Cavs: Ranking the roster from least to most untouchable

Cavs: Ranking the roster from least to most untouchable – The centerpieces

Darius Garland

Darius Garland has not been a superstar player since entering the league. After missing the majority of his freshman season at Vanderbilt due to injury he was a slow starter as a rookie, a relatively inefficient scorer and a careful passer playing off-ball at the 2. Then the team moved him to point guard as a sophomore and he took a major leap, averaging 17.4 points per game and 6.1 assists, with 39.5 percent 3-point shooting.

This is a player the Cavs hope to build around, especially if he can continue to improve as a scorer. Collin Sexton had an identical effective field goal percentage in his second year as Garland did last year (51.7); if he can take a similar Sexton-like jump as a scorer while continuing to get his teammates involved as a passer, he will cement his spot as their point guard of the future.

On the other hand, the pairing of Garland and Sexton is a difficult one, with both players a major negative on defense and standing just 6’1″ tall. If the Cavs long-term can replace one with a positive defender and strong off-ball player it could entice them to move one of the two. The team probably favors Garland at this point, especially given he is a year younger and further away from a payday, but both are talented and could be the pick for the future.

Evan Mobley

Our list rounds out with the team’s most recent draft pick, 2021 No. 3 overall selection Evan Mobley. He is the highest-drafted player for Cleveland since the year LeBron James came back to town, and his upside is that of a truly dominant modern big man who walls off the rim on defense and can pass, score and shoot on offense.

Mobley is talented, he provides a defensive foundation to balance out Sexton and Garland, and he is on a low-cost deal for the next four seasons, and then under team control for his next deal as well. He is the most valued of commodities outside of an established superstar, and the last one of those to play in Cleveland is now sunning himself by his pool in Malibu.

The Cavs don’t yet know what they have in Mobley, and even top picks can flame out quickly. James Wiseman is worth a lot less today than he was before last season. Anthony Bennett quickly went from intriguing top pick to hapless washout. Even so, all the signs point to Mobley developing into a true impact player.

That puts him at the top of the list when predicting where the organization values each of its players. From end-of-roster centers vying for a slot to the team’s future yet to make his debut, everyone can be available for the right price.