Cavs draft workout will likely help Obi Toppin’s case, which is worrisome

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly set to work out key prospects this week.

The 2020 NBA Draft will commence virtually on Nov. 18, and in that, the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to have the fifth overall selection.

When it comes to potential picks at that spot, I would think wings such as Isaac Okoro and Deni Avdija are in the running, and in relation to bigs, one would think that’d relate to Obi Toppin and Onyeka Okongwu. And while I still wouldn’t really expect him to be on the board at that spot, if he were to fall to them, nobody would be shocked to see the Cavs select James Wiseman.

Anyhow, in this time leading up to the draft, teams have been conducting virtual interviews, due to novel coronavirus restrictions, with prospects, with the Cavaliers being no exception.

Teams are permitted by the NBA, again because of COVID-19/travel restrictions, to have 10 in-person interviews with draft prospects, though. And those factor into the process, but in-person workouts will, too.

In that realm, it was reported on Monday by Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor that the Cavs are set to work out Obi Toppin, among other prospects this week.

While I’m not certain as to if it will happen this week, among others that they’ll be working out aside from Toppin, I’d gather from Fedor’s report, are Okoro, Okongwu, Wiseman and Avdija. That’s seemingly with how he noted the Cavs coaching staff has been given “a specific film-breakdown list” consisting of them. That was confirmed via report from Forbes‘ Evan Dammarell.

Again, perhaps that’s this week, but the Cavs doing so by the draft is logical, either way, and for a further update, Fedor noted that Cleveland’s coaching staff will be given those in-depth breakdowns of Patrick Williams (which is very sensible), LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards. He reported how Tyrese Haliburton and Devin Vassell were in that realm, too, but we’ll keep on the look out for which prospects will be indeed worked out in coming weeks.

Per Fedor’s report, the Wine and Gold also interviewed Toppin, among “around 100 prospects” virtually, and he made a good showing.

"“He’s a great kid. Came across really well,” a source said."

Fedor also stressed how the Cavs view workouts as being seemingly invaluable, from a general sense, even amid COVID-19 and prospects being all over.

"“That’s part of the pre-draft challenge: Prospects are scattered throughout. While some franchises are still undecided about seeing prospects in person because of COVID-19 and some of the travel restrictions, the Cavs believe it’s a vital part of the process. It played a role in the Collin Sexton choice in 2018 and then again last year with Darius Garland.Toppin did a bit of his draft prep at Impact in Las Vegas, but the Brooklyn native is now closer to home, near his parents, and in close proximity to Cleveland. Okoro and Avdija are working out in Atlanta. Some of the other top prospects are in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Vegas or Miami.”"

When it comes to these workouts, though, even while I understand the Cavaliers view them as a crucial part of prospect evaluation, you’d hope they read into them with a grain of salt.

Granted, it’s up to the Cavs to take everything into consideration.

In regards to these workouts, Toppin will likely help his case, but as a Cavs fan, that worries me.

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Simply put, Toppin is a polished scorer, as KJG’s own John Carter highlighted, and as evidenced by him having 20.0 points per game last season on 67.4 percent effective field goal shooting. And he was the Naismith Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.

Toppin hit 39.0 percent of his three-point attempts last season at Dayton, also, and he’s an explosive athlete vertically that Cleveland could go to inside as a lob threat and post-up presence in stretches, too.

All things considered, Toppin will probably only help his case as a result of his workout with the Cavs.

Although, per Fedor, Toppin is “garnering interest” from the teams ahead of the Cavs in the 2020 NBA Draft, in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls. So perhaps Toppin won’t end up being available for the Wine and Gold.

But either way, I’d personally rather the Cavs go in a different direction, given the major defensive concerns involving Toppin, both in terms of if needed on the perimeter at times and due to IQ issues.

The Cavs, for what it’s worth, recognize defense is not a strong suit for him, but it “won’t deter” them, per Fedor, and Cleveland could maybe add a defensive wing in free agency via the $9-10 million mid-level exception.

Fedor also noted how Toppin could be viewed as a Kevin Love replacement for down the road, if they were to eventually trade him.

And regarding his case, the expiring Tristan Thompson potentially may not be back, and there’s seemingly a lack of clarity involving Andre Drummond for the near future, although I’d still expect him to pick up his $28.7 million player option and be with them for at least a solid chunk of next season.

Nonetheless, I’m far from sold on Toppin, with how the Cavs would be better off prioritizing defense in this upcoming draft, with their issues in recent seasons there, and the team needing to surround pieces such as Darius Garland and Kevin Love with better defenders.

Moreover, even while Toppin could potentially have a better draft workout with Cleveland than say Okoro, who has a ways to go as a shooter and only hit 28.6 percent from three-point range in 2019-20 at Auburn, or perhaps Okongwu or Williams in a shooting sense, workouts aren’t everything. Maybe Avdija, for another example, doesn’t have his best workout.

Anyway, while the Cavs clearly are going to consider workouts, interviews, the tape of prospects and countless other aspects, to me, even with how COVID-19 has affected this process, workouts can’t be the ultimate determining factor, from my perspective.

I’m not suggesting they will be for the Cavaliers, but to me, if more defensive prospects, if not early on, don’t have a tremendous individual workout, that shouldn’t be a significant knock on them.

I’d imagine Toppin will do well in his workout with the Cavs, however, should that indicate he could have a say in affecting winning in the near future?

I have my doubts in that way, especially with the question marks defensively for him. Perhaps each prospect kills their Cavs workout, though.