The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the few teams that still take a bit of a Twin Towers approach to the frontcourt. Of course, it has some modern tweaks, with Evan Mobley handling things on the perimeter and Jarrett Allen anchoring the paint.
However, as good as this partnership has been at times, the Cavs lack true depth behind Mobley and Allen. Thomas Bryant barely plays, Nae'Qwan Tomlin is undersized, and Larry Nance Jr. is not really in the rotation.
Considering that, FanSided's Christopher Kline believes that Koby Altman will finally address that need in the NBA Draft. In his pre-March Madness Mock Draft edition, he had the Cavs going with Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. at the 28th overall pick.
Chris Cenac Jr. can give some much-needed frontcourt depth for the Cavaliers
"Teams are naturally drawn to athletic (near) 7-footers who can bomb 3s, attack the lane and create events on defense," Kline explained.
NBADraft.net projects Cenac to go as high as No. 12, so having him available so late in the first round would be a huge steal for the Cavaliers. He won gold with Tema USA at the U17 FIBA World Cup in 2024, and he's made big strides as a floor-spacing, mobile big since.
While he only takes 2.5 3-pointers per game, Cenac has expanded his range and is knocking them down at a 32.1 percent clip. His 59 percent free-throw shooter raises doubts about his ability to be a consistent jump shooter at the next level, but his form and mechanics show promise.
While not a seven-footer, Cenac comes with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and an ability to defend both on the perimeter and around the rim. He can slash from the perimeter and has a variety of ways to attack the defense.
On the downside, he needs to bulk up -- he's listed at 233 pounds -- and is a limited offensive player when he's got his back to the basket.
"He needs to become a more functional, fundamental screen-setter and play-finisher before branching out," Kline added.
That said, the Cavs can certainly afford to roll the dice on him and allow him to grow through his mistakes and develop behind Allen and Mobley. Coach Kenny Atkinson doesn't play rookies that much, so he'll have plenty of time to add more muscle and work on his fundamentals.
For way too long, the Cavs' big men have been a talking point for all the wrong reasons. They have the physical tools, but way too often allow other bigs to outwork and outhustle them. That shouldn't be an issue with a high-engine young man like Cenac.