Dribbles: A Look At Cavs Draft Pick Jaylon Tyson

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Random dribbles on the Cavaliers and the 2024 NBA Draft.

1. I know nothing about the Cavs’ draft pick, just what general manager Mike Gansey told us at the practice facility on Wednesday.

2. Just as with all picks, I take the front office’s word for it. It really doesn’t matter what I think, anyway. We just have to see the kid play in the NBA — and as always, we likely won’t know if it was a good pick until three or four years from now.

3. But we’re all out of our minds, so we like to make judgments quickly. I’m right there with you. But only on the inside.

4. For the record, the Cavs selected Jaylon Tyson, a 6-5ish wing out of California. Full disclosure: That may have been only the second or third time I’d heard of him.

5. That said, I did at least have him in my mock draft — going No. 32 overall to the Utah Jazz (second round). So the fact the Cavs took him at No. 20 wasn’t exactly a reach.

6. I think the Cavs need to find more perimeter shooting and another big man or two. And probably a veteran backup point guard. Tyson is none of those things.

7. And that’s OK.

8. When you’re selecting at No. 20, you take the best available guy and the prospect who is highest on your draft board. Let the rest sort itself out later. That’s what the Cavs did, I believe.

9. Here is what Gansey had to say about Tyson: “He had to do everything for Cal this year. He’s tough, competitive … had a great workout for us. He just fills so many gaps.”

10. He also played for Mark Madsen, a former energy and muscle guy with the Los Angeles Lakers. I asked Gansey if he thought that would help Tyson adapt to the NBA. In summary, Gansey said yes.

11. More Gansey on Tyson: “I think the biggest adjustment for him will be playing off the ball. I wouldn’t call him a great shooter, but he’s a good shooter. He can get downhill, make the right play. I just think he fits with our guys.”

12. Some fans will tell you the Cavs already have a glut of wings, a couple of which are just OK shooters. The list includes Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro and now Tyson.

13. Frankly, I suspect he’ll have a hard time cracking the rotation. Though Gansey said new coach Kenny Atkinson “won’t stand in his way.” If Tyson proves to be an immediate NBA player, he’ll get every opportunity.

14. But this offseason has never really been about the draft. For the Cavs, it’s about getting Donovan Mitchell to sign that extension (I suspect that’s next) and perhaps adding a veteran or two to keep pace with the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and the rest.

15. Gansey on that very topic: “We’re looking at every avenue to get better — draft, trades, free agency. We’re not gonna leave any stone unturned.”

16. Overall, I’m with the Cavaliers on not drafting for need at No. 20. Take the best guy. They seem to believe they did that. 

17. I took a look at No. 20 overall picks of the past. It’s not been great, though there have been a couple of gems. LeVert was drafted there. So was the original Larry Nance. So was Zydrunas Ilgauskas. As was Roy Hinson, who the Cavs flipped in 1986 to land the No. 1 overall pick. That pick turned out to be Brad Daugherty.