It’s no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers have not closed out the regular season very well. After another loss, this time at the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the Cavs have now lost four of their last five games, and hold a record of 2-7 since March 21. With that being said, the Cavs have also been consumed by injuries this season.
Guard Collin Sexton was lost for the season in November in late December, they also lost backup point guard Ricky Rubio to injury. However, the injuries have really hit hard in the last number of weeks. All-Star center Jarrett Allen fractured his finger on March 6 that’s kept him out indefinitely, and it’s not a certainty we’ll see him back in the regular season, or seemingly the play-in tournament. There is a possibility he returns before the regular season ends, though.
Finally, it seems like the straw that broke the camel’s back was Evan Mobley‘s sprained ankle that has kept him out since the end of March. That isn’t even including the month or so Lauri Markkanen missed. Well with all this being said, I think it’s time to start embracing the fact that the Cavs might keep their first-round pick this season, which would happen if they don’t make the postseason.
Cavaliers President of Basketball Ops Koby Altman was very smart to include a substantial protection on the first-round pick the Cavaliers sent to the Indiana Pacers for Caris LeVert. The pick was lottery-protected, so if the Cavs are not one of the 16 teams that make the actual playoffs, they will indeed be picking in the first round this summer.
Overall, some really untimely injuries seem to have stalled the Cavs potential this season, but in that time we’ve also learned this team needs some help. What better place to look for talent than in the 2022 NBA Draft.
At this point, I would argue it’s very possible the Cavs keep their pick, considering how great the rest of the Eastern Conference has been. They have made the play-in tournament, but the Brooklyn Nets may loom there, or the Atlanta Hawks, both very difficult matchups. In any case, it’s time to set up the KJG-specific big board.
While also looking at realistic possibilities, I’m going to take a look at some of my longshot favorites for the Cavs if they were to luckily move up. Finally I’ll take a dive into some of the players whose stock has fallen of late, and could slip in this summer’s draft where the Cavaliers and Koby Altman could scoop him up.
Let’s take a look at our first Cavs-specific big board.
Cavs Big Board (April 8, 2022)
Tier One (Longshots)
1. Jabari Smith, Wing, Auburn (6’10”, 220 LBS)
2. AJ Griffin, Wing, Duke (6’6″, 220 LBS)
In this tier I have the two players I think would fit in well on the Cavalier roster, but likely won’t be available when the Cavs make their selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, if they have that in the first round. I don’t need to get into too much about Smith. I would say he’s the most NBA-ready of anyone in this year’s draft, but he does need to add some muscle.
Smith can hit pull-up jumpers and is also a solid catch-and-shoot scorer. Defensively I don’t think he’ll be as “switchable” as a lot of teams think he will be. He’s definitely got the lateral quickness, but at times he just plays flat-footed and gets blown by.
However, everyone likes to talk about how good Griffin was from the outside this year, well Smith shot 40% from three. That’s wildly accurate for two 18-year-old’s. Lauri Markkanen has been playing the three offensively for the Cavs for most of the year, and has done so valiantly, but if the Cavs could get their hands on Smith, they would be immediate title contenders.
I mentioned a couple of cons about Smith in the above paragraph. Well one thing scares me more than anything about AJ Griffin, he’s been dealing with injuries for basically the last year-and-a-half. But you rarely see a college player, especially someone as young as him, shoot 44% from three for the season.
Granted, he did miss time over the course of the season, but he’s still a very good shooter. On top of that, he wasn’t allowed much freedom in Duke’s offense. I think in a much more open flow type of game in the NBA, Griffin will shine.
Now, I would say there’s probably about a very, very small chance the Cavs could land either of these two players. They would either need to make a significant trade, or once again get lucky in the lottery. I mean, let’s be honest the Cavs have been incredibly lucky in the lottery in prior years.
Like I said this tier is just two guys that are fun to think about. Anyhow, let’s move on to the second tier.
Tier Two (Fallers)
4. Bennedict Mathurin, Wing, Arizona (6’6″, 210 LBS)
5. Shaedon Sharpe, Guard, Kentucky (6’6″, 200 LBS)
6. Ochai Agbaji, Guard, Kansas (6’5″, 215 LBS)
All three of these players would be a great addition to the roster. However, in the latest mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz (subscription required), Sharpe is picked at six by the Portland Trail Blazers. Following that, Mathurin is picked at 12 by the New York Knicks, and finally, Agbaji was picked 16th by the Hawks. Currently the Cavs hold the 17th pick, which means if Givony and Schmitz are correct, then they’ll be off the board in the first round. However, rarely does the draft go as expected, especially during the late lottery up until the early twenties.
Many of you might be asking, “who the hell is Shaedon Sharpe?” Well, don’t worry, I think there are a lot of basketball fans out there who don’t know much about the young shooting guard. Sharpe was the number-one rated player in the class of 2022, but last year he re-classified to the 2021 class so he could join Kentucky’s squad a year early.
Initially he was only meant to practice at Kentucky, then play in games during the 2022-2023 season. However, scouts began to speculate that Sharpe might end up playing this year. Finally on February 6, Kentucky head coach John Calipari came out and told ESPN that Sharpe would not suit up this year.
That leaves Sharpe and Kentucky in a little bit of a tough spot. If he turns pro this summer, he is almost assuredly a top-10 pick. However, he turned down “millions” to play at Kentucky under Calipari, per KSR, or at least that’s what his mentor says. With that being said, most NBA scouts believe he will come out this year, and I do as well.
