Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 options with No. 5 pick in NBA Draft

4. Onyeka Okongwu

The Cavaliers already addressed their need for a big-man when they traded for two-time All-Star Andre Drummond back in February. Regardless, Onyeka Okongwu is a prospect that will be on their radar leading up to draft night.

Okongwu is an electric athlete, standing at 6’9″ and sporting a 7’2″ wingspan. He is at the top of his class in leaping ability and can run the floor exceptionally well for his position. Though he will be slightly shorter than most NBA centers, his bulky frame and standing reach should make up for his lack of size.

At USC, Okongwu made a name for himself as a brick-wall presence in the paint. Opponents struggled to score against him as he rejected nearly three shots per game. He ranked 17th in the NCAA for total blocks as a freshman and earned a spot on the All-Pac-12 team.

Even with Drummond on the roster, the Cavaliers were still a pretty poor defensive team. In fact, the Cavs had by far their worst defensive rating with Drummond on the floor at 120.0. This and the fact that Drummond might not be a longterm fit with the franchise heightens the need for a player like Okongwu.

Drummond will be on the roster for at least one more season as he opts into the final year of his deal. Moving forward, it’s unclear where he stands in the rebuilding process. Slotting in Okongwu to step into the spotlight as a replacement for Drummond sounds like a reasonable plan.