THE NBA Draft is just around the corner, in what shapes as one of the most anticipated selection nights in recent memory, thanks to a talented crop of up and comers set to have their dreams realised.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be previewing each side ahead of draft night on June 22, unpacking all 30 team’s needs and potential selections as they look towards the future.

The next team on the list was initially the Chicago Bulls, but much like the 76ers yesterday, they have traded away all their picks for this year, and will not be making any selections next month unless they trade into the draft, so it seems likely they will be looking towards free agency to build their list.

Instead we will be talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also bowed out in underwhelming fashion during the 2023 playoffs after building a strong campaign during a regular season. With a star-studded list that still has plenty of years of contention ahead, the Cavaliers will be looking to use their sole pick to add a complementary piece to the team.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Draft picks

49

Contracted players

Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro, Ricky Rubio, Dylan Windler (qualifying offer), Dean Wade, Lamar Stevens (team option), Sam Merrill, Mamadi Diakite (qualifying offer), Isaiah Mobley (qualifying offer)

The Cavaliers have built one of the best young teams in the league, set to compete again and again in the coming years. Unfortunately, it cost them a fair bit of draft capital, which means they have only one selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. Luckily for Cleveland, the depth of the draft class means it still has a few strong options to pick from.

The highest profile player that could potentially be an option here is Emoni Bates if he is still on the board at pick 49. A couple of years ago, Bates was shaping as a top three pick in his draft class with a strong scoring capability. Unfortunately, a mixture of injuries and a drop off in form saw his stocks drop, but he could be a bit of a bargain towards the later portion of the draft.

Much of the criticism around his game came surrounding his high usage rate, which did not translate to wins at times. However, at the recent NBA Draft combine, Bates looked to play a much more selfless style of play, which would have impressed a few scouts. Having already met with the Cavaliers, he is a strong option to be Cleveland-bound next month.

Another potential candidate for the Cavaliers could be Tosan Evbuomwan, who impressed during his most recent NCAAM campaign with Princeton and could be a very nice fit for Cleveland. There has been plenty of talk about the team moving on from Cedi Osman, and Evbuomwan could be a like-for-like replacement of sorts as a point forward who has the capability to facilitate and handle the ball, despite standing a towering six-foot-nine.

The Cavaliers would obviously to find a player that can contribute sooner rather than later, but it is not a necessity given the age of their list, so they will be likely to pick up the best overall player at their pick.