The Cavaliers are in desperate need of some star power, and have been since LeBron James‘ departure two years ago. They acquired one big name at the trade deadline in their deal for Andre Drummond, who may or may not opt in to his 28 million dollar player extension this summer. The team will likely do everything in its power to rid itself of Kevin Love‘s contract during the upcoming off season as well.
If both of those players (along with Tristan Thompson, whose contract expires this year) leave, there would be a gaping hole both in star power and in front court depth.
Enter: James Wiseman
Wiseman was the pre-season #1 in most mock drafts when his Memphis Tigers team looked poised to take the NCAA by storm. But legal allegations caused the five-star recruit to withdraw from the team and focus on preparing for the NBA Draft. Still, Wiseman is one of the top three prospects in this draft despite his limited showing in his time at the collegiate level. He played in just three games this season, and averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. In case you’re wondering, those per-36 numbers are 30.8 points and 16.7 rebounds.
Depending on how Cleveland performs in relation to Atlanta and New York, the Cavaliers will likely have a 40 percent chance at a top-3 pick in a top-3 heavy draft. They’ll need all the star power they can get.