For the second straight season, the Cleveland Cavaliers came away losers from the NBA Draft Lottery.
Like last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers went in with a 40.1 percent chance at landing a top-three pick but again fell three spots to fifth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Cleveland was tied for having the best odds at 14.0 percent of landing the top pick with the Golden State Warriors, and was essentially set to be lined up in the second-best position with a guaranteed top six pick.
At any rate, though the drop in the draft is disappointing, it does not sting as much as a season ago when the Cavaliers missed out on the chance to draft Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. While the Cavaliers will likely miss out on LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards, who are the three key names in this year’s draft, there are still a few intriguing prospects to choose from at number five.
There are many ways Cleveland could go with this pick. Over the past two drafts, they have focused primarily on guards, and while both Collin Sexton and Kevin Porter Jr. look to be young, core pieces, the jury is still out on Darius Garland. Meanwhile, Dylan Windler has yet to play a minute in a regular season game due to complications regarding a stress reaction in his left leg that kept him out of play in 2019-20.
Ideally, Cleveland should focus on a wing player as that appears to be their most significant weakness. Drafting a center may also be a route to go, but for the time being, Andre Drummond is there to man the middle. Drummond seems pretty set to pick up his $28.8 million player option this season, given that he did previously indicate that he would do so.
Although, he was seemingly not as definitive on that in an interview with Julie Stewart-Binks for a fubo TV conversation, as h/t Forbes‘ Evan Dammarell. But it still would seem that Drummond would be doing a logical move in that realm, frankly and/or Drummond potentially agreeing to a long-term extension; we’ll have to see in regards to that, though.
So swinging back, who are three realistic players for the Cleveland Cavaliers to consider at #5, then?
The first player the Cavaliers should consider would give Cleveland a young, athletic wing player who would be an instant boost to the rotation.