Would you rather make the playoffs or keep the pick?

[Henry Tuttle]

Pretty simple, just curious what the actual consensus is

 

[DeeThree]

Turtle

 

[letgocavs]

Pick.

 

[Jscc]

If Mobley can return and play at 100%, I want the playoffs. Earlier when both him and the team were dominating, I was hoping to get a rookie Derrick Rose-ish first playoff series from him.

I honestly don't care about the pick either way.

 

[Dr No]

This is what i wrote in the "General Discussion"

I know getting into the lottery gives us a chance at a miracle high pick, but what, realistically, is the benefit of not making the playoffs? We are likely drafting in the 12-14 range in a mediocre draft class if we miss the playoffs this year. I suspect we can get a good player, but not likely a great one, and there is a good chance we wouldn't get anyone that could crack our starting lineup. If we make the playoffs and send our first rounder to Indy, then we get our own 1st rounder in 2023. If we finish high enough that the 2023 pick is in the 20's - then we celebrate how close this team already is. If its in the teens, we haven't given up much draft position from keeping our 2022 pick. If things go south and we are in the lottery, the 2023 class looks to be a stronger draft than 22. Basically, what I'm saying is, outside of a miracle ping pong ball drop, I don't see how it benefits us to miss the playoffs this year. The experience of a young team in the playoffs is greater than what we likely receive if we miss them.

 

[buzzdog]

Good thread topic. I've waivered back and forth. When we were reasonably healthy I was strongly in favor of trying to go as far as we could this year, breaking the ceiling for the non-Lebron era.

The injuries have demoralized my enthusiasm for post season performance. Even assuming both Mobley and Allen make it back it's not likely that both will be at full strength and in no way impaired from their peak ability. And even if they were both 100% physically we've missed any opportunity to tighten up, to get games under our belts as any kind of cohesive unit with players who have figured out how to mesh and play together.

Honest question. How many games has LeVert played with our whole roster intact at least including all of Evan, DG, and JA? How can anyone think these guys will have a proper understanding of how to play together?

So... if we somehow overperform expectations and get into the first round of a 7 game series, I'll be okay with it but I don't think it will be as valuable as just having a good off-season to work together.

OTOH I value the opportunity to at least take a stab at filling out biggest roster hole with a prototypical wing player. You have to play to win (in the lottery sense of that saying).

 

[cavsfever]

Do we believe next year's draft will be better than this year's? It seems like some good pieces could be available this year at 14 (where we would draft if we keep the pick). Notably, Tari Eason, Ochai Agbaji, and TyTy Washington. Almost all mock drafts I see have at least two of those three available at 14, sometimes all three.

We also shouldn't underestimate the value of getting a full year jump start on developing a new piece, that would help keep the age of a new player aligned with our young core.

 

[PIP]

Just keep winning…

I like this roster when healthy. A healthy Wade & Stevens & Sexton (depending)

To go along with
DG
Evan
JA
Ice
Levert
Lauri
Kev

I’m not sure where a rookie is gonna come in and contribute ?? Hell I’d love to keep Brown & Goodwin too and just run back a healthy roster with a young 3rd big like him and a backup like BG…

 

[The Oi]

If you get the pick:

Best case: Miracle shot at a high draft pick
Next best case: get a good player, which is tough to do in the teens

If you don’t get the pick and get playoff experience…well you just got playoff experience.

The team is pretty deep. At a certain point it’s time to stop talking about playing playoff games and start playing them.

 

[letgocavs]

You can find a giannis in the middle of the draft.

 

[Cassity14]

Assuming we won't see Allen at 100% again this season, which seems likely, I'd rather keep the pick.

Late lotto picks have value, both as a trade chip or as a young, controlled player with upside.

The Cavs, as currently constructed, don't have as high of a ceiling as I'd like, and adding that level of asset to them makes a big difference in my opinion.

 

[buzzdog]

Do we believe next year's draft will be better than this year's? It seems like some good pieces could be available this year at 14 (where we would draft if we keep the pick). Notably, Tari Eason, Ochai Agbaji, and TyTy Washington. Almost all mock drafts I see have at least two of those three available at 14, sometimes all three.

We also shouldn't underestimate the value of getting a full year jump start on developing a new piece, that would help keep the age of a new player aligned with our young core.

Yep. The sooner and the more time we have to evaluate and assimilate a new wing the better. And when you look at their competition on the current Cavs roster the bar gets lower and easier to clear for ending up with a talent upgrade.

 

[buzzdog]

Just keep winning…

I like this roster when healthy. A healthy Wade & Stevens & Sexton (depending)

To go along with
DG
Evan
JA
Ice
Levert
Lauri
Kev

I’m not sure where a rookie is gonna come in and contribute ?? Hell I’d love to keep Brown & Goodwin too and just run back a healthy roster with a young 3rd big like him and a backup like BG…

You forgot Windler!

 

[Derek]

Preferring the pick to making the playoffs is loser talk.

I understand thinking of keeping the pick as a silver lining if things go poorly, but the goal should 100% be to win as much as we can.

 

[PIP]

You forgot Windler!

No I didn’t