Jalen Green, one of the top prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft, will only work out for the two teams who own the top two picks in the draft — the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets.
The dynamic G League Ignite guard, who might be the most explosive scorer coming out of the draft class, will hold a workout at the Houston Rockets training facility and then shut it down.
That could leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, who pick third, in a bind depending on Houston’s ultimate move. Reporting at The Athletic indicates the Rockets are deciding between the two Jalens presuming Detroit takes Cade Cunningham No. 1. Many want the explosive scorer Jalen Green and others want the all-around solid Jalen Suggs.
If the Rockets surprise and take Suggs at No. 2, that would mean Cleveland has a great choice between Green and big man Evan Mobley. They would have less access to Green than Mobley, but there is plenty of tape on both. I don’t think a lack of a private workout with Green would prevent the Cavs from selecting him.
The Cavs already have Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, who they reportedly are willing to move, as well as young center Jarrett Allen who they got in a big trade with the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline with the intention of handing a new $100 million contract to.
There is no specific need at either center or shooting guard, so the Cavs could feel free to take best player available. If you’re a Cavs fan, do you want that to be the multi-positional lockdown defensive potential of Mobley or the potential elite scorer who commands the offense in Green? I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision.
That being said, this means there is a world where the Toronto Raptors, sitting at No. 4 get a chance to draft Mobley. And if it happens, it almost feels like fate that Mobley would then become the best player in the draft. That’s just how things tend to work out for Masai Ujiri.
The NBA Draft is in eight days. It’s almost Cade Cunningham time (probably).