The odds ended up being in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ favor on July 29 when Cleveland received the No. 3 overall pick in the lottery.
Cleveland will have a chance to find a really solid piece in the 2021 NBA Draft that can fit in with its young core of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro.
Assuming that Cleveland brings back Allen, who is a restricted free agent this offseason, the Cavs have some flexibility with their No. 3 overall pick.
There won’t be an immediate need to fill, which means the Cavs can truly take the player they believe will best help them compete for a playoff spot in the 2021-22 season.
The Cavs could trade the pick, but there has been a report the team no longer has that option on the table.
I will say I've heard from one source that trading the 2021 pick is "virtually off the table" for Cleveland.
If Altman is serious about making a move for a veteran, it'll be with whoever is already on the roster and the 2022 pick/beyond.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) June 23, 2021
They could always change their minds, but the Cavs know that they are more than just one piece away from competing for an NBA title.
If Cleveland can find another young piece to complement its current roster, the Cavs will finally have a young core that could help them attract the missing piece in free agency.
Even if that avenue doesn’t open up, the Cavs would be wise to continue stockpiling young talent in hopes that they find a franchise-altering star, or so they can move one of their young pieces for a player that better fits the roster.
Here are three players that the Cavs should have their eye on heading into the 2021 NBA Draft.
1. Jalen Green, Guard, G League Ignite
Green seems like the ideal fit for what Cleveland needs on offense. Sexton can’t carry the team himself, and Green is arguably the best pure scorer in the draft.
He and Okoro would have very different styles on the wing, which would be good for the Cavs for matchup purposes, and Green’s offensive game looks extremely polished for a 19-year-old.
got 'em in the air with the shot fake 🔥 #adidasBasketball@JalenGreen | @adidasHoops pic.twitter.com/D3IGnrLsMi
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) June 16, 2021
It's very rare for a teenager w/ elite athleticism to also have a good foundation of skill & footwork at 19 years old. Jalen Green has the whole package to be one of the next special perimeter shot creators. pic.twitter.com/zwur1HnGwR
— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) June 23, 2021
Green has the makings of a star at the wing spot, and the Cavs may have a chance to draft him at No. 3 if Jalen Suggs and Cade Cunningham go with the first two picks.
In his G League season, Green averaged 17.9 points per game while shooting an efficient 46.1 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from 3-point range.
He already has an arsenal of moves and a very respectable perimeter game. Cleveland simply needs to inject some offense into its lineup outside of Sexton (and sometimes Garland).
Green is the perfect fit, and he has a more defined game than the next two players on this list.
2. Jonathan Kuminga, Forward, G League Ignite
Kuminga, who is still just 18 years old, is a freakish athlete that could become a great two-way player for the Cavs.
Kuminga’s game is still extremely raw, but he possesses the athleticism that could make him a great slasher right away for Cleveland.
Jonathan Kuminga is widely considered the fifth-best of the top five prospects in this year's draft.
He's also widely considered a clear-cut top five prospect. He's a prototype combo-forward that just needs to … learn how to play?
FULL SCOUTING REPORT: https://t.co/jDJ2FNV6Vp pic.twitter.com/aLiBLCJlx6
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) June 23, 2021
With Okoro already in the fold, the Cavs need another wing they can rely on, and Dylan Windler’s injuries coupled with Cedi Osman’s inconsistency truly leaves Cleveland with a hole at that spot.
The other aspect that Kuminga will bring to the roster is that he has the makeup to be an elite perimeter defender. At 6-foot-6, he can guard point guards but also switch on bigger players. He certainly has work to do at that end of the floor, but the tools are there.
NEW DRAFT VIDEO OUT!!!
Defense is going to be what gets Jonathan Kuminga on the floor early in his NBA career, and right now he's … not very good.
So why am I bullish on him on that end of the floor?
FULL scouting report here: https://t.co/qSjGNS702f
Like! Subscribe! Share! pic.twitter.com/D8E10YBCq1
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) June 23, 2021
Kuminga is a little bit more of a project at No. 3 than the Cavs may like, but he’s a consensus top-five selection for a reason. Cleveland needs to find elite defensive wings to make up for Sexton’s and Garland’s lack of size, and Kuminga will be able to get by on athleticism alone at times on offense.
There will be growing pains, but he still averaged 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 38.7 percent from the floor and 24.6 percent from 3 in the G League last season.
The shooting will have to come along, but it’s hard to deny Kuminga’s rare physical gifts.
3. Evan Mobley, Center, University of Southern California
On the off chance that Cleveland doesn’t bring back Jarrett Allen, Mobley would make the most sense at No. 3.
A 7-footer, Mobley can stretch the floor (he shot 30.0 percent from 3 at USC last season), and he is already an elite defender. He scores at all different levels, and here’s a glimpse of what he brings to the table as an offensive player:
https://twitter.com/Houst0n4L/status/1407533577059897346
Mobley averaged 2.9 blocks per game in his freshman season, but he possesses the rare ability to switch onto guards, a skill that has become vital in today’s NBA. As more teams move towards positionless basketball, having a big man that can defend multiple positions is one of the most important things in the game.
There aren’t many in the league right now, but Mobley could certainly be one of them.
Evan Mobley's floor as a player is as a top 5-8 defensive center in the NBA.
What makes him so special on the defensive end? And why should that translate so well to the NBA?
See the full scouting video here: https://t.co/vFZuapkHPS pic.twitter.com/H7ihSqCdTM
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) June 19, 2021
With Kevin Love looking like he’s on his last legs as a player, the Cavs honestly could pair Mobley and Allen together to create an ultra-athletic paint duo. It may take some time for Mobley to become enough of an outside threat to do that, but he already looks like a polished scorer at such a young age.
Cleveland has a lot of options at No. 3, but it will come down to who the Cavs deem is the best fit for the franchise going forward. Whether it’s a guard or a big, Cleveland needs to hit on this pick if the rebuild is truly going to start turning a corner.
