The 2023 NBA Draft looks a little different from previous years for the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the first time since 2017, they don’t have a first-round pick.
Cleveland’s only draft pick this year comes in the second round at No. 49, and it is not a needle mover. The right prospect can be a rotational player at a low cost; although more likely, this player could sign a two-way contract or become a draft-and-stash.
Last year, the Cavs had three second-rounders. They drafted Khalifa Diop at No. 39, Isaiah Mobley at No. 49 and Luke Travers at No. 56. Diop and Travers stayed abroad and continued their development. Mobley, who is on a two-way contract, played with the Cavs’ G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge, as well as in 12 games with the Cavs.
With the draft just a month away on June 22, let’s take a look at three options the Cavs could consider at No. 49.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 6-8 wings | Marquette
After the NBA Draft Lottery, The Athletic’s Draft expert Sam Vecenie released a mock draft in the first and second round. In that joke, he made the Cavs choose Olivier-Maxence Prosper from Marquette who was chosen No. 49.
Last season with Marquette, Prosper shot 51.2 percent from the field while averaging 12.5 points per game and 33.9 percent from 3. He is a multi-skilled offensive player who plays well on the defensive end. Over three collegiate seasons, Prosper improved his 3-point shooting percentage from 16.7 percent during his freshman year at Clemson to 33.9 percent during his junior year at Marquette. He also launched more 3s over time, increasing his 3-point attempts from 0.8 attempts during the 2020-21 season to 3.2 attempts during the 2022-23 season.
At last week’s combine, Prosper finished with 21 points, 5 of 11 from the field and 1 of 5 from 3 in the first scrimmage. He also shot 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out two assists for Team Bailey, who defeated Team Bradds, 107-88.
Prosper also moves the ball well. He has a solid understanding of when to cut to the rim and when to find areas for shot attempts. Defensively, Prosper has the potential to be a 3-and-D wing.
If the Cavs get Prosper at No. 49 and he’ll work his way into the Cavs’ rotation, he can add a bit more to the bench and the wing, as well as bring some shooting to the mix. If he signs a two-way contract, he can add shooting depth for the Cavs and continue the development of the Cleveland Charge.
Terrence Shannon Jr. | 6-6 wings | Illinois
Shannon enters the league with some solid college experience after playing three seasons at Texas Tech and one season at Illinois. In his four-year college career, he averaged 12.7 points while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from 3.
In his senior season, Shannon emerged as a higher-level scorer and showed some upside as a passer. He averaged 17.2 points per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from 3. He also dished out 2.8 assists per game. Shannon also showed off his rebounding skills as a senior, collecting 4.6 rebounds per game. He makes a hustle play and plays with a high motor.
Vecenie teased Shannon at No. 39 to the Charlotte Hornets, but if he’s still available when the Cavs’ pick arrives, Cleveland can help him refine his game. The 22-year-old said last week during the combine that he was working out for the Cavs.
Shannon, who declared for the NBA Draft in April, will be able to return to school next season due to the additional year of eligibility given by the NCAA to student-athletes due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has until May 31 to make a decision.
Emoni Bates | 6-9 wings | Eastern Michigan
Bates established himself as one of the best prospects in high school basketball when he became the youngest player to win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in 2020, beating out Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley. The former five-star recruit faced some adversity after high school that made his basketball journey more challenging.
Bates began his college career at Memphis, where he battled injuries as a freshman that limited him to 18 games. In the games he played, Bates averaged 9.7 points per game while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3.
Last September, before Bates began his sophomore year at Eastern Michigan, he was arrested and charged with two felony gun charges following a traffic stop in Superior Township, Mich. the charges were later dropped.
Bates took the court at Eastern Michigan as a sophomore, where he averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 40.5 percent from the field in 30 games last season. During last week’s combine, Bates said he had an interview with the Cavs in Chicago. He said he will work out for the Cavs.
Emoni Bates at 3️⃣
Microsoft @Wong #NBACombine pic.twitter.com/r2MJLeG8iW
— NBA (@NBA) May 19, 2023
If the Cavs select Bates, they can sign him to a two-way contract and allow him to further develop his efficiency, as well as his passing, acceleration and decision-making with the Cleveland Charge where he will gain experience in the league and being around a professional group.
(Top photo of Terrence Shannon Jr.: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
