Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that the Cavs were very close to getting DeJuan Blair in the draft, although it still would have come after they selected Christian Eyenga with the 30th pick. One might still ask: Why not take Blair at 30, then trade to get Eyenga?
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The Cavs and DeJuan Blair
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
i think most cavs fans were wondering why the hell they didn't pick blair. who cares if his knees explode like kyle's did on southpark down the road? the dude could have earned instant minutes with the cavs. another black mark for ferry in alan's ledger.
Word was that there were a dozen or so teams who's doctors would not sign off on the selection of Blair.
That said I've gotta agree with terje, for a team where "this season" has never been more important, I don't understand how you pick a guy that you're planning to stash overseas for several seasons instead of a guy like Blair.
Of course who really knows if Mike Brown would have let him see the floor, that's another story…
He has no ACL in either knee. Plus, whose minutes would he get right now? Or in Feb when Leon Powe comes back? Talk to me about where he'd play.
Anyone else feel that the Cavs and Browns feel they're somehow "smarter" than everyone else on Draft Day….and their picks make absolutely no common sense whatsoever? Seriously, go back several drafts, and remember your reaction when they made their first few picks. Wasn't your first reaction: "WHHAAAATTTT???!"
"Plus, whose minutes would he get right now?"
that's pretty simple. j.j. hickson could kiss his minutes goodbye.
Right now, Blair is giving the Spurs 8 and 8 a night. That's pretty good….long term I'd be worried about that knee.
long term? they needed a big who can play right now. hickson's brain isn't even attached to his body. if blair could have helped even one year it would have been worth it.
The Cavs front office always lets the "we almost landed …" cat out of the bag when they perceive they have failed at something. Ol' Windy probably passed it along to Broussard so Danny would let him have a coke at the next game.
Broussard is Ferry's national shill, and Windhorst is Ferry's local shill. I wish somebody would have the stones to call them out on it, particularly Broussard. It's become as painfully obvious as the white skin now on Sammy Sosa's face.
What a lie. Ferry didn't take Blair because (a) he's a total idiot and (b) they didn't want to pay guaranteed money and knew that Nigerian guy, or whatever he is, will never play in the NBA. The classic penny-wise, pound-foolish scenario.
Ferry paints himself into a corner with Varejao's agent and pays a role player a zillion dollars over 20 years, then passes on paying a wee bit of guaranteed money to a guy whose skills would easily translate to the NBA. This when the Cavs' weakest position was arguably the same position Blair plays. That's why they often have to put James at the 4.
I would also assume that Ferry felt he would lose face if he selected Blair, because it would make his earlier first-round pick of Hickson look stupid. After all, why would they take another power forward if their power forward of the future was just selected in the first-round.
Ferry has heard and felt some media heat about not picking Blair, so they concocted this preposterous explanation. As often as Broussard shills for Ferry, I'm also beginning to wonder if Ferry and Broussard have started to bathe together. It's getting uncomfortable.
Oh, by the way, Thurman Thomas had the exact same condition. No ACLs. Didn't seem to slow him down.
Has to be a money issue even with Glibert's deep pockets. First round picks get guranteed money…unless they never come to the US and sign a contract. Hence the Eyenga pick. Ferry might have out thunk himself on this one and though he could get Blair without the risk.