Breaking News: Cavs Pick Up Late Second Rounder
2016-06-24
In a bit of a surprise, David Griffin refused to sleep on his laurels and must have taken his phone with him after Wednesday’s victory parade. The Cavs orchestrated a late night move for to jump back into the 2016 NBA Draft, buying the 54th pick from the Atlanta Hawks and selecting Kay Felder, a junior guard out of Oakland.
Cleveland is drafting Oakland guard Kay Felder with the No. 54 pick, buying it from Hawks, sources tell The Vertical. Explosive PG.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016
At 5’9, Felder averaged 24.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists in 35 games this past season. He wound up fourth in the nation in scoring and led the nation in assists. A clear scorer, Felder also shot 44% from the field, 36% from downtown, and 85% from the free throw line.
Here’s some video of the man who was the second highest vertical jump in NBA combine history…
Kay Felder averaged more points than Simmons, Ingram and Dunn. He's 5'9 #NBADrafthttps://t.co/07u0R0lJOg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2016
And a compilation from his highlights in Oakland…
Anyone know anything about who will be on the Summer League team? Any other undrafted signings?
It’s easy to forget, in the wake of how important this championship was, just how historically dominant LBJ was in locking it down… These numbers are just insane… I mean, dudes like Skip Bayless can scoff all they want at LeBron not being close to MJ, but did MJ ever come close to doing anything like this?
It’s seriously bonkers. Has anything like that ever been done before?
LeBron has long passed MJ. The only people you might compare him with are Russell and Wilt, and maybe Oscar and Magic.
I love Sir Charles, but he insists that Kobe and Tim are better than LeBron. What a joke. LeBron was better than them in his rookie year.
Here’s Bob Ryan in praise of LeBron, and assessing his place in history, with a special bonus: video of The Block from every possible angle:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2016/06/25/coming-defense-lebron-james/A1HDyo1NmmLpyoTBARHdjO/story.html
New Griff interview:
http://m.espn.go.com/general/play?id=16544919
Thanks. In my post-Championship delirium, I kinda forgot about the great management team. Thanks, Griff and nameless staffers!!!
Has CtB debated a message board? I think Tom mentioned one during his recent radio podcast. I understand it’s more work for the principals of CtB though.
Personally I think a message board would just dilute the content – now I just know to go to the latest thread and thats where everyone is talking. Message board would split the conversation in lots of different places and pieces
Couldn’t happen to a nicer Tweeter…
Ha, some of that stuff is pretty brutal though, like the one of Ky with Ayesha and steph’s mom.
Laughed my ass off at that one.
She deserves some ridicule for the ludicrous allegations.
LOL… so does this mean the Cavs will still be paying Potato to sit on the Warriors bench next year?
I have watched Game Seven four times. The first two times I was still nervous during the last 4 mins of the game. By the 3rd viewing, I apparently knew the outcome would be happy.
You’ve inspired me to re-watch Game 7 again today Mike…
I felt pretty calm at the start of the fourth quarter. The Dubs were looking desperate, they knew nothing was going to work. LeBron looked like he could play another 48 minutes.
JR Smith torso Tee.
That is really really weird.
Just bought one!
Everything isnawesom
Kyrie playing in Rio. Hope he dominates like he did in the Cup two years ago.
Hope he comes back alive.
He should be fine… as long as he brings his suit…
http://media.breitbart.com/media/2016/02/rio-zika-640×480.jpg
Seconded. No injuries por favor.
If he dons body armor and carries an AK, he can even go to the beach. Just as long as he doesn’t try it alone.
Biggest reason he will make team? ”LeBron [James] knows his game,” said Waters. ”When we retired [former CSU star] Norris Cole’s number, LeBron was at that game. We played Oakland that day and LeBron stayed and watched.”………Brandon Weems was an assistant with Oakland from 2013-15. He was a St. Vincent- St. Mary teammate of James. Weems is now a Cavs scout. Reasons #2) Paid $2.4 million not to wait to see if he goes undrafted. #3) ”I really respect how Ty Lue came in and was able to get the Cavs to play at a fast pace,” said Waters. ”Felder… Read more »
Anyone else like Courtney Lee for a mid-level exception?
Sure. Unless LBJ demands JFJ stays on the bench another year.
Count me in.
This is great:
That’s kinda funny. Let’s hope they start 10-0 like the Cavs did.
