Cavs Draft Notebook: What are second-round picks really worth?

Depending on how you look at it, the Cleveland Cavaliers may have been lucky to miss out on the playoffs this season. A mere 25 days after acquiring Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in a trade that included their 2022 first-round pick, Jarrett Allen suffered a fractured finger. We wouldn’t see Allen play another minute this season until he came back for the play-in game versus the Hawks.

During the second half of the season, the injury to Allen was ultimately the final straw that broke the camel’s back. They sputtered into the end of what was once a very exciting season. However, because they did not make the playoffs through the play-in tournament, Cleveland was able to hold on to their first-round pick this season. Koby Altman deserves a lot of credit for throwing last-minute lottery protection on the pick.

The Cavaliers have two second-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft. What are those picks worth, and how can the Cavs use them to improve their team?

So now we’re here only 56 days away from the draft, and the Cavs find themselves in a precarious position in the off-season. Collin Sexton is due to get an extension. If the Cavs do want to hang onto the guard from Alabama, how much money are they willing to spend? If they decide to extend an offer to Sexton, can they still hold onto Caris LeVert?

Maybe the most interesting question is, what should they do with the 14th pick? Take a guy who could potentially develop into a star, but doesn’t offer much help to the roster right now? Or do they grab a guy like Ochai Agbaji from Kansas, who could help out an NBA team tomorrow if he needed to. However, instead of taking another look at one of the big-time prospects today, let’s dive into the second round, and the Cavs’ two picks there.

It’s rare that we get a draft class like the one we had in 2021. Last year’s draft had the star power, and depth to be one of the best in recent memory. However, not ever rookie who had a good season this year was drafted in the first round. Herbert Jones, who has an outside shot of making the NBA’s All-Defensive Team, was picked 35th overall by the Pelicans. Jones has been a stud on defense all year, while also averaging nearly 10 points per game, and is playing a vital role in the Pelicans’ first-round playoff series with the Suns. Three picks later, Ayo Dosunmu was drafted by the Bulls. Easily one of the biggest steals of the draft, Dosunmu was a very important role player for the Bulls’ resurgence this season. With the number 39 and 58 picks in the second round, the Cavs have the opportunity to possibly grab some very important role players.