Maybe the Cavs aren't quite as bad as it seems when LeBron James doesn't play, and perhaps they'll use Cedi Osman for trade bait. Cleveland.com Cavs writer Joe Vardon takes a look.

CHARLOTTE -- Happy New Year! Do you have a Cavs question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Joe? Submit it here or tweet him @joevardon.

Hey, Joe: Are the Cavs regretting the decision of letting Delly walk? -- Jabraan, Manchester, England

Hey, Jabraan: They were never going to pay Matthew Dellavedova $39 million over four years. Even a team with as deep of pockets as the Cavs -- they already have a league-high $131 million payroll -- has its limits. They were hoping Mo Williams (at $2.1 million) could fill the backup point guard spot, wondering if rookie Kay Felder might be able to suck up some minutes. Now, they're going to make a move to get a backup point. Who knows what it will cost them. But it won't be four years and $39 million.

Hey, Joe: How is the buyout market shaping up? -- Demetri, Columbus

How about Tyson Chandler for Cavs?

Hey, Demetri: Good question. I mentioned not long ago that Tyson Chandler might be a candidate for the Cavs if he were bought out by the Phoenix Suns. Thing is, all of those decisions are a ways off. Right now, teams are focused on Jan. 10, the date on which all contracts are guaranteed for the whole season. The Cavs, for instance, would have to decide by then whether to waive DeAndre Liggins (not happening) or Jordan McRae (hmm...probably not, they still believe he has trade value) by that date. The trade deadline is Feb. 23. League general managers typically don't have clarity on what the buyout market will look like until around then. Players have to be bought out and waived by March 1 to be eligible for the playoffs with another team.

Hey, Joe: ESPN points out that, based on stats, the Cavs are the worst team in the NBA when playing without LeBron. Surely, the coaches/front office know this? -- James, Worthington

Why the Cavs stink without LeBron

Hey, James: I'm as big of a driver of the "Cavs are 4-18 without LeBron" narrative as anyone. For my first two seasons covering this team, I was assigned specifically to James -- so on nights he didn't play I spent quite a bit of energy writing about how poorly things usually went without him. And, yes, ESPN's Dave McMenamin did point out after the Cavs lost by 16 to the Detroit Pistons without James on Monday that the team's record without James since 2014 is worse than the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, who were both 7-22 at the time. Finally, with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on the court, this team should win some games even when James isn't out there. No question. But there are some caveats that often get overlooked.

Let's start with that game earlier this month, when Lue chose to sit James, Irving, and Love against Memphis. Lue later called the game a "forfeit." Two of the losses came in the Cavs' final game of the regular season the last two years. Starters either barely played or didn't play at all. So now we're looking at 4-15.

OK, seven of the losses overall were on the second night of back-to-back situations. One of those was the aforementioned James-Irving-Love "forfeit." So, now we're looking at 4-9. (Yes, I know, that's a leap to assume the Cavs would've still lost all those games had James been in the lineup. But I'm making a point here, and, at any rate, there's a reason people throughout the league call those second nights of back-to-backs "scheduled losses.")

Finally, the Cavs lost 8-of-9 when James missed two consecutive weeks with nagging injuries in 2014-15. Most of that was before J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Timothy Mozgov arrived in trades. David Blatt was a rookie coach. The team was lost.

To summarize, the Cavs' record without James stinks. It should be better. But there are some real excuses.

Hey, Joe: Is Cedi Osman the only trade throw in to get someone to take Mo/Birdman? Or does McRae have any trade value? -- Nathan, Richfield

Hey, Nathan: I expect Osman, acquired by the Cavs during the 2015 draft and currently playing in Turkey, to be included in one of the deals the Cavs make in the coming days/weeks. McRae has totally fallen out of the rotation but may still have some trade value. I'm hearing there is interest in some corners for Osman.

Reporters and columnists at cleveland.com have made their picks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns (1-14) face the Steelers (10-5) on Sunday at Heinz Field in Week 17 of the NFL season. Kick off is at 1 p.m.

The Browns won their first game of the season last wee, 20-17 against the Chargers. The Steelers defeated the Ravens, 31-27, to win the AFC North.

So how will Sunday's game go? Reporters and columnists at cleveland.com have made their picks:

Dan Labbe (14-1)

Browns 16, Steelers 13: I said I'd pick the Browns to win at least once this year, so here goes nothin'.

Mary Kay Cabot (13-2)

Steelers 20, Browns 17: The Browns have come too far to lose the No. 1 pick.

Doug Lesmerises (13-2)

Steelers 19, Browns 17: Even the backup Steelers are the Steelers.

Bud Shaw (10-5)

Browns 20, Steelers 17: Remember when beating the Steelers meant more than where the Browns would draft in the first round?

Scott Patsko (9-6)

Browns 17, Steelers 14: The Steelers have nothing to play for. The Browns do - both collectively and individually - do have something to play for. 

Cleveland Browns are approaching free agency with Jame Collins and Terrelle Pryor. What will happen?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Are the Cleveland Browns going to have to "overpay" to keep Jamie Collins?

Of course.

When a team has been as awful as the Browns and a player approaches free agency, it's hard to imagine him saying, "I really want to give the Browns a hometown discount."

That's especially true when the player came from the New England Patriots in a midseason trade and has no connection to Northeast Ohio.

"If the money is right, I can stay here," Collins told the media. "Obviously, I'm not going to turn it down."

Some fans and media members may not like that mercenary tone. Collins just said what is on the mind of most players. They know their careers are short, that injuries loom every time they take the field.

These guys want to get paid, especially when they are so close to free agency. They and their agents know this is their time to cash in.

For all the talk about Collins "freelancing too much," the main reason New England traded him was the money issue.

Is Collins a great player? No.

Is he good? Can he help the Browns? Has he been a solid citizen?

All of those answers are affirmative.

That's why the Browns should be willing to go the extra mile (or millions) to keep him.

"(Collins) is a dependable player," said coach Hue Jackson. "He is accountable. He is always there. We have asked a lot of him. We have played him in a couple different spots. He has taken all of that on and hasn't blinked. He came in here, fit in with his teammates... I have a lot of respect for him."

ABOUT TERRELLE PRYOR

This is tougher situation for the Browns than Collins.

Like Collins, he's 27. And like Collins, he is an unrestricted free agent.

Unlike Collins, this is his first productive season. It's also Pryor's first full season as a receiver. He is a former quarterback.

