2020 NBA Draft prospect Anthony Edwards could help the Cavs defensively
By Mason Cole
Reason #1 Edwards could help the Cleveland Cavaliers defense: The measurables
Although he is only 19 years old, Edwards already has great size for his position. Standing at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and with a wingspan of 6-foot-9, Edwards has a very similar body type to Oladipo. While that does not mean he is going to be nearly as great as Oladipo is defensively, his size and wingspan give him the potential to be a lockdown defender on the perimeter.
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Also, though Edwards might not get through screens as fluidly as Oladipo (when healthy) early on, him being bigger by some degree could aid him, granted, they are still similar given their quickness/change of direction.
Plus, this potential in terms of size/measurables is something that ideally the Cavaliers would be able to develop even further. One of J.B. Bickerstaff’s biggest duties as he sets to enter his first full season as Cavs head coach is the development of his young core.
Collin Sexton needs to be better at passing and defense. Darius Garland needs to be a far more consistent player, and him reportedly putting his prior meniscus injury behind him could help in that realm. Kevin Porter Jr., meanwhile, needs to continue to build upon his overall game.
From there, if Edwards is added to that young core, Bickerstaff would be expected to take his potential and help him expand his skill set, including on defense.
Edwards has the size necessary to be a great NBA perimeter defender, and by his second or third year in the league, Bickerstaff and his staff would ideally have developed Edwards to the point that he could consistently match up with some of the best guards in the NBA in one-on-one scenarios. That could further aid Sexton, for instance, too.
The next reason why Edwards could help the Cleveland Cavaliers defensively has to do with the NBA stage.