Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin nowhere in latest NBA Draft rumors

Some rumors involving the Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2020 NBA Draft.

The Cleveland Cavaliers want one of three players in October’s NBA Draft.

Those names include Memphis center James Wiseman, Georgia’s Anthony Edwards and 6-foot-7 point guard LaMelo Ball, according to SI.com’s Sam Amico.

A name that’s gotten a lot of run here, Obi Toppin, was obviously the first name that came to my head when determining who was left missing.

Toppin, the reigning national player of the year, has gotten every kind of review imaginable since he played his last game for Dayton, ranging from lottery pick, to top-10 pick, to top-5 and potentially top three.

The thing Ball, Wiseman and Edwards seem to have more of heading into the draft is ceiling, meaning they could be potential franchise changers. Amico noted that Edwards has been compared to D-Wade!

That said, having actually accomplished something the college game should account for something. Remember, when Wade came out, he he made Marquette relevant for the first time since the 1980s. Wiseman basically quit on Kansas, while Edward’s Bulldogs were probably going to be left out of the tournament.

Meanwhile Toppin was enjoying a stellar season cut short by COVID. Don’t forget, his efforts were vindicated by writers, who named him the national player of the year. Not every great college player turns into a great pro, but it should count for something in what’s considered a lousy draft, shouldn’t it?

Plus, he fits into today’s game, meaning he’s a big who can stretch floor. Defense is a concern, but that’s true for most players in the NBA.

Alas, there’s tremendous pressure on GMs find the next superstar and the three listed prospects listed by Amico are more intriguing. At the age of 22, Toppin is considered old for the draft, as he went back to UD after testing the draft waters last summer.

Be careful, Cleveland, “upside” is how guys like Anthony Bennett get drafted, and frankly, I don’t have the patience.

The season may have been cut short, but the Cavaliers were awful, again, for the second straight season. I’ll give them one more clunker for 2020-2021, but then it’s time to at least make me believe you can compete for middle seen in the East.