No matter what Pryor says, he has been very frustrated by all the problems at quarterback. Receivers know how important a quarterback is to their success.

When Travis Benjamin left the Browns and signed with the San Diego Chargers, the receiver said he wanted to play with QB Philip Rivers. That wasn't the only reason. The four-year, $24 million deal ($12 million guaranteed) had a lot to do with it.

But so did Rivers.

I expect agent Drew Rosenhaus to take Pryor on the open market and try to combine cash with an attractive quarterback.

That's why I feel better about the Browns being able to sign Collins than Pryor. The Browns have been talking about building the defense around Collins, and they can do that.

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton said, "(Collins) can be the centerpiece of a defense that is going to be very dynamic (in 2017). He allows you to do some things that are not traditional defense."

But part of Pryor's success will depend on the quarterback, where the Browns have huge question marks.

A last note: The Browns have the option of applying a "franchise" tag to one player. That player is automatically signed to the average salary of the top five players at his position. It's big money.

The franchise tag sometimes causes anger among the players, as they want the option to be a free agent. I know the Browns much prefer to sign a player and have him feel good about coming back to Cleveland. It's much better than being forced to do so by the franchise tag.

ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE

No matter what the Browns say, the fact they are planning to play Cameron Erving at right tackle means they are looking for a center in 2017.

We've heard Erving has played "better" lately, and perhaps that is true. But the fact the Browns are using Erving at right tackle means they are looking for a spot for the 2015 first-round pick. Center is not working.

Here are some thoughts about the offensive line:

1. While at Florida State, Erving started 2 1/2 seasons at left tackle. It was only for the final five games of his senior season that he moved to center.

2. Scouts were impressed with Erving as a center. But he's had far more experience at tackle when he was at Florida State. Perhaps he can fill a hole there.

3. Austin Pasztor has played tackle and guard in the NFL. He started at right tackle this season for the Browns, although they believe he could be better at guard. So the Browns are expected to play Erving at right tackle and Pasztor at right guard in Sunday's finale in Pittsburgh.

4. That means Anthony Fabiano starts at center. My response was ... who? Fabiano is a 6-foot-1, 303-pound undrafted rookie center from Harvard. He was considered a player likely to be drafted, but Fabiano suffered a broken foot and a broken toe. He had surgery to repair the injuries and that led to no appearance at the NFL Combine. He was still recovering.

5. Fabiano wasn't drafted, but signed with Baltimore. He was cut at the end of training camp, signed by the Browns to their practice squad. He has played all over the offensive line at Harvard, and the Browns began developing him at center. It sounds as if he'll start Sunday.

6. Austin Reiter was claimed off waivers from Washington. He started one game -- against his old team -- and played well. The center was injured on the final play of the game, suffering an ACL injury that required season-ending surgery.

7. In the Browns 31-20 loss to Washington, they rushed for 163 yards. The starting offensive line was: Joe Thomas (LT), Joel Bitonio (LG), Reiter (C), John Greco (RG) and Pastzor (RT).

8. My sense is the Browns are high on Reiter when it comes to the center spot in 2017. They are interested in Fabiano. They are looking for a spot where Erving can be effective.

9. Bitonio suffered a season-ending foot injury in the game after the loss in Washington. Rookie Spencer Drango eventually took over for Bitonio at left guard, and he has shown some promise.

10. The Browns drafted tackle Shon Coleman in the third round. He was coming off knee surgery. He is healthy now but has not played much. The Browns may not get a true read on Coleman's potential until next season.

11. The Browns claimed Jonathan Cooper on waivers from New England. They started him three games at guard. He played reasonably well in his first game, then struggled. He was cut this week, Jackson saying, "We saw what we needed to see."

12. So right now, here are the offensive linemen of some consequence still on the roster: Thomas, Bitonio (injured), Greco (injured), Reiter (injured), Pasztor, Drango, Coleman, Gabe Ikard and Alvin Bailey.

13. I hope the Browns grab a big-time offensive lineman up high in the draft. They have four picks in the top 51, the order as of today.

ABOUT COLUMBUS

The possible move of part of the Browns training camp is not dead -- at least not in the long run.

It's been stopped for right now, and it was the Browns who made the decision to keep the full training camp in Berea for 2017.

But I heard it remains a possibility within the next few years. Columbus is still very interested in hosting the Browns in a new facility to be built at Tuttle Park.

So what happened?

Coming off a 1-14 season and combined with the generally negative fan reaction to the possible move, the Browns thought it was wise to not make any changes. At least not in the near future.

There are now 13 NFL teams that have part of their training camps away from their usual facilities. Supposedly, there are more considering a move for training camp. They talk about team bonding, etc.

Paul Brown used to take the Browns to Hiram College, partly to get the players away from the temptations of Cleveland. They stayed in dorms with no air conditioning. Hiram was an alcohol-free town, meaning players had to go to Garrettsville to buy beer.

Of course, they also held their regular practices either at old League Park or Case Western Reserve in those days. So it was not as if they had an excellent facility, as the team does in Berea.

Anyway, no Columbus for now ... but I still expect them to train there at some point in the future.

Here's where to watch, listen and stream the Cleveland Cavaliers' game vs. the Charlotte Hornets tonight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers play Game 32 of the 2016 NBA season Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. Here's how to watch, listen and stream the action online.

What: Cleveland Cavaliers (24-7) vs. Charlotte Hornets (19-14).
Where: Spectrum Center.
When: 7 p.m.
TV: FoxSports Ohio.
Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM La Mega.
Online: FoxSports Go.

Charlotte notable: With 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the win against Chicago on 12/23, Nicolas Batum logged his first triple-double of the season, third with the franchise and seventh of his career.

Cleveland notable: Kyrie Irving (23.9), LeBron James (25.4) and Kevin Love (22.0) are averaging a combined 71.3 points per game. The Cavs are the ONLY team in the NBA with three players averaging at least 22.0 points in 2016-17.

Catch the coverage from before the game; join in the live chat starting at tipoff; and stick around for full postgame coverage. For all Cavs information, be sure to check out cleveland.com/cavs.

Cleveland Cavaliers need help in the backcourt and another big man. How can they create ways to bring in new players?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is much talk and speculation about the makeup of the Cleveland Cavaliers roster as they head into the new year:

1. The Cavs have what amounts to two "dead spots" on their roster. Chris Anderson and Mo Williams are both on the 15-man roster, both are out for the season with knee injuries.

