When it comes to the NBA Draft Lottery, you’d be hard-pressed to find a team that has been more lucky than the Cleveland Cavaliers have been over the past decade or so. Since 2011, the Cavaliers have drafted in the top-14 of the draft nine times. That’s not even including probably their most important draft pick ever, which was LeBron James, in 2003. Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Collin Sexton, and Anthony Bennett, among others, were all high-lottery picks for the Cavaliers in the last decade. With that being said, I’m sure the Cavaliers aren’t proud of having picked nine times in the top-14.
Drafting in the lottery year after year means that the organization isn’t doing all the things needed to win on a consistent basis. With that in mind, though, how successful have the Cavs been when drafting in the lottery?
Since 2011, Cleveland has had three different number one overall picks. However, lucking into the number one pick didn’t happen every year for the Cavs. They’ve had two number four overall picks, two number five overall picks, and landed the eighth pick and fifth pick once since 2011. Considering the Cavs missed the playoffs again this past year, it’s pretty clear the front office hasn’t hit on all their high lottery picks.
From Anthony Bennett in 2013, to Evan Mobley this past summer, it’s time to rank the Cavaliers lottery picks since 2011. In my opinion, the greatest lottery pick the Cavs ever made was the selection of LeBron James in 2003. But, I don’t think that’s really up for debate, so he will be left out of these rankings, which again are from 2011-on. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the best and the worst Cavalier lottery picks.*
(*Picks 1-14)
#9. Anthony Bennett, Forward/Center, UNLV
(First Overall Pick In 2013)
If you’re a Cavalier fan you should remember this guy, even if it is just to forget about him again later. Cleveland stunned the NBA world when they announced that Bennett would be the first overall pick in 2013. As it turns out, the forward himself was surprised as well, as the Cavaliers had not notified him or his agent he would be the number one pick. As a freshman at UNLV, Bennett looked the part of a bruiser on the inside, with the flexibility to stretch to the three and hit shots. That year he averaged 16.1 points per game, while also grabbing upwards of eight rebounds per game.
In hindsight this pick was not only bad, it didn’t make much sense. Even though the 2013 draft was a weak one, excluding a couple of players, the Cavs decision to draft the big man came down to one thing: They had already drafted Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters in the years before so they needed to find a big-bodied player to pair with the two. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com expressed it best in a piece he wrote in 2020:
"“The following year, Victor Oladipo had some fans in the organization,” Fedor wrote. “But after snagging Irving and Waiters, the Cavs determined it made more sense to focus on a different position, choosing Anthony Bennett with the top pick while Oladipo went second overall. Whoops again.”"
During his one and only year with the Cavaliers he averaged 4.2 points per game, and grabbed three rebounds per game. He would go on to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets before taking his talents overseas. This pick was horrible, but the good thing is that LeBron came back the next summer, so the front offices’ mistake just got brushed to the side.
#8. Dion Waiters, Guard, Syracuse
(4th Overall Pick in 2012)
Another shocking top-five selection in 2012, Dion Waiters was drafted far too early in the draft. The 6’3″ guard played two seasons at Syracuse, and did not start. He was named Big East Sixth Man of the Year during his final year with the Orangemen. However, on top of the fact that he didn’t start, Syracuse’s zone defense was something that had NBA scouts a bit worried.
Waiters had a solid rookie campaign with the Cavaliers averaging 14.7 points per game on 42% shooting from the field. He was selected to compete in the Rising Stars Challenge with teammates Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Tyler Zeller. His second year in the league, he raised his scoring average to nearly 16 points per game, while shooting 43% from the field.
The reason Waiters is so low on this list is because he only played two-and-a-half seasons with the Cavaliers. From the moment he was drafted, he and Kyrie Irving did not see eye-to-eye. That led to a toxic locker room and tense player relationships. When LeBron James returned to Cleveland in 2014, Waiters was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavs ended up receiving Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith in return.