Why are the Cavs so bad at drafts? Why does OKC and SAS kill it every single year?
Whatever. Haha. These concerns are free from any anxieties now. Hope the Cavs increase their depth this offseason. Always, always in need of 3 and D players.
For a 54th pick, this is a steal. The kid was a beast in college, is an athletic freak (44″ vertical, highest in the combine), and from all accounts is a gym rat. Also you don’t average 9.3 assists in college without good court vision. 24.4 ppg is no joke either. He put up 37 against Michigan state this year on 10 of 22 shooting and 30 on 10 of 22 against Virginia. That isn’t just numbers against inferior opponents, those are massive, efficient games against two of the too teams in the country this year.
If he was even 5 inches taller he would have been a lock for first round. His height was the only negative. A hard one to overcome, often, but not impossible. We gave up nothing to go get him. Why worry about @cavsdan’s cash? Haha
I feel like I’m living in an alternate reality. Listening at lunch here in LA to discussion about the Lakers’ draft while all I want to talk about is the Cavs odds for a title next year.
Love this pick up by Griffin. This guy could be a legit backup for Kyrie. His combine numbers are impressive. Top10 in change of direction/agility. Top5 in speed. Top 5 in vertical leaps. Only measurable that wasn’t good was lateral movement. I saw him play…. he’s a pure scorer. Reminds me of a Nate Robinson …. hopefully not a head case.
A hacked/updated wikipedia page for the Warriors. This really was done.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157029646725114&set=a.10151475256845114.830816.567715113&type=3&theater
With Jefferson retiring, any chance Cedi Osman gets the call to play back up SF this year? Speaking of prospects…
Jefferson said at the celebration he would come back one more year. We’ll see if it is true or heat of the moment.
He’s coming back! That’s the best news of the offseason since there really isn’t a replacement for him. Hopefully he can stave off the timemonster for one more eyar.
But will he come back for the vet min or the taxpayer midlevel? Is he coming back to Cleveland?
There was an article on RJ’s appearance at a Tommy Bahama store for a “Little Kev” apparel promotion. This appearance was at the Beachwood Place mall. RJ apparently hedged again saying he was tired, and would have to give his decision more thought.
There are ball movement offenses, ISO offenses . . . and then sometimes you have a guy that can “penetrate and dish.” The Cavs had some great ball movement games last year, but couldn’t seem to get that going against GS (and some other teams). Against GS (and some tough defensive teams) we went to LBJ and Kyrie . . . but constant ISO-ball makes us uncomfortable. If Felder can break down defenses with the dribble and dish or kick out, he could be a third option. He can also be a little pesky gnat on guys like Curry. Unfortunately,… Read more »
He is pretty athletic. 44 inch vertical is no joke. He had triple doubles this year with double digit bounds. Plays bigger than his size.
He looks pretty quick. Maybe its just the competition, but he turns the corner fast, pushes the break, and has very quick feet on his step back to give him space. I think his height will be less of an issue than whether he commits to defense. He didn’t play much defense at Oakland.
Awesome!
SO GOOD! They even gave LBJ a full head of hair!
And the bench reaction!
man – how are we supposed to get work done? Everyone is so dang creative
Has Deron Williams reached his ring chasing years yet or does he still want to make money?
$$$
Deron Williams might be over the hill.
He is gonna have a growth spurt like Paul George and be the next “Bad Boy” Isaiah Thomas!!
This is hilarious.
Best thing since this…
http://www.scholastic.com/content/images/articles/u/UPFRONT_100512_hdr.jpg
When is Tom on the radio? I forget.
Proof that small guards can help teams…
http://www.si.com/nba/2015/02/23/ranking-nba-top-10-under-six-feet-tall
Then again, only one of them is 5’9″ or shorter. That said, the 5’9″ guy is isaiah thomas. If that’s his comp, great pick.
The more I think about this pick the more I like it. For a guy whose only knock is size, he has a 6’3″ wingspan and 7’5″ reach, second highest vertical in combine history, seems like he rebounds bigger than his size… In a league that’s getting smaller by the day, this guy could be a steal in a couple years.
He’s more likely to be out of the league in a couple years than be a steal. But dreaming is fun.
I bet he becomes your second favorite player… ;)
I would enjoy that. I just really dislike every time we draft a guy in the 2nd round or sign a guy who sucks like Karasev or Cunningham or Harris that people think they will be awesome. The dude lasted this long in the draft for a reason. The reason is he is likely to suck.