2. J.R. Smith is out for about three months after having thumb surgery.

3. So the Cavs are down to 12 players. They include rookie Kay Felder and second-year man Jordan McRae. The coaching staff doesn't think either is ready for meaningful minutes.

4. The easy answer is to cut Williams and/or Anderson and sign someone else. They can do that. Eventually, they might do that. But there are salary cap problems.

5. For example, if they cut Williams and sign a player for the minimum, he'd cost about $10 million because of the luxury tax situation. If they cut Anderson for a minimum player, it costs about $7 million.

6. The numbers are shocking to me, but I got them from an executive who knows how the cap works, and how it heavily penalizes big spending teams such as the Cavs.

7. The Cavs payroll is the most expensive in the NBA, about $130 million. I've heard estimates of them paying about $32 million more in luxury tax for this season. That's how it stands right now. This gets very complicated because of luxury tax implications. The NBA put in these rules to try and hamper teams from loading up with stars -- and also having a solid supporting cast.

7. Golden State had to part with some of its best bench players when signing Kevin Durant to a one-year deal. If they want to give Durant a maximum contract this summer, it will mean cutting more viable players who are substitutes.

ABOUT CAVS DRAFT PICKS

1. The Cavs have their own first-round pick in 2017.

2. The Cavs next first-round picks are in 2019 and 2020.

3. The Cavs can't trade a first-round pick until 2020. It's the Ted Stepien rule, the NBA stating you can't trade first-round picks in consecutive seasons.

4. The Cavs can't trade their 2017 pick because they don't have a first-round pick in 2018.

5. They can't trade their 2019 pick because they don't have a pick in 2018.

6. So that takes them to 2020 ... the first time they will have consecutive picks.

7. Second-round picks are more complicated, but it appears the Cavs don't have a second-rounder to trade until 2022.

8. Here's the point: The Cavs often used draft picks as part of deals to bring immediate help with veteran players. For example, the Cavs traded Anderson Varejao and a 2018 pick (1-10 protected) to Portland as part of a three-way trade that brought Channing Frye to the Cavs last February.

9. In 2015, they traded two first-round picks to Denver for Timofey Mozgov. One of those picks came from Oklahoma City in a deal for Dion Waiters.

10. The point of this list is to show the Cavs don't have much to trade in terms of future draft picks to bring in immediate help.

THE BIG POINT

You can look at all this and say, "How did the Cavs get in this spot?"

Trading away future picks and adding big money veterans allowed the Cavs to immediately become the best team in the Eastern Conference once LeBron James came back in the summer of 2014.

I wrote in-depth about this process in my Cavs book, THE COMEBACK. General manager David Griffin was under pressure to assemble a roster to win right now. The arrival of James changed everything about how to build a team.

1. Griffin traded lots of draft picks. He made excellent midseason deals to acquire veterans such as J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Timofey Mozgov and Channing Frye to help in the playoffs.

2. He made a huge deal to bring in Kevin Love, trading Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a 2015 first-round pick to Minnesota as part of a three-way deal for the star power forward.

3. He signed Kyrie Irving and Love to maximum contract extensions.

4. He signed Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith to lucrative contract extensions.

5. And the Cavs lost in the 2015 NBA Finals, then won the 2016 Finals.

6. The scramble to assemble a title-winning roster worked. The Cavs did it knowing it would make trades and other moves harder in the future.

7. The Cavs once again are in position to win a title. But they probably need to improve the roster.

A HIDDEN FIRST ROUNDER

The Cavs have the rights to Cedi Osman, an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who is playing in the Turkish League.

Turkey has become perhaps the top league in Europe. It's where David Blatt is now coaching and is the highest-paid coach overseas.

Osman is averaging 8.9 points and shooting 45 percent from the field. What makes him attractive is his 41 percent shooting from 3-point range.

He only is 21 years old and already has a lot of experience at high international league levels. He plays for Anadolu Efes in Istanbol.

Blatt is coaching a team called Darussafaka Dogus in Istanbul. It's a new franchise and had a 9-15 Euroleague record last season. Blatt has them at 8-6. That's a good start for a team that is trying to establish itself in the Euroleague.

Blatt is coaching Ante Zizic, the Celtics first-round pick in 2016. His leading scorers are Americans Will Clyburn and Brad Wanamaker, both averaging 14 points.

The international game is 40 minutes, as opposed to 48 minutes in the NBA. So scoring averages are lower. The pressure to win is enormous with some franchises.

After winning the Euroleague title in 2014 with Maccabi Tel Aviv, the franchise has since fired two coaches. So the team is on its third coach in three years since Blatt left.

OTHER POSSIBLE MOVES

1. Mike Dunleavy could be attractive to another team in a deal. He is making $4.5 million this season and has a $5.1 million team option in 2017-2018.

2. The Cavs have a $9.4 million trade option. Suppose a team wants the rights to Osman. The Cavs could ask them to take the contracts of Williams and Anderson to save on the luxury tax. Then they could use the trade option to bring back a player in return.

3. Jordan McRae is on a non-guaranteed contract. Perhaps he can be part of deal. NBA contracts are guaranteed on January 10.

4. The Cavs have to be creative. They clearly need help in the backcourt. They also could use another big man. They don't have a lot of options, but they do have some.

5. Kay Felder had a monster game at Canton, scoring 33 points with 7 assists and 7 rebounds. He probably thought he was back with Oakland in the Horizon League. He has talent, but can the 5-foot-9 rookie help the Cavs this season?

6. I'd like to see the coaches carve out more time for Felder. Kyrie Irving is playing too many minutes and he had a hamstring cramp. Odds are Felder isn't ready, but the Cavs have time to find out.

7. A name I recently heard associated with the Cavs is Tyler Hansborough, but I was told he probably is not in the picture. At least, not right now.

8. Norris Cole has left his team in China. He had some type of injury. I know Memphis also is looking for a point guard.

9. Former Cavalier Jared Cunningham scored 74 points for Jiangsu Tong Xi in China. He was 22-of-38 shooting, 23-of-29 at the foul line. He had two assists, so he wasn't there to pass.

10. Cunningham's team lost, 148-128. The winners had another former Cavalier, as J.J. Hickson scored 34 points and had 10 rebounds.

The Cleveland Indians have 10,000 in season ticket sales and the demand is the highest since the 1990s.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I've been told the Cleveland Indians have already passed 10,000 in season ticket sales.

