Obviously, this season did not end the way Cleveland Cavaliers fans would have hoped going into the All-Star break. If the season were to end at the trade deadline, Cleveland would have retained the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference. However, a series of injuries, slumps, and unfortunate events hit the roster, and now the Cavaliers will watch the playoffs from home.
There is, however, a silver lining to all of this. Back during the trade deadline, the Cavaliers made a trade with the Indiana Pacers to pick up Caris LeVert. In this trade, the Cavaliers traded away their 2022 first-round pick, lottery-protected and Indiana would have Cleveland’s 2023 first-rounder in similar fashion if it’s outside the lottery. Now that the Cavs are in the lottery, the pick belongs to Cleveland this go-round.
Also, Cleveland also has two second-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Cavaliers have one via the San Antonio Spurs, which will be placed at 39, and the Miami Heat’s second-rounder, placed at 58.
There are many routes Cleveland can go during this upcoming NBA draft. It can be trading up, trading down, trading out, or even drafting a player, there can be many ways Cleveland can get better in this draft. In this article, I will highlight a few options the Cavs can go.
Drafting a player in the first round
This option is definitely a safe bet, as getting a good rotational piece for Cleveland would not be a bad move. There are definitely many options Cleveland can take at their late-lottery pick, which should land around 14, barring any jumps. There are definitely a good handful of options available at this pick, but there can only be one player selected. Here are some players that could be the selection at the Cavs’ pick.
Tari Eason
Eason is a 6-foot-8 forward who will be 21 in May. If Cleveland wants to draft a good wing defender, then Eason should definitely be a top option. Eason was a semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Eason averaged 1.1 blocks and 2 steals per game for LSU.
Even with his stellar defense, his offense is very good as well. Eason averaged 16.9 points per game on 52/36/80 shooting splits, and he also won the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, so he is definitely comfortable coming off of the bench.
Ochai Agbaji
During this year’s March Madness, Agbaji helped Kansas win the National Championship. If Cleveland wants a player who can contribute right away for their team, than this should be one of the players they can draft. Agbaji decided to spend all 4 years in college at Kansas, averaging 13.5 points per game for his entire collegiate career. This past year, however, was his best season.
He averaged 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. His 3-point shooting was great, too, as he averaged 40.7% from that range this season. He can also be a viable shot creator, which can bring juice to this Cavs team.