3 playoff heroes who easily could have been on the Cavs

3 playoff heroes who easily could have been on the Cavs: Jordan Poole

The Cleveland Cavaliers exited the 2019 NBA Draft with three perimeter players, and there were reasons to be excited about all three. Darius Garland went fifth overall and has been easily one of the three best players in this class, so that was clearly the right move.

Yet with their second first-round pick the Cavs took Belmont wing Dylan Windler, a talented player who still could become a solid two-way wing, but who has seen the start to his career ravaged by injuries and just hasn’t been able to establish himself.

Just two picks later the Golden State Warriors took Jordan Poole, a talented but raw guard out of Michigan. Poole had a slow start to his career but has exploded over the last 12 months; he finished fourth in Most Improved Player voting, just behind Garland, and is now starting for a Warriors team that may have become the title favorites.

Across his first four career playoff games, Poole is averaging 24.3 points and 5.8 assists, running the point for the Warriors at times but also excelling as an off-ball movement shooter. He and Garland would be a devastating combo, warping defenses and opening up plenty of space inside for the bigs to work. Instead of torching teams as the third Splash Brother, Poole could be making waves in Lake Erie.