The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on July 29. With the draft coming up, The Game Haus will be doing draft profiles for each NBA team. NBA squads will be analyzed, team needs will be addressed and potential targets will be discussed. With a high first round pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in a prime position to select a franchise-changing player.
Summary
The Cleveland Cavaliers were expected to finish among the worst teams in the NBA this season. The Cavs finished with the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 22-50. However, Cleveland’s path to this record was different than usual. Instead of struggling to win the majority of the season, the Cavaliers started the season at a solid 10-11. By the halfway mark, Cleveland began to struggle at 14-22. In their final 36 games, the Cavs won only eight games.
On the bright side, the Cavs saw Collin Sexton blossom into a near All-Star, averaging 24.3 points while shooting over 47%. In addition, Darius Garland was one of the NBA’s most improved players averaging over 17 points with over 6 assists per contest. Cleveland’s rookie forward Isaac Okoro made the NBA’s 2nd All-Rookie Team after a solid debut season. Furthermore, the Cavaliers acquired Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince for Dante Exum, the Bucks’ unprotected 2022 1st rounder and Cleveland’s 2024 2nd rounder. This ended up being a great value for the Cavaliers as they acquired their possible center of the future in Allen. Overall, Cleveland had another difficult losing season, but have promise going forward with a solid young core.
Picks
For the 2021 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers only have one pick.
First Round: Pick No. 3
Team Needs
Forward Scoring- Cleveland certainly seems set in their backcourt with two dynamic playmakers in Garland and Sexton. On the other hand, the Cavaliers’ forwards struggled at times. Kevin Love and Dylan Windler both struggled with nagging injuries for the majority of the season. In addition, Okoro had a rough rookie season on the offensive end until the last stretch of the season. Prince and Cedi Osman were both quite inconsistent offensively. Adding a skilled, consistent scoring forward could make Cleveland’s offense remarkably better.
Size/Length- The Cavs have a lack of size at the shooting guard and small forward positions. Sexton starts at shooting guard alongside Garland at point guard, Sexton stands at only 6-foot-1. Considering Sexton gives up 3-6 inches versus each shooting guard he defends, this makes him a defensively liability at times. The 6-foot-6 forward Okoro often plays small forward and is somewhat undersized. Okoro is a skilled defensive player, but when the backcourt is already undersized, Okoro’s lack of height becomes glaring. Of course, Cleveland’s undersized positions also means they have a lack of length. If the Cavaliers were to add a tall, lengthy forward this could help balance out their undersized positions.
Projected Targets
Round 1, Pick No. 3: Evan Mobley, C (USC)
The Cavs will likely be picking from the top four prospects in the draft, Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs. Cunningham will almost certainly be selected at one by the Detroit Pistons. What the Houston Rockets do at two will likely determine Cleveland’s pick. Houston could use a big man, which Mobley could provide. However, Houston is probably not committed to John Wall due to his large contract, so a skilled guard like Green could suite them well.
So far, the two prospects rumored around Cleveland are Mobley and Green. The Cavs should feel good about their backcourt and their defensive stopper in Okoro, so Green does not seem very necessary. Jarrett Allen will be a restricted free agent this offseason and will demand a large contract. Mobley would be a good option to replace Allen if Cleveland lets Allen go. Also, Mobley is tall at 7-foot but is quite lean weighing roughly 220 pounds. This allows Mobley to run the floor well, and he has a solid jump shot. Furthermore, Mobley is a great rebounder and elite shot blocker. Mobley brings great length with a 7-foot-4 wingspan.
Mobley would address Cleveland’s need for size and length, and has the skillset to possibly play power forward. The former USC Trojan at power forward could work if Cleveland wants to resign Allen for a long term contract at center. Having two 7-footers in their frontcourt would make up for Cleveland’s lack of size else where. The potential frontcourt of Mobley and Allen could be a fearsome duo. The two lengthy 7-footers could make paint scoring extremely difficult for nearly any NBA team. If Houston decides to pass on Mobley at two, look for Cleveland to snag the talented big man.
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