That's up from about 7,500 last season -- a huge jump. The demand has been higher than they originally projected.

Some veterans in the front office say this has been the most active off-season in terms of ticket sales since the Glory Days of the 1990s when the team was winning big and first moved into what was then called Jacobs Field.

At the peak, the Indians were selling about 23,000 season tickets and they were selling out the season before opening day.

The Indians had a sellout streak of 455 games from June 12, 1995 to April 5, 2001.

It's doubtful anything like 25,000 season tickets or selling out the season is about to happen. That was the case during the sellout streak.

But the trip to the World Series combined with the signing of Edwin Encarnacion has revived fan interest.

As I wrote last week, ownership is making a major investment. The payroll is rising from about $95 million to close to $135 million.

Part of it was based on hope -- and it was just that, a hope. They hoped fans would respond.

The Indians have been no higher in attendance than No. 28 since 2011. That's despite the team having winning records from 2013-16.

So far, the response has been exciting for the Tribe.

For most summer weekend games, the lower bowl is sold out. That's from all the different ticket packages purchased by fans.

Like the vast majority of big league teams, the Indians use "dynamic pricing." That means prices change based on demand for individual games. It's why buying tickets well in advance for attractive teams and dates tends to make more sense (and save dollars) -- assuming the team plays well.

That's another reason why the ticket sales have been strong so far.

HARD TO BELIEVE

A year ago, the Indians were coming off an 81-80 season.

It was a major disappointment for a team that was supposed to be in the World Series, at least according to Sports illustrated. ESPN's more reality-based prediction had the Tribe winning the Central Division.

Yet, the Indians were rather dismal for most of 2015. The Indians had a 49-59 record. It was a frustrating season, as the Tribe kept hoping high-priced free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn would finally get healthy and start to produce.

Their last decent season was 2013, when the Indians were 92-70 and made the playoffs as a wild card team.

On August 7, 2015, the Tribe made a deal that began to turn around the team. President Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff shipped Swisher and Bourn to the Atlanta Braves for Chris Johnson. Owner Paul Dolan added about $10 million as both teams were dumping hefty contracts.

The Indians had a 32-21 record after that trade. That was encouraging, but hardly any hint of what was to come.

In June of 2015, the Indians promoted Francisco Lindor from the minors, and he has been a franchise-changing player.

Think about January 1, 2016, when it comes to the Tribe. What were you hoping they'd do in the 2016 season?

Spending big in free agency was out. Michael Brantley had just had shoulder surgery. The Indians still had a young and talented pitching staff, but it was hard to generate a lot of excitement.

That was the same during spring training.

The free agents they signed were Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis, Marlon Byrd and Juan Uribe. All veterans, all signed one-year contracts.

WHO KNEW?

A year later, the Indians came within one game of winning the World Series.

And they just made the biggest free agent acquisition in franchise history, agreeing to what is basically a three-year, $60 million deal for slugger Edwin Encarnacion.

While the signing is not official, the contract can be worth as much as $80 million over four years. No matter how you add it up, it's big money for the Tribe.

And the Indians also have one of the game's premier relievers in Andrew Miller.

And they won the Central Division with a 94-68 record.

And for Tribe fans, these are amazing times.

But as the calendar turned to 2016, who could have imagined all this?

Backed by ownership, the Antonetti/Chernoff front office has been bold.

Trading four prospects for Miller was not the typical Tribe move. Nor was committing $60 million to Encarnacion, who turns 34 on January 7. The payroll is taking a 40 percent jump. They are still paying Chris Johnson (part of the Swisher/Bourn deal) $7.5 million not to play for them in 2017.

It really has been a new ballgame at Progressive Field, and it started on August 7, 2015, when the Indians made that deal with Atlanta.

ABOUT EDWIN ENCARNACION

I received some questions from fans about the Tribe's new slugger. How does he hit in Cleveland? How does he play first base? Those are just a few of the topics:

1. I like to look at the last three years of a new player. In that span, Encarnacion is a .269 hitter (.905 OPS), averaging 38 HR and 112 RBI.

2. From 2014-16, the right-handed hitting Encarnacion batted .254 vs. lefties, .273 vs. righties.

3. He batted .279 in Toronto, where they have a retractable roof. On the road, it was .260.

4. He's not played a lot of games in Progressive Field. He is 11-of-42 (.262) with 1 HR and 5 RBI. Being with Toronto, most of his games were in the Eastern Division.

5. Against the Tribe in the playoffs, he was 4-of-19 with a double, two RBI and four strikeouts.

6. Encarnacion played 75 games (out of 160) at first base. I've been told his defense is iffy. But Fangraphs.com rated him the No. 7 first baseman out of 19 in the American League. By comparison, Mike Napoli was rated No. 15. Carlos Santana was No. 4. Encarnacion made only two errors last season.

7. Santana and Encarnacion will probably take turns playing first, the other being the DH. Both are durable players. Over the last three years, Santana averaged 155 games. Encarnacion averaged 144 games.

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. Assuming the Indians don't re-sign Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte becomes a very important role player. Almonte was suspended for the first 80 games of 2016 when he flunked a PED test. He returned to the team to hit .264 (.695 OPS) with 1 HR and 22 RBI in 182 at bats. The Indians like the fact that he hit 20 doubles and had a .401 slugging percentage.

2. The Indians would like to have Davis back, but they have exhausted their budget with the signing of Encarnacion. Davis earned $5.25 million last season. The 36-year-old hit .249 (.693 OPS). Those numbers were about the same as Almonte's. But Davis is an elite basestealer (43-of-49). He also hit a career-best 12 HR in 134 games.

3. It's possible Davis could be neglected by other teams, who worry about his age. I think he often has been undervalued. The stats geeks concentrate on his OPS, etc. But his speed changes games and he's still a pretty good outfielder. So if there is little interest in Davis, he could perhaps return -- but I'd say that's doubtful.

4. The Indians platooned the right-handed hitting Davis with left-handed hitting Tyler Naquin in center. I doubt the Tribe wants to play Naquin against lots of lefties this season.

5. That's where Almonte matters. In 2015, he played 50 games in center field after Bourn was traded. He did a decent job defensively. He batted .264 (.776) with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 178 at bats.

6. So Almonte has batted exactly .264 in both seasons with the Tribe. The 27-year-old Almonte has played 118 games with the Tribe, batting .264 (.695 OPS) with 6 HR, 42 RBI and 29 doubles in 360 at bats. He is 14-of-14 in stolen bases, so he does have some speed.

