More time for 2020 NBA Draft prep can’t hurt the Cavs

The 2020 NBA Draft is reportedly likely set to have a new revised date, and we’ll take a look at that news from the Cleveland Cavaliers’ perspective.

The upcoming draft was originally tentatively set to be on October 16 for the Cleveland Cavaliers and other teams. But after what was no surprise, really, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Tuesday that the draft was to be pushed back.

It seemed as though that the NBA and NBPA would eventually agree to do so, anyhow, due to that reported possibility before.

Moreover, on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski would report that the 2020 NBA Draft has a new date that is again tentatively set it seems, along those lines.

That’s on November 18, which is “a potential revised” date, the NBA told teams, per Woj, who then noted that the “NBA and NBPA have been negotiating on that new date.” Woj then reported how that date will likely be further discussed, though.

Wojnarowski would then report how, per a league memo, there could be more “pre-draft prep” and a combine, to go with the NBA being able to have more time to figure out when a potential start to next season could be, along with the “advancing of talks with the NBPA on CBA matters.”

From there, he would also report how a key reason why clubs wanted a push back, with this “likely” date, was to be able to know, for trades relating to the draft, what “the new salary cap numbers” are for next season.

So what stands out regarding this news from Wednesday, involving the Cavs’ perspective, then?

More time for 2020 NBA Draft preparation can’t hurt the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the Cavaliers, it can’t hurt for them to have seemingly more of a look at potential targets such as Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, Florida State’s Devin Vassell, Deni Avdija of the I-BSL’s Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, or feasibly Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton, among others.

Those players would be possible draft targets that I’d be on-board with, for instance, for the Cavs, and for Cleveland, having more time for draft prep can’t be a detriment, right? The league seemingly being able to conduct a 2020 NBA Draft combine, if the novel coronavirus protocols are in place, could further help clubs evaluate prospects, one would imagine.

Now, I wouldn’t want the Cavaliers to weigh the combine/it’d seem workouts too heavily, and outweigh the film study of prospects, but general manager Koby Altman, perhaps among others, being able to get a fresher and maybe closer view of prospects couldn’t hurt. At least I wouldn’t think, if again, COVID-19 protocols/a proper bubble were in place, perhaps or in the Orlando bubble.

To reiterate, from my perspective, I’d be on-board with the Cleveland Cavaliers going with a wing in the 2020 NBA Draft at fifth overall, such as Okoro, Vassell and/or Avdija, or feasibly Okongwu at the 4/5. More prep time and studying of those prospects for them can only aid the Wine and Gold, clearly.

Now, for the Cavs, factoring in pieces such as 2019-20 leading scorer Collin Sexton, who had 20.8 points per game, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr., Kevin Love and others, I’d prefer Cleveland steer clear of Dayton’s Obi Toppin.

Toppin is said to be viewed by some within the Cavs as seemingly a “long-term” Kevin Love replacement for down the road, if Cleveland does look to eventually trade Love, per a report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, for context. Furthermore, in a report last week, The Athletic‘s Sam Vecenie (subscription required) noted that he senses that the Cavs are feasibly zeroining on Avdija and Toppin at #5, of which the former I’d be fine with.

But I hope to God that they don’t end up going with Toppin when the draft does eventually come, given the defensive concerns involving him, maybe in that above suggested potential date of November 18.

In any case, more time for draft prep, to further drive it home, can’t hurt the Cavaliers, and knowing the salary cap situation would be a plus, too, just overall. Now potential trades, in this draft, for the Cavs might not be the best idea, but more cap certainty would give piece of mind anyway.

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for more reports involving the 2020 NBA Draft and/or more certainty hopefully upcoming, along with the start of next season.