NBA Draft: Wings the Cavs should target in 2022 and beyond

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Coronado High School guard Jaden Hardy handles the ball. (Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) /

Upcoming NBA Draft targets for the Cavs to target: Jaden Hardy (G-League)

Jaden Hardy, in my opinion, is the best wing in the 2022 NBA Draft class. He is a four-level scorer. Players these days have the ability to pull up from the logo, and Hardy is no exception. His shooting stroke is silky smooth, and he has the ability to pull up and get off his shot at will. The only issue with Hardy, is that he is only 6-foot-5 and is more of a combo guard than a three.

Even so, this should not be an issue for the Cavs, whatsoever. The Cavaliers are not in a position where they can only track certain players, as they need to take the best player available. While he is a smaller wing, his length is impressive, and he has shown the ability to be a good defender.

Hardy’s finishing ability is not quite on the same level as a guy like Bates or Paulo Banchero, but he’s still a solid finisher. He’s also a little bit more reliant on his jumper than a lot of other prospects. But, we’ve seen that the most important skill in basketball is scoring, and Hardy is an ace.

If he can clean up his handle a bit, and improve upon his shot selection playing in the G-League, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be in the discussion for the first overall pick.