What would the Cleveland Cavaliers do in the event of a league expansion?

The players who would be locks

For the sake of this exercise, we’re going to assume Collin Sexton is re-signing, that no players have been drafted yet in the amateur draft and that no free agents have agreed to any contracts. This way we don’t have to factor in the rookies the Cavs can draft this year or the potential signing of Ricky Rubio.

So, let’s start with the four players who are obviously going to be protected and why.

Firstly, Darius Garland. The Cavaliers would not let Garland go unprotected, even if the team had a fallout with Garland, the Cavs get nothing in exchange for a player being selected. So the team wouldn’t just let Garland go in the expansion draft. Since Garland quite likes it in Cleveland and he and the team are finding success, it would be wild to see him want to leave or end up in Las Vegas or Seattle.

Secondly, Evan Mobley. He has the potential to be a more dynamic scorer than anyone on the team, so if he can develop that three-point shot, he’s going to be very hard to stop. His offense is good but his defense is what makes him a can’t miss player.

Thirdly, Jarrett Allen. Allen may be as good as Mobley defensively, but Mobley is a more dynamic scorer and isn’t that far behind Allen on defense. So Allen is the third most obvious pick.

Lastly, Collin Sexton. While Sexton isn’t untouchable like the other three are, Sexton is too valuable to lose in an expansion draft. Sure, maybe he isn’t the best fit for the Cavaliers long term and is only getting the play he is because the team saw how ineffective Caris LeVert was at times in 2021-2022. That’s all true, but he’s also able to fetch you a first-round pick at least in the event of a trade.

You don’t just ignore that.

Guaranteed: Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Collin Sexton