But I would absolutely love it if he becomes something worthwhile!
The reason he lasted is because he’s 5’9… pretty much everything else about him sounds awesome…
I will say — there is an odd vibe in the comment section of being overly optimistic about random dudes like Felder and then being very critical of the some of the best players in the world (LBJ, KI, Love).
I really hope Felder turns into Isiaah Thomas who can play D. That would be ideal KI backup. But odds are long.
KI, JR, Delly, Shump, McRae seem like the 5 guards for this team. But maybe he can sneak on as a 6th guard.
Yep.
No expectations, equals playing with house money equals positivity. I have yet to see anything from McRae in real minutes that makes me think he is anything but garbage time fodder.
Anyone new gets people excited. To me, he’s another of these guys who have all of the skills to play in the NBA, but not the most vital ingredient. If he was 6’5″, he might be a lottery pick. But unfortunately he’s not 6’5″. I’ll hope for his success, just seems very unlikely. Aren’t many Isiah Thomas’s in the NBA.
Do not disparage the Danger Ninja. You’ve been warned.
Yeah, no one really except maybe the spurs consistently find gems that late. The chances of any pick this late being a gem are minuscule. This time we actually drafted a guy that produced in college, not just produced but put up massive numbers against Michigan State and Virginia, two of the best defensive teams in the country. Plus hard to argue with a 44 inch vertical. I mean it is the 54th pick, what do you want?
No crap a 2nd round 5’9″ guard is more likely to fail than succeed. Would you like us to write a blog post about all the reasons why he’s likely to fail? We could do it for the entire team, too. Or maybe people can just have a positive outlook on the guy the Cavs just drafted.
Have to agree with Carson on this.
Awesome trade for the Thunder. Westbrook and Oladipo are going to be crazy to deal with.
If Durant comes back, I think Durant-LeBron Finals Part 2 is coming. Haha I’m already excited for next season.
Oladipo sucks though. He’s not even good at defense which was supposed to be his calling card. Although he still can improve. If he gets better at catch and shoot threes and figures out to make his defense good, not just theoretically good, then yeah it’s a win.
The big secret of the playoffs was that Ibaka sucked.
Dipo was really good on my fantasy team last year…
Oladipo does not suck. 17 PER and a potential defensive monster. With a real coach and being the 3rd or 4th option, he’s going to excel.
Considering that Ibaka only has 1 year left, this is a monster trade by the Thunder. Sabonis will be good, and Ilysova can be a competent 9th-10th man.
I agree it was a good trade. Ibaka was bad last year. But Oladipo is not yet the player you think he is. He can get there though. He’ll be surrounded by much better talent and have a good coach for the first time in his career.
https://twitter.com/CTowersCBS/status/746362247404892160
Your opinions are going off the rails again. I am almost liking Warriors Fan Not Troll’s posts better. Neither player “sucks” using your brilliantly analytical term. I was hoping a championship would lead to clearer thinking. Carson Swagger if Cols did a blog it would have to come with a warning like an NC-17 movie.
Big fan of this move. Savvy to “buy into” the draft to get him near the end when he was still available!
In my opinion, if they viewed him as someone who has little chance to make the team, then they wouldn’t have made the move to begin with. It was already #54. If they liked him but truly thought he had little chance to make the team, then they could have simply risked seeing if he would go undrafted (only 7 picks left) and then made him an offer as an undrafted FA (like Delly).
I don’t know that this is a Delly contingency plan. The Cavs need more scoring off the bench.
Dear God please let Delly stay.
Come on, Delly is RFA, no way Gilbert lets him go…
He’ll stay.
Thanks for saving him for us Cols.
No problem. I just can’t see a GM stupid enough to give him starting PG money. Then again, the NBA has lots of stupid GMs so maybe I”m being dumb.
There will be bench players making $10 million next year. Hell Shump makes that much.
Good point Mr. Smith.
Bear in mind that Shump is 26 today. In a couple of years, when JR begins to decline, Shump will be a hardened, grizzled, vet who has developed full chemistry with the rest of the team . . . playing D and knocking down the three.
The salary cap is going up and up though so what you call “starting PG money” would look much different in a couple years.
