As the 2024 NBA Draft approaches, it is time to take a look at what the Cleveland Cavaliers could do to help shape the roster into a true contender. Before getting to the scenario mocked in this mock draft, it is important to mention that this year's draft will be rather odd compared to previous NBA Drafts.
Usually, both the first and second round are held on a Thursday night. Instead of wrapping up the draft in one fell swoop, the 2024 NBA Draft will be broken up between two nights. Round One will be on Wednesday, June 26th and Round Two will conclude the draft on Thursday, June 27th. This change feels peculiar and unneccessary. Despite not understanding or liking the change, I feel as though it could bring an interesting twist that we have not seen before.
If the board does not fall how teams in the later half of the first round would like, then they could easily trade back to the second round and re-evaluate another day. There may be teams in an opposite position, that drafted early in the first round and ideally don't want to wait to wrap up their draft. In that scenario, they could trade back into the first using two second-round selections or other assets and walk out with two first-round picks.
If the Cavaliers do retain the "Core Four" of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, then they need a bigger small forward than either Isaac Okoro or Max Strus, a physical backup center to relieve Mobley and Allen in difficult matchups and a true backup point guard. Of those three needs, small forward and center should be the greater two concerns.
In this mock draft, the Cavaliers decide to trade out of pick 20 with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are a prime candidate because they hold two second-round picks this year. By acquiring both pick 45 and pick 48, Cleveland can take a day to re-evaluate the board and add two assets instead of just one. For the Kings, they walk out of round one having selected at pick 13 and pick 20. This feels like a win-win and here's why.
Ingram has the makings of being the biggest steal in the second round this year. The 21-year-old small forward played three seasons between the Stanford Cardinal and UNC Tar Heels. In those three seasons, Ingram managed to average double-digit points per game each year. In the 2023-24 season, his three-point percentage rose nearly seven percent. Even as Ingram continues to improve as a shooter from distance, his physical nature is evident every game. On offense, he aggressively cuts to the lane and will even back down his defender. On the glass, Ingram crashed it relentlessly, averaging 8.8 rebounds per game.
At 6'7" and a durable 235 pounds, Ingram offers exactly what the Cavaliers need in their starting lineup. He is taller and possesses a more sturdy frame than Max Strus. Not only will he bring a stronger rebounding presence to the starting lineup to assist Allen and Mobley, but he is a stronger defender and can still knock down corner threes. As for his comparison to Isaac Okoro, he is still two inches taller and has ten extra pounds on his frame. Okoro offers a greater defensive presence, yet Ingram is a more reliable scorer and much more of a rebounding threat. Despite being a second-round pick, Ingram should start with Mitchell, Garland, Mobley and Allen. Strus would then be afforded the opportunity to play a more natural shooting guard role off the bench and Okoro could be the defensive weapon off the bench at small forward.
The only major knocks on Ingram are that he lacks elite athleticism and his free throw percentage is pretty low at just over 60 percent. He will need to improve his reliability at the line in the NBA.
2023-24 stats: 37 games played, 32.8 minutes per game, 43% field goal percentage, 38.5% three-point percentage, 61.2% free throw percentage, 12.2 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game and 1.4 steals per game.
Round 2, Pick 48: Adem Bona - C, UCLA
Bona is a long center with elite measurables. The former UCLA Bruin boasts an impressive 7'3.75" wingspan despite only standing at 6'10". At the combine, Bona also tested well with a 40" vertical, 11.01 second lane agility drill, 3.01 second shuttle and a 3.15 second sprint. When watching Bona play, the length and ability to move as a big man makes him a difference maker.
Evan Mobley is a lean 215 pounds and despite being listed at 243 pounds, Jarrett Allen also possesses a leaner looking build. Bona weighs in at 245 pounds and is not afraid to get physical on the low block. His toughness would be a major asset for the Cavaliers off the bench. Bona was a menace defensively in college, averaging nearly two blocks per game and a steal a game as well.
The big man from Nigeria has some offensive skills, yet it feels like he is still raw as a prospect. Bona has not nearly reached his ceiling. If he can limit turnovers, secure rebounds at a more consistent clip and continue to develop his jump shot, then he could eventually become a starting center after the Allen years. A tough center with the ability to run the floor and lots of potential happens to be exactly what Cleveland needs.
2023-24 stats: 33 games played, 26.5 minutes per game, 58.8% field goal percentage, 69.6% free throw percentage, 12.4 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 1.2 assists per game, 1.8 blocks per game and 1.1 steals per game.
If the Cavaliers address both small forward and center in the draft, then they can turn to securing a veteran backup point guard in free agency. Players like Spencer Dinwiddie, Kris Dunn and Cameron Payne could all be decent options to explore and potentially secure for cheaper contracts.
Keeping the "Core Four" can work as long as the rest of the roster is constructed to cover what they lack. This route would likely strengthen the rotation and give Cleveland a much better chance at a championship in the 2024-25 season.
