The Cleveland Cavaliers are slotted at the 20th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on June 26. The group needs to hit on value, considering how first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 are owed to the Utah Jazz. And taking into account the strength of this talent crop, the chosen player shouldn’t be expected to be a top-eight contributor this season.
In fact, the last 10 picks selected at 20th have played an average of 15 minutes as rookies. The eighth player in the Cavs’ rotation in 2023-24 (Georges Niang) logged 22.3 minutes per game.
That doesn't mean a quality player can’t be chosen. Some notable athletes picked at No. 2 since 2014 are Caris LeVert, who is a decent sixth man; Matisse Thybulle, a bothersome defender; and Jalen Johnson, who would have a real case for the Most Improved Player award if he recorded the necessary games this past regular season.
At No. 20, the priority is always value over need. Let’s examine who could be available for the Wine and Gold.
1. Bobi Klintman, Cairns Taipans
Bobi Klintman is a high-level athlete at 6-foot-9 and has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He spent one underwhelming year at Wake Forest in 2022-23 and showed promise during the last in Australia’s NBL, putting up nine points on 44.3 percent shooting, with 4.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He is fast, has nice on-ball maneuverability for a big man, is effective in the open court, is willing to shoot the 3-pointer and possesses defensive instincts plus high impact.
Another note on his defense: He can blow up offense in the passing lane, and his mobility should allow him to blossom into a positive pick-and-roll defender.
His weakness is that stronger players can overpower him. So at this point, he owes many hours to the weight room. To boot, he must improve finishing near the rim.