The 2025 NBA Draft has officially concluded, and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on to both of their picks. Each came late in the second round, however, so how impactful could they realistically be?
With a roster full of wings, Cleveland’s two primary needs this offseason are guards and bigs to come off the bench. They addressed one of those needs, and this should make resolving the other more straightforward, whether that be through free agency or trade.
Each of their selections was rather unexpected, too, the first landing a player projected to have been drafted earlier, and the second a player who wasn’t expected to be drafted at all. Here’s a look at how the Cavaliers made use of the 49th and 58th overall picks, how good their new players are, and how they could integrate into the current Cleveland roster.
With the 49th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Cavaliers selected Tyrese Proctor, out of Duke University. This six-foot-five guard provides two things this team needs off the bench: outside scoring and defense.
Averaging 12.4 points, three rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, Proctor was an integral part of a highly-regarded team at Duke. He averaged a field goal percentage of 45.2 last season, with a 40.5 three-point percentage.
Playing well off screens, both when driving and finding space behind the arc, Proctor should be able to lean into this aspect of his game with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Proctor has room to grow when it comes to finishing close range, but his ability to score from deep and the midrange still makes him an offensive threat.
Proctor is likely a high-floor-low-ceiling player who will have an immediate impact off the bench while not being an all-star caliber guy. For where the Cavaliers drafted him, though, that’s a big return, as most of the picks in this range end up fizzling out in the NBA (if they even make it there).
Proctor could very well be better than expected, too, as he spent multiple seasons at Duke honing his game and ironing out his weak points. He, similar to Cleveland’s 2023 second-round draft pick, Emoni Bates, was a five-star recruit who saw his stock drop in college for varying reasons.
One of these reasons could be that Proctor was playing next to Cooper Flagg last season, but this could also be seen as a positive. Having to become more of an off-ball player with Flagg, he should fit well alongside the current Cavaliers stars.
Whether or not Proctor ends up being a solid role-guy or something more, Cleveland landed a player with more value than his draft placement suggests. He, unlike the Cavaliers’ second pick, should see NBA time next season.
The more curious of the two is Saliou Niang, out of Europe, taken with the 58th overall pick. Another taller guard, he measures six feet seven inches tall, with a wingspan just under six feet 11 inches.
Playing in both the LBA (Lega Basket Serie A, the highest level of basketball in Italy) and the BKT EuroCup tournament, Niang’s numbers last season aren’t anything exciting. He averaged 8.1 points, five rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 18.6 minutes per game in the LBA. In the BKT EuroCup, he averaged 6.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists through 18.6 minutes.
Despite not being a primary scorer, Niang’s athleticism, size, and fairly well-rounded stats show a good amount of potential. Cleveland plans to stash him, keeping him playing in Europe for another season, so he should only continue to develop until he makes the NBA roster.
Niang could provide this team with a larger guard who can come off the bench and defend, with the potential to grow on the offensive front. Although he won’t be in the NBA this season, the penultimate pick could end up being a solid player for the Cavaliers.
Choosing a high upside player who will fill a serviceable role and another player with promising upside to develop for a year overseas, Cleveland drafted well in 2025. They addressed one of the two major needs of their offseason, and did so via selections who could exceed expectations. Proctor and Niang are larger guards who could be valuable two-way depth pieces. Both are hopeful to compete in the NBA’s Summer League, so fans should get a chance to see these new Cavaliers play starting on July 10.
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