for an already-established NBA team.
Kevin Seraphin – 6-9, 263 – Born: December 7, 1989 (Cayenne, French Guiana) – International: Cholet (France) – Athletic French big man; has ideal strength and toughness to play inside; huge wingspan and chiseled 263-pound frame; recent success of athletic French players have teams intrigued; one of the top rebounders and shot blockers in the ultra-athletic French Pro A League; very aggressive around the rim, a ferocious dunker; just started playing basketball at age 15; willing to bang in the post; knee injury prevented him from working out for teams and will keep him out of summer league; wide shoulders and thick legs; plays within himself; still lacks polish, offensively; shot just 52 percent from the floor despite most of his work coming around the rim; intriguing prospect, could develop into a defensive presence.
Hassan Whiteside – 7-0, 227 – Born: June 13, 1989 (Gastonia, NC) – College: Marshall – Like Sanders and Cousins, has 7-7 wingspan; led the NCAA in blocked shots at 5.4 per game; excellent timing, contests every shot; made big progress through his freshman season at Marshall; can hit the mid-range jumper; uses his length inside, gets to the line often and converts a high percentage; big issue is his underdeveloped frame; poor passer from the post; basketball IQ below average at this stage and tends to force up bad shots and turn the ball over; at 21, older than most freshman; huge upside is unquestionable.