NBA Draft: Who should the Cavs be targeting among 2022 prospects?
Other Elite 2022 prospects the Cavs should be looking at
Chet Holmgren
People have been talking about Holmgren for a couple of years now. The 7-foot center from Minnesota has been a hot commodity since he first started making his rounds around the basketball circuit. Up until Jalen Duren reclassified, Holmgren was the odds-on favorite to be the 2022 number one pick. Personally, I think he still will be.
The big man is taking the same route current Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs took. He will play his one year of college in Spokane, Washington for Mark Few and Gonzaga. Holmgren is a prospect who is hard to get a read on. He’s very skinny and lanky, but holds his own and is a real rim-protector. The only real negative for him right now is his weight. I would say he needs to add 30-40 pounds over the next year-plus. But, he is a tantalizing player.
On offense, Chet is the best stretch big I’ve seen in a couple of years. He’s becoming a deadly three-point shooter, and has quick feet that get him to the hoop quickly. He also has a great pull-up and mid-range game, which is astounding for a guy of his size and age. The Cavs seem to be locked down in the frontcourt with Mobley and Allen.
Even so, if the Cavs were to land the number one or two pick, they would at least have to take a look at Holmgren.
NBA comparison: Anthony Davis
Jalen Duren
Duren probably made the best decision by reclassifying. This way he will be able to make some money from NIL deals while at Memphis. On top of that, he’ll be playing for Hardaway, who will give him all the advice he needs to make the jump to the NBA. Duren honestly just looks like an NBA center.
He’s 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, and he’s physically imposing. He has great lower and upper body strength, and has been impossible to guard by most big men his age. His rebounding ability is elite, and he has the power to dunk anywhere around the rim. Honestly he’s probably the best rebounder in college hoops right now, and he hasn’t played a game. Offensively, he’s more of a throwback big man.
However, he is developing his three-point shot, and already has a decent mid-range game. He’s not the most flashy player on the court, but he gets the job done. To me he’s a much better version of former North Carolina big man Day’Ron Sharpe.