The Cavaliers believe they got a first-round talent in the second round.
After trading down from No. 29 to No. 34 and picking up a future second-round selection, Cleveland selected Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas on Wednesday in the NBA Draft.
President of basketball operations Koby Altman said the decision became easy once Thomas remained on the board.
“We’re just sitting there like, ‘Let’s not talk ourselves out of this,’” Altman said on Zoom. “If this is available to us at 34, we’re going to go all in.”
Altman compared Thomas’ pre-draft workout to another recent Cavaliers draft pick who left a lasting impression.
“I remember the last time we had a draft workout of that caliber, it was Jaylon Tyson,” Altman said. “It just left such an impression on us that we’re like, if he gets to 20, we have to take him. And Meleek left that kind of an impression on us.”
The Cavs entered the draft hoping to move out of the first round, ultimately acquiring Sacramento’s No. 34 pick and a 2032 second-round selection.
Altman said they never expected Thomas to still be available.
“Usually a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot-maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier,” Altman said. “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.
“We’re really excited about Meleek and his shot-making ability and his confidence level at 19 years old.”
Thomas averaged 15.6 points as a freshman at Arkansas while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from three-point range.
Known primarily as a scorer, Thomas also impressed the Cavs with his versatility.
Altman said they plan to give him opportunities to handle point guard duties during Summer League, when the organization begins evaluating where he fits best at the NBA level.
By moving back five spots, the Cavs landed the player they wanted, added another future draft asset and created additional financial flexibility — a productive couple of days for a team looking to contend now while keeping an eye on the future.
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