7. Almonte is a switch hitter. He is a little better (.279) vs. lefties than righties (.254). So that also makes him a platoon partner with Naquin in center.

Here's who to watch during Saturday's games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns are building for the future by stockpiling draft picks. They get five picks in the first three rounds in the 2017 NFL Draft, and possibly 11 picks overall.

With that in mind, Browns fans might want to take a closer look at the draft prospects in upcoming college bowl games.

Here's who to watch during Saturday's games:

(Draft projections are from CBSSports.com)

Dec. 31

Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl

Teams: No. 20 LSU vs. No. 13 Louisville

When: 11 a.m.

TV: ABC

Who to watch: LSU RB Leonard Fournette, the top-ranked RB in the draft, won't play due to an ankle issue. Teammates Jamal Adams (SS) and Ethan Picic (C) are also projected first-round picks and the top prospects at their positions. Tre'Davious White (CB) and Duke Riley (LB) are projected as high as the second round. Another second-rounder -- Kendell Beckwith (LB) -- is out with a knee injury. Louisville Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson won't be in the draft, but teammates Devonte Fields (LB), Josh Havey-Clemons (SS), Keith Kelsey (LB) and James Quick (WR) could go as high as the third round. Cole Hikutini  (TE) and DeAngelo Brown (DT) are projected mid- to late-round picks.

TaxSlayer Bowl

Teams: Georgia Tech vs. Kentucky

When: 11 a.m.

TV: ESPN

Who to watch: Kentucky's Jon Toth (C) should be a late-round pick. P.J. Davis (LB) might be Georgia Tech's best shot at a drafted player.

College Football Playoff semifinal

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Teams: No. 4 Washington vs. No. 1 Alabama

When: 3 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Who to watch: Alabama is loaded with draft prospects. Jonathan Allen (DE), Marlon Humphrey (CB), Cam Robinson (OT), Reuben Foster (LB), Tim Williams (LB) and O.J. Howard (TE) are projected first-rounders and ranked first or second at their positions. Ryan Anderson (LB) and Eddie Jackson (SS) should also be early-round picks. Washington's John Ross (WR) and Sidney Jones (CB) are projected first-rounders, and teammates Vita Vea (DT), Budda Baker (FS), Elijah Qualls (DT) and Kevin King (CB) could go as high as the second round.

College Football Playoff semifinal

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

Teams: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson

When: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Who to watch: Clemson's Deshaun Watson (QB), Mike Williams (WR), Carlos Watkins (DT) and Cordrea Tankersley (CB) are projected to go in the first two rounds. Teammates Jordan Leggett (TE), Tyrone Crowder (OG), Wayne Gallman (RB) and Artavis Scott (WR) are projected early-round picks. Ohio State's Pat Elflein (C), Curtis Samuel (WR), Gareon Conley (CB) and Tyquan Lewis (DE) are projected second- or third-rounders. Corey Smith (WR) and Cameron Johnston (P) should be late-round picks. 

LeBron James and the Cavs travel to Charlotte for the final game of 2016.

CHARLOTTE -- The Cavs (24-7) and Charlotte Hornets (19-14) will grind out the final hours of 2016 here tonight at 7.

Last meeting: The Cavs won 116-105 at The Q on Dec. 10.

What's up with the Cavs: They're 8-2 in their last 10 against Charlotte, and shot a season-best .575 from the field in the last game between these teams earlier this month. In Thursday's 124-118 win over Boston, Kyrie Irving (32 points, 12 assists) and Kevin Love (30 points, 15 rebounds) became the fourth duo in team history to record a double-double with both players scoring at least 30 points. LeBron James is not on this list. James, Irving, and Love are the only three players averaging at least 22 points on the same team in the NBA. The Cavs have won 11 straight with James in the lineup. James, who of course turned 32 on Friday, needs 13 baskets to pass Dominique Wilkins (9,963 field goals) for 14th on the NBA's all-time list for field goals.

Cavs injuries: J.R. Smith (right thumb surgery) and Chris Andersen (torn right ACL) are out.

What's up with the Hornets: They've won five of six overall and five in a row at home. Kenna Walker remains Charlotte's top gun. He's second in the East with 85 3s this season and has 22 games with at least 20 points. Walker is the youngest player in franchise history (26) to reach 7,000 points for his career. Nicolas Batum is one of just four players in the league to collect 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in December (James, Houston's James Harden and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook are the others). Cody Zeller is fifth in the NBA with .590 shooting percentage.

Hornets injuries: Marco Belinelli (left ankle sprain) is doubtful.

Probable starters:
Cavs
F LeBron James (25.4 ppg; 7.9 rpg; 8.6 apg)
F Kevin Love (22.0 ppg; 10.9 rpg; 1.7 apg)
C Tristan Thompson (7.1 ppg; 10.1 rpg; 0.8 apg)
G DeAndre Liggins (3.0 ppg; 1.7 rpg; 1.1 apg)
G Kyrie Irving (23.9 ppg; 3.6 rpg; 6.0 apg)

Hornets
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (9.0 ppg; 6.9 rpg; 1.2 apg)
F Marvin Williams (10.3 ppg; 5.3 rpg; 1.3 apg)
C Cody Zeller (10.9 ppg; 6.3 rpg; 1.4 apg)
G Nicolas Batum (14.8 ppg; 7.7 rpg; 5.9 apg)
G Kemba Walker (22.3 ppg; 4.0 rpg; 5.4 apg)

Kyrie Irving said he wasn't sure if he would play tonight against Charlotte after leaving Thursday's 124-118 win over Boston with cramping in his right hamstring.

CHARLOTTE -- Kyrie Irving said he wasn't sure if he would play tonight against Charlotte after leaving Thursday's 124-118 win over Boston with cramping in his right hamstring.

Both Irving and Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Irving felt better than he did Thursday night, when he had to leave the game with less than a minute left, but would need to go through shootaround and possibly pre-game warmups before deciding whether to play tonight.

"We're going to be cautious though," Lue said. "We're not going to force him to play if he's not feeling great. He says it feels pretty good and we'll see it be a game time decision."

Lue said he didn't know who would start at point guard in Irving's place if he's out, but it would not be rookie Kay Felder.

Irving has already missed two games this season to rest tired legs. He's averaging 23.9 points and 6.0 assists.

The Browns and Steelers play on Sunday at 1 p.m. Here's what to watch for during the game. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor isn't interested in hearing about the Browns getting the No. 1 pick.

