The Cleveland Cavaliers were the recent recipient of some good news, as they are now officially set to retain their first-round pick for the upcoming draft. The Cavs will not be sending over their pick to the Atlanta Hawks, and they are now in possession of two first-round picks for June:
Cavaliers, who will receive a 2019 first-round pick from the Rockets, will also retain their own 2019 first-round pick. Their first-round pick obligation to the Hawks will roll to 2020 (top 10-protected, then converts to second-round picks in 2021 and 2022).
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) March 27, 2019
Right now, Bleacher Report projects that the Cavs will end up with the third overall pick in the draft, which they will likely use to scoop up Duke standout R.J. Barrett. The 18-year-old was expected to go first overall heading into the season, which means that the Cavs would be fortunate to land Barrett at the third spot. The high-scoring wing would slide in perfectly in Cleveland’s current system, and he and rookie point guard Collin Sexton would be quite a formidable duo moving forward.
As for the pick coming from the Houston Rockets, this is projected to be somewhere in the 25th spot. The Cavs will be looking to use this pick to add some depth to their backcourt, and a guy like Kentucky shooting guard Tyler Herro would fit the bill.
It has been a forgettable year for the Cavs this season, but with a very promising summer ahead, it looks like things are going to take a turn for the better next season. It is unlikely that the Cavs will immediately transform themselves to a contender, but the future is looking bright.