The Cleveland Cavaliers are struggling to dream right now. The draft might be able to change that if things play out perfectly.
Their team was not good enough in the Eastern Conference Finals, getting blown out by the New York Knicks in a four-game sweep. They seem light-years away, with a flawed roster that is trying to rely on two small guards, James Harden in particular, and two traditional bigs to break through to a title.
Rather than make a change after the Knicks punked them, Cleveland is running it back with all of their core players. That is the recipe for fans and players alike to lose hope that anything will be different this time around. Especially not with the Knicks deserving champions, the Boston Celtics getting fully healthy and other teams all loading up and improving in the East.
What could bring some hope to the roster? Adding talent in the draft is a way to do that, but Cleveland is armed with only the No. 29 pick in this year's draft. Especially in the era of massive NIL payouts and draft prospects returning to school at record rates, the pickings at 29 are rather slim.
That doesn't mean Koby Altman and his team cannot leverage it to make a difference on the roster, however. Here is how a "dream draft" for the Cavaliers would play out, recognizing that this is a great realistic outcome; Cam Boozer is not falling to 29th.
Another power forward might just make that slide, however.
Dream Draft Step 1: Koa Peat falls
The best realistic case for the Cavaliers is that a big-name player slides down the draft board on Tuesday night. Perhaps that is a point guard such as Alabama's Labaron Philon or Stanford's Ebuka Okorie. It could also be a big man, although there is a large tier of late-first bigs that should all go in the range of the Cavs.
The name to watch is Koa Peat. He was a top prospect heading into college and had a very strong season, starting with a breakout performance against the reigning champion Florida Gators on opening night. He was a starter and key two-way player on one of the league's best teams at Arizona.
He also cannot shoot, and forwards who cannot shoot get downgraded in the modern NBA. Peat has tremendous feel, great athleticism and has won at every level, but his lack of shooting could lead to a draft night drop.
That is step one.
Dream Draft Step 2: Kings Trade Up
Step two involves another team calling the Cavaliers and offering to trade multiple second-round picks to move up to 29 to draft Peat. The Cavs could certainly take him themselves, but his lack of shooting is a massive problem on their roster as well. He is not the best fit.
A trade down would be, however. Cleveland is facing another expensive roster, and having multiple roster spots filled with inexpensive second-round rookie contracts would be a major boon. If the Cavs can trade down a modest amount and pick up an extra draft pick or two in the process, they should pull the trigger.
In this dream draft scenario, the Sacramento Kings would be perfect. They send the Cavaliers picks 34 and 45 in this year's draft, and a 2027 second-round pick. It is excellent value for pick No. 29, and it allows Cleveland to add multiple depth pieces at the same time.
Dream Draft Step 3: Cavaliers take Tarris Reed Jr.
One of the late-first bigs who could fall into the top of the second round is Tarris Reed Jr., a bruising center who inhales rebounds and is a strong finisher inside. He was a monster in the NCAA Tournament, starting at center for a team that made the National Championship Game.
He is not a particularly skilled player, and he doesn't have much upside to develop a jumper, but as a backup 5, he is helped more by his strengths than hurt by his weaknesses. He would be an excellent pickup to add depth at an important position.
Dream Draft Step 4: Cavaliers draft Richie Saunders
The Cavaliers don't need the second of their two second-round picks to contribute this season, giving them freedom to draft an injured player in Richie Saunders. The BYU product is one of the better shooters and scorers in the draft, but a knee injury knocked him out for the season and he likely won't contribute much, if anything, to an NBA team in 2026-27.
That works for the Cavaliers, who have a roster packed with players who all want to get onto the court. Saunders was projected to go in the late teens before his injury, so Cleveland is getting a top-tier talent for a second-round pick.
Tarris Reed, Richie Saunders and a future second-round pick from a bad franchise. It's the dream draft they need to add young talent and a fresh perspective on things. And it just might give them hope to compete once more.
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