When Lebron James officially decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers back in the Summer of 2018, the Cavs were thrust into a precarious situation. They had just drafted Collin Sexton with the 8th overall selection in the 2018 draft and he went on to have a rather up and down freshman campaign in the NBA. Sexton finished the season actually breaking Cavaliers rookie records and doing so while playing all 82 games. Sexton impressed from a shooting aspect mainly as he shot over 40% from 3 on nearly 4 shots per game, which surprised many along the way. Sexton developed a ton over the course of the 2018 season and proved that the Cavaliers actually have the makings of a solid young core with Collin as one of the main pieces.
Koby Altman, Cavalier’s General Manager, had one massive task in the 2019 offseason and NBA Draft and that was to capably build a solid young core alongside Collin Sexton and Cedi Osman. It is yet to be seen whether or not he capably did that, but on paper Koby Altman put together a solid draft with a ton of potential. That draft is detailed below.
With the 5th Overall Selection in the 2019 NBA Draft the Cleveland Cavaliers selected..
Darius Garland: Vanderbilt: Point Guard
Stats: 5 GP, 28MPG, 16.2 PPG, 2.6 APG, 3.8 RPG, 0.8 SPG, 53.7FG%, 48 3PT%
NBA Player Comparison: Damian Lillard, Kemba Walker
The Good: Darius Garland played all of 5 games at Vanderbilt, but was considered the #1 Point Guard recruit in the Class of 2018, and in those 5 games was nothing short of dominant. He struggled in all of one of his 4 games, and in the other 3 put up 76 combined points and making 11 3’s in the process. Garland’s game mirrors Damian Lillard and his shiftiness mirrors Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving alike. Garland worked out early in the draft process with Lebron and is a Klutch Sports client now as well. Garland has the game to be the Cavs franchise point guard and the game to translate smoothly to the NBA all the same.
The Bad: Garland’s issues are on paper what Collin Sexton’s main issue was at Alabama. He is not a prolific passer, yet just as much did not play with many elite players at Vanderbilt. There is merit to the thoughtprocess that due to his shiftiness, handle, and ability to shoot should draw in more assist opportunities for him but Garland must develop his passing overall to take his game truly to the elite level it is capable of reaching.
The Ugly: Garland only played collegiate 5 games, and only played all of 2 minutes in the 5th game. This is always a concern for players but in this era where more and more high school age players are proving to be NBA ready quicker than ever, it likely will not be a massive issue for Garland in the NBA. He has a solid veteran point guard in Matthew Dellavedova so his transition should be tough but by no means impossible for Garland. Garland must overcome his lack of experience but has the support and is a hard worker all the same. His injury history and multiple surgeries are also of course not to be forgotten, but his game was never built or predicated around his explosiveness but rather his ability to shoot off the dribble and his handle in general so it should not prove to be a massive issue regardless.
With the 26th overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft the Cleveland Cavaliers select….
Keldon Johnson: Kentu—
(Ha, kidding! If you were following the Cavs on draft night you would know they reportedly selected Keldon Johnson prior to the news of who they actually selected was revealed.)
The Cavs actually selected..
Dylan Windler: Belmont: Guard/
Forward
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Stats: (2018-19): 33GP, 21.3 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 54FG%, 43 3PT%, 85FT%
NBA Player Comparison: Joe Ingles, Manu Ginobli
The Good: Dylan Windler is a name that was fast rising on a lot of draft boards and it was helped by a monster senior year at Belmont. He quite literally led his Belmont team en route to a 27-6 record and a First Four NCAA Tournament victory over a solid Temple team. Windler has a game that should quite literally seamlessly translate and it would not surprise if he develops into a capable and solid NBA player quickly. His shooting touch and scoring ability are already NBA caliber and he has elite shooting range, having show-cased this already a bit for the Cavaliers in the Summer League. He is also an underrated athlete and playmaker for his position. Windler’s game mirrors Joe Ingles and if he puts on more muscle like one would assume he will, his transition will be an easy one. Windler has the capability to be a solid piece for the Cavs for many years to come. This pick was not a flashy one but could end up being one of the more impactful draft selections for the Cavs in recent memory.
The Bad: Dylan Windler is not the best athlete and certainly does not possess game-breaking explosiveness at his position. He is a solid defender but will likely be limited by his lack of elite athleticism when guarding other players at his position. He is an intelligent player and a hard worker however but will need to develop on the defensive end to truly take his game to the next level.
The Ugly: I suppose it’s a good thing that it is quite difficult to find something truly ugly about Dylan Windler’s game. He is not super quick but has a solid wingspan at nearly 6’11. His only real issue at the moment is his need to continue to get stronger. If and when he does, he very likely can and will transition exceptionally seamlessly into the NBA. He is not and likely will never be a superstar in the NBA, but at the bare minimum his game projects to be a very productive role player.
With the 30th overall pick (Which was acquired via trade) the Cleveland Cavaliers select….
Kevin Porter Jr.: USC: Guard/Forward
Stats: 21GP, 4GS, 22MPG, 9.5PPG, 4.0RPG, 1.4APG, 0.8SPG, 47FG%, 41 3PT%, 52 FT%.
NBA Player Comparison: Kelly Oubre, Zach Lavine
The Good: Kevin Porter Jr. is one of the best athletes in the 2019 NBA Draft class. He possesses game breaking explosiveness that should seamlessly transition to the NBA in some form. He possesses a solid touch and a solid 3PT shot despite a very different shooting style. He is an excellent pick at 30 based on his athleticism alone and if his shooting transitions and translates to the NBA he very well could be a star level player. His game resembles Oubre and Lavine in his game breaking athleticism and if he utilizes it and develops the rest of his game on and off the court the pick could very easily pan out great for the Cavs. His floor is a bust but his ceiling is an all star caliber player.
The Bad: Kevin Porter Jr. has a very unusual shooting form. He shoots the ball in front of his face but for whatever reason it actually works out very well for him. He has great touch but his form could very well hinder him a lot in the NBA. He has to improve his free throw percentage immensely in the NBA in order to expand and improve his game even more offensively as well.
The Ugly: Nearly halfway through the season, Porter Jr, was suspended indefinitely from the USC program for his off the court behavior and personal conduct issues. His off the court issues are easily one of the biggest reasons that he, a should be lottery pick, fell to pick #30. Many people likened his game and body to James Harden and thought that the off-court issues would not matter but clearly they did to many teams to the point of him falling in the manner he did. They very well may not be an issue at this point, but he cannot allow any off the court issues to hinder his 19 year old self’s development. He has elite athleticism and an NBA ready body, he just has to stay clean in every regard going forward.
The Cleveland Dream 