NEWSLETTER
The Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of decisions to make in the offseason after losing in the second round to the Boston Celtics 4-1 in the 2023-24 NBA Playoffs. Who will they take in the 1st round of the 2024 NBA Draft? Let’s look at potential options and more for Cleveland.
Cavs Select No. 20 in 1st Round
Cleveland has just one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. They will be selecting at number 20 overall. While not a great pick for a team looking to take the next step, the Cavaliers could still add a solid player to address some of the team’s needs.
Mock Draft: Cavs Select Duke’s Kyle Filipowski
Our latest mocks are showing the Cavaliers selecting Duke big man Kyle Filipowski at number 20 overall. While Filipowski struggled on defense in his second season at Duke, he is very versatile on offense and would provide another scoring option.
While the Cavs have Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley, Allen doesn’t stretch the floor and is limited on offense. Filipowski would be a nice complement and hopefully will develop on defense as a better rim protector.
As a sophomore, Filipowski averaged 16.4 points per game and 8.3 rebounds. He saw a major jump in his ability to shoot the three as he went from 28.2% from downtown to 34.8%. He earned All-ACC honors in both seasons at Duke and also earned one All-American nod.
Several of the top draft boards have Filipowski as a top-25 player and would be a nice boost in depth for the Cavaliers.
More Options for Cavaliers at No. 20
There has been talk about what Cleveland will do about Darius Garland in the offseason. If they decide to move on from Garland to get rid of his massive contract, they will need a perimeter scorer to help fill those shoes. Garland was an All-Star in 2022 and that led to a 5-year extension worth almost $200 million.
Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington is a solid option as he scored 13.8 points per game at Pitt as a freshman. Plus, he’s a little bigger than Garland at 6’4″. Tyler Smith from the G League Ignite is another solid option after showcasing the ability to score from anywhere. While raw, he is just 19 years old and averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 22 minutes per game last season.
More Options for Cavs at No. 20
Cavs 2023-24 Season Ended in 2nd Round
The Cavaliers were able to reach the playoffs in 2023-24 and went to seven games in the first round with the Orlando Magic but found a way to advance. In the second round, they were bounced 4-1 by the Boston Celtics. The Celtics went on to win the title.
The Cavaliers got another great season out of Donovan Mitchell who was an All-Star after scoring 26.6 points per game and shooting 46.2% from the field. Darius Garland was second on the team in scoring at 18.0 points per game while Jarrett Allen was third at 16.5.
The only unrestricted free agents for the Cavaliers are Max Strus, Tristan Thompson, Damian Jones, and Marcus Morris Sr. This means the Cavaliers will return its strong core of Mitchell, Garland, Allen, and Evan Mobley. The team will likely have to decide what it wants to do with Darius Garland who signed an extension worth $193 million in 2022.
