Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 players who could be available for new pick
By Ryan Piers
2. Jalen Smith
The Baltimore native is in the middle of a somewhat disappointing freshman season with the team he grew up watching. The highly touted power forward was one of the top 10 high school players last year according to ESPN. Some early mock drafts slated him as a clear lottery pick, but his stock has dropped with a respectable, yet underwhelming season.
His stat line of 11.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game with a 50.0 percent field goal percentage is nothing to sneeze at. But his 13 combined points against three ranked, Big Ten opponents might explain his fall from elite prospect to likely late first-round pick. It’s a perfect opportunity for the Cavs.
Drafting Smith with a pick in the ’20s is like signing a free agent for cheap. Here’s a guy who has the chops for the lottery, but has been slandered by a sub-par season. His highlights speak for themselves. This cat — well, small, freshwater turtle technically — can ball.
Smith is long, 6’10” with a great wingspan, and uber-athletic. While he lacks a 3-point shot, which certainly must be developed, he’s comfortable in the mid range and reliable underneath. Yet, his personality might be what’s most noteworthy.
A former trash talker, Smith is known for his “stoicism,” writes the Baltimore Sun. So maybe he wouldn’t be the kind of player to hog the spotlight from Collin Sexton, or (fingers crossed) Zion Williamson. He’d be an even-keeled complimentary piece, one appears to be a bargain in the late first round. Sounds like the perfect player for Cleveland. Well, maybe near perfect. There’s one guy the Cavs would like just a bit more.