Cons of trading down in the NBA Draft: The possibility of missing out on a future superstar
The cons of trading down in the NBA Draft is the potential of missing out on a future superstar. Many believe that there are three or four top prospects in this draft and then there’s quite a drop-off between the rest of the prospects. Even if that is so, the Cavs would be taking a significant risk by trading out of the top 3.
Even more so if there’s not an established veteran coming back in whatever deal that Cleveland is able to strike on draft night. With the assumption that Cade Cunningham will go No. 1, the Cavs would have to be sure that whoever is there at No. 3 – Jalen Suggs, Evan Mobley, or Jalen Green – wouldn’t develop into a future superstar.
If so, Cleveland would forever be remembered as the team that knowingly traded out of position to possibly draft a future superstar. And history won’t remember the rest, just that Cleveland had a chance to take a special player and, instead, elected to acquire future picks or a veteran player that wasn’t as good as said superstar that was birthed out of the 2021 NBA Draft.