The latest NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report has the Clevland Cavaliers selecting the verstaile 6’9″ forward Deni Avdija.
James Wiseman? Nope. LaMelo Ball? That is also a no. Bleacher Report has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Deni Avdija in their latest NBA mock draft.
After Golden State takes Anthony Edwards with the first pick, Cleveland opts to go with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Deni Avdija. Avdija has spent the last two seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv averaging 4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. The stats are not eye popping, but his overall athleticism and versatility is what teams are looking at when it comes to the possibility of drafting the 19-year old prospect.
Deni Avdija has the ability to play as a guard or as a forward. If a team has Avdija bringing the ball up it could provide some opportunities for smaller guards to get open off a screen in a catch and shoot opportunity from beyond the three-point line.
With Deni Avdija is not about his stats or what he has done over the past two years. It is about how he projects and what he could be. The only issue with Avdija and the Cleveland Cavaliers is roster construction and timeline. With the Cavs essentially pulling in two different directions, a player like Avdija may get lost in the shuffle. If the Cavaliers made a definitive decision instead of being in purgatory, Cleveland could be a decent landing spot. With Cleveland keeping veteran players such as Andre Drummond and Kevin Love while still infusing young, unproven talent, the struggle in terms of direction will only continue.
