The Cleveland Cavaliers hold the No. 3 pick in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft. Most fans and experts expect the Cavs to land anyone from the trio of Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, and Jalen Suggs, but are we in for an earth-shaking surprise from Cleveland’s front office? According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the Cavs had recently hosted former Duke Blue Devils star Jalen Johnson for a workout that appeared to have concluded with plenty to feel good about for the young forward.
Former Duke wing Jalen Johnson worked out for the Cavaliers and impressed. He left Durham after just 13 games as a freshman, which caused some harrumphs, but he remains a potential lottery pick. Cavs will select third
Johnson still — and should — remain slotted outside all mock drafts’ list of projected top three picks. There’s just no way that the Cavs would spend the No. 3 pick on Johnson. However, the Cavs could be up to something. Theoretically, the Cavs could still trade their No. 3 pick for a lower pick, where someone like Johnson would be a reasonable selection. They could even move up the draft board by offering a tasty package for the Detroit Pistons, who have the No. 1 pick.
Johnson played in just 13 games for Duke last season and averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 44.4% from behind the arc. He’s got a potential to become a legitimate scoring threat in the pros, but should be a long-term project for the team that would take him in the 2021 NBA Draft.