NBA Draft: Who should the Cavs be targeting among 2022 prospects?
2022 wing prospects the Cavs should be looking at
The college basketball scouting world was turned upside down over the past couple of weeks. At the beginning of August, Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates, the two top prospects in the 2022 recruiting class, reclassified to the 2021 class. They also both announced they would be attending Memphis to play for head coach Penny Hardaway; Bates did so last week, per a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Now, I immediately thought this was great news, considering Emoni Bates is exactly the type of player that can put the Cavs over the top to become a real threat in the Eastern Conference. However, as soon as I got excited, I read the news that Duren, but not Bates, will be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because of some technicalities; Bates could potentially play two seasons at Memphis, as Wilton Jackson of Sports Illustrated pointed out, to that point.
That indeed was a crushing blow to my Cavaliers dream, but it doesn’t necessarily derail their rebuilding process. There are still a lot of great players that will be drafted very early in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Paolo Banchero
Banchero is one of the best players in the 2022 draft class. He’s ESPN’s fourth-rated prospect in the draft class. He’s 6-foot-10 with nearly a 7-foot wingspan. He has excellent handles and shooting mechanics. He is also a capable three-point shooter, as he improved that shot throughout his high school career.
The Duke commit, isn’t necessarily your typical wing, as he’s more of a floor-spacing four man. That said, if he were to fall into the Cavaliers laps on draft night, a frontcourt threesome of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Paolo Banchero would be extremely intriguing.
His favorite spot to operate is the mid-post area, but make no mistake about it, he can be a playmaker from up top. Finally, he’s a comparable athlete to Jonathan Kuminga, who went to the Golden State Warriors with the seventh pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. He doesn’t have the defensive upside that Kuminga does, but he’s much more advanced offensively.
NBA comparison: Mix of Wendell Carter Jr. and Tobias Harris with more upside
AJ Griffin
Another Duke commit, Griffin is a tough two-way guard. Unfortunately, because of injuries and COVID-19, the film on Griffin is pretty thin. However, from what we have seen he’s an explosive athlete, with a real feel for the game. He also has NBA genes, as his father, of the same name, was an NBA player. The 6-foot-6 wing, with a 7-foot wingspan is a pleasure to watch.
One of the major selling points of Griffin is his defensive intensity. He seems to take real pride in shutting down the opposing team’s best player. He’s also built like an NFL player, in that he has very broad shoulders, and a strong chest. He can also guard nearly every position on the court.
On the offensive end, he is an excellent passer for his size, and can score from all three levels. Griffin should also be high on the Cavs list because he’s becoming a lethal three-point shooter. On top of that, because of his size and strength, he’s very difficult to guard from the wing position.
If he has a good year for Coach K in Durham, he’ll shoot up draft boards. Just to add some icing to the cake, he’s also one of the youngest members of the 2022 draft class.
NBA comparison: Zach LaVine with more defensive upside
Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy should be at the top of the Cavaliers list of players to watch this upcoming season. He will take the same route Jalen Green and Kuminga did this past year, and forgo college to play for the G-League Ignite. He’s 6-foot-5, and is the best pure scorer in the class.
It’s not surprising he’s heading to the G-League, considering he’s very comparable to Jalen Green of the Rockets. Similarly to Green in many respects, he’s nearly impossible to guard one-on-one. On top of that he has an ultra-quick first step, and is an elite athlete. The guy can literally shoot from anywhere, and has range that could be like Damian Lillard.
He’s very much able to hold his own on the defensive end, and as long as he puts effort forth on that side of the court, will be a solid defender in the league. Hardy is one of the most exciting prospects to watch, and will have the Cavs salivating heading into next summer’s draft.
NBA comparison: James Harden
Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Baldwin Jr. has the chance to be the player from his class that makes the most immediate impact on whatever team he is drafted to. He’s a big wing player that is 6-foot-10 with a nearly 7-foot wingspan. Griffin and Hardy are both good shooters, but Baldwin Jr. might be the best of the three.
He’s going to play his one year of college ball for his dad at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Horizon League. He’s a real three-point sniper, but he also has a quick first step, is faster than he looks, and has good ball-handling. His shooting, though, is what really separates him from the rest of the players in his class. As I’ve said hundreds of times, if the 2021 NBA Playoffs proved anything to us, it’s that shooting is a huge factor in how good a team is, and can be.
The only knock on Baldwin Jr. at this stage, is that is he really going to be able to be an NBA team’s first option early in his career? I think he will be able to, but others are skeptical. There is a world where Baldwin Jr. is actually just an elite role player. However, no matter how you slice it, Baldwin Jr. can shoot, and the Cavaliers desperately need shooters.