By selecting two lead guards in each of the last two drafts, the general consensus among analysts is that the Cleveland Cavaliers would not consider drafting yet another in LaMelo Ball in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft. However, it appears the franchise may be focusing on the approach of drafting the best player available as Ball remains a realistic option.
During a radio interview with 92.3 The Fan, Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Chris Fedor talked about who the Cavaliers favor at the top of the draft and whether Collin Sexton and Darius Garland may steer them away from Ball.
“The sense that I get is that they have a top tier of guys and it’s three of them. It’s James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. And I think no matter what the Cavs do, they’re not going to let fit and position drive this decision. They’re going to take a bunch of different factors and they’re going cluster them together and weight them. But they’re not going to say ‘Because we drafted Darius Garland last year and Collin Sexton the year before, LaMelo Ball is out.’ They’re not going to do that. They don’t feel like they’re in a position to do that.”
On paper, Sexton, Garland and Ball would be an awkward fit at best. But as Fedor stated, the Cavaliers are still at a point in their rebuild where taking the best player available makes the most sense. At worst, the team can stockpile assets to either package in a deal or can flip one of those three guards for a player that fits better down the road.
In general, it seems the most rewarding strategy in the draft is to take the best player available. As the league shifts to more positionless basketball, having talented players appears to be more of a priority than having players pigeon-holed into traditional roles.
