The 2022 NBA Draft Lottery was not one that was likely to be a particularly noteworthy for the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into Tuesday night.
The Cavaliers did not make the postseason, because of their late-season stumble, injuries aside, but it was meaningful for the team that they were able to retain their first-round pick for this next season. In Cleveland’s near-deadline trade where they acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers, a lottery protection for Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2022 was a crucial element to that deal, and that’s the same for 2023.
Now, the Cavaliers were not going to be expected to have a high or mid-lottery selection, even still, it was a silver lining to the team not making the postseason.
The Cavs were not going to likely have a top 4 pick or anything, as evidenced by them having a 97.6 percent chance of getting the 14th selection in next month’s draft, to that point. That scenario is what played out on Tuesday night as well, where, to no surprise, Cleveland got the #14 pick for then.
There a number of logical prospects for the Cavaliers for that selection, such as Tari Eason, Ochai Agbaji, Malaki Branham, who has often been linked to the team, and I’d understand if the team were to select TyTy Washington, or perhaps Dyson Daniels. If the Cavs potentially took an upside swing on Jaden Hardy, or if he were to drop, Bennedict Mathurin, I’d be cool with either, too, if the Cavaliers can find proper ways to develop them.
Another potential target for the Wine and Gold could possibly be Johnny Davis as well, and we’ll touch on how his skill set could provide juice for the team.
Davis could provide an offensive boost for the Cavs, if they were to select him in the late lottery.
Davis might not be there, but every year for a myriad of reasons, prospects fall, and it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Davis does to Cleveland at #14. I wouldn’t anticipate the Cavaliers look to move up via trade in this next draft, as an aside.
Taking a look at Davis’ skill set
In Davis’ case, for the Cavaliers, he again could provide some offensive punch to the team. I’d frankly expect Collin Sexton to be back with the Wine and Gold, and it’s reportedly a “top priority” for him to be signed to a contract extension this offseason. He could be in-line for restricted free agency, however, it seems highly likely that Sexton is back, and in the event he’s fully recovered, I could definitely foresee him back as a starter.
Whether or not that plays out, though, Davis, I’d imagine more so off the Cavaliers bench next season, could be a meaningful contributor as a rotational scorer with his on-ball abilities. The 6-foot-5, 196-pound guard/wing had a sophomore year leap this season at Wisconsin, en route to him having 19.7 points per game with a featured role.
In his freshman year, he had 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per contest. There were promising moments from him then, but with him moving to a starting and featured role, he blossomed into one of the Big Ten’s best players. He was the conference’s Player of the Year as well in 2021-22.
Davis is a physical driver that has capability to finish in traffic while getting downhill from drives on the wing, in secondary transition situations, and at times on catch-and-go plays. His strength mixed with some explosion going toward the basket led to him having 6.3 free throws per outing this season, where he converted on 79.1 percent of those.
Along with that, he also is a perimeter player that can create quality looks out of the mid-post, where he at times can convert shots over players from body control and leverage. Plus, he can generate free throws and still get middle from there, or get open looks to his teammates when help comes, and the same goes for him as a driver.
Now, if he were to be drafted by the Cavs, there will be others involved at the 2/3, of course, and Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens are guys that come to mind. Stevens, in that realm, played some at the 2 this season as well, for what it’s worth, and Sexton, provided he’s back, will have a key role.
All of that being said, Davis is a player that due to his abilities on-ball, could provide another meaningful driving presence, and in some lineups, could fill in fine at the 3 with his strength and could theoretically function some as a secondary playmaker. He wasn’t a world-beater in that regard this season for the Badgers with 2.1 assists per outing, but he could help generate looks for Darius Garland/Collin Sexton, Kevin Love and/or Evan Mobley, for instance.
Davis, as an aside, converted only 30.6 percent from three on 3.9 attempts per outing this season, and it’s uncertain if he can develop into a spacing presence in that way. I acknowledge that’s a big question mark with him; fortunately, he demonstrated catch-and-shoot potential.
His form is a positive, and Davis is a legit mid-range threat that can get to pull-ups regularly, and with his driving impact, could have threes come gradually. If he can be viable on catch-and-shoot threes at the next level, that’d make a difference for his overall game, and secondary playmaking. We’ll have to see if that does, of course.
I don’t discount Davis’ defensive upside, either.
Davis’ defense, and how he might be a better long term answer than others
Lastly, defensively, I do believe Davis could be competent against opposing wings and for some stretches on opposing lead playmakers.
He makes it difficult on the opposition with his physicality, getting back into plays in pick-and-roll situations, and he has active hands as a help side defender, where he’s so difficult to defend in live-ball turnover plays. That played into him having 1.2 steals per contest.
He’s a player that closes airspace on shooters, and can get through to contest well, even while recovering from sagging off-ball to get to the corners, and with players such as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, could really make it tough on drivers.
Plus, while I’m not saying he’ll be a seven-plus rebound guy regularly at the next level, Davis did lead the Big Ten in defensive rebounds this season, and had 8.2 per game. His positioning there could help the Wine and Gold get out and run more opportunisitically, and he’d be a grab-and-go player himself.
Looking onward, if the Cavaliers were to select Davis in the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23, he could, most notably, be a capable shot creator and provide another meaningful driver.
And if that were to mean Caris LeVert is potentially expendable, or maybe down the road, Isaac Okoro is, oh well.
The Cavs could go with a number of different guys it’d seem with their late-lottery pick in the first round next month, and he might not be there, but if Davis is, the 20-year-old would have to be in the mix, one would think.