Using NBA 2K20 to finish Cavs season and determine their potential pick in 2020 NBA Draft

Simulation #3

Simulation three ended with the worst record yet, finishing the season at 25-57. In this run, Giannis won MVP, Ja once again won Rookie of the Year, Schroder won Sixth Man of the Year for a second time, Kawhi won Defensive Player of the Year again, and the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic took home the Most Improved Player award.

For the Cavaliers, Drummond made the All-Defensive Second Team due in large part to a statline of 16.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals a game. Also, for the second time, Garland made the All-Rookie First Team. Garland finished the year at 12.5 points and 6.2 assists while Porter Jr. ended his rookie campaign averaging 9.9 points and 3.0 rebounds.

Plus, Sexton led the team with 22.0 points per game, Drummond dominated the boards with 13.9 rebounds a game, and Garland once again led the team in assists with 6.2 a game. The Clippers and the Raptors faced off in the Finals resulting in another Game 7 and another Lowry Finals MVP. This time he averaged 21.3 points, 9.9 assists, and 2.3 steals a game.

From there, the Cleveland Cavaliers are projected to have the number four pick going into the lottery with a 12.5% chance at the number one pick, as one can also see in regards to those odds according to Tankathon (of which the Atlanta Hawks are currently projected to actually have).

However, just like in simulation two, the lottery does not go in their favor and they drop down to the number six pick. With that pick, Cavs general manager Koby Altman and the front office yet again choose a point guard. Although, in this simulation, they choose Cassius Winston from Michigan State.

This is by far the furthest reach the front office has made, and the Cavs wouldn’t do this one in the actual 2020 NBA Draft. Winston is projected to be the 29th overall pick in the latest mock draft by ESPN, and the pick also causes the issues previously brought up when R.J. Hampton was selected.

Either Winston, Sexton, or Garland would be forced out of the starting rotation or traded. With that said, Winston has been a very good college player and is a gifted playmaker, as evidenced by his 6.4 career assists per game in four seasons, per Sports Reference.

One would think he could carve out a nice NBA career as a reserve point guard, but at number six the Cavaliers would not be taking the Michigan State senior in the actual upcoming draft, who is also listed at just 6-foot-1 and is anything but an explosive athlete.

Granted, this would solve the current problem the Cavaliers have with a lack of high-level passing from the guards in terms of assist rate and relative potential game-to-game, though.

Anyway, with the season again being on hiatus until further notice, getting in plenty of NBA 2K20 simulations is a fun way to see how the Cavs season could’ve eventually turned out if it ultimately is not played out for the Wine and Gold. Plus, 2K20 draft simulations are always entertaining and provide some insight into how the draft could potentially play out at some point, too.

So get going on your 2K20 simulations, Cavs fans!