The Cleveland Cavaliers are not a club that will likely be landing necessarily a key offensive option by way of the 2023 NBA Draft, given they do not have a first-round selection. It’s difficult to foresee them looking to trade for one, also.
With the team on the verge of contention and on the way up as they attempt to go deep in the playoffs for years to come, the draft can still can be of use to find gems, though, particularly in the second round.
For now, the Cavaliers are set to have one selection in June’s upcoming draft, with that being a mid-to-late second-round pick via the Golden State Warriors. That pick is currently slated to be in the high-40’s to seemingly the low-50’s; the current projection, per Tankathon, is for it to be No. 48. Of course, things can fluctuate clearly more in time leading up to the draft, which will commence on June 22.
So what sort of prospects could the Wine and Gold be targeting there, then? It’s feasible to believe Cleveland could target a perimeter shooter, a third lead guard or perhaps taking a forward with do-it-all-type potential, albeit with plenty of room to grow.
At this spot, it may behoove the Cavaliers to target prospects that could possibly find roles early on, although, they might not have every-night starting potential. For a club like the Cavaliers at this stage, that sort of rationale might be sensible, given their situation as a team on the rise, but with their known core guys that they’ll look to for much of their offense.
With that caveat, we’ll examine two 2023 NBA Draft prospects that could find roles early on with the Cavs.
We’ll first take a closer look at a player who could provide a shooting lift for the Wine and Gold.
Prospect No. 1: Julian Strawther
Julian Strawther is a player who could potentially be there for the Cavaliers in the mid-second round that could provide supplemental shooting for stretches around the key offensive cogs.
Strawther is a junior at Gonzaga, one of the emerging powers in college hoops. He’s come along in the past two seasons for the Bulldogs as a wing shooter, and has had 15.1 points per game on 61.7 percent true shooting.
Strawther has progressed over the past two seasons as a shooter from three-point range, and this season, has shown movement shooting potential for the next level, which is a skill set Cleveland could definitely use for off-ball contributors. Objectively, the Cavs could use an infusion of shooting at the wing spot, perhaps via free agency.
Strawther hit 36.5 percent of his deep attempts as a sophomore in a bit smaller role, but there was reason to believe he could further progress in that area looking onward, and this season has been encouraging in that aspect. He’s shot 42.6 percent from deep in 2022-23.
Strawther is not a player that projects to be a notable shot creator at volume at the NBA level, nor has he been with the Zags, and his defense is not something to write home about.
On the plus side, he has a fast release, a reputable shot motion, and for Cleveland, he could be an impactful catch-and-shoot player to utilize in stretches as an off-screen target. His 6-foot-7 size should help him as a shooter as well, and to counter perimeter shooting, Strawther is polished with his floater game, which he could get to after a few dribbles in set offense.
While the defense and lack of shot creation are obvious weaknesses, particularly for a three-year college player, Strawther’s strides as a shooter would make him a player that could end up having a defined role within the Cavs rotation. Given the bench’s shooting inconsistencies, he’d make a ton of sense, if he’s available.
Prospect No. 2: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Secondly, the 2022-23 Pac-12 Player of the Year in Jaime Jaquez Jr. is another intriguing 2023 NBA Draft prospect the Cavaliers should pay close attention to.
Some will be turned away by Jaquez being a four-year collegiate player, and him already being 22.
His perimeter shooting has left plenty to be desired over the course of his career with the UCLA Bruins as well, as he has converted on 32.7 percent from three over that period. He’s attempted only 2.6 of those per contest as well, which has resulted in a three-point attempt rate of 25.4 percent, and that’s been just 20.5 and 19.8 percent over the past two seasons, in which his role has expanded more.
Nonetheless, despite the deep shooting question marks, and how he could possibly contribute at the NBA level, Jaquez is a player who can create for himself in multiple ways, and for Cleveland’s bench, that could prove useful.
Jaquez, who has had 13.9 and then 17.3 points per contest the past two years for UCLA, has a well-rounded mid and low-post game, finishes through and around contact well. And his mid-range feel is polished, and to counter defenders anticipating him getting into the middies, he can get downhill as a driver, where his strength and wide pace enables him to get to the basket and connect or draw fouls.
Jaquez’s combination of ball fakes, foul drawing, post polish and push shot touch, and with him being a timely cutter, could potentially make him a difficult cover if he gets the opportunities.
At the other end, he could aid Cleveland to some degree as a team defender with strong and active hands, and his sturdy, wide base at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds should lead to him being a helpful rebounder in potential minutes. His off-ball feel could make a difference in rotational minutes early on, too, as he’s had 1.7 steals per-40 minutes with the Bruins over four years, and has registered a steal rate of 2.5 percent.
It’s tough to forecast whether Jaquez could be more viable at the 3 or 4, and there would be some questions about him playing with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen for extended stretches. But with Jaquez’s craftiness, he could feasibly give the Cavs a meaningful complementary bench shot creator, especially if the offensively inconsistent Caris LeVert isn’t back, and Jaquez is a good decision-maker and underrated connecting passer.
Don’t discount his toughness and fortitude, either, which would fit right in with this Cavaliers group. This might result in him falling a bit, however, if he’s on the board, the Cavs should consider him.