Report: Cavs Reveal Latest Plans Regarding Their 1st-Round Draft Pick

Several recent reports have indicated that the Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed a willingness to part ways with the eighth overall draft pick in order to trade for an established star and attempt to entice LeBron James to re-sign with the team.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, however, the Cavs fully intend to draft a player with the eighth pick on Thursday night:

“Cleveland, owners of the No. 8 pick in the draft, will make the selection without knowing James’ intention for next season, multiple sources told ESPN. James is currently on vacation with his family, sources said.”

McMenamin continued to discuss how the Cavs plan to approach the draft and which prospects they plan to target:

“The Cavs are entering into the draft with the intention of making a selection that they will keep on their team next season. There is interest in finding a young playmaker to add to their veteran core and Cleveland believes it will have the opportunity to choose from an available player pool that will include the likes Collin Sexton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trae Young, Michael Porter Jr., Kevin Knox, Mikal Bridges, and others.”

He continued to say that while the Cavs have inquired about the availability of disgruntled San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, they do not think a deal will be able to get done:

“Cleveland has made a call to inquire about the availability of San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard, but the franchise does not believe it has the realistic assets to convince the Spurs to deal them the former Finals MVP considering what other teams on the market can offer.”

This report, coupled with the fact that James is seemingly uninvolved with the Cavs’ draft process, indicates that the Cavs are preparing for the possibility of going into the 2018-19 NBA season with James no longer on their roster.