Cavs 2022 NBA Draft Notebook: Finding a gem in the second round

A bit of a reach: JD Davison, Alabama

Koby Altman and the Cavs tapped Alabama for their star guard Collin Sexton in 2018, so could Altman and the Cavs be headed back down to Tuscaloosa for a draft pick? Well, first, let’s be honest, Davison’s season at Alabama was very underwhelming. In his only season with the Tide, he averaged only 8.5 points per game, while also turning it over 3.5 times per game. However, Davison has all the physical traits you are looking for in a point guard.

With broad shoulders and a quick first step, Davison loves to pull up from mid-range, or take it to the rim. Defensively, he’s a natural athlete, so as it is with most young players, his defense will be based around his effort, but he sure has the intangibles to be a great perimeter defender.

When I watch Davison play in the open court it reminds me a lot of Steve Francis. He attacks the rim with ferocity, but at the same time has no problem stopping on a dime and hitting a 12-footer. His ball-handling skills are not really up to par with NBA lead guards, but that’s something he can work on with veteran players.

At 39, Davison is a reach, but he might be worth it if Cleveland were to go that route. His jumper is on par with where Darius Garland’s was at the time, but he also plays with a tenacity that Garland hasn’t shown yet.

He’s a different player than Garland, but both could benefit from each other.