All in on Jalen Green.
Hello and welcome back to Fear The Sword’s 2021 NBA Draft Mock Lottery.
After starting off last week the only way the Cavs know how — you know, winning the lottery — we returned again this week to give it another spin and see what we could come up with. Thanks to our friends at Tankathon.com and another stroke of luck, the Cavs ended up with the fourth pick this week.
Editor’s note No. 1: We did the spin moments after the Cavs beat the Hornets on Wednesday night, so the loss to Golden State did not have meaning on the outcome.
Editor’s note No. 2: Full disclosure, landing the fourth pick was our second spin. The first time we played the lottery, the Cavs won again (of course) and we thought it would make for better #content if we didn’t repeat the pick two weeks in a row.
With the Cavs picking fourth, the picks made in front of them were as follows:
With all that said, here’s how some of us would chose to spend the fourth pick if we were in charge of the Cavs.
Chris Manning: At No. 4 overall, I think the obvious pick here is Jalen Green, late of G League Ignite. At 6’6, he has the optimal size for a creator in the modern NBA - something Cleveland just doesn’t have right now. He also provides some of the one-on-one skill and feel that the Cavs don’t have anymore — at least at that size — since Kevin Porter Jr. was traded away. If he’s at four, I think Green is a no brainer above someone like Jonathan Kuminga or anyone else that is rated in that 4-8 range.
Also of note: I think the top-four as we understand it now is Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs and Green. Whichever one falls to four should be the pick for the Cavs and they can worry about it later even if there’s some overlap. Green is the cleanest fit of the group, so let’s speak that into existence here.
Evan Dammerall: I’d go with Jalen Green if the Cavs were to land the fourth pick. Green is the most exciting player to come out of the G League Ignite program (so far) and just oozed with potential during the G-League bubble at Disney.
Green is a fluid ball handler who can thrive in the pick-and-roll and can generate a shot from anywhere. He’s an electric athlete that can fly to the rim as a lob threat or explode out of dribble moves into drives inside or stepback jumpers. He also has shown flashes as a playmaker due to his desire to be a willing passer. The Cavs sorely need a big-bodied playmaker and Green fills that role beautifully if this skill continues to develop.
Danny Cunningham: I’m very much tempted to buck the trend of the two gentlemen above me and select Jonathan Kuminga over Jalen Green, but I won’t. I do think that both of those players have the chance to be better than anyone on the roster the Cavs currently tout, so I don’t think there’s a wrong answer.
As for Green, he was very impressive in the G League this year playing for the Ignite, and I personally can’t wait to see how the guys that participate in that program translate to the NBA. He’ll instantly be the most explosive athlete that the Cavs have on the roster and could be the guy that ultimately pushes Collin Sexton or Darius Garland to a sixth man role. His assist numbers weren’t great while in the G League, but averaging almost 18 points per game and shooting over 36% from deep as a professional straight out of high school is a great sign, and the Cavs would be thrilled to add Green to the team.
