Self-admittedly, I am not a fan of Evan Mobley. I don’t like his fit with the Cleveland Cavaliers going forward, and I think there are a lot of question marks around his game. With this in mind, I have taken a closer look at some of the other top-tier prospects heading into the July 29 2021 NBA Draft.
Jonathan Kuminga is a name that was once linked with the likes of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green. His one season in the G League, with the G League Ignite, received mixed reviews.
On the plus side, he’s strong, has guard-like abilities and his perimeter defense, along with this 7-foot wingspan, are solid things to build off of. His shooting and age are where the real question marks with him, but I believe he is a better fit than Evan Mobley is with the Cavs current roster.
Another intriguing prospect is Jalen Suggs. When you look at the Cavs roster right now, one might think that he really has no spot on the team with Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman. However, two things are combined here that could make Jalen Suggs a phenomenal pick for the Cavaliers.
One, is that apparently Sexton is “very available” via trade, per a report from Jason Lloyd of The Athletic (subscription required). Sexton is a pure scorer, and doesn’t really make his teammates around him better. On top of that, it’s likely that he’ll want an extension comparable to the one Donovan Mitchell signed last year (5-years, $195 million). Simply put, Sexton is nowhere near earning that kind of money.
The second thing, is that the Cavs may be leaning towards signing back Jarrett Allen in free agency. There’s reason to believe that it could cost $100 million-plus to re-sign Allen, per reports. Also simply put, Allen is the better building block for the Cavs right now.
He’s a rim protector that cleans the glass, and has a lot of potential on the offensive side of the ball. Now, if the Cavaliers could trade Sexton and re-sign Allen, drafting Suggs becomes even more intriguing.
The Cavs drafting Suggs would take Darius Garland’s game to the next level.
Yes, it is hard to swallow drafting another guard, but at least hear me out. Suggs is 6-foot-4 and will be an above average perimeter defender in his rookie season. So, Suggs is not only taller than Sexton, which I think makes the backcourt more formidable, but he also is likely to become a better defender.
The real issue surrounding Sexton is that he is a solid playmaker, but he doesn’t necessarily make his teammates better. In a similar position, I think Suggs could not only thrive, but also improve the overall game of Darius Garland.
Garland and Suggs are both capable primary ball-handlers, but adding the man from Minnesota in the mix, Garland could become an All-Star next year. Let’s take a look at the ways Suggs could improve Garland’s play.