Cleveland Cavaliers’ 10 biggest draft busts since 2000

Though the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame does not include any players drafted and developed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, there have been numerous memorable names in the NBA drafted by the Land. Additionally, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are undeniably guaranteed to enter the Hall of Fame after their careers conclude.

For every one Mark Price or LeBron James, though, the Cavaliers have had plenty more draft choices that for one reason or another did not work out. Drafting the right talent is no easy feat for any team’s scouting department. The type of player that succeeds in the NBA is far separate from any other level of play. The best collegiate basketball talents might be nothing more than an end of rotation guy in the Association.

What makes a player a draft bust is different than a player simply not having a 15-year NBA career. A draft bust has to have relatively high expectations entering the league and never come close to those draft day comparisons. A bust is usually reserved for prospects taken in the first 10 selections, though any selection in the first round is expected at least to become a rotational piece in the NBA.

Since the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cavaliers have had their fair share of misses over the years. While Cleveland drafted hidden gems in the second round such as Carlos Boozer and Danny Green, other lottery picks have led to frustrating results and underwhelming seasons.

These 10 players came to the Cavaliers with serious potential but quickly faded into obscurity. Since 2000, they are the biggest busts in Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers draft busts Nos. 10-8

10. Shannon Brown, 2006 – Rd 1, Pick 25

While draft busts are usually reserved for lottery picks, Shannon Brown drew comparisons to Gilbert Arenas as an incredible athlete in every category. Brown ended up having a 12-year career, averaging 7.6 points and 1.1 assists per game. Though Brown managed to last in the Association for more than a decade, he undoubtedly fell short from the expectations. The Cavaliers gave up on Brown’s development and traded him in his second season, sending him to Chicago where he began jumping to a different team constantly.

9. J.J. Hickson, 2009 – Rd 1, Pick 19

J.J. Hickson was another failed draft prospect that departed Cleveland relatively fast. In the 2009 Draft, Hickson was viewed as a steady defender with a versatile offensive game that was continually improving. His sturdy 6-foot-9 frame gave Hickson a physical advantage among his peers, and his supposed upside made him an ideal target for the Cavaliers in the middle of the first round.

Unfortunately, Hickson could not stay consistent enough to impress coaches. Hickson was traded to the Sacramento Kings in 2012 due to his frustrating inconsistencies, but Hickson’s career never found stable footing in the NBA. His replacement was already in Cleveland, as well, in the form of longtime Cavalier and key contributor in the 2016 NBA Finals run Tristan Thompson. In the summer of 2016, Hickson left the NBA to play professional basketball overseas.

8. Sergey Karasev, 2013 – Rd 1, Pick 19

Drafted in the middle of a dark, unimpressive era of Cavaliers basketball, Sergey Karasev became a one-year experiment in Cleveland. He was not viewed as an upcoming legend of the game, but after averaging only 1.7 points and less than one rebound per game, Karasev’s Cavaliers tenure ended abruptly after his rookie season, playing for Brooklyn two more years until he was entirely out of the NBA.

There is little comment to offer to Karasev’s career, as he never had any real moments to define his career one way or another. He was not a lottery pick or highly sought after prospect, so a short career is nothing jaw dropping. His inability to perform at any level on two franchises desperate for any breath of life suggests that Karasev was not fit for the NBA’s style of basketball, unfortunately.