Cavaliers select Jaylon Tyson

   

     The Cleveland Cavaliers made their final first-round selection that they can't lose or see changed for quite a while in yesterday's NBA Draft with the selection of California small forward Jaylon Tyson as the twentieth overall choice. 

The Cavaliers do not own their draft choices in 2025 and 2027 and Utah has the option to switch with Cleveland in 2026 and 2028, should the Cavaliers' selection become higher than the pick owned by the Jazz as part of the trade that acquired Donovan Mitchell.

That makes what would normally be a small news story about a choice from the back third of the first round of more importance than usual for the Cavaliers, who are still  building a title contender.

The first thing you notice about Jaylon Tyson is that he played for three schools in three college seasons.

That's unusual but it will not be over time as more and more college players move from school to school due to weakened transfer regulations and the rules for NIL (name, image, and likeness) become mainstream.

Tyson played one year each for Texas, Texas Tech, and then California before declaring for the draft, playing eight games for Texas before transferring to Texas Tech, which was his original commitment coming out of high school.

At Tech, Tyson averaged ten points a game before transferring due to being the subject of racial remarks by former Tech coach Mark Adams.

Tyson averaged nineteen points and six rebounds for the Calfornia Golden Bears last year, shooting forty-six percent overall and thirty-six percent from three-point distance.

The 6'6 Tyson is regarded as a player that can hit the open shot (on a team that never seems to have enough players that can do that) and he is noted as a player that can drive and create but isn't graded as outstanding in any of those areas.

Tyson is said to be weak on defense, so if you combine Tyson's offense and defense, Tyson is the opposite of incumbent wing, Isaac Okoro.

Tyson's workout for the Cavaliers was reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as extremely impressive  and played a key role in the Cavaliers deciding to select him.

I don't watch college basketball as much as I used to, so I can't claim an innate feeling on Jaylon Tyson but it does seem that Tyson has the offensive game that the Cavaliers are looking for.

Plus Tyson's coach at California was former NBAer Mark Madsen and new head coach Kenny Atkinson, who was an assistant with Golden State (Cal-Berkeley is also in the Bay Area) likely has some knowledge of Tyson and Tyson has some preparation advantages that other players would not have.

Picking at this portion of the draft will never bring a player certain to succeed but Jaylon Tyson has a chance to help the Cavaliers immediately as part of their second unit and contribute as a role player this season.

Cleveland doesn't have a second round pick in today's half of the draft, should they make a move to pick a player or make a trade, I'll be sure to write!