The Cleveland Cavaliers participated in this week’s NBA Draft, trading out of the first round, moving back five spots to select Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas. Thomas was projected by several draft gurus to be a first round pick, so Koby Altman got value it appears.
It is interesting that the Cavs list Thomas at 6’5″, but everyone else lists him at 6’3″ or 6’4″. We use NBADraft,net as our guide and they list him at 6’4″. We guess the Cavaliers are a little sensitive to drafting guards whenever they get a chance.
The scouting report on Thomas is good. His shooting is his highest grade, following by quickness, defense, athleticism, and ball handling. Sounds like a potential contributor in the league.
Following the draft, Altman said when they are picking in the 30’s, you really can’t draft for need, which is utter baloney. The next two players selected after Thomas were his Razorback teammate, Trevon Brazile, a 6’10” player with a 7’4″ wingspan (ode to Jay Bilas) who would have addressed the wine and gold’s glaring need for size.
After him was Baba Miller, a seven-footer out of Cincinnati, who also has extensive international experience.
Don’t forget Altman also traded down, and the player selected in their original spot was 6’8″ forward Alex Karaban from Connecticut, who would have provided the team with some “winning” attitude, seeing he played on two NCAA championship teams with the Huskies and reached the title game last season.
We think winning is learned, by the way.
It is certainly early in the off-season, so there is plenty of time for the Cavs to add the size they desperately need, but time and time again, when they have a chance to get bigger, Altman goes back to his comfort zone and adds another player in the 6’4″-6’6″ range.
In other words, Koby Altman has a type.
Look at the Cleveland roster, these players are all in that height range: Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, Tyrese Proctor, and of course, James Harden. And we aren’t counting 6’2″ Donovan Mitchell, 6’1″ Dennis Schroder, and 6’1″ Craig Porter Jr.
That’s nine players shorter than 6’6″. In today’s NBA. People wonder why coach Kenny Atkinson likes to play four guards at the same time. Maybe, it’s because more than half of the players available to him are guards.
Free agency starts this week, so again, Cleveland has a lot of time before training camp to reshuffle its roster. Atkinson has already indicated the other of last year’s second rounders, 6’8″ Saliou Niang, will likely make the team next season.
And perhaps the Cavs will move two or three of the glut of small wings to get a bigger wing. One who will be able to combat the size other teams in the NBA already have.
Once Harden opts out of his player option and resigns at a lower number per year which would get Cleveland out of the second apron, Altman can start making moves. It will be interesting to see what direction the Cavs go in.
Despite getting to the conference finals, we don’t think this roster can win a title. What does Koby Altman think?
Cleveland Sports Perspective 