The unpredictable NBA off-season begins tonight with the 2015 NBA Draft. Inside the Barclays Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves hold the No. 1 draft card, an honor that belonged to the Cleveland Cavaliers three of the last four years.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The unpredictable NBA off-season begins tonight with the 2015 NBA Draft. Inside the Barclays Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves have used the top pick on Karl-Anthony Towns.
As for the Cavs, this night is different. Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, the Cavs will be picking at No. 24.
Stay here on cleveland.com all night as we'll keep you up to date with every development during tonight's talent bazaar.
11:14 p.m.: What are the draft experts saying about Osman? Here's a brief rundown. The word "playmaker" is fitting and it's one Cavs GM David Griffin has used recently.
11:11 p.m.: The Cavs will be waiting a little bit before seeing second rounder Cedi Osman in the wine and gold, according to Draft Express.
11:07 p.m.: The Minnesota Timberwolves, selecting for the Cavs at No. 31, grab Cedi Osman, a shooting guard from Turkey. That's a draft-and-stash player for the Cavs, keeping another roster spot open.
From Fran Fraschilla: "This is a guy who does a lot of things well. Only 20. Handles it well."
11:00 p.m.: It was a long wait for UCLA forward Kevon Looney. But his selection at No. 30 by the Golden State Warriors concludes the first round. Why did Looney slide? Draft Express has a thought.
10:55 p.m.: Our own Chris Haynes has the quick write-up on the Cavs' decision to trade Tyus Jones to the Timberwolves.
10:49 p.m.: The first round is winding down. The 28th pick goes to the Boston Celtics, who select R.J. Hunter from Georgia State.
Then with the chants of Chris McCullough in the Barclays Center, the Nets make their pick. McCullough, from Syracuse, is coming off a torn ACL.
10:44 p.m.: The Cavs moved Jones to the T'Wolves. While the Cavs are receiving a pair of second rounders, this is the guy they decided to move.
10:37 p.m.: As the Cavs were taking busy trading Tyus Jones, other picks were made. The Grizzlies took LSU's Jarell Martin with the No. 25 pick. The Spurs followed with Nikola Mulitinov, a draft-and-stash player that will keep money open for the Spurs to take a run at LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency.
The Lakers then snagged Larry Nance Jr. from Wyoming.
10:30 p.m.: Why did the Cavs trade out of the first round? Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Lloyd gives at least one reason.
10:19 p.m.: Cavs fans will have to wait for a draft pick. According to numerous reports, the Cavaliers have traded their selection of Tyus Jones at pick No. 24 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cleveland will reportedly receive picks No. 31 and 36 for Jones.
10:12 p.m.: ESPN's Jalen Rose has been making comparisons for every player. Players around the NBA are entertained.
10:07 p.m.: The last two picks have been made. The Mavericks snagged Justin Anderson from Virginia at pick No. 21. The Bulls took Bobby Portis at pick No. 22. Chicago is receiving plenty of love for its selection.
10:02 p.m.: On the ESPN broadcast, Fran Fraschilla and Tom Penn think the best player remaining for the Cavs at pick No. 24 is R.J. Hunter, a shooting guard from Georgia State.
9:56 p.m.: Another point guard has been wiped off the board.
This time it's Utah's Delon Wright, who is heading to the Raptors with the No. 20 pick. According to reports, the Raptors have already traded backup point guard Greivis Vasquez, allowing Wright to slide into that role.
This move has an impact on the Cavs pick at No. 24. Tyus Jones is one of the few point guards left if they would like to add depth at that spot.
9:50 p.m.: Earlier tonight, the Lakers snagged D'Angelo Russell from Ohio State with the second pick. Here's some analysis from ESPN.com's Chad Ford, something that could impact the Cavaliers.
Russell is a great choice. I wasn't sold on Jahlil Okafor as a great fit next to Kentucky's Julius Randle, a player the Lakers really liked when they drafted him last year. Russell has more star power than Okafor and the Lakers need that. I still think Emmanuel Mudiay might end up being the better point guard, and Kristaps Porzingis is the best player after Towns, but between Russell and Okafor, the last two guys the Lakers had on their board, I think Russell was the right choice for the Lakers. He'll be a better lure for free agents such as LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love.
9:45 p.m.: The 19th pick started in Washington, but was swapped with Atlanta. Now, apparently this pick will be going to the New York Knicks. It's poing guard Jerian Grant from Notre Dame.
That means another name can be crossed off the Cavs wishlist.
9:42 p.m.: The Rockets have been rumored to have an interest in free agents Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge. Houston doesn't have the cap room right now, but the 18th pick could have a domino effect.
9:40 p.m.: The Houston Rockets have selected Sam Dekker with the 18th pick. The Rockets are getting a lot of praise for this pick and he's already being compared to a player the Rockets lost last off-season.
9:34 p.m.: With the 17th pick, the Milwaukee Bucks have selected Rashad Vaughn, a sweet-shooting guard from UNLV. ESPN's broadcast compared Vaughn to Dion Waiters.
9:29 p.m.: An interesting nugget from Basketball Insider's Alex Kennedy on Terry Rozier, who could've been a Cavs target.
9:25 p.m.: There are a lot of guards in Boston. Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley -- and now Terry Rozier.
The Celtics have made the former Shaker Heights player the 16th pick.
9:18 p.m.: With the 15th pick, the Atlanta Hawks have selected Kelly Oubre from Kansas. Yahoo Sports is reporting Oubre is going elsewhere.
Oubre on his game: "I feel I'm the steal of the draft."
9:13 p.m.: The Oklahoma City Thunder have selected Cameron Payne from Murray State with the 14th overall pick.
"There is no ceiling for Cameron Payne," he says.
How does he fit with OKC? Here are some thoughts.
