After not having a first round selection in last year’s draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to have the 29th overall pick this year.
The Cavs are coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but do need to add more depth to their roster in order to continue taking steps as contenders in the East.
There is a lot of intriguing talent at the backend of the first round, especially when it comes to wings and big men, two of the Cavs’ biggest needs. With Atlanta acquiring Aaron Wiggins a couple days ago, one wing prospect could fall to Cleveland at 29.
The Cavs’ odds of drafting Duke wing Isaiah Evans have increased
Evans was a popular mock draft selection for the Hawks, but with Wiggins now in the fold and expected to be a key piece off the bench, their need for Evans has decreased.
This could be a huge potential development for the Cavaliers, as Evans is the exact kind of wing they have been missing for the last couple seasons. He is a little bit on the slender side, only weighing at 180 pounds, but does have a 6’6” frame and a 6’9” wingspan.
He took on a larger scoring role this past year at Duke, averaging 15 points per game and shooting 36 percent from three. He is not afraid to get his shot off and would fit in nicely as another catch and shoot option for Cleveland. He is also excellent as a movement shooter and would benefit learning from Sam Merrill and Max Strus, who are two of the better reserve shooters in the league.
Defensively, Evans plays very hard and is great at generating deflections. He is great at playing passing lanes and is almost always in the right spot defensively. The one concern is how much can he hold up against bigger wings, which makes a bulk up imperative for him. He has the tools to be a good defender, but added strength would go a long way.
Evans has all the tools needed to become an everyday rotation player for the Cavs. If he is available at 29, Cleveland has to consider taking him.
He is one of the best shooters in the draft and we have seen the Cavs tap into the shooting talent of Merrill and Jaylon Tyson, who was top five in the league in three-point percentage this past season. Evans has the potential to be the wing they have been missing and add to a group that needs more youth.
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