For Young Cavaliers, It Was Season to Build Foundation for Future

The word that characterizes the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 1986-87 season is rookie .

That has a lot of connotations when five rookies--three of them starters--are on the roster. Coach Lenny Wilkens’ “kids” provided youthful exuberance with a healthy helping of flashiness and speed balanced by turnovers, poor shot selection and frustrating losses.

Wilkens himself was a rookie of sorts, returning to the team for which he had closed out his 15-year career. Even early in training camp, he decided that three rookies would start--guard Ron Harper, center Brad Daugherty and forward John (Hot Rod) Williams.

“By finishing the season 31-51 and winning two more games than last year’s team, I think we proved that the risk we took has already begun to pay off,” said Wilkens. “The kids got some valuable experience, and that will help them next year.

“Sure, we have needs. We have to play better defense. We have to shoot better from the outside. We’ll address those via the draft, but the nucleus of the future is here.”

The present, though, has its fragmented aspects. Cleveland averaged just 69.6% at the foul line--veteran point guard John Bagley was the only starter above 75%--and committed 19.7 turnovers per game.

The starters--Harper led all NBA rookies with a 22.9-point average as he started all 82 games. Though he also averaged over five turnovers and needs to mature defensively, Harper is deadly in driving to the hoop. Bagley (10.7 points) was the lone consistent free-throw shooter at 83%, but dipped in assists from 9.4 to 5.3 and shot just 43%.

Daugherty (15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds) started erratically and generally was outmuscled by beefier centers but developed in the second half of the season. He led all NBA pivotmen with 304 assists, and plans to work on upper-body strength.

Williams (14.6 points, 7.9 rebounds), blocked 167 shots although his overall play was more inconsistent than Daugherty’s, especially his inside defense. Admittedly, the rookie was hampered by the fact small forward Phil Hubbard’s knees limited his mobility at times. Hubbard (11.8 points) provided strong leadership and key baskets and rebounds, but not the outside shooting needed from the position.

The bench--Rookie Mark Price (6.9 points) provided offensive sparks despite a season interrupted by an appendectomy while mid-season acquisition Craig Ehlo (6.2 points) gave the reserves some experience. Rookie guard Johnny Newman (5.0 points) played sparingly.

Keith Lee (6.3 points) spelled Daugherty and played better as the season progressed but bulky Mel Turpin (6.1 points) encountered serious problems adapting to the fleet-footed rookies and had his playing time reduced.

Mark West (6.5 points) was a bust at power forward and foul trouble that affected the rookies and Lee similarly stifled his contributions at center. Tyrone Corbin (6.4 points) had his moments but got sporadic playing time.

Draft outlook--Cleveland is in the seven-team lottery that will be held in New York on May 17. The Cavaliers’ primary needs are at small forward and point guard in order to back up--and probably replace--Hubbard and Bagley as starters.

General Manager Wayne Embry, though, considers Navy center David Robinson “the next Bill Russell,” and will draft the 7-footer if available despite the fact he must first satisfy two years of service requirements.

Not surprisingly, Embry likes collegians Steve Alford and Kenny Smith, and doesn’t rule out the possibility of a trade. The team, though, is stuck with Turpin for at least one more year because of 1.1 million reasons--the guaranteed dollars in his 1987-88 contract.