3 players Cavs could target in 2019 NBA Draft with their Rockets’ pick
By Corey Casey
While most of the attention is going to big name guys the Cleveland Cavaliers could draft with their own first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, thanks to a trade with the Houston Rockets, we should keep an eye on some players the Cavs could target with the Rockets’ pick, later in the first round.
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman has been especially busy for the better part of the 2018-19 regular season, as he’s made several trades, shipping off Cavs veterans. The Cavs entire roster seems to be potentially on the trade block, and that will probably continue into the offseason with the Cavs having a start-from-scratch rebuild.
As initially reported before the deadline by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski the Cavs sent Alec Burks to the Kings and Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin IV to Houston in exchange for the Rockets’ lottery protected 2019 first-round pick, Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss. Wojnarowski would also eventually report that Stauskas and Baldwin were traded by Houston to the Indiana Pacers, and waived by Indiana, too.
Now Stauskas is on the Cavs after all after reportedly signing with Cleveland earlier this week (per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor), for the record, but the key part of the Burks trade was the additional first-round pick for the upcoming draft.
Currently the Rockets stand fifth in the Western Conference with a 33-24 record going into the All-Star break. The first-round pick Houston sent to the Cavs figures to fall somewhere in between 21st -25th.
Right now, that pick is slated to be the 21st, per Tankathon.
While most (understandably so) have their eyes on the likes of the big names in Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish near the top of the upcoming draft, there will be some good talent in the 21st-25th range that the Cavs could target that can contribute to next year’s team and into the future.
With the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament on the horizon and the games getting bigger it should give everyone a chance to get a good look at prospects who the Cleveland Cavaliers could target in that 21-25 range, and here are three guys in particular I think they should target with that Rockets pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.