Glenn Kaplan
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have the 29th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The first-round of the 2026 NBA Draft will take place on Tuesday night. This will be the only selection that Cleveland will be making in the draft. The Cavaliers need to find a player that will help them to win-now.
There are not many avenues for this team to fix the roster, but the NBA Draft is one of them. There will be a few good players on the board when the Cavaliers are on the clock with the 29th overall pick. Some players that could be available when they are on the clock are Joshua Jefferson from the Iowa State Cyclones, Koa Peat from the Arizona Wildcats, and Zuby Ejiofor from the St. John’s Red Storm.
One NBA mock draft has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Joshua Jefferson
The Cavaliers website recapped all of the different scenarios in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. Matthew Winick of the Score thinks that Cleveland could very well draft Jefferson with the 29th overall pick. Winick said, “Jefferson is the best passing forward in this draft, and he makes sense on an already proven roster given he’s one of the older prospects without tons of upside in his development. The Cavaliers couldn’t find a dependable big to play minutes behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen last year, and Jefferson could fill that void while bringing a signature skill to the table.”
Jefferson would be a good selection for Cleveland. He played on a very good Iowa State team last season. Jefferson did not play against the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers in the NCAA Tournament because of an ankle injury. Iowa State no doubt missed his presence big time.
During the 2025-2026 college basketball season with the Cyclones, he averaged 16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.8 APG, 0.8 BPG, and 1.6 SPG. Jefferson is 6’8″ and weighs 246 lbs. He provides another element of toughness that this Cavaliers team needs.
Scouting Report
Jonathan Wasserman of bleacherreport.com wrote about some of the strengths and weaknesses about Jefferson’s game. One of the strengths that Jefferson possesses is that he is a forward who has play making ability. Wasserman said, “Jefferson has excellent court awareness and consistently makes smart decisions with the basketball. He registered a 27.7 assist percentage, a number scouts love to see from frontcourt players. He sees the floor well for a forward, creating opportunities for teammates through quick reads and unselfish passing.”
Jefferson is also a very good post scorer, and he is also a versatile defender. The Cavaliers need some more playmakers out of the post and also need another primary defender. They don’t have enough good defenders on this roster. Cleveland drafting Jefferson would also mean that they are adding another wing to this roster and they lack them.
However, one of his weaknesses is shooting. Wasserman said, “Though he made some improvements, Jefferson’s jump shot remains a work in progress, particularly from three-point range. He also missed 22 of his 26 pull-up attempts. Defenders are often willing to give him space until he proves he can make outside shots at a consistent rate.” Jefferson will need to improve that at the next level. Cleveland has a very good offensive system under head coach Kenny Atkinson that might help get easy baskets in games.
