The Cleveland Cavaliers won Tuesday evening’s 2011 NBA Draft Lottery with the first round pick given to them by the Los Angeles Clippers in a February trade that sent Baron Davis and the pick to the Cavaliers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.
With a 2.8 percent chance of winning the lottery, many might see it as a Hail Mary pass by Cleveland that found its mark, but the Clippers view the move as a successful strategy for dumping an exorbitant contract and improving in the offseason.
The Clippers have two second round picks, the 37th and 47th overall, in what is deemed to be a weak 2011 NBA Draft class. Given this, they are looking more towards upgrading their roster through key trades and free agency.
"Adding Mo Williams and $8.5 million in cap room gives us better odds of improving than a 2.8% chance of winning the lottery and adding a seventh player under 23 to our roster," said Neil Olshey, Clippers vice president of basketball operations. "Additionally, we had a 97% chance of sitting here tonight with Baron Davis, the eighth pick in a bad draft and no cap flexibility."
The team will look to address their roster needs, particularly when it comes to solidifying the small forward position. In the latter portion of the 2010-11 season, the Clippers were running a small forward by committee arrangement that featured Ryan Gomes, Moon, and even Randy Foye in a three-guard lineup.
Of course, with the uncertainty of the expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement, it puts teams in a bind as far as piecing together a tangible plan for making moves in the offseason.
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