Constructing the perfect dream offseason for the Cavs

Constructing the Cavs’ dream offseason: Draft AJ Griffin at 14

The 2022 NBA Draft is going to be chaotic and unpredictable, and that goes for the lottery as well. As many as 16 players can reasonably hope to go in the Top 10, which means a couple of very talented players will fall to the Cavs at 14. While they could certainly trade the pick to move up or down, most likely they will (and should) stay put and draft the best wing player available.

There is a growing chance that could be Duke’s AJ Griffin, due to concerns over his knees and that frequent injuries have sapped him permanently of some athleticism. That is obviously possible, and the Cavs would need to do their due diligence on his health, but what he does bring to the table is too tantalizing to pass up.

The Cavs desperately need a 3 and a sniper, preferably in the same package. Griffin can step in from Day 1 (whether or not he starts) and space the court like no other player on the roster other than Darius Garland can. He hit a whopping 48.3 percent of his 3-pointers last season and overall can score from anywhere on the court, with a deep bag of tricks in moving off-ball.

Griffin has a little bit of star upside, which is the frosting on taking Griffin. Even if he doesn’t ever reach that level, his combination of off-ball scoring skills, elite shooting and defensive potential make him both a perfect fit on a team that already has a couple of stars, and the most talented player they could hope to get at 14.