With one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, who/what do the Cavaliers need?

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - With the NBA season complete following the Denver Nuggets’ 4-1 series win in the NBA Finals over the Miami Heat, basketball fans can now turn to the NBA Draft for their next hoops holiday.

Here in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are without a first-round pick following the Caris LeVert trade back on Feb. 6, 2022.

However, the Wine and Gold do have the 49th overall pick in this year’s draft, which falls in the second round.

And, as many basketball fans know, the second round of the NBA Draft is the pure definition of “hit or miss” guys; players that will fight for a bench role most likely.

But this round has seen the likes of the NBA’s biggest stars.

Notable guys to be drafted in recent years in the second round include two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets (Denver, 41st overall, 2014), three-time NBA champion Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors (Golden State, 35th overall, 2012), and 2022-23 NBA All-Star Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks (Dallas, 33rd overall, 2018).

Sure, these guys are considered the outliers of the normal crop of second round potential, but who says that the Cavs can’t land a franchise-altering prospect?

Here is a look at some of the names to keep an eye on when number 49 rolls around on June 22.

1. Seth Lundy- Small Forward, Penn State

- Lundy is going to be a name to watch as the draft creeps closer. At Penn State last season, he hit 92 threes and was one of the top shooters in all the Big Ten. At 6′6, he can play the wing position, a spot on the Cavs roster that needs a spark of offense from.

2. Oscar Tshiebwe- Power Forward/Center, Kentucky

- One aspect of this Cavs team that got exposed during their first-round loss in the NBA Playoffs to the New York Knicks was the lack of toughness inside by the post players. Enter Oscar Tshiebwe- a 6′9 forward from Kentucky who averaged 16.5 points and 13.7 rebounds a game for the Wildcats last year. While it does not seem to make sense, reality will be that due to Tshiebwe’s lack of shooting prowess, he falls in this draft. However, at #49, the Cavs could get their hands on the 2022 John Wooden Award winner.

3. Jalen Wilson- Small Forward/Power Forward, Kansas

- Cavs fans may forget that just one year ago, the team drafted a Kansas Jayhawk by the name of Ochai Agbaji, who ended up being part of a trade to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell. So, with this year’s pick, the Cavs may end up taking and keeping a Jayhawk by the name of Jalen Wilson. A 6′8 forward, he averaged over 20 points per game for Kansas this past season, while adding in 8.3 rebounds a night as well. While his numbers at the NBA Combine were not amazing, teams late in the draft, like the Cavs, may be able to comfortably nab an elite college scorer who could blossom into a valuable bench player.

4. Keyontae Johnson- Small Forward, Kansas State

- The Wildcats wowed the March Madness audience with their impressive run to the Elite 8 this past dance, and a large part of that was due to the play of Keyontae Johnson. A 6′6 forward, he recorded three double-digit scoring performances in the NCAA Tournament, including 22 points against Michigan State in the Sweet 16. Overall, he averaged 17.1 points a night for the Wildcats, and the Cavs may be able to land a big-bodied, strong forward with the ability to create his own shot.

5. Emoni Bates- Small Forward/Power Forward, Eastern Michigan.

- Why not show the MAC some love right? Bates is such an interesting prospect, as at one point in his time in college basketball, he was considered the number one overall player in the NCAA during his time at Memphis. However, he does come with some history related to gun charges that were dropped last fall. But the reality is that Bates, a lanky 6′10 forward who averaged 19.2 points a night for the Eagles this past year, may be worthy of a low-risk pick like the Cavs have at 49.

At the end of the day, it is feasible to assume that the Cavs are going to look to address the wing position with their lone scheduled pick in this year’s draft.

Players such as like Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens have so far not shown the ability to be built for the offensive role, while others like Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler have not shown the ability to be consistent night in and night out.

Maybe the Cavs trade up for someone they really like, or maybe they address another position, but if I were a betting man, I say that the team looks to add another guy into the fold at the three or four spot.

Only time will tell…