The NBA is finally nearing what could be the start of a historic 2023 NBA Draft. The excitement surrounding the draft goes beyond San Antonio’s almost certain first overall selection of Victor Wembenyama from France. While the Cleveland Cavaliers will surrender their first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers, they hold onto the 49th overall pick via Golden State.
The Cavs are not looking for the next LeBron James in this draft, but this year’s Miami Heat NBA Finals roster proved that the second round could be full of rotational pieces with the right development. Certainly, many will look at 2023 Finals MVP Nikola Jokic as a former second-round pick, but the reality is that Cleveland is not going to discover a generational talent.
A number of rumors surround the Cavaliers as a team looking to move up into the late first round, but they may stand still with hopes of drafting a steal at 49. Late draft picks are an incredibly team-friendly contract, and the Cavs have shown themselves more than willing to develop hidden talent in recent years with Dean Wade as a prime example as an undrafted talent brought into the Land.
Who can the Cavs snag at 49?
The clear focus in this year’s draft for Cleveland is a long range shooting forward that is already league-ready. The Cavs have time to develop a player, but bringing in an immediate NBA-caliber wing is seemingly their goal. These players may have played multiple years in college prior to their entrance to the Association. They typically have a lower ceiling than the top tier of prospects, but they can be a perfect selection for a team only one piece away from contention.
These are four talented prospects that could be available at 49 for Cleveland, and could very well end up being steals.