2022 NBA Draft Big Board: Ranking Cavs top 14 prospects

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Tari Eason, LSU Tigers. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images /

Cavs’ NBA Draft Big Board: No. 9-11

9. Johnny Davis, Guard, Wisconsin
10. A.J. Griffin, Wing/Forward, Duke
11. Tari Eason, Forward, LSU

We have discussed in multiple places this week why Johnny Davis would be an excellent fit for the Cavs, so we won’t belabor the point here. Although there are legitimate concerns about his perimeter shooting and inefficiency, his defense and ball-handling give him a high floor and he meets too many of the Cavs’ needs to let him drop further.

A.J. Griffin is another interesting prospect to evaluate. He was an absolute sniper from 3-point range, hitting 48.3 percent of his 3-pointers this past season at Duke. What else is he? He could just be a Duncan Robinson-like bomber with slightly better ball skills; an incredibly valuable player but not one you want to use a Top 10 pick on. He could also be a two-way force who can be a team’s tertiary creator as well; that player is worth a Top-5 pick. The Cavs need shooting in a big way, and Griffin would at least bring that.

Tari Eason is one of my favorite prospects in the draft, a player whose defensive impact leaps off the page. Eason is relentless, defending all 5 positions and racking up such a number of steals and blocks that analytical models love him. Offensively he can draw fouls and finish at the rim, but his shot is a bit of a question after one great season (preceded by an ice-cold season). He would likely back up Evan Mobley but could potentially start at the 3 if his shot comes around.