"That'd be sickening and sad if we were playing for that," he said on Thursday, "for me to put my body out there to lose. So I hope that's not the case and I don't think it's the case and I don't believe it to be so."

That makes sense from a player's point of view. No one with a single competitive bone in their body goes into a game wanting to lose. The view from outside, though, is simple: get the No. 1 pick and get whomever you want -- no worries about anyone in front of you.

The Browns were able to have their cake and eat it, too, on Christmas Eve. They avoided going 0-16 and, thanks to San Francisco, didn't have to go 0-16 to get the top pick. Sunday offers a new challenge. The Browns won't exactly be playing the best the Steelers have to offer while the 49ers face a Seahawks team who could still clinch a first-round bye with, most simply, a win over San Francisco and a loss by Atlanta.

In other words, the Browns might not be so lucky if they come away from Heinz Field with their second victory of the season. This all serves as a great debate leading up to the game -- what matters more, beating the Steelers or getting the top pick -- but when all's said and done around 4:30 on Sunday, it will be on to 2017 and the draft, wherever the Browns end up.

Draft position: that's one thing to watch on Sunday. Here are three more:

Pryor's quest for 1,000

Speaking of Pryor, the quarterback turned wide receiver is 87 yards from becoming the seventh wide receiver in Browns history to hit the 1K mark. The last to do it was Josh Gordon in 2013.

"I think a victory overrules it," Pryor said, "and, like I said, I know I could get 1,000 yards. ... This is really about the team."

Those 87 yards seem attainable -- Pryor has passed that number four times this season and gone over 100 three times. The bad news, though, is he has just 58 receiving yards combined over the last three games.

This will be his fourth consecutive game playing with Robert Griffin III, so we'll see if that helps. Pryor's finger, which he hurt against Buffalo two weeks ago, certainly won't.

Where will Cam Erving play?

The coaching staff made things interesting this week when Cam Erving spent time at right tackle in practice.

"I am just trying different things and just trying to make the best decision as we move forward into the future," head coach Hue Jackson said. "There are some things that I want to know and see in practice and kind of grow from there and see where this thing all shakes out at."

Erving's struggles at center have been well-documented, although there has been improvement. His size, though, screams tackle and it will be interesting to see how he looks if he gets to play there on Sunday.

"I think Cam is athletic enough that he can do anything he wants to do," Jackson said. "He has proven that. He has played center all year and has done a decent job. He wants to grow and get better. The thing I like about him is he is willing to do whatever it takes. He is a football player. He wants to play, and he will do whatever we ask."

If Erving does play right tackle, Austin Pasztor would likely move to guard and undrafted free agent Anthony Fabiano would start at center.

"It is a great opportunity," Fabiano said. "You have to take advantage of it if it comes your way. Coming from the practice squad up to active roster to possibly starting this week means a lot to me."

What do the Browns have in store?

When Jackson was asked about Erving at right tackle, he made sure everyone was aware that it could be a day of surprises.

"You guys better make sure you are there," Jackson said. "As they say, 'Grab your popcorn.' Get ready. It is important that any situation that we are not sure about, now is the time to find out as much as we can before the season is over so that we have some idea of what we have."

Even Ray Horton tantalized those in attendance for his Friday press conference with this answer about giving Jamie Collins some opportunities to play in space.

"Come to the game on Sunday," he said with a laugh.

There's literally nothing for either team to lose in this game, especially the Browns, and Jackson has been itching to unleash his offense. He might want to avoid a flea-flicker backed up deep in his own territory, but maybe Jackson has some surprises in store.

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LeBron James wants Cavs assistants to update him on tonight's Ohio State-Clemson football game, which takes place during the Cavs-Hornets game. Watch video

CHARLOTTE -- It's not iron clad, but odds are reasonable that if you like the Cleveland Cavaliers, you're also an Ohio State fan.

LeBron James, of course, plays for the Cavs and is a huge Bucks nut. The team he leads plays the Charlotte Hornets tonight at 7; the same time Ohio State kicks off against Clemson in the College Football Playoffs semifinal round.

That's so not cool for those of you (us) who must choose: pay attention to the Cavs or the Buckeyes?

"I know it's happened before, but I can't remember the last time it's happened," James said, when asked the last time a team he liked had such an important game the same time he was playing. "And the fact that they start at 7 and we start at 7, I will be talking to our assistant coaches that sit behind the bench and ask them to keep me updated. They're going to have to keep me updated on the score. That game is very, very important."

Begs the question, which assistant to Tyronn Lue will be permitted to score watch on a college football game -- Fiesta Bowl or not -- while a game is ongoing? Never mind.

The Cavs have won their last 11 with James in the lineup. He joked after his formal session with reporters this morning that had tonight's game been at home, he would've pushed for the Cavs and Hornets to start at 5 p.m.

James also said his teammates celebrated his 32nd birthday Friday at dinner in Charlotte (at Fahrenheit) and watched the undercard of the night's UFC fights as well as the Michigan-Florida State Orange Bowl game.

"Just blessed to be able to wake up and play the game that I love to play," James said of being 32.

The Buckeyes and Tigers will meet in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday night.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 2 Clemson Tigers will play in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday night.

Kickoff from University of Phoenix Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Stay here for live scoring updates, an in-game chat and analysis as the Buckeyes try to get back to the National Championship.

Follow the game in the comments below with the cleveland.com coverage team of Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis; as well as Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston.

It's gonna be close.

GLENDALE, Ariz, -- Here's my pick for this College Football Playoff Semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl.

Clemson 34, Ohio State 30.

Here's three reason why I went with the Tigers.

1. Receiver Mike Williams, at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, and tight end Jordan Leggett, at 6-5, 260, winning 50-50 balls down the field. Expect Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley and Damon Webb and Chris Worley and Malik Hooker to provide good coverage, as they often do. But expect a few plays that should prove very frustrating to OSU fans, where the coverage is there but the pass catchers and quarterback Deshaun Watson make the play anyway.

Ohio State hasn't seen a quarterback-receiver combo like this is a long, long time.

Clemson receiver Mike Williams has 84 catches for 1,171 yards.Michael Dwyer, AP 

2. Clemson defensive tackles making it difficult for J.T. Barrett to make yards on onside runs. Dexter Lawrence, a 6-5, 340-pound freshman, and Carlos Watkins, at 6-3 and 305, could control the point of attack inside. Clemson talked about how they haven't seen a quarterback attack straight ahead in the run game like Barrett. It's one of the things he does best. The Buckeyes have two All-Americans inside the line in center Pat Elflein and guard Billy Price. But Clemson doesn't have to stop Barrett, just clog things up enough to slow him down.

