2018 Cavs mock draft nets Oklahoma PG Trae Young at No. 7
The latest Cavs mock draft has the franchise snagging Oklahoma star point guard Traey Young with the seventh pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic published his latest 2018 NBA mock draft and he slotted Oklahoma point guard Trae Young to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 7 overall pick.
Young is regarded by many college basketball followers, including Vecenie, to be the best collegiate player going right now.
With the LeBorn James emerging as a Young supporter, it makes sense for the Cavaliers to draft the Sooner with him available to selected with the seventh selection.
Here’s how Vecenie predicted the top 10: 1. Hawks, DeAndre Ayton, C, Arizona; 2. Mavs, Luka Doncic, G, Euro League; 3. Kings, Marvin Bagley, PF, Duke; 4. Suns, Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas; 5. Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr., C, Michigan State; 6. Magic, Michael Porter, F, Missouri; 7. Cavs, Young, PG, Oklahoma; 8. Bulls, Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State; 9. Knicks, Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama. 10. Hornets, Mikal Bridges, F, Villanova.
Young, 19, is averaging 29.5 points and 9.4 assists in his freshman campaign, which has included media speculation of the 6-foot-2 point guard garnering Player of the Year honors at the end of the season.
Vecenie wrote this of Young’s potential fit with the Cavaliers (subscription required).
"“As a lead guard, Young would fill a significant position of need long-term (after the Kyrie Irving trade this summer), regardless of the James decision that looms over the entire organization. Defensively, the concerns about Young are real. Also, it remains to be seen how his inefficiency thus far at the rim and ability to be taken out of games impacts his stock.”"
The NBA Draft will take place about a week before free agency commences, and the basketball world will hit DEFCON-5 when it comes to guessing where LeBron James will sign.
Like the deal the Cavs made before last week’s trade deadline, the selection of Young would be a sound move no matter James’ decision. If LeBron stays, he’ll be teamed up with a very talented, but extremely young point guard.
If James decides to play elsewhere, the Cavs will have a pretty good building block to go along with players they just picked up in Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr.
No one will pick this team to win the NBA title, but the Cavs won’t be the shell of a roster they were after James left via free agency the first time.
This mock draft also highlights why the Cavs didn’t want to part with the Brooklyn pick before the trade deadline.
If the draft went by wins and losses, the Cavs would be picking seventh and would come away with arguably the best player in college basketball.
It’s a deep draft and the possibility of getting a superstar player with the seventh pick is a higher than most years.
For what it’s worth, the only player I’d take over Young right now is Ayton, who Vecenie projected to go No. 1. The Cavs would also have to think long and hard about Doncic. He’s facing tougher competition overseas than he’d encounter playing in the NCAA and the 6-foot-9 guard is leading the EuroLeague in PER (26.9).
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The Brooklyn pick is looking better by the day, as our own Ryan Rosko noted. There’s a bunch of teams battling for the worst record and the pick is 1.0 game out of being tied for the worst in the NBA. The 2018 NBA Draft is June 22. Free agency begins July 1.