With the NBA Draft rapidly approaching, teams all around the league get set to review their assets and no matter what the past season looked like, chart a path forwards.
Despite winning 52 regular season games and taking a trip the Eastern Conference Finals, the upcoming draft is as important for the Cleveland Cavaliers as anyone. While they hold just the 29th pick, it offers a lifeline into the future for an organization struggling to find clarity.
As stated many times, Cleveland's financial predicament puts them in a precarious spot, adding an extra layer of importance to whoever they select. Slated to be one of just two teams over the dreaded second apron next season, the Cavaliers must draft a player that they are assured can compete in the rotation long term.
Taking a flyer on a player that has tools but needs to develop many not be their best course of action. Rather, Cleveland should be hard-pressed to find a player with the versatility to be able to adapt to various roles and have the skills to compete now en route to meaningful minutes, and that's exactly they'll find should they select Sergio De Larrea with their pick.
The Spanish guard has the size, handling capability and potential to shoot to become a cog in their Cavaliers' rotation and should he be available at 29, it would make all the sense in the world to scoop him up.
De Larrea has had an unorthodox path
Now 20 years old, De Larrea began to play professionally for Valencia's first team last season, 2024-25. At 6'6'' and 200 pounds as a lead guard, he offered a major level of intrigue as a jumbo creator with plenty of runway to develop.
De Larrea did not see a massive share of minutes in 2024-25, but he certainly played a role, averaging 12.4 minutes per game and contributing 5.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per realgm.com. His shooting numbers the most intriguing aspect of his output, as De Larrea shot 47 percent from the field and a blistering 43.2 percent from three on limited attempts.
He flirted with the NBA Draft after last season, but ultimately decided to return to Valencia for the 2025-26 season. While his numbers on paper haven't improved drastically, he showed very similar flashes, adding a level of consistency to his resume.
This season, De Larrea upped his statistics across the board, posting 71. points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 14.7 minutes per game while continuing to shoot the ball well from 3 at 39.2 percent.
To get even further into the numbers, De Larrea's playmaking took a promising leap as while his assist rate did not increase, his turnover rate dropped heavily from 27.7 percent to just 19.3. It's also important to note that his usage rate ticked up from 21.5 to 22.1 percent, meaning he was tasked with more on-ball responsibility and still turned the ball over less.
Now, with youth still in his favor, De Larrea will enter the 2026 class with plenty to get excited about. On it's own, a jumbo creator that can pass and shoot is a very exciting archetype, but it's more than just that.
First of all, the shooting will determine his floor. Across two years, De Larrea has proven to be a weapon off the catch and if all else fails, he can hang his hat on the fact that he's a 6'6'' wing who can knock down shots.
The playmaking, however, will determine his ceiling. He clearly has a high basketball IQ and knows how to make high level reads, even if the numbers don't necessarily validate that completely. Because his shooting allows him to play off the ball, he can operate in the range of a combo guard tasked with secondary creation at least to start his career. A dangerous shooter that can attack closeouts and facilitate is a weapon that almost all teams covet.
It should be noted though, that the potential to be a primary playmaker in the NBA feels significantly less certain than his potential to shoot. He isn't a particularly explosive athlete, nor is he very strong at this point and his handle also leaves some things to be desired. The strength and handle can and should improve as he ages, at least to some extent, but it would still mean a lot would have to go right for him to be a lead guard for a team.
Defensively, De Larrea at his best will likely trend just above average. He plays hard, no doubt about that and has the length to compete, but strength and athleticism will continue to hinder his ceiling on that end.
As should be expected, it is the offensive profile that will move teams to seek him out in the draft. To be able to throw a guy into the rotation that can pass and shoot in a multitude of roles is enticing and can earn him a significant amount of money.
De Larrea would give the Cavaliers flexibility
Should Cleveland select De Larrea, he opens up their options with rotational adjustments and potential trades as well.
Obviously, he isn't cracking the starting backcourt for the time being and currently, the other guards and wings in the rotation are Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor, not to mention Keon Ellis who is an unrestricted free agent.
If De Larrea is the selection, it's hard to imagine that all of those guys are back. The Cavaliers may decide to not pick up Porter Jr.'s club option and let him walk, but that wouldn't save the team any money. The more likely scenario would be for Cleveland to deal Schroder, who's set to make over $30 million over the next two years.
By dealing Schroder, it would not force De Larrea to automatically assume full backup point guard duties, rather he'd be able to still ease into the role. Should Schroder be traded, the Cavaliers would more than likely bring back Porter Jr., and Strus has also be known to take on a creative role from time to time. So, there are options and dealing Schroder feels like the front runner.
The wild card in this situation is Proctor. After not getting much time this season, it would make sense for him to slide into a larger role. However, he offers probably the most similar profile to De Larrea, meaning that a De Larrea selection would be a vote of no confidence in Proctor's long term outlook.
A Strus trade may also be on the table, as it would yield a larger return than a Schroder trade and would allow De Larrea to have a more advanced role on the wing. This remains a long shot, but is certainly not out of the question. It also should be stated that the Cavaliers taking De Larrea would make it increasingly unlikely that Ellis would return.
In a vacuum, De Larrea's offensive profile gives Cleveland exactly what they need in their rotation: the versatility to both save money and yield a championship-caliber team. While a combo guard isn't exactly their biggest need, De Larrea would allow the Cavaliers to both win now and develop a promising weapon for the future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google