In the last two games of the season, Barrett ran the ball 54 times for 230 yards as Ohio State leaned on him even more than usual. If Clemson doesn't give Barrett any room, Ohio State could sputter early.

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was named the ACC freshman defensive player of the year.Richard Shiro, AP 

3. Right tackle Isaiah Prince handling the Clemson pass rush. The Tigers are third in the nation with 46 sacks. Ohio State gave up eight sacks against Michigan. Barrett could be under pressure all night from All-American defensive end Christian Wilkins. If that happens, I'm not sure how Ohio State answers that.

Now, Ohio State will present plenty of problems for Clemson as well. Curtis Samuel could exploit Clemson issues covering the pass with their linebackers and safeties. Hooker, Lattimore and Conley headline one of the best secondaries in the nation, and Deshaun Watson hasn't dealt with a group like that.

Clemson has some young players on the offensive line as well, and the OSU defensive line package that uses four defensive ends at once -- Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes and Nick Bosa -- could be chasing Watson all night.

Both teams are a load to handle. Clemson just has a few more things that should give the Buckeyes problems.

* Bill Landis pick

* Ari Wasserman pick

Austen Yarian scored 19 points, Matt Davet added 23 and St. Ignatius gave St. Vincent-St. Mary shooting fits in a cleveland.com Top 25 boys basketball matchup on New Year's Eve.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Smaller St. Vincent-St. Mary provided a challenge that Austen Yarian said his St. Ignatius boys basketball teammates addressed in the days leading up to their Saturday matchup.

The No. 5 team in the cleveland.com Top 25 entering the holidays, St. Ignatius worked on its transition game. The Wildcats gave more attention to their defense, and it equated to a 72-68 win against second-ranked STVM.

“We knew it would be tough to play them one-on-one, so we worked a lot in practice on help D and hedging recovery,” Yarian said. “We were just giving them different looks so they couldn’t get too comfortable playing off us.”

Jon Williams led STVM (4-3) with a game-high 25 points. Jayvon Graves added 14, but the Irish shot just 9-of-31 in the first half and fell behind by double digits. They rallied within a point and trailed by three at halftime, but St. Ignatius (5-3) rediscovered its successful formula to turn away the Irish.

STVM finished 24-of-65, while the Wildcats shot 27-of-55. The hosts hot shooting included a 19-point effort from Yarian, 23 from Matt Davet and senior guard Michael Spear’s 13 points.

A sample of what @ayarian17 has been up to for @SIHSSports in the first half. pic.twitter.com/O2kuV1kUFk

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) December 31, 2016

Check back later for more video highlights.

They also overcame 19 turnovers to just eight for STVM, which is where the recovery defense played its part.

St. Ignatius coach Brian Becker also assigned Yarian, with his 6-foot-8, to Graves. Yarian has a 6-inch height advantage on the Buffalo commit.

“If we could get Austen to corral Graves and keep him under 30, I thought our changes were pretty good,” Becker said.

The coach also called Graves and Williams “probably the best backcourt in the state of Ohio.” With Williams a Robert Morris commit, it provided a test for a St. Ignatius lineup that is mostly new this season.

Yarian and Davet started on last season’s regional final run, but Devin Jackson has elevated from a backup role. Spear is starting, and 6-5 junior Luke Wiskes is up from the JV team.

“I think we’ve been trying to figure each other out with our chemistry,” Spear said. “We just beat Warren Harding and St. V. I think those are big building blocks.”

St. Ignatius’ first month included two area Top 25 teams with Cleveland Heights and the Irish. Philadelphia’s Archbishop Carroll and Canton McKinley also stood in the way of this group trying to find its footing.

“It’s gotten a lot better,” Yarian said. “We thought we were going to struggle this year, but they’ve taken the challenges. Like Darryl Straughter from Canton McKinley — Devin played great against him.”

Yarian added 11 rebounds and five assists to his effort Saturday, which sets up the Wildcats for five days off until facing Canton GlenOak. STVM draws top-ranked St. Edward on Friday while trying to end a two-game skid.

The Irish suffered a loss Thursday in Michigan to University of Detroit Jesuit.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Alabama moves on to Tampa for a shot at its second straight title and fifth in the last eight years under Saban.

ATLANTA -- Alabama is heading back to the national championship game.

Bo Scarbrough and another stifling performance by Nick Saban's defense made sure of that.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide scored 10 points off turnovers, including Ryan Anderson's interception return for a touchdown late in the first half, and Scarbrough's 68-yard TD run in the fourth quarter clinched a 24-7 victory over Washington in the Peach Bowl semifinal Saturday.

Scarbrough finished with 180 yards and two scores.

Alabama (14-0) moves on to Tampa for a shot at its second straight title and fifth in the last eight years under Saban. The Tide will face either Ohio State or Clemson -- who were meeting later Saturday in the Fiesta Bowl -- in the Jan. 9 championship game.

No. 4 Washington (12-2) will have to settle for a remarkable turnaround season after struggling much of the last two decades.

Kyrie Irving and Mike Dunleavy will not play for the Cavs against the Hornets tonight. Jordan McRae will start in Irving's place.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kyrie Irving will not play tonight against Charlotte because of a hamstring injury suffered Thursday against Boston.

Little-used Jordan McRae will start in Irving's place, coach Tyronn Lue said, adding that Mike Dunleavy would sit out because of a right ankle injury suffered against Boston.

Let's discuss Irving. Since virtually the moment Irving left the Boston game after having scored 32 points with about 53 seconds left Thursday, the Cavs have been calling his right hamstring injury a cramp. Well, cramps don't last three days.

Now they're calling it "tightness" in his hamstring caused by Irving banging knees with LeBron James in the first half. Confused?

"He's gonna be cautious," Lue said. "No need to try and go out and be a hero tonight, so. After they banged knees when he fell under the basket ... he's experiencing some tightness right now so we're gonna ... hold him out."

Lue reiterated it was Irving's hamstring, and not his knee, that is hurt.

McRae had fallen out of Lue's rotation. He's a 6-6 wing player who is taking Irving's place in the lineup, but it's safe to assume James will handle the ball most of the time.