As a prospect Sharpe is incredibly intriguing. The 6’6″ guard lit up the Nike EYBL 2021 circuit averaging 22.6 points per game, grabbing 5.8 rebounds per game, and dishing out nearly three assists per game. He is a lightning quick, bouncy wing player who is a good shooter, not a great shooter. He needs to improve his shooting, and stay more under control when attacking the basket. However, he does project as a plus defender, and is lethal in the open court.
He has a great frame and build, with a lot of lower body strength to finish through contact. Should he decide to come out, the Cavaliers would have to be ecstatic if he fell to them. I don’t see that happening, but we can dream.
Bennedict Mathruin out of Arizona is probably my favorite prospect right now. The 6’6″ wing has a great frame and led the way for one of the most exciting teams in college basketball this season. He averaged nearly 18 points per game for the Wildcats this season while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from deep. One of the traits I love about Mathurin, especially on this Cavs roster, is his ability to create his own shot.
He has a strong upper body, and plenty of bounce to get to and finish at the rim. On top of that his shooting stroke is quick and compact. But, at times he settles for jumpers instead of attacking the basket.
On the defensive side he’s not great and he’s not bad. With Mathurin, it all depends on the effort he puts in, and he has a great frame for a two-way player. I don’t think Mathurin will be on the board after the lottery, but I do think he would be worth it to trade up for. He fills a position of need, even though Lauri Markkanen has been great this season since returning from injury. Keep an eye on this guy. In my opinion, Mathurin is just a little bit better than the next player on my big board.
As a die-hard North Carolina fan, it’s tough to write about Ochai Agbaji right now. However, he is going to be a very good pro, so the Cavs should take a look at him. Unfortunately he is an older prospect, being 21 years old already. Other than that, he’s a great wing. His three-point shooting was on display in the NCAA Tournament, including his 4-of-4 half in the Final Four vs Villanova. He’s a very good catch-and-shoot shooter, and on top of that, he’s crafty in the way he gets to the rim.
He doesn’t have overpowering athleticism or strength, but he always finds a way to put the ball in the hoop. Depending on how he does in the NBA Combine, and how the Cavs season ends, it could be the perfect pairing heading into an important 2022-2023 season.
Tier Three (Realistic Possibilities)
7. Jaden Hardy, Guard, G-League Ignite
8. Christian Braun, Wing, Kansas
9. MarJon Beauchamp, Wing, G-League Ignite
10. Malaki Branham, Wing, Ohio State
Alright, it’s time to take a look at four of the best prospects that would fit the Cavs needs if they were to keep their first-rounder by not making the playoffs.
My first choice might surprise some people, but I’ve been all over this guy since last year.Jaden Hardy has not slipped in recent mocks, he’s free-falling. Before the season, he was expected to be a high-lottery pick, that could possibly play his way to the top five. Nonetheless, his choice to skip college and join the G-League Ignite didn’t pan out well for him. Well, that’s what most scouts will tell you. However, I view the G-League differently than most.
I think it’s incredibly impressive that these 18 year olds are playing with grown men, all while giving themselves the most exposure possible. Hardy was known as a knockdown shooter before the season. However, his statline this year is not very impressive.
In 12 games he averaged just under 18 points per game, while shooting an abysmal 35% from the field, and 26% from three. The stats might not show it, but he’s a very good shooter, while also being able to create his own shot. At 6’5″ he has a good frame for an off-ball guard. I fully expect his shooting to bounce back, and when it does, he’s going to be a problem for opposing defenses.
Another guy I really don’t want to talk about right now is Christian Braun. But, all indications point towards him leaving Kansas after this season. Braun had an all Big-12 season, that was capped off with a national title. His defense of Caleb Love, especially down the stretch, was one of the main reasons why they were able to hoist the title. On top of that he’s a good shooter, and looks comfortable pulling up from most places.
Also, when he attacks the basket, he does so with strength, finishing against big bodies with contact. He may take some time to get used to the open NBA playing style, but he would be a great pickup for the Cavaliers. There is definitely variance for Braun, who could potentially slip to the second round, though; he would be a quality selection, either way.
MarJon Beauchamp might be the perfect prospect for Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. He gives maximum effort on defense and on the glass. He also uses his 6’6″ frame and 7’0 wingspan to disrupt on defense. He’s a capable shooter from deep, and has looked more and more comfortable pulling up. His athleticism is pretty impressive even in this loaded 2022 NBA Draft class. He doesn’t have the killer instinct of great scorers, but on defense he would be a perfect fit among Evan Mobley, Kevin Love, Jarrett Allen, and Lauri Markkanen.
Bringing up the rear on my first big board is Ohio State’s Malaki Branham. He put in a really good season at Ohio State, averaging 13.7 points per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. He’s a hardnosed player who has a good frame for an NBA wing. He’s a real three-level scorer, lighting it up from deep at a 41.6% clip. However, his best shooting comes from the mid-range area, where he loves to pull up. He’s not the most explosive athlete, but he has plenty of strength and bounce.
I know a lot of people will read this and be disappointed about how the season ended up going. Three months ago, we were happy to send that first-round pick to Indiana. Although, now, the Cavs could really use that pick. The Cavaliers need to find wing players this offseason, that much is clear. Isaac Okoro has gotten better, but on most teams he’s not a starter.
Collin Sexton will be returning from injury next season, we think. It’s very possible the Cavs let him walk into free agency and choose to draft a player or find a wing that better fits their needs, conversely.
Either way, the Cavs need to have a clear plan this offseason, or risk another season that spiraled downward, exactly like this season.