Cavs NBA Draft: Jonathan Kuminga is intriguing, but at #3? Come on

The way things are shaping up, the Cleveland Cavaliers seem most likely to end up with Evan Mobley, and while there are questions with him, I do believe it’s brought along gradually off the bench more so in Year 1, he’ll be just fine.

The 215-pound big out of USC does need to get stronger, and while I buy his perimeter shot long term, I do get if some question if he and Jarrett Allen long term in this sense can be a viable pairing for significant stretches. I get that, but with the touch he’s shown in other areas, guard-like handle, vision, regardless of position, defensive versatility, athleticism and rim protection qualities, I firmly believe he’ll be a star in this league.

If I’m wrong, whether or not Mobley does end up with the Cavs via the 2021 NBA Draft, you can let me know in four years.

From there, while I’m not high on him with a near-ideal situation at Gonzaga, Jalen Suggs could be in-play for Cleveland, and though it seems unlikely, perhaps the Cavaliers could consider Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Kuminga at #3. I wouldn’t anticipate those last two being that serious as options for the Cavaliers at the #3 spot in the draft though, and I wouldn’t expect Cleveland to trade down, frankly.

But to that last point, while I’m probably higher on Barnes than those other two, with his 6-foot-9 size, point forward abilities and defensive versatility/impact qualities, I do definitely get intrigue with Kuminga.

Kuminga, while the shooting splits didn’t show it, with him hitting only 38.7 percent of his shots and 24.6 percent of his three-point attempts in the G League bubble with the G League Ignite, does have a better looking stroke than Barnes. And Kuminga is still a sturdy 6-foot-6, 210-pound wing with a 7-foot wingspan that with his functional strength and capability to wall up to shut off drivers and also feel in the post, can be effective at the 4 in some lineups too, I believe.

That said, at #3, in the event he could potentially be there, Jalen Green or Evan Mobley would appear to be the move for Cleveland.

Nonetheless, I do understand why the Cavs have been doing their due diligence, and per a report from Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Cleveland recently hosted Kuminga for his second private workout with them. Even so, based on comments in his report, it still seems unlikely that Kuminga is feasibly in-play for the Cavaliers at that #3 spot in the 2021 NBA Draft.

At say, #5 down, I’d have gotten that much more, and the Cavs were slotted at the #5 spot heading into the lottery, but they were fortunate.

Kuminga is intriguing for the Cavs and in general, but at #3? Come on.

Putting it simply here, if the Cavaliers were to draft Kuminga that highly, it wouldn’t be a great call.