9:08 p.m.: We have the first trade of the night. Greivis Vasquez is going to Milwaukee, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
9:06 p.m.: The Phoenix Suns have selected Kentucky shooting guard Devin Booker with the 13th overall pick. That makes four Wildcats in the lottery, tying the record for most lottery picks in a single draft (North Carolina - 2005). "He really is a young Klay Thompson," says Jay Bilas on the ESPN broadcast.
8:56 p.m.: The Utah Jazz have selected Rich Paul client Trey Lyles with the 12th pick. The Jazz have a deep frontcourt, but Lyles will stay in Utah.
From Joe Vardon's recent story on Paul's client:
On a conference call on Tuesday, ESPN college basketball/draft analyst Fran Fraschilla said "well, I think I love" the 19-year-old Lyles. At 6-10 and 241 pounds, the freshman played out of position for Kentucky at small forward and averaged 8.9 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Lyles attended James' skills camp in 2012 and, like Thompson, was born in Canada. He's received interest as high as No. 4 in the draft from the New York Knicks, and has worked out with teams picking mostly in the middle of the first round.
"I think his range right now is nine through 14," Fraschilla said. "He's young, he's sturdy, he's got an NBA body, he's got some ability to make shots from the perimeter, although the field-goal percentage was not good. I think that he's a guy that -- not necessarily slipping through anybody's cracks but is going to end up being a good NBA player."
8:50 p.m.: The Pacers have selected Myles Turner from Texas with the 11th pick. From ESPN's Jay Bilas: "He's got length and skill. He has a very nice shooting touch. And he's an excellent shot blocker." SI.com's Chris Mannix feels the same.
8:45 p.m.: The Heat have selected Duke's Justise Winslow at pick No. 10. The word being used by Twitter is "steal."
8:42 p.m.: How does Kaminsky celebrate his selection. Hopefully like this...
8:36 p.m.: With the 9th overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets have selected Frank Kaminsky. The Hornets finished the season as the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA. Kaminsky made 42 percent from beyond the arc.
8:29 p.m.: Despite Justise Winslow still being on the board, the Detroit Pistons have selected Stanley Johnson, a defensive-minded small forward. Johnson says, "I think I'm the best player in the draft."
8:23 p.m.: With the seventh pick in the draft, the Nuggets select Emmanuel Mudiay.
With Denver nabbing a new point guard of the future, the questions will continue about Ty Lawson's availability.
8:19 p.m.: The Kings select Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein with the sixth-overall pick. ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reports Cauley-Stein will play alongside DeMarcus Cousins, who has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors. Others see the fit as well.
8:15 p.m.: While the NBA Draft continues, the Cavaliers wait on a decision from J.R. Smith. The volatile swingman has until 11:59 to determine what he will do with his player option.
8:10 p.m.: With the fifth pick in the draft, the Orlando Magic have selected Mario Hezonja. Jalen Rose couldn't pronounce his name, but likes the pick anyway. "Extreme confidence. Toughness. Can shoot the three. Reminds me of Chandler Parsons."
8:05 p.m.: Here are some thoughts on Porzingis with the fourth-overall pick to the Knicks.
8:01 p.m.: Boos. Tears. Thumbs pointing down. What happened at the draft? Knicks fans heard the fourth pick: Kristaps Porzingis.
ESPN.com's Fran Fraschilla, who specializes in the international game says, "Why try to hit a single or double when you can hit a grand slam? He's as good a shooter as we have in this draft. In two or three years you have a chance to have somebody for another 12 years. I like the pick." Knicks fans disagree.
7:58 p.m.: How will Okafor and Noel fit together? Like a sandwich, according to ESPN.com's David Thorpe.
7:54 p.m.: How many big men can one team have? A bunch, apparently. At least in Philadelphia. Two years ago it was Nerlens Noel. Last year Joel Embiid. Now, Jahlil Okafor, who ESPN.com's Jay Bilas believe is one of the most polished low post players to come into the NBA in quite some time.
7:49 p.m.: The Lakers turn in the card...with D'Angelo Russell's name. ESPN.com's Jay Bilas calls him a "savant" when it comes to passing the ball. It appears much of the Twitter world sees this as a quality pick for Los Angeles.
7:43 p.m.: What will the Lakers do? ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne thinks there has been a shift in the thinking.
7:38 p.m.: The first pick of the draft has been made by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns heads to the Twin Cities after one season at Kentucky. ESPN's Jay Williams calls him a "great fit" while Tom Penn called him another franchise pillar, along with Andrew Wiggins, the reigning Rookie of the Year. The Wolves now have the last three No. 1 picks -- Anthony Bennett, Wiggins and Towns.
7:32 p.m.: One name that has been hot in the hours before the draft is Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky. Ohio State fans know "Frank the Tank" well from his time in the Big Ten. Anyone that wants Kaminsky, the silky-smooth and versatile scorer, will need to be selecting 1-8, according to Yahoo Sports.
6:49 p.m.: There's not a lot of debate when it comes to the first pick tonight. Karl-Anthony Towns has been penciled in for weeks. There is, however, much speculation about what the Lakers will do with the second pick. Will it be Jahlil Okafor? Maybe D'Angelo Russell? Or will they trade the pick for DeMarcus Cousins? According to Yahoo sports, not even Okafor has an idea of what to expect.
6:29 p.m.: There's always a "Best Dressed" contest when it comes to the NBA Draft. Less than an hour before the festivities begin, there are a few worthy candidates, including D'Angelo Russell. The Ohio State guard is repping his alma mater with a snazzy suit.
6:20 p.m.: Kristaps Porzingis is one of the unknown players in this year's draft. While he is listed as a versatile power forward, with the unique ability to play inside and outside, the Latvian player towers over Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, two bigs expected to be selected early. That kind of size is not easy to find.
