The NBA Draft is coming up, which means The Game Haus will be doing draft profiles for each NBA team. Each day, a new team will be analyzed for their past season, their team needs and targets. Today the Cleveland Cavaliers will be evaluated.
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The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a record of 19-63. They finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs entered this season in rebuild mode as LeBron James left in free agency. But the Cavs picked up a young guard in last year’s draft: Collin Sexton.
Sexton averaged 16.7 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range. He also was the first rookie to score 23 or more points in seven consecutive games since Tim Duncan. Sexton played alongside other young players such as Cedi Osman and Larry Nance Jr. as the Cavs typically played without their veterans.
Throughout the season, the Cavs played without some of their veterans such as Kevin Love, J.R Smith and Tristan Thompson. Love missed most of the season with a toe injury and played a total of 22 games. J.R Smith sat out the season as the Cavs announced that he will no longer be with team as both parties determined his future with the team. Smith was unhappy with his role at the start of the season. Thompson missed most of the season with a foot injury and played 43 games. This gave the younger Cavalier players an opportunity to grow.
The Cavs are looking for a fresh start. They recently hired a new coach (John Beilein of Michigan) and have two first round picks. The Cavs can continue their rebuild with their picks of this year’s draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers received the fifth pick in 2019 Draft. They also have the 26th pick of this year’s draft. They received the pick from the Rockets after a traded during the season.
First Round: Pick No.5, Pick No.26
Wings- The Cavs are off to a good start with Collin Sexton (at guard) and Cedi Osman but they need more. They could benefit from another wing player to pair with Sexton.
Defense- Cleveland was the worst defensive team this season. They ranked 30th with a defensive rating of 116.7. They also ranked 30th in blocks. The Cavs could benefit from a perimeter defender and/or a rim protector.
Playmaking- The Cavs ranked 29th in assists this season. While Sexton showed glimpses of being a playmaker, he is more of a scorer. He averaged 16.7 points but only 3.0 assists. The Cavs need a player who can create shots for others.
Rebounding- Despite a number of bigs, the Cavs were 28th in rebounds. Tristan Thompson is a solid that averaged a career high 10.2 rebounds. However, he missed most of the season. The Cavs need a player to fill that void.
First Round: Pick No. 5: Jarrett Culver, G, Texas Tech
Jarrett Culver (Image courtesy of Associated Press)
Culver is a 6-foot-5 guard from Texas Tech, who averaged 18.5 points and 6.4 rebounds. Culver is a two-way player that can help the Cavs on both ends of the floor. He is an exceptional slasher who can drive to the basket with ease. His versatility could help the Cavs in the long run.
His biggest weakness is his outside shooting. Culver shot 30 percent from the field last season, which is a drop from 38.2 percent in his freshman year. If he improves his outside shot at the next level, he can be more effective. His other weaknesses include shot selection and free throw shooting. However, he has a chance to improve in those areas.
First Round: Pick No.26: Tyler Herro, G, Kentucky
Herro is a 6-foot-5 guard from the University of Kentucky. He averaged 14 points and shot 46 percent from the field. Herro is a shooter with a reliable three-point shot. He is also capable of getting his own shot. Although his foot speed could prevent him from stopping quicker players, he is a willing defender that can guard three different positions. He also plays with an edge that teammates such as Collin Sexton could mesh with. Drafting Herro would be a good move for the Cavs.
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