Cleveland Cavaliers acquire 49th overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft
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Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman appeared to be adding to his stash of trade capital ahead of Thursday night's NBA Draft, dealing with the Sacramento Kings to acquire the 49th overall pick.
The Cavs sent the Kings the draft rights to Sasha Vezenkov, 26, a first-team All-EuroLeague forward this season who was selected 57th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017. Vezenkov was acquired from the Nets in the January 2021 three-team trade that brought All-Star center Jarrett Allen to the Cavs.
Cash considerations were announced in the trade and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported the Cavs sent the Kings $1.75 million in cash.
The move leaves the Cavs with picks No. 14, 39, 49, and 56.
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The Cavs are seeking playmakers, two-way wings and more scoring in the offseason and the draft is their best opportunity to land a wing, a position highly coveted around the league.
Among the players the Cavs are considering at No. 14 are Ohio State guard Malaki Branham of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji, the most outstanding player of the 2022 NCAA Tournament as the Jayhawks captured the national title, and Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan, the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year who is a versatile defender.
Altman was not expected to try to move up in Thursday's draft in order to remain out of the luxury tax in the 2022-23 season. But the Cavs have tradable assets, including the expiring contract of five-time All-Star forward Kevin Love.
Guard Caris LeVert, acquired from the Indiana Pacers just before the 2022 trade deadline is seeking a contract extension and guard Collin Sexton, who played in only 11 games last season before undergoing season-ending meniscus surgery, is a restricted free agent. The Cavs can match any offers Sexton receives, but recent reports say Sexton's camp is seeking upwards of $20 million per year.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavaliers trade with Kings for 49th overall pick in NBA Draft
