4 quality draft prospects the Cleveland Cavaliers could target in the first round

3. Zach Edey, Purdue

The back-to-back National College Player of the Year (2023, 2024) is a 7-foot-4, 285-pound dominant force, posting up on the block and rolling to the rim. Zach Edey joined an elite group of few collegiate athletes who earned the consecutive awards, piquing the interest of numerous franchises in the Purdue prospect. The Cavaliers would be a nice landing spot for him because he’d be around quality teammates and wouldn’t be expected to do too much as a rookie.

Edey was the ultimate floor spacer in college because he attracted double teams with his back to the basket. He has a dependable hook shot with solid footwork and a 7-foot-10 wingspan, making his release point challenging to disrupt. Furthermore, his activity around the rim makes him a dangerous offensive rebounder and potentially a volume free-throw shooter at the pro level. He attempted 11.2 freebies per game, making 7.9, in his last season at Purdue.

Defensively, he has potential as a shot blocker, but he will have to adjust to shifting in and out of the lane and defending quicker pick-and-roll actions.

His weakness is that he turned the ball over more than he registered assists every season at Purdue. In his role with the Cavs, Edey would rarely be expected to distribute or run the offense, helping to alleviate his limitations.