Irving, 24, is averaging 23.9 points and 6.0 assists this season. This will be his third game missed thus far.

The Cavs will have 10 players available tonight, due also to J.R. Smith's thumb surgery, Chris Andersen's torn ACL, and Mo Williams' quasi retirement.

Hooker picked off Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson in the second quarter of Saturday's Fiesta Bowl.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State safety Malik Hooker kept Clemson out of the end zone with a second quarter interception in Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson threw deep for receiver Hunter Renfrow, looking to add to Clemson's 10-0 lead. Instead Hooker came from the middle of the field, tracked down the ball and basically stole it out of Renfrow's hands.

It was Hooker's seventh interception of the season, and Watson's second of the game.

You can watch the play from different angles below.

LeBron James, Jordan McRae and Kevin Love all played major roles in beating the Charlotte Hornets without Kyrie Irving.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Cavaliers decided there was no need for Kyrie Irving to be a "hero" by playing on a tight right hamstring, and they were right.

LeBron James paced Cleveland with 32 points and nine assists and the Cavs rung in the New Year with a 121-109 road win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.

The Cavs, 25-7 on the season, are 25-4 when James is in the lineup and winners of 12 straight when he's on the court. This was Irving's third game out this year; Cleveland's 2-1 in those contests.

Coach Tyronn Lue turned to the seldom-used Jordan McRae in Irving's absence and he responded with a season-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Kevin Love contributed 28 points and 10 rebounds and Kay Felder, who also saw more playing time with Irving out, scored 13 off the bench.

The Cavs chose to rest Irving, who is still experiencing what they're now calling tightness in his right hamstring (after first being labeled a cramp) after banging knees with James in the first half Thursday against Boston. Mike Dunleavy (twisted right ankle) didn't play either, leaving Cleveland with just 10 healthy and available bodies.

Hard to beat any team, especially the defending- hampion Cavs (with or without Irving) when they shoot like this. How does 14-of-31 from 3-point range sound?

"The thing that's so difficult for them is their 3-point shooting is so good ... but it's the spot-up 3s," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "Especially (with) LeBron, he's so good, you know, his vision and creativity. Most guys are open. You can't guard them with one guy, and then they have the (Tristan) Thompson roll game. So, if you look at it, they shoot spot-up 3s and then LeBron and Kyrie shoot them off the dribble."

Speaking of Thompson, the Cavs' center scored all 11 of his points in the third quarter.

The Hornets were led by Kemba Walker, who went off for 37 points. Charlotte trailed by as many as 19 in the second half but trimmed its deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter.

The Cavs scored 71 points in the first half and connected on 12 of 18 treys. James, who turned 32 on Friday and enjoyed his birthday dinner here in Charlotte with teammates, shot 12-of-25 and contributed six rebounds. He was 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

You might say James set the tone. He opened the game with 17 points in the first quarter on 6-of-7 shooting, making all three 3-point attempts. He also dished out four assists.

Lue said he started McRae to keep his bench rotation intact. McRae had fallen out of that rotation long ago and had seen action in 19 of Cleveland's first 31 games. His only extended minutes over the past several weeks had been in blowouts or on the second night of back-to-back games.

McRae is playing on a partially guaranteed contract that becomes fully guaranteed Jan. 10. The Cavs would like to trade him, but he was also in danger of being cut by that date if no trade partner was found. His performance was a step in a positive direction for him and for the Cavs' plans for him.

NEXT: Cleveland returns home to host the New Orleans Pelicans at 7 p.m. Monday.

Now that you've seen their bowl games, does either make sense for the Browns?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns need a long-term answer at quarterback, and two players who might provide that answer have now played bowl games before a national audience.

On Friday, it was North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky. On Saturday, it was Clemson's Deshaun Watson.

Both are considered by most analysts to be among the top three quarterback prospects for the 2017 NFL Draft. While Trubisky has yet to announce if he'll leave North Carolina, Watson will leave Clemson for the draft.

The question is, will either quarterback be a good fit for the Browns?

Trubisky was 23-of-38 passing for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Tar Heels' 25-23 loss to Stanford in the Sun Bowl. He had 38 yards rushing and fumbled once while almost completing a fourth-quarter rally to tie the game.

Watson was 23-of-36 passing for 259 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in three-and-a-half quarters before heading to the bench up 31-0 against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal. Watson also ran for 57 yards and two scores.  

Check out the poll below and let us know what you think. You can explain your answer in the comment section. 

Jordan McRae didn't want to call his parents before his first start of the season Saturday. Hopefully they turned on the TV. He scored 20 in the win.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jordan McRae said he found out late Saturday morning he'd be starting for the Cavs in place of the injured Kyrie Irving against the Hornets.

This was unusual because, well, McRae hadn't started at all this season.

"I didn't want to tell my mom or my dad because I didn't want the extra pressure or, you gotta play good tonight," McRae said. "I just wanted to treat it as if it was a normal game."

So how did mom and dad find out?

"I guess they found out when they turned on the TV," he said.

If so, Cornelius and Paulette McRae definitely liked what they saw. McRae posted a season-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting with three 3-pointers.

LeBron, Love, and McRae carry Cavs

Even with that outburst, he's still shooting just 36.6 percent from the field. His shooting struggles were part of the reason he fell out of coach Tyronn Lue's rotation, eventually losing his spot to DeAndre Liggins.

Lue didn't exactly predict McRae would go off like this when he announced the lineup move before Saturday's game. He was playing McRae because he didn't want to tinker with Cleveland's second unit and, yes, the Cavs only had 10 healthy players.

"That's right. Jordan McRae 20 points, great game. Jordan McRae. Say his name one more time," Lue gloated at a reporter who questioned McRae's start before the game.

"Just staying ready," Lue said. "I keep giving (assistant coach) Phil (Handy) all the credit but he has those guys in every day and they're working to get better.

"They're working every day trying to stay as ready as you can knowing you're not getting game experience and playing. But if you stay ready, get your shots, work on your ball handling and different stuff like that, him and Kay (Felder) do that every single day."

Felder played 19 minutes as McRae's backup with Irving out and scored 13 points.

McRae said he's tried to stay sharp and improve this season by playing one-on-one with Irving and Iman Shumpert.

"He was great, he got the opportunity this morning and he took full advantage of it," said LeBron James, who paced the Cavs with 32 points and nine assists. "It was big for our team and it was big for him. He let us know what he's capable of doing in this league so we needed that from him."