Cleveland Cavaliers have their eyes on James Wiseman in NBA Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers are enticed by 2020 NBA Draft prospect, James Wiseman. But, the towering big man might be a risky selection.

Every year, there is a new freakishly sized center in the NBA Draft who captures the attention of lottery teams. This time, it’s James Wiseman, who has placed himself high on the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ wishlist for his shot-blocking abilities and 7’1″ frame.

Wiseman was originally projected to be the clear No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Then, a scandal at Memphis held him from appearing in more than three collegiate games, limiting his potential. This had a big impact on his draft value, as he is now predicted to fall anywhere within the lottery.

Nonetheless, Cleveland has its eyes on the seven-footer. Seeing as how many of the top prospects in the draft are guards and the Cavaliers already have three promising players in their backcourt, it only makes sense for the franchise to target a position of need.

Wiseman fills in the role of a defensive-oriented big man that can anchor the team’s efforts. This season, the Cavaliers were tied with the Atlanta Hawks for most opponent points in the paint at over 50 per game. This is an obvious weak point in the Cleveland defense that could be strengthened by Wiseman.

During his three games in college, Wiseman showed the world how talented he is. He scored 19.7 points, grabbed 10.7 rebounds and blocked 3.0 shots per game. While this is a small sample size, it’s enough to make him the most promising defender in the upcoming draft.

The Cavaliers could use a player like Wiseman. Having him to clean up the glass and erase mistakes in the paint could transform the Cavaliers from one of the worst defensive teams to at least average.

Just look at the impact Andre Drummond had on Cleveland’s defense. The Cavaliers gave up fewer fast break points and buckets in the paint while their overall defensive rating improved from 29th to 18th in the league following their deadline deal to acquire the two-time All-Star.

Drummond’s impact was mostly in the rebounding department, hauling in over 11 per game. While he isn’t a great rim protector, he did block 11 total shots in his eight games with the Cavs. This small sample size is an indicator that a presence in the paint could turn the tides for Cleveland on this side of the floor.

The ideal scenario here would be for Wiseman to learn behind Drummond in his rookie season, before eventually taking the torch and becoming the Cavaliers’ anchor defensively. If he clogs the paint and protects the rim at a high rate, Wiseman will have a great impact on the team.

Furthermore, Wiseman can succeed offensively with Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. The two guards have been heavily criticized for their playmaking abilities but have shown promise during stretches of the season. Adding a rim running big man to help them in pick-and-rolls could generate more assist opportunities.

Sexton was slightly above average at running the screen-and-roll. He converted about half of his attempts, ranking in the 65th percentile. This was significantly better than his rookie season numbers, as he has become much more controlled in his attack and is beginning to make the correct reads.

In contrast, Garland struggled as the pick-and-roll ball-handler. He generated just 0.76 points per possession, falling in the 33rd percentile of the league. This is concerning, but we have to imagine Garland will eventually becoming proficient in this area as he is a shifty ball handler who has shown promise.

Garland and Sexton have both developed a soft touch in the lane. Before the season ended, Sexton was beginning to frequently find Drummond and Larry Nance Jr. for lob passes. It’s easy to see Wiseman filling this role with similar success. At Memphis, Wiseman finished 76.9 percent of his attempts around the rim.

Nevertheless, Wiseman does have his limitations. He has yet to show any potential as a shooter, far below average from any spot outside of the paint. He also hasn’t displayed any breathtaking moves or footwork. Wiseman relies heavily on his size to score points, something that worked in college but won’t be as effective in the NBA.

Even though Wiseman is an elite athlete, we haven’t seen enough from him to know how he will pan out in the pros. His defensive potential is intriguing but his limited offensive repertoire could hurt him in the long run. Additionally, his brief time in college gives us too little information to properly judge his talents. Because of this, the Cavaliers might be better off looking at other prospects.

Another center that can help the team is Onyeka Okongwu, who averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game for USC. Though he is much shorter than Wiseman, he has given us a more reliable sample size of 28 games.

There are also wing prospects such as Issac Okoro and Obi Toppin. The latter of whom is more offensively oriented but could be the floor-spacer the Cavaliers need to open up their game. Toppin was one of the NCAA’s best 3-point shooters and can be a valuable asset to the rebuild.

Who the Cavalier select will largely be influenced by where they select in the order. The NBA Draft Lottery is set to take place in late August, where the franchise will have the second-highest odds to win the No. 1 overall pick.