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The Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t pass on Trae Young, Michael Porter Jr.

By Nathan Beighle

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 15: NBA Draft Prospect, Trae Young poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Combine circuit on May 15, 2018 at the Intercontinental Hotel Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 15: NBA Draft Prospect, Trae Young poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Combine circuit on May 15, 2018 at the Intercontinental Hotel Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to approximately six draft prospects. However, if Trae Young or Michael Porter Jr. fall to eight, the Cavs must take them.

The preparation leading up to the beginning and possible climax of the offseason, the 2018 NBA Draft, has been intriguing to say the least. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s been especially odd.

For starters, they’ve been linked to just about every trade rumors possible.

From Kemba Walker to CJ McCollum to Kawhi Leonard to Paul George, all the rumors have understandably involved the Cavs in some aspect. But, it’s not without reason as Cleveland is expected to make a move with James on the fringe of not re-signing.

However, with the No. 8 pick still in their possession leading up to draft night, it seems they’ll end up keeping the pick for the time being. If that happens, there’s absolutely no way the Cavaliers can pass up on freshman phenom Trae Young or potentially the NBA’s next superstar in Michael Porter Jr.

The hype around those two players should give Cleveland’s front office a clue as to how outstanding they are.

For Young, his excellence was showcased throughout the season. He put up numbers the NCAA had never seen before, let alone from a freshman. 27.4 points, 8.7 assists, and 3.7 threes per game in one of the NCAA’s most difficult conferences should showcase Young’s potential.

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Averaging 13 assists per 100 possessions, Young’s vision is what really sets him apart from players like Collin Sexton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That’s why it seems odd that expert-level mock drafts have the Cavs taking either point guard over Young.

For example, ESPN’s most recent mock draft had the Cavs taking Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 8, dropping Young to No. 9. In that mock, Sexton was taken at No. 11 by Charlotte.

As for Porter Jr., the Cavs can’t pass him up strictly because of his superstar ceiling, a ceiling that quite frankly nobody knows the cap of. If his re-occurring injuries subside, Porter Jr., with a little training by LeBron, could easily make a quick transition to stardom.

Unable to display his skills at a collegiate level, drafting Porter Jr. is much riskier than drafting Young or a top-five talent. Once thought of as the clear No. 1 overall selection, Porter Jr.’s back injury has set him back in most big boards.

Outside of the top five, there really isn’t a player of Porter’s caliber that the Cavs could select. Also, in addition to being a fantastic player, Porter could also hold much higher trade value than a player like Gilgeous-Alexander or Sexton.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton said he’d favor Porter Jr. over Young.

He wrote:

"Assuming he checks out, Porter projects as a top-five prospect by my model because of his strong performance in AAU games as part of the Nike EYBL. I slightly favored him over AAU teammate Trae Young because of concerns over Young’s size on defense."

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It’s highly unlikely that both Young and Porter Jr. will be there for the taking. However, either player should be taken by the Cavaliers at No. 8 if still available.