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The second-apron environment the NBA has operated in the last several years was designed to produce parity. Keeping contending cores together for multiple years is incredibly expensive and comes with numerous team-building downsides. The simplest way to combat this is by replenishing your rotation through the draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have taken swings over the last three years at finding players later in the first round or early in the second round that they could develop into rotation pieces.
Jaylon Tyson was selected in the second half of the first round in 2023. After not having a large role his rookie season, Tyson exploded onto the scene last year. He provided energy in the regular season for a team that desperately needed it with all of their injuries. This was coupled with a revamped three-point shot that allowed him to become a valuable offensive threat on and off the ball.
Last year, the Cavs took Tyrese Proctor in the second round and immediately signed him to a standard deal. While Proctor didn’t get much playing time his rookie season, the minutes he did get showed enough promise to make you believe he could be an impactful role player down the line.
Cleveland’s most recent selection, Meleek Thomas, showed tremendous promise during Summer League. He led all scorers in Las Vegas with 27.3 points per game. That, unsurprisingly, earned him a spot on the All-Summer League First Team.
All three of these selections have shown promise in different ways, but which one has the brightest future? Let us know what you think in the survey below, and tell us why in the comments.
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