The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for a low-cost bench addition in the 2025 NBA Draft, holding onto two second-round picks to complete the roster.
Typically, the second round lacks real NBA talent, but recent years have proven that older college prospects are perfect second-round picks to come into the league polished and ready to make an impression in year one. Stuck in the second apron, the Cavs need any team-effective contract they can find, and an underrated pick in the second round is the best opportnity to find that.
A week before the draft, the Cavaliers invited a group of prospects to Cleveland for a pre-draft workout. Among those names were two University of Kentucky products, including big man Amari Williams. The former teammate of another potential Cavs rookie, Koby Brea, Williams spent his fifth collegiate season with the Wildcats, starting in all 36 contests.
Averaging 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists, the England-born center presents a well-rounded interior player with a knack for passing and elevating his teammates. Though Williams was not a primary initiator with UK, he showed flashes as a uniquely smart passer for his position.
In RotoWire's profile on Williams on NBA.com, Williams earned a promising comparison to Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl. While Williams may not be as polished as Poeltl currently, his combination of defensive prowess, interior offense and team-first mentality could help him mold a long NBA career.
Williams is a stupendous interior presence with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, but his defense falls off on the perimeter. Crafty guards can punish him on the arc, and he favors drop coverage on pick-and-roll actions rather than contesting a three-pointer. He shows flashes of contesting a deep shot, but his game is clearly more comfortable in the post. Despite a flaw common among big men, Williams is everything the Cavs need in a backup center.
The Cavaliers cannot ignore Williams in the draft
Williams may be older for an NBA prospect at 23 years old, but Cleveland is geared toward winning now, and a proven big man coming from one of the nation's premiere basketball institutions cannot be overlooked. Standing at 7'0" and weighing north of 250 pounds, the Wildcat big man is an imposing presence and offers the Cavs a quality option to give Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen rest in key moments.
Given his comparison to Poeltl, it would not be surprising to see Williams develop into a starting-caliber big man or something close to it. Offensively, Williams is as polished as he could be. Whether he is catching a timely pass or lob, he is a strong athlete on his way to the rim. With the ball in his hands, Williams can barrel downhill to a powerful dunk. Otherwise, he has shown some talent in the post, backing down opponents and converting with a good move.
Where Williams shines the most, and makes himself a perfect Cavaliers target, is rebounding. In his fifth year, Williams earned top marks with a 29.7 DRB% and a 10.3 ORB% to make him one of the SEC's best rebounding centers. He also set a 9.9 Box Plus/Minus as he dominated his rivals. He did not earn these numbers by luck. Williams has great positioning when a shot goes up. On three-pointers, he prepares himself for a long rebound by backing up, but he never hesitates to rush into the paint to grab a close one.
He cleans up bad shots, getting more than his fair share of putbacks and tip-ins over his time with Kentucky. Considering Cleveland's tendency to lose focus in the paint and allow opponents to win a crucial rebounding battle, Williams is the perfect secret weapon for coach Kenny Atkinson to deploy at a moment's notice.
If Williams' rebounding translates to the NBA alongside his defense and interior scoring, the Cleveland Cavaliers could exit the 2025 draft with one of the greatest draft night steals in franchise history.