The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard/forward Omri Casspi and Sacramento’s first round pick (protected) in the 2012 NBA Draft from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for forward/center J.J. Hickson, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.

Casspi, 23, played in 71 games (27 starts) during the 2010-11 season, averaging 8.6 points on .412 shooting, including .372 from three-point range, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 24.1 minutes per game. In his 27 starts, he increased his averages to 10.7 points on .435 shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. The 6-foot-9, 225-pounder was born in Yavne, Israel and became the first Israeli player to be drafted in the first round (23rd overall in the 2009 NBA Draft) as well as the first player from Israel to play in the NBA when he made his debut on October 28, 2009 at Oklahoma City. In his two seasons in the NBA, he has career averages of 9.5 points on .431 shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 24.6 minutes per game in 148 games (58 starts).

The first round pick acquired from Sacramento is lottery-protected in 2012 (1-14). The pick is then protected in 2013 (1-13), 2014 (1-12) and 2015-2017 (1-10). If the pick is not conveyed by 2017, then Sacramento will convey its own 2017 second round draft pick to the Cavaliers protected (56-60).

“We want to thank J.J. for his hard work and contributions to the Cavaliers, both on the court and off the court in the community. This is another step in our on-going process to shape and position our team and roster for future growth and a platform for sustained success,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “We’re excited to add a young, talented, tough-minded player like Omri, that we feel is a good fit for our team and can help improve our perimeter group, while also being able to obtain another important asset with the additional first round draft pick.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the third-year contract option on guard/forward Christian Eyenga, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.

Eyenga’s extension keeps him under contract with the Cavaliers through the 2012-13 season. In 44 games played as a rookie during the 2010-2011 season, he averaged 6.9 points on .425 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game. In 18 games as a starter, Eyenga posted averages of 8.0 points on .405 shooting, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.0 block in 26.3 minutes per game.

The Cavs ranked 27th in defensive field goal percentage, 27th in rebounding margin and 30th (last) in defensive three-point field goal percentage. ESPN has a stat called adjusted defensive field goal percentage, which takes into account several categories -- and the Cavs were the worst team in the NBA.

Which is why coach Byron Scott is intrigued by Tristan Thompson, the 6-9 freshman power forward from Texas who was the Cavs' selection with the fourth pick in the first round.

 "He can defend the post, and he can defend the pick-and-roll out on the court," said the coach. "He wants every rebound. He blocks shots. We consider him the best running big man in the draft, meaning he can get a defensive rebound -- and then get down the court for a dunk.

"And he probably sets the best screens of anyone in the draft," said Scott. "We will work on [his free throws], and he's the kind of kid who will work on it. But we must rebound better. We must defend better. We must be physical. He can help get us there."

The Magic have acquired the draft rights to Justin Harper from the Cavaliers for two future second round picks.

Harper is a stretch-four from Richmond.

In the first of many surprising moves on Draft Night, the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Tristan Thompson with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Thompson will immediately be paired with former Duke guard Kyrie Irving, who was the first overall pick just a few minutes prior to Thompson’s selection. Irving was actually speaking to the media as the forward was drafted.

“The journey has been exciting, meeting a lot of front offices and traveling to a lot of different cities,” Thompson said. “It’s been a blessing in disguise. I know a lot of people never expected it and neither did myself. It just shows the wonders that hard work puts in.”

While many didn’t expected Cleveland to take Thompson, he had a feeling that they were quite interested.

“I thought it was realistic after the Cavaliers called me for a second workout and I thought, anything is possible, and I thought I could be the highest Canadian ever drafted.”

The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers had the first overall pick, they drafted LeBron James. This time around they took Kyrie Irving and the former Duke guard wants the similarities to end there.

“I’m really not looking to replace LeBron honestly, just trying to be Kyrie Irving and just contribute to the Cleveland organization as much as I can,” Irving said minutes after being drafted. “I’m looking forward to getting to Cleveland.”

As Irving fielded questions from the media, the Cavaliers came up again with the fourth overall pick and selected Tristan Thompson out of Texas.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Irving said of playing with Thompson. “Tristan is a great friend of mine, and just having another fellow freshman being drafted to Cleveland, I’m really looking forward to it, and playing with him – I’m really excited.”

According to sources, the Cavaliers prefer Jonas Valanciunas over Enes Kanter with the fourth overall selection.

Cleveland is expected to take point guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 selection.

The Cavaliers are attempting to acquire a third lottery pick, according to sources.

Cleveland owns a $14.5 million trade exception and are trying to entice either the Kings or Pistons to unload their first round pick in exchange for a bad contract.

The Cavaliers would like to end the day with Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Jonas Valanciunas.

Young athletes, especially those on the verge of making it professionally, are often asked who they looked up to as a kid and against whom they compare themselves.

Kyrie Irving, who at this point would shock many if he’s not taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick, doesn’t believe his game is exactly like that of any current NBA player.

Instead, the former Duke point guard sees himself as a mixture of two of the league’s elite passers.

“I feel like I’m in the mold of a player between Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul, just in that middle ground,” he said. “Billups is more half-court and Paul is more up-tempo and I like the balance between those two.”

Turkish big man Enes Kanter hasn’t hid his desire to play in Washington, but his agent, Max Ergul, has intimated that the Wizards need to move up in order to get him.

So, now comes the speculation about possible deals for Kanter being discussed.

ESPN.com’s Chad Ford floated out that Cleveland is exploring making moving the fourth overall pick to Washington for picks No. 6 and No. 18. The deal would help the Wizards increase their chances of drafting Kanter, who is also rumored to be headed to the Cavaliers -- or possibly to Utah at No. 3.