Cleveland Cavaliers: Koby Altman should not take a guard in NBA Draft

If Koby Altman takes yet another guard in the NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers should move on from him.

Honestly, GM Koby Altman hasn’t been a home run for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sure, he pulled off a deal that landed Andre Drummond for peanuts, respect where it’s due but he picked Darius Garland over Tyler Herro, gave Kevin Love a deal no one else was going to, has made more trades than a broker on the New York Stock Exchange and hired a coach that lasted mere months. Altman is not off to a good start.

Yet, Altman is doing the usual toe-tapping reply of ‘everyone’s in play for us’. No one’s asking for Altman to give away team secrets, but he could say “we’re focusing on one position/player/need”. He didn’t. He’ll probably take LaMelo Ball at No. 5 if he’s there. Altman has a craving for guards who can only do some things well. Talking to the media on Friday, Altman assured fans that despite drafting the same type of player three times in two years, he’ll do it again.

"We’re going to take the best talent. We like where we are at — No. 5. We’re going to get a really good player."

Garland wasn’t a talked about college player. He’s certainly wasn’t the most talented player available. He’s one of those “OMG THE POTENTIAL” types of players that scouts keep drooling over. Guys who barely produce in college and teams think they can change them into stars.

Garland played five games and had all of 2.5 assists. Do you know how easy it is to pad stats in just five games? Yet, he was drafted to lead the offense. It’s almost mind-boggling how poor that move was. It’s possibly the worst draft pick the team has ever made. Garland was so bad that he wasn’t just the worst-rated rookie in the 2019-2020 season but he was the worst-rated NBA player – period – during the season.

Sure, Collin Sexton isn’t the next coming of Chris Paul but he’s a good scorer who hustles, so he’s got value. Yet, cards on the table, if Altman drafts yet another small, ball-dominant guard, he should be fired. After all, Sexton, Garland, and Kevin Porter all play the same style. None of them are playmakers with regards to distribution. None of them play defense. Frankly, none of the top guards picks in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft are much better in those respects. So why double down on doing more of the same conclusion?

Moreover, who cares if a guy like James Wiseman is there at No. 5? Has the NBA learned nothing about Deandre Ayton? There are only two players who should even be considered and for vastly different reasons. If you have a trade lined up for Kevin Love, Drummond, or a sign-and-trade with Tristan Thompson, then you draft Obi Toppin.

If you’re trying to win now, you draft Deni Avdija. In fact, you should draft him regardless unless he’s off the board. He’s a tremendous scorer, with great defensive skills and an uncanny ability to distribute the ball. He’s a point-forward with rebounding abilities. He’s not as polished as Luka Doncic but he has skills that should transfer over from the EuroLeague to the NBA.

If he’s on the board when the Cavs pick at the fifth spot in the Draft, and Altman doesn’t take him (or Toppin), as fans, we have to start demanding change in the front office. Altman has been in charge of the Cavs since 2017 and has yet to find a steady point guard. He traded Kyrie Irving, then traded the player he got for Irving in Isiah Thomas. He drafted Sexton, Porter, and Garland while passing up so many other players and hasn’t even tried to make a move to shore up that spot.

All picking another guard proves is that Altman doesn’t know what he’s doing and that he’s wasted two draft classes and four first-round picks. That’s good enough to fire him in this writer’s opinion.