Finding high-upside, NBA-ready talent in the late first round is a tall task for many NBA franchises, but the Cleveland Cavaliers might have a perfect storm brewing in the coming draft.
We have already covered incoming rookies who match much of what the Cavaliers need, but none have been a perfect no-brainers. Tarris Reed, Jr. stands out as the cleanest addition to the team, offering a bruising athletic big man to round out the Cavs' frontcourt rotation, but his lack of three-point shooting and defensive switchability has left other analysts to shift their focus to other possibilities.
Outside of the obvious help needed at the center spot, the Cavaliers could also find immediate help with another big wing with Dean Wade's coming free agency and the already present lack of size on the perimeter. Mock drafts have offered potential answers for Cleveland, but No Ceiling's latest mock would gift the Cavaliers a best-case scenario with that no-brainer perfect selection.
With pick 29 in the draft, the mock draft has the Cavaliers selecting Santa Clara freshman forward Allen Graves. Standing at 6-foot-9, Graves was a standout prospect in his lone collegiate season, averaging 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting over 40 percent from deep on moderate volume.
Graves is the perfect Cavaliers prospect, if he's available
Graves's youth and NBA-ready frame and skill set have been an exciting mixture for scouts, being mocked as high as number 18 in Sports Ilustrated's latest piece. While Graves' draft ceiling is high, he has shown a lot of variance in placement over recent weeks, and No Ceiling's Nathan Grubel notes how such a fall on Draft Night would surprise the NBA world.
"This would be a surprising fall from one of the draft’s analytics darlings in Allen Graves. But should Graves actually be on the board for this long, Cleveland Cavaliers fans should be ecstatic. Graves has the size and length to compete at the power forward position, with an expanding offensive skill set that includes making plays for others out of post-up possessions, shooting from three-point range, and operating as a hub from the top of the floor."Nathan Grubel, No Ceilings
Grubel's analysis acknowledges the high upside and impact Graves can bring on day one. He is young, but he is not a rough project talent. His expansive offensive tool kit already make him a plug-and-play option for a Cleveland depth chart. He still struggles to create his own shot on the ball, but his play finishing and shooting perfectly suit what the Cavs need out of a backup wing/forward.
In 35 games played at Santa Clara, Graves typically played off the bench, leaving him less seen by draft scouts and experts. His limited shot creation is a serious limiter, but his stats jump off the paper with rebounding and defensive talent. Graves finished the season with a 16.7 total rebounding percentage and a conference-leading 4.9 steal percentage. He also led his college conference in Offensive Box Plus/Minus at 8.4, another highlight of his on-court impact.
Graves presents a ready-made low-usage, high-impact NBA role player. He would be an instant contributor to the Cavaliers' gameplan. While Grubel's projection of Graves as the second-last pick in the first round feels too rich for Cleveland to bank on becoming reality, it is nonetheless a uniquely eye-catching possibility. If Wade returns this summer, the Cavaliers would still be smart to add another big wing who can slide up positionally rahter than relying entirely on Wade.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have a surprisingly large selection of talented prospects at pick 29, but Graves is a clear winner among the crop. If the Louisiana native is available when the Cavs are on the board, the front office would be foolish to make any decision but to select him for the present and future of the organization.
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