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The Cavs have learned that to get good wings, you need to draft them

By Justin Brownlow

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talks with Cleveland wing Isaac Okoro in-game. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talks with Cleveland wing Isaac Okoro in-game. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers big Evan Mobley shoots the ball. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Could the Cavs have gone a different direction in the 2021 NBA Draft?

Well, hopefully Cleveland general manager Koby Altman learned his lesson this offseason that the Cavs need to draft good wing players, rather than try and lure them in during free agency. It’s pretty clear that Cleveland is not one of the better destinations in the NBA. Players are more likely to take less money, and play elsewhere, than play for a bad team in Cleveland.

While Evan Mobley was the best player on the board when the Cavs selected him, they may have been better off in the long run, going with a guy like Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga will likely be one of the best defenders in the league in a few years, and his ceiling seems to be higher than other rookies drafted in 2021.

Another one of my favorite prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft, Moses Moody, would have been a great choice as well. However, the Golden State Warriors drafted both of those players in the first round.

Moody in particular, may become one of the best 3-and-D players in the entire draft. At Arkansas, he averaged 17 points per game, while shooting 36 percent from three. Moody also chipped in a steal per game.

Now, nobody will argue with the selection of Mobley, as he could become one of the best big men in the league. That said, if the Cavs had drafted Moody or Kuminga, would that have been better in the long run? It’s definitely a valid question.