The 2019 NBA Draft involved experiences of very polar ends of the spectrum for the Cleveland Cavaliers. On one side of the equation, there was the major draft win of selecting Darius Garland. On the other, there was Dylan Windler.
A case can be made for Garland being the best overall player of the 2019 class. Those who are of that belief will largely view the overall night for the Cavaliers as a win. However, even with that comes the asterisk of the other pick they made in the first round.
Cleveland selected Windler with the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The former Cavaliers wing was not built to last. After a few seasons in Ohio, Windler had one final year elsewhere in the league before presently being washed out of it.
Normally, taking a swing and a miss on a guy late near the end of the first round wound not be a big deal. In Cleveland's case, there are just a few too many strong contributors that came after Windler to completely overlook the mistake here.
2019 class behind Windler has aged well — just not for the Cavaliers
Windler had a forgettable run with the Cavaliers. The former Cavalier averaged 3.3 points 2.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 11.7 minutes per game during his time in Cleveland, shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from beyond the arc.
After his time with the Cavaliers was over, Windler spent 2023-24 bouncing around between the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Atlanta Hawks. The former NBA pro has now taken to playing overseas, carving out a revival of his basketball career with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL in Australia.
So, who were some of the players taken after Windler that make this selection look rough?
Jordan Poole went two picks later, 28th overall, to the Golden State Warriors. Poole has been a divisive player during his time in the NBA, but he did help contribute to an NBA championship. His overall level of quality easily outclasses Windler.
Keldon Johnson went right after Poole, 29th overall, to the San Antonio Spurs. Johnson has stuck with the Spurs ever since, providing steady role player minutes for the franchise, and even averaged 22.0 points per game in 2022-23.
There were also two really solid big men available early in the second round. Nic Claxton was taken 31st overall by the Brooklyn Nets. The Chicago Bulls found Daniel Gafford at 38th overall. The latter has blossomed into one of the more dependable centers in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks.
Nabbing Garland will always erase the other sore spots of the evening for the Cavaliers. However, amid a championship pursuit in 2025-26, any one of those role players taken after Windler could have provided extra support for a team that wants to return to the NBA mountaintop.