The Cleveland Cavaliers believe they secured first-round value in the second round of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, selecting Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas with the 34th overall pick after moving back five spots.
Cleveland completed a deal with the Sacramento Kings, sliding from No. 29 to No. 34 and adding a 2032 second-round selection. Once Thomas remained on the board, president of basketball operations Koby Altman said the choice was straightforward.
“We were just sitting there like, ‘Let’s not talk ourselves out of this. If this is available to us at 34, we’re going to go all in,’” Altman told reporters on a Zoom call.
Workout left lasting impression
Altman compared Thomas’s pre-draft session in Cleveland to a workout that previously convinced the front office to draft Jaylon Tyson. “Meleek left that kind of an impression on us,” he said.
Why the Cavaliers moved back
The organization entered the night hoping to exit the first round to gain both roster and salary flexibility. Altman acknowledged the front office did not expect a scorer of Thomas’s caliber to slip into the 30s.
“Usually a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot-maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier,” Altman noted. “So it made sense for us to move back, give us a little more flexibility when you’re able to acquire a second-round pick.”
Thomas’s college résumé
Thomas, 19, averaged 15.6 points as a freshman at Arkansas, shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from three-point range. While primarily known for scoring, Cleveland was also drawn to his versatility.
The Cavaliers plan to give the 6-foot-4 guard opportunities to handle point-guard duties during Summer League play as they determine his long-term NBA role.
By adding a future draft asset, trimming salary obligations and still landing their targeted prospect, the Cavaliers called the maneuver a productive step for a roster aiming to contend while safeguarding future flexibility.
Source: Hoops Wire
