"He's not fast, but neither is Larry Bird" - Cavaliers scout on why Chris Mullin would have been a good pick in the 1985 Draft

chris-mullin

The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to add a big guard in 1985, and the NBA Draft seemed like a perfect place to do it. Many guys from the class fit that description, and one of them was Chris Mullin.

Mully, the Player of the Year from St. John's, seemed perfect for Cleveland's needs. Then-scout Barry Hecker singled him out as the biggest guard in the draft and a great shooter. Given the chance, picking the 6-foot-7 player would have made sense for the Cavs.

"He's a team player who enhances the attributes of the other four players on the court. Sure, he's not fast, but neither is Larry Bird. Both have instinct," Hecker said at the time via UPI.com.

Other names on Hecker's wishlist included Joe Dumars and Karl Malone—the latter was an option if the organization decided to go in a different direction. But come draft day, Cleveland ended up picking someone no one expected.

Warriors beat Cavs to Mullin

The Cavs never got the chance to select Mullin—the Golden State Warriors selected the St. John's product seventh overall. And even though Dumars and Malone were still on the board, Cleveland ended up selecting Charles Oakley, a pick that was not popular with fans.

Oak never played a single game for the Cavaliers. He would be traded to the Chicago Bulls alongside Calvin Duncan for Ennis Whatley and their 11th overall pick in that draft, Keith Lee.

Lee was among the favorites Hecker had on his list. He believed that the 6-foot-10 player could be a scoring option and also help out in rebounding. However, there were concerns about the former Memphis Tiger.

"Everybody's afraid of Lee because of rumors of attitude problems, but I believe he'll make it in the pros," Hecker stated.

A missed opportunity

Keith lasted only two seasons in Cleveland and was hardly the scorer most expected him to be. He played 125 regular-season games with the team, averaging 6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per contest.

He missed the entire 1987-88 season with a leg injury and returned in the 1988-89 season with the New Jersey Nets, where he played 57 games.

Looking back, the Cavaliers wasted their pick. Even though the Warriors stole their chance to draft Mullin, going with either Dumars or Malone would've been a much better option.