Redrafting the Cleveland Cavaliers rookies from 2004-2009 (LeBron James Era)
By Chad Porto
Join us as the re-drafting of the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Draft pick continues. Up next 2004-2009.
The first LeBron James Era was one with mixed results. Lots of missed opportunities, bad draft picks, bad trades, bad non-trades, and just a whole mess of things. Some of this does lay at the feet of James himself for his demands and the like, but Dan Gilbert does deserve a lofty share of responsibility for this era’s failures. They were, by the way, massive failures.
While James and the Cavaliers got to the NBA finals in 2007, the fact that James had to carry the likes of Ira Newble, Damon Jones (or Amon Ones, cus he’s got no “D” and no “J”), Donyell Marshall and Daniel Gibson on your roster is a sign that the team didn’t draft well. The Cavs had three seasons to build up to that NBA Finals opportunity.
They only had two draft picks in the first round and opted to take Luke Jackson and Shannon Brown. What happened to the 2005 draft pick you ask? Traded away eight years prior for Wesley Person.
The team also let Carlos Boozer leave, despite having him potentially for two more years, causing them to go get Drew Gooden. The poor man’s version of Boozer.
Then when you thought they had a real shot again a few years later, the team opted to favor J.J. Hickson over Amar’e Stoudemire. So yes, this era was poorly managed.