2011 NBA Draft: Will Baron Davis Impede the Development of Kyrie Ivring?

The Cavaliers have to think twice about Kyrie Irving and Baron Davis

10.2.

That’s the number that should be alarming to Cleveland Cavaliers fans. It’s the body fat percentage that Kyrie Irving measured at the NBA combine. Not exactly the kind of body fat you want on an athlete that is supposed to be in tip top shape as he leads your team to the promise land.

Enter Baron Davis.

The well traveled Davis couldn’t tell you what “in-shape” looked like if you threw a Men’s Fitness Magazine in front of his cheeseburger. The notoriously lazy Baron Davis only gets in shape when motivated and that’s very rarely. Being on a team going nowhere like Cleveland will only make matters worse.

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So here’s the problem for Cleveland: do you run the risk of drafting Irving and hope that Davis will be a good influence on him, or at least no influence at all?

The answer to that question is “no.” There is no way you let Davis take Irving under his wing, but that means you have to trade Davis. Nothing more frightening than a 19 year old kid who will be signed to a truck load of money hanging out with the one player on your team who has a tab at Dairy Queen.

The question then is who takes Davis? Who wants an oft-injured player who seems to only get up for games when there is something on the line? No contender wants the headache, or the milk shakes.

They could pawn him off on Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats, but as long as Jordan isn’t being advised by LeBron James’ team he’s unlikely to make that move.

If the Cavs aren’t positive they can trade Baron Davis, they might want to consider a plan B. That might include passing on Irving.  

-Michael Cahill