After the Cleveland Cavaliers did not have a first-round selection in 2023, they enter the 2024 NBA Draft with their final pick with full-team control until 2030.
With a relatively flat draft, the Cavs do not enter the night expecting a franchise-altering star, but the volatility in draft stock and scout perception could give the Cavaliers a draft-night steal with the No. 20 overall pick. Last year, Cleveland selected Emoni Bates at No. 49 overall. Bates played his rookie season on the Cleveland Charge G League affiliate team, earning numerous accolades in his first year.
In 2022, the Cavs selected Ochai Agbaji at the end of the lottery but traded him to the Utah Jazz in the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster later that summer. The last first-round draft pick the Cavaliers have kept on the roster was Evan Mobley, selected fourth overall in 2021.
Cavaliers fans excited to be among the first to hear the name of the next prospect in Cleveland can join the first round of the draft at the following. This is the first year the draft will take place over two days rather than one prolonged event.
2024 NBA Draft time
Round 1: Wednesday, June 26 at 8:00pm ET
Round 2: Thursday, June 27 at 4:00pm ET
Where to watch
Both the first and second rounds of the NBA Draft will be available on ABC and ESPN.
Cleveland's recent draft history
In 2018, the Cavaliers selected in the lottery for the first time in four years, taking Alabama guard Collin Sexton eighth overall. One year later, Cleveland selected Vanderbilt's Darius Garland fifth overall in the 2019 draft. Isaac Okoro followed in 2020, then the aforementioned Mobley and Agbaji in the following two summers.
In 2022, Garland became the first homegrown All-Star since Kyrie Irving and has continuously cemented his place in Cavs history ever since. Garland's breakout third season catapulted the Cavs from obscurity back into postseason contention, averaging 21.7 points and 8.6 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from deep. He led the Cavaliers to the Play-In Tournament but fell short in two consecutive games. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen established a fearsome frontcourt, setting the stage for the Cavs to enter a win-now mode with the soon-to-come Mitchell deal.
Four of Cleveland's last five first-round selections have been players 6-foot-4 or shorter with Mobley being the only prospect taller.
Cavaliers draft prospects
This year, the Cavaliers will have a plethora of draft options ranging from another shifty dynamic guard to a versatile stretch big man available to them in the late first round. Recent mock drafts have suggested the Cavs could select Pittsburgh's Carlton Carrington, a 6-foot-5 point guard and one of the youngest prospects in the draft.
However, no reports have named Carrington as one of the prospects invited to work out with the Cavs. According to HoopsHype, the vast majority of draft workout invites have been delivered to big men, including Indiana Hoosiers center Kel'el Ware.
Cleveland has also explored the wing pool, including Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy, an Australian-born sharpshooter. Standing at 6-foot-9, Furphy produced 9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 35.2 percent from three in his first collegiate season. He enters the draft relatively raw with room to grow, but his size and shooting capabilities have made him an intriguing post-lottery option.
If the Cavaliers target a more experienced wing, they could target Jaylon Tyson, another player who has worked with the team. Tyson played his junior year with California after one year with Texas and one with Texas Tech. His aptitude to transfer to a new program has hurt his stock, but his continued growth and production has given Tyson the label of a potential underrated steal. At 21 years old, the 6-foot-7 wing enters the league with more experience and physical development, two attributes that could give him a chance to contribute in his first season.
With a mix of talent across the board, the Cleveland Cavaliers have seemingly left no stone unturned ahead of the 2024 Draft. When they are on the clock, they will hopefully exit the night with a player who is soon coveted across the league as a missed opportunity by the teams who passed on him. Adding a young but talented rookie could elevate the Cavs' future potential as well as offer another contributor on a team-friendly multi-year contract.