#7. Isaac Okoro, Guard/Wing, Auburn
(Fifth Overall Pick in 2020)
Before I take a lot of heat for Isaac Okoro‘s ranking, let me say, there is a little bit of reason to believe “Ice” can become a good two-way player. He’s just not there yet. However, his biggest problem is that he might not have much time to show improvement. Okoro was an interesting pick in 2020. On the defensive end, he has the talent and will to be one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. But, on the offensive end, he may as well take a seat.
Last year during his rookie year, Okoro averaged almost 10 points per game while hitting his shots at a 42% clip. His scoring dipped a bit this past year, but his efficiency definitely got better, as he hit 48% of his shots. On top of that, he became a much better three-point shooter this season, hitting 35% of his deep-shots compared to 29% in his rookie campaign, albeit on a low volume.
What really makes Okoro so low in my personal rankings, is that there were multiple players drafted behind Okoro that would have been a much better fit for the Cavaliers. Tyrese Haliburton was the 12th overall pick, and Desmond Bane who was the last pick of the first round, are just two examples.
Okoro is a very athletic win player, who can be great on the defensive end. However, his biggest problem is that he is essentially a ghost on offense, and his impressive defense doesn’t make up for his offensive game being nonexistent. If I were the Cavs, I would be dangling Okoro to see if there are any takers. However, because of his defensive prowess, he still provides some value, but if he doesn’t take the third-year leap in 2022-2023, he might be headed out of town.
#6. Tristan Thompson, Forward/Center, Texas
(4th Overall Pick in 2011)
When Tristan Thompson became the fourth pick overall, and the Cavs’ second pick in the first five, I was pretty surprised. Even still, looking back on Thompson’s selection over a decade later, it was a great pick. At the time, the two highest-rated prospects coming out of the college ranks were Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams. Personally, with my disdain for Duke, I would have preferred the Cavs select Williams first overall, and then draft a guard with the fourth overall pick. Luckily for the Cavaliers, they did not heed my advice.
Thompson was the second of the Cavs top-five picks. We all know how the Irving selection ended up. However, people do often forget how big of a part that Thompson played on that 2016 Championship team. Thompson was a pillar on the defensive end of the court, and was also a fan-favorite because of his passion and effort. In his nine years playing for the Cavs, Thompson averaged nearly 10 points per game, and had near double-digit rebounds as well.
Thompson, along with Irving, are the only two lottery picks that took part in the 2016 NBA Championship run. To me, Thompson is immortalized in Cleveland, and his number should be retired one day. However, while the pick ended up working out for the Cavs in a big way, Thompson was just a good NBA player. Not bad, and not great, but a good basketball player.
#5. Collin Sexton, Guard, Alabama
(8th Overall Pick in 2018)
I have a couple of reasons that I’m not a huge fan of Collin Sexton. I think he dribbles way too much, and has a usage rate that is way too high. On top of that, on the defensive end he’s often mismatched and gets easily beaten off the dribble. However, the biggest reason I’m not a huge Collin Sexton fan is because he is basically what we got in return for Kyrie Irving. So, before I go on, most of my gripes with Sexton aren’t necessarily his fault because, simply speaking, he really doesn’t stack up well in the shadow of Irving.
After winning the 2016 NBA Championship and another run to the NBA Finals in 2017, Irving requested a trade from Cleveland. Through all the drama, the Cavs ended up sending Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Celtics’ 2018 unprotected first-round pick. Many fans thought Thomas could step right in and fill the shoes that Irving left, but that was not the case. He only ended up playing 15 games in a Cavalier uniform. So, in essence the Cavs traded Kyrie Irving for a 2018 first-round pick. We can talk at a later time about how bad the trade was, but essentially in my opinion, the Cavs traded Kyrie Irving for Collin Sexton.
Sexton will never live up to the expectations of Irving, but he’s been a solid player for the Cavs early in his career. In his rookie year he averaged nearly 17 points per game, hitting 43% of his field goal attempts. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. Before a knee injury this season, Sexton might have been poised to have a break out year. However, now it’s left to the Cavs front office to decide how much they are willing to pay him going forward.