An Eastern Conference team looking for a backup PG could throw him a sizeable contract that might be overspending a little in the present, but it also would force the Cavs to make a hard choice on whether they want to overspend themselves or lose a guy who’s valued by teammates and fans.
Hard to say. Think Cavs have a hard time matching if he gets 8 figures.
No one who watched the playoffs is going to give him that. If anyone wants to give him starting PG money, they are going to be severely disappointed.
That being said, there’s a ton of money out there and it only takes one dummy. That also being said, losing Delly would hurt us in the regular season but wouldn’t impact the playoffs very much.
*rolls eyes* he had a bad finals and his shot disappeared in the playoffs, but he had a great regular season and a team like Milwaukee (who’re reportedly very interested) would eat people up playing p/r with Delly and Giannis all day. Remember, some of these teams just want to make the offs.
Sure, but as a starting PG playing against starters without all the spacing LeBron gives him? He’s going to look very bad in that situation.
OK, I’ll give Cols that one.
Cols you make an excellent point. As CAVS fans, or any other fans, we think a lot with our hearts. The CAVS are trying to build something for maybe the next three years of possibly winning titles. We beat the Warriors barely without Delly playing the last two games of the finals. The Warriors are a complete team, we just have Lebron and Kyrie on our side. Delly seems like a fan favorite from all the positive posts I’ve read. I do not see Delly starting for any teams in the NBA unless a starter was injured. Sooner or later… Read more »
I’ve got a weird feeling about Delly… I still love the guy, but if Ty Lue doesn’t trust him enough to play him over Shump in critical games… I’m not sure why CavsDan pays to keep him…
I’m not giving up on Delly being here still. The RFA is attractive. I bet he has a great Olympic series to remind teams what he has to offer.
He might be insurance in case Delly goes somewhere else that want to pay higher money for him.
I like it! They need someone to play point in summer league (will they have a team?), assume he will mostly play D league, but could be a useful spark off the bench in time. Should be fun to watch for people coming out to see the Charge.
Only one listed negative on ESPN’s draft profile:
Yep. And that’s a biggie. Not many guys his size ever play in the NBA, at least now in recent times.
Likely won’t make roster, with Kyrie and Delly and McRae. But I’ll root for him. Has some talent, and works his tail off.
I loved watching the Celtics flub their draft. Their roster continues to be a barren wasteland of mediocre players. But, hey, Brad Stevens is a “genius”!
Idk. Gilbert gave up $2.5 mil to buy the pick, so…
Yeah, I subscribe to this also… No reason for CavsDan to spend this money unless they feel strongly about this guy’s ability to make the team…
Just don’t see how he gets playing time to develop. D League won’t help him learn to deal with NBA length.
The Ringer had him as one of the sleeper picks of the draft in the mold of Isaiah Thomas, obviously. He looks like a decent scoring guard. I don’t know if we can afford to keep him, but I would gladly have Felder taking Mo Williams’ roster and rotation spot. That would mean trading Mo, which is easier said than done and it might cost us a future second-round pick, but I would take it, as I think Mo is done as an NBA player, despite the surprise minutes he got in the Finals.
Stick him in the D league for a year while Mo plays out his last season. If he can succeed there, maybe he has a shot.
I’m with grover13.
He seems to have a number of good qualities. While he is very quick, I don’t see that he has exceptional quickness to compete in the NBA. Also, he’s very left handed dependent.
It’s always good to have a player that can provide a spark, or bring something new to the court that other teams don’t see a lot and aren’t prepared for. He needs to get in line behind McRae though.
But you never know.
I am still astounded that Mo played Sunday. If the game was a rout, putting him in because he is an “old timer” would be OK, but there is no way he is better than Delly, or McCray for that matter.
Haha im such a sucker for these videos; now I think this guy is going to be the best player in the draft. Griffin for GM of the century!
He IS the best player in the draft! Haha Griff for pres!
I’VE BEEN BURNED SO MANY TIMES BUT I FEEL THE SAME WAY LOL.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kay-Felder-77928/
Ugh.. The Delly contingency plan? Please no.
One of those super athletic undersized guys who never seems to make a team. I saw him play a couple of times in college…very exciting player to watch. Nate will enjoy watching him in Canton. Who knows, maybe he’ll make his way to the Cavs bench one day.
That’s a nasty step back he has.
So true. Clearly his go to move. Impressive.
Interesting…