NBA Mock Draft: LaMelo Ball jumps back up to No. 1; Warriors make a big trade

NBA Draft prospect LaMelo Ball (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
NBA Draft prospect LaMelo Ball (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
5 of 30
NBA Draft
NBA Draft prospect Obi Toppin (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

5. Cleveland Cavaliers – Obi Toppin, F, Dayton

Frankly, there might not be a pick in the top 5 that I feel as strongly about as I do this one. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to Obi Toppin and I believe this is a player that will allow Cleveland to do so much this offseason. On one hand, adding Toppin would allow the Cavs to trade Andre Drummond or Kevin Love, or both.

It would also allow the Cavs to move on from Tristan Thompson if he gets a better offer on the free-agent market. Toppin, by many accounts, was the best and most consistent player in college basketball last year. Had it not been for the global pandemic that forced the NCAA to cancel the NCAA Tournament, perhaps we would’ve seen that on a bigger stage.

Toppin averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, and two assists per game while leading the Dayton Flyers 29-2 record and a perfect 18-0 in the Atlantic 10. It’s really a shame we didn’t get to see Toppin on the grandest of stages in college basketball last season.