3 players the Cavs might regret not drafting after Summer League

3 players Cavs might regret not drafting after Summer League: Josh Minott

Originally drafted: 45th to the Minnesota Timberwolves

Josh Minott got a lot of pre-draft buzz, in large part because The Athletic’s John Hollinger ranked him 10th on his 2022 NBA Draft Big Board ($$), while nearly everyone else in the draft community had a second-round grade on the Memphis forward. Young and raw, there was certainly potential, but it seemed like a big question mark rather than a sure thing.

Hollinger was almost certainly out over his skis, but Minott has absolutely looked better than the 45th player in this draft after five Summer League games. He has averaged 12.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, with absolutely nasty defensive averages of 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks. In short he has done a bit of everything thus far.

The shot is one of the biggest surprises, as Minott’s elite athleticism gave him a path to “STOCKS” (steals + blocks) and rebounds. Minott hit 41.7 percent of his 3-pointers in Las Vegas on a decent 2.4 attempts per game. If his outside shot is a weapon instead of a liability, his trajectory to becoming a rotation player skyrockets.

The Minnesota Timberwolves liked what they saw, recently signing Minott to a four-year deal. He was drafted 45th, six spots after the Cavs punted on the 39th pick to take draft-and-stash center Khalifa Diop. If Minott is playing rotation minutes on the Timberwolves in the playoffs and Diop is failing to develop overseas, the Cavs might regret passing him up.