Two goals for James Wiseman if he’s selected by Cavs in 2020 NBA Draft

Goal #2 for Wiseman: Establish himself as a legitimate shot blocker/rim protector for the Cleveland Cavaliers

I don’t expect Wiseman by himself to fix all the Cavs defensive problems. Yes the Cavs last year had problems on the defensive interior, but a lot of that was due to them not really having anyone that can defend on the perimeter either in a very effective way. The hope is Wiseman would become a rim protecting threat next year and that would give the Cavs something they haven’t had in a long time.

I certainly don’t expect Wiseman to be a dominant defensive player right away, but being someone who is a legitimate shot blocker should be something to see out of him.

With Wiseman’s athleticism and length it’s certainly doable. I don’t expect the Cavs, who went into the league’s COVID-19-induced hiatus with the NBA’s second-worst defensive rating in 2019-20, to make major strides defensively or challenge for the playoffs, as they still have too much youth and not enough quality defenders on the perimeter.

But for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wiseman establishing himself as a key shot blocker and giving them something they haven’t had in a long time would satisfy them going forward. If Wiseman can do these two things, looking onward, you have to feel pretty good about the core overall in coming years, and Wiseman’s presence could aid Collin Sexton and others over time.

Again I certainly don’t expect the Cavs to realistically compete for the playoffs next year. They still have a ton of youth, and have a long way to go in one year. You’d feel pretty optimistic about the young core, though, and if you’re the Cavs going forward and with how strong the 2021 NBA Draft will be, you could make considerable strides in this rebuild.

We’ll have to see what plays out and if Wiseman will be available for the Cavs in the upcoming draft, of course.