NBA Draft: 5 wings Cavs could take if they keep first-round pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers have found significant success in the NBA Draft recently. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland are star-level players taken at No. 3 and No. 5 in the last three drafts. Collin Sexton and Isaac Okoro have significant issues but are also far from busts. The Cavs have done well in the draft.

That’s why it is somewhat bittersweet that they traded their 2022 first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in the Caris LeVert deal. While LeVert is a talented player who brings some specific skills to the team, by giving up their first-round pick they lose the ability to hit in the draft again and potentially find the long-term small forward this team needs.

Except there is still a chance they keep that pick. It is lottery-protected, which means the Cavs keep the pick if it falls from 1-14; essentially, if they miss the playoffs. While they are currently in position for home-court advantage in the playoffs, only a handful of games separate them from the play-in bracket, where two bad games means you watch the playoffs from home; just ask the Golden State Warriors last season.

If the Cavs miss the playoffs they will keep their first-round pick. Which wings would be available to them with a late-lottery pick?

The Cavs could therefore miss the playoffs entirely, especially given the myriad of injuries their backcourt is dealing with at the moment. The silver lining in such a scenario is that the Cavs would keep their first-round pick. That opens up a wealth of options in the NBA Draft to address their need at the 3. As good as Dean Wade and Lauri Markkanen have been this season, the Cavs need to continue swinging for their long-term solution. Could they get him in this draft?

As March Madness approaches, here are five wings the Cavs and their fans should watch closely over the coming weeks. Could one of these players fill the positional need the Cavs have had since a certain MVP left for the second time?