Cleveland Cavaliers: Potential roles for 5 NBA Draft prospects
By Tony Pesta
5. Anthony Edwards
Role: Two-way slasher
Improving their defense will be a point of emphasis for the Cavaliers rebuilding project. With an undersized backcourt and no reliable wing defenders or true rim protectors, the Cavs were an easy team to score on.
Last season, Cleveland ranked 30th in blocks, 29th in Defensive Rating, 29th in defending the paint, 25th in steals, 22nd in defensive rebounding and 22nd in opponent fast breakpoints. The only area they were moderate in was second-chance points as the frontcourt trio of Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Andre Drummond held their own on the glass.
The weakest link of the Cavaliers defense is by far their backcourt. Darius Garland and Collin Sexton aren’t big enough to deter opponents from getting around them. As a result, the two finished as the third-worst defensive pairing in the entire association (minimum 50 games played).
Related Story. 3 potential Tristan Thompson free agency destinations. light
One way to fix this is by adding Anthony Edwards. The Georgia Bulldog embodied the team name as he bullied his way into top consideration to become the No. 1 overall pick. His bruising 6’5″ frame and 6’9″ wingspan gives him everything he needs to become a lockdown defender at the NBA level.
His production on the defensive end was shakey during his freshman season. However, this is probably a direct result of him being asked to carry the offensive load. On the year, Edwards averaged 19.1 points per game and attempted over 100 more shots then the second closest player on the roster.
Edwards is a quick-twitch athlete with great size. The likelihood he becomes a force on the defensive end due to his physical build is strong enough to warrant selecting him first in the NBA Draft.
However, there are concerning questions surrounding his shot selection. For example, Edwards was prone to attempting ill-advised pull-up jumpers rather than utilizing his strength to attack the rim.
Furthermore, his fit with the Cavaliers could be questionable. While he appears to be a quality scoring option alongside Garland, there would be no way to properly share the ball between him and Sexton. On top of this, Kevin Porter Jr. already contains much of the same defensive potential that Edwards posses.