The Cleveland Cavaliers have the fifth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and these are three names the team should consider at that spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the fifth pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft. The team was one of three teams with the best chance at the first-overall pick. The team missed out and the second worst-case scenario played out when the Cavs landed the fifth pick. The Cavs could only fall as far as the sixth pick. So this was far from optimal on paper.
Yet, the 2020 NBA Draft is not a very strong draft, with more hope than hype powering the names at the of the draft. Players like Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball aren’t guarantees. Frankly, with the exception of Ball, these aren’t names that get many people excited. This isn’t like last year where guys like Ja Morant and Zion Williamson were seen as franchise-changing locks.
In most other yearly drafts, these guys would probably be seen as late lottery picks. That’s why the Cavs may have lucked out with their pick at five. The last thing this team needed is another ball-hungry guard like Edwards or Ball and if the thought process was to go get a thin center with no real presence at the perimeter? Then good luck.
The three prospects that fit the Cavs the best are the next few past the three most talked about. Hopefully, Cavs GM Koby Altman doesn’t trade away the pick and has faith in the guys that will be there. These are the three best prospects for the team regardless of when they’re picked, and that’s why the fifth pick works for the Cavs. Assuming they don’t pull another Darius Garland selection.
F- Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin was late to the draft game, a 22-year-old sophomore from Dayton, Toppin lead his Dayton Flyers to a 29-2 record and was poised for a big selection in the NCAA Tournament before its cancellation. Toppin, a forward, is more of a transition/low post type of player. His shooting range is suspect but it isn’t something so bad that you shouldn’t take a look at him.
Regardless of what happens with Kevin Love, Toppin is the perfect complement for a team of shooters. He can start right off the bat if Love does get traded, but assuming the Cavs are being honest in their desire to keep Love, Toppin can be a high energy piece off the bench to pair alongside (hopefully) sixth-man Collin Sexton.
His presence and physicality would be much needed, especially if Tristan Thompson does leave in free agency. Toppin is the same size as Thompson but about 20 pounds lighter. Toppin is also the type of player that, at least during his early days, could play center and do well. He’s faster and more athletic than most NBA bigs and can outmaneuver the bigger players with his stellar athleticism down low.
Thompson and fellow big-man Andre Drummond are not known as big points scorers from inside the paint with Drummond’s best season being around 17 points a game (14 points a game for his career). The hope is that Toppin can give the Cavs a more steady low post presence to take the pressure off of Love or replace Love should the Cavs trade the veteran forward from UCLA.
F- Deni Avdija
Deni Avdija is an Israel prospect that hasn’t done much during his time with Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv in the Euro League but has dominated in the FIBA U20 side of competition. Playing with young men around his age, Avdija was on the Israeli team that won back-to-back titles in the competition. The first title saw Avdija play little involvement in the offense, scoring only six points in the championship game but he ended up playing nearly 26 minutes and often times playing great defense against the Spanish team. So while he wasn’t scoring 30 points as an 18-year-old, he showed stellar presence defensively.
In the 2019 FIBA tournament, however, Avdija took home the tournament MVP.
Avdija is more than just his numbers. He runs the court like any great playmaker in the NBA, with nimble precision and awareness that screams confidence. He’s not just a shooter, but a great all-around offensive threat, and can be a team’s primary playmaker with his vision. While not as polished, any comparison to Luka Doncic as a prospect is warranted. Though Doncic was far more tested, it’s fair to say Avdija is not. Tel Aviv didn’t build their team around him like Real Madrid did with Doncic.
Avdija is a better defender than Doncic though. He’s able to defend the low-post or the perimeter with confidence and can even block shots without making body contact against players. His defense is one of his better attributes, something that sets him apart from other players.
Avdija is not a better prospect than Doncic, as everyone (who knows what they were talking about) saw Doncic as a Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Lebron James-esque game-changing player. Avdija could surely grow into that kind of player, but if he only develops into the next position down, then so be it. That’s still better than what the Cavs already has.
F/C- Precious Achiuwa
Ideally, this is the worst-case scenario. If for whatever reason the Cavs don’t take any of the five previous names listed (Toppin, Avdija, Ball, Edwards, Wiseman), Precious Achiuwa could work for what the Cavs need. As there really isn’t a guard worth going for broke for in this NBA Draft, and the only late first-round pick that really intrigues people (Cole Anthony) isn’t better as a prospect than who’s still on the board at this point, the best bet for the fifth spot if you feel the need to reach is Achiuwa.
Achiuwa is a stretch here and not a player that you should take unless something happens to one of the top five prospects, be it a devastating injury, an arrest, or they pull out of the draft for whatever reason. That’s the only time you should consider Achiuwa at five.
Or if you trade back into the top 12 or so.
Achiuwa is a good presence down low and can be very physical. He’s a slashing four but can learn to be a better option in any pick-and-roll situations. He also proved he can handle the low post low after teammate Wiseman left Memphis.
He’s not a great blocker, but with his size, he should learn how to do it effectively enough. He’s also a terrible perimeter scorer, so the question then becomes if you draft Achiuwa then do you trade Larry Nance Jr.? They’re effectively the same player, only one is younger and has a higher upside than the other, while also far less expensive.
You’re not drafting Achiuwa to come in right away and play big minutes. He’s got a lot of good quality skills, but he’s not someone who can leap right in and help lead a team to success. He’s a project for sure.