The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked everyone this season, putting together an unexpected run into the play-in tournament. Ultimately, they fell to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. However, by missing out on the playoffs, the Cavs were able to hold on to their 2022 first-round pick, that Koby Altman had lottery-protected. With that being said, the Cavaliers will be selecting outside of the top five for the first time since 2018, when they drafted Collin Sexton with the eighth overall pick.
While Sexton’s contract, along with perhaps Caris LeVert‘s will have to be addressed at some point this offseason, the next event on the summer checklist is the 2022 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Holding the 14th pick in the draft, the Cavs will have to wait it out to see who will be available to them in that spot. Chris Fedor from Cleveland.com reported that the Cavaliers have about 10 prospects in mind when it comes to the 14th pick. With so many prospects seemingly in play at 14, it’s time to figure out what prospects really fit this Cavalier roster.
In Sports Illustrated’s most recent mock draft, writer Jeremy Woo has the Cavaliers selecting Santa Clara wing Jalen Williams with the last pick in the lottery. Williams is a smooth, versatile, agile wing who can score anywhere on the court, and can create for others with ease.
The 6’6″ wing has an incredible 7’2″ wingspan, and while he wasn’t a lockdown defender in college, he has the tools to be an above average defender in the NBA. All in all, Williams might be a seamless fit for this current Cavalier roster.
Williams is a great shooter with a great frame
The former Santa Clara player went through a huge growth spurt from his sophomore year of high school, until his freshman year of college, as Fedor’s report mentioned. He was a point guard early on in his career, and still carries over a high basketball IQ, and playmaking to the wing. He’s never going to pick apart a defense with his passes, but his court sense is great, and he knows where his teammates should be on the court.
When you watch Williams play, he’s very methodical at times. Even though his combine numbers were very impressive, he’s not overly explosive and doesn’t have the quick-twitch first step like other wings. But, he uses his size to his advantage, easily using his frame to create separation between him and his defender. When breaking down a defender, he uses his hesitation move, or changes speeds often to get to the rim.
He was put into the spotlight this year at Santa Clara, and he definitely lived up to expectations. Averaging 18 points per game, while also pitching in four rebounds and assists, he was the clear leader on the Bronco team.
His outside shooting was great this past season, as he hit three-pointers at a 40% clip last season. He uses his frame to his advantage in his mid-range game, while also having a solid floater, which has become a top shot in the NBA.
The best of both worlds?
Two of the biggest decisions of the offseason will be what Koby Altman does with restricted free agent Collin Sexton, and Caris LeVert. If the Cavs were to draft Johnny Davis, Malaki Branham, or even Ochai Agbaji it might cause issues with Collin Sexton’s playing time, and/or role. Collin Sexton could reportedly fetch a $20 million per-year contract, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (subscription required). While I doubt he will be signed at that number, it would be nice to have him back in the starting lineup, or as a sixth man off the bench.
Enter Jalen Williams, one of the few prospects who has the frame to be a wing, while also having the skills to be a guard. It remains to be seen if the Cavaliers would like to stay with their current “big” starting lineup next year. However, by drafting a good two-way wing in Williams, playing time becomes flexible. Williams can play the wing, while head coach J.B. Bickerstaff decides which guards deserve playing time.
Overall, Williams has grown on me a lot as the draft draws nearer. He was a great shooter from all three levels last season, and he also showed the playmaking ability the Cavaliers really need to take them over the top. It’s been said for a while in the NBA that if you want good wings, you need to draft them.
While Williams may not be my favorite prospect right now, I won’t complain if he’s in Cleveland a week from now. With that being said, it seems like everyone around the league is pretty unknowing of what will happen between picks 4-14. But, I would say that makes it all the more exciting.
As Fedor put it in his article, “Finally a starting-caliber, two-way wing.”