The Cleveland Cavaliers could still find a quality rotation player late in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers remain focused on the present, doing what they can to make this iteration of the team the best it can be as they prepare for their most important playoff run of the Donovan Mitchell era.
That said, it’s never too early to start planning for the future and evaluating what moves the team may need to address in the offseason, and that starts with the draft.
Cleveland doesn’t have many picks available to them with all of their win-now moves, but they will be selecting with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports recently released his latest mock draft and named Alabama forward Amari Allen as a potential target for the Cavaliers with the penultimate pick in the first round.
The draft analyst pointed out that the Cavs "don't have is enough of the big and versatile two-way wings who typically provide the connective tissue on championship caliber teams."
Finkelstein compared Cleveland's potential drafting of Allen to Cleveland's decision to take Jaylon Tyson in 2024, who is in the middle of a breakout sophomore season.
Feb 14, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama forward Amari Allen (5) drives the baseline against South Carolina guard Myles Stute (10) at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama defeated South Carolina 89-75. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa NewsCleveland’s guard depth is fairly strong at this point, especially with Dennis Schröder under contract for next season and Craig Porter Jr. and rookie Tyrese Proctor proving they can play backup minutes when called upon.
Cleveland’s forward depth could be an area that must be addressed in the offseason, whether it be through the draft, free agency, or a trade.
Allen is averaging 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists during his freshman season. The shooting stats don’t stand out, with Allen knocking down 45.3 percent of his shots from the floor and 35.1 percent of his shots from behind the arc.
However, the Cavaliers don’t need another scorer with this group; Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and James Harden can take care of that. What Cleveland will need is an athletic forward who could slide down to the four if needed, especially with both Dean Wade and Keon Ellis as pending free agents.
If the Cavaliers need to choose between one or end up losing out on both, the Alabama freshman could be an adequate replacement for the roster.
If Allen is available at the end of the first round, the Cavaliers should be very interested in selecting him on draft night.
Cavaliers Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Cavaliers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.