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

3 of 3

Jaylin Williams, Arkansas Razorbacks. Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images /

Take a Risk With Pick 58?

If the Cavs do use the 39th pick to draft a player, or as an asset, they will still have the 58th pick to fall back on. There are so many different ways the Cavs could go here. They could take a huge swing and go for a prospect like Dominick Barlow from the Overtime Elite League. However, I have one player in mind, and I’ll take the rest of this article to point out why the Cavaliers would be wise to consider Jaylin Williams, the center from Arkansas with the 58th pick.

Jaylin Williams, Center, Arkansas (6’10” 240 LBS)

Now there is a little bit of doubt that Williams won’t be available at pick 58, but if he’s not the Cavaliers could also consider him at 39. At Arkansas this past season, he was a do-it-all center who made winning plays and excelled on the defensive end. His shooting range is extending as we speak, and his basketball IQ is very high. He’s an above-average rebounder and is a force to be reckoned with when he’s defending in the post.

The Cavaliers already have Evan Mobley, Kevin Love, and Lauri Markkanen in their frontcourt for the most part, so why would they want to draft another? Well, the other reason is because of what exactly happened this year. When Allen went down with injury, the defense was not the same, and that was the heartbeat of this year’s Cav’s roster. On top of that, Williams would definitely benefit in learning from Mobley and Allen. In my opinion, if he reached his full potential, Williams projects to be a player like Allen. The shot blocker and caller in the middle of the defense, who is constantly a lob threat, but still has a solid interior post-game.

Next. 3 ACC players the Cavs could take in 2022 NBA Draft. dark

Trade them or use them? If we use them, who do we use them on? If we trade them, what are we getting in return? Those are three questions that Cavalier front office will be asking themselves constantly over the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, the Cavs did not make the playoff this year, but it’s very possible a second-round pick helps them get to the post-season in 2023.