But, in conclusion, my disregard for Sexton is mainly based on the fact that he’s really the only asset the Cavaliers got in return for Kyrie Irving. On top of that, if you look at the 2018 draft, there were more than a few players taken behind Sexton that I would personally rather have on the Cavaliers. Players like Mikal Bridges, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and of course Miles Bridges.
#4. Andrew Wiggins, Wing, Kansas
(1st Overall Pick in 2014)
I’ll be short and quick when talking about Wiggins. The reason Wiggins is ahead of Sexton is because if you asked most NBA executives who they would choose between Wiggins and Sexton? I’m pretty sure the majority would take Wiggins. Which, again, is not a knock on Sexton. However, unfortunately fans never got to see Wiggins in a Cavalier uniform, who made his first All-Star Game this season.
I also would put Wiggins up this high because he was essentially traded for Kevin Love. Love was an essential piece to the 2016 Championship run. I will never forget Love locking down Stephen Curry in the waning seconds of Game 7. So in either scenario, I think drafting Wiggins was a good move for the Cavs, as it led them to their first championship.
#3. Darius Garland, Guard, Vanderbilt
(5th Overall Pick in 2019)
Darius Garland was the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and is often overlooked because of the big names in the draft like Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and RJ Barrett. However, outside of Morant and Williamson, he might be the best player from this draft. Garland did not have a great start to his career, averaging only 12.3 points per game, while only dishing out four assists per night.
That said, this year he took a major step forward. He was named an All-Star for the first time this season, and finished third for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. After adding Mobley and Markkanen to the starting lineup this season, Garland has looked dominant as the floor general. This year he averaged over 21 points per game, while also dishing out a whopping 8.6 assists per game.
He was a large part of the reason that the Cavs shocked the entire league this year with their level of play. Before a Jarrett Allen injury brought on a brutal collapse for the Cavs, they looked like legitimately one of the best teams in the conference, and a lot of that was to do with Garland. Without Sexton on the floor, Garland was able to command the offense while also scoring in multiple ways, and finding open teammates in their spots. It really shocked me how big of a leap Garland made this past season. He’s without a doubt one of the top young guards in the entire league.
Depending on what the Cavs do this offseason, he could be leading an Eastern Conference contender next season.
#2. Evan Mobley, Forward/Center, USC
(3rd Overall Pick 2021)
The decision to place Evan Mobley in the second spot was not an easy one. There’s an argument to be made that Darius Garland was one of the best players in the entire NBA this season. However, I truly believe that Evan Mobley could end up being one of the best players drafted, ever. If he can develop an outside game on a consistent basis and rebound better, he really could be better than some of the greats.
Watching him during his rookie year was a special experience, just as a basketball fan. Rarely do you see a player who’s so young have such a massive impact on winning and losing. It’s honestly pretty much unheard of. On the defensive end, his basketball IQ is off the charts, as he knows where to be to protect the rim, and even turned out to be one of the best shot-challengers in the NBA this season.
Offensively, he was a bit limited in his rookie year. He doesn’t look as natural on the offensive end rather than the defensive. But, towards the end of the season, he was taking more mid-range jumpers, and showed three-point shooting potential at times in the year. He really does have all the tools to be one of the best big men to play this game.
#1. Kyrie Irving, Guard, Duke
(1st Overall Pick in 2011)
If you were expecting someone else at the top spot, you don’t know me very well. While I don’t really agree with Irving’s off-court antics, he brought the city of Cleveland a championship in 2016. On top of that, watching him play basketball is a full experience. The way he glides and floats through the air to finish at the rim, or pull up is quite special. The only ill-will I have towards Irving is because of the way he left the city. Who doesn’t want to stick around and try and run it back?
Since leaving the Cavs in 2017, Irving has never been back to the NBA Finals. He also hasn’t played in more than 55 games in a season since 2018. However, none of that really matters to me because he played a huge role on that Championship team.
Over his career he’s averaged just a touch over 23 points per game, while shooting it at a 47% clip. He’s also been consistent with his deep-ball shooting, hitting them at a 39% clip.
Overall, I’m not a huge fan of Kyrie’s anymore, but there’s no questioning the fact that he’s one of the most skilled basketball players we’ve ever seen.