Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Wednesday that the team has exercised 2014-15 options on four recent first- round draft choices, including star point guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving and forward Tristan Thompson had the final year of their rookie deals picked up, while shooting guard Dion Waiters and center Tyler Zeller had their contracts guaranteed for their third pro seasons.
The 2011-12 NBA Rookie of the Year Irving has averaged 20.6 points, 5.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. The 21-year-old received his first career All-Star nod last season, while his 22.5 points per game was the highest scoring clip by a player 22 or younger during the 2012-13 campaign.
Thompson, the fourth overall selection in the same draft that landed Irving, averaged 11.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while starting all 82 games for the Cavs last season. The native Canadian also ranked second in the NBA with 306 offensive boards, setting a team season record in the process.
Waiters ranked second among Cleveland players with a 14.7 points-per-game average as a rookie and added 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds per contest. The No. 4 overall pick in 2012 started 48 out of 61 games played last season as well.
Zeller, the 17th overall choice in last year's draft, started 55 games during his debut season and averaged 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds over 77 total contests. The North Carolina product is currently working his way back from a recent emergency appendectomy.
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