The Cleveland Cavaliers need to find NBA-ready players in the upcoming draft.
They don’t have a lot of wiggle room to spend money on free agents this offseason, and unless they make a big trade, they won’t have a first-round pick, either.
Considering that, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report predicted the Cavs would take three-level scoring guard John Tonje of Wisconsin in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
“After four years at Colorado State and one with Missouri, John Tonje put himself in the draft discussion by averaging 19.6 points for Wisconsin. He made 85 threes and 231 free throws (90.9 percent FT), as Tonje’s shotmaking and physical driving ability have become worth looking into for teams late in the second round,” Wasserman wrote in his latest mock draft.
Tonje has proven to be an instant-offense kind of player, especially in his final year in college.
He can get buckets at will, not only as an initiator or shot creator, but also as someone who’s constantly looking to finish through contact and get to the free-throw line.
The Cavs don’t need someone to take the reins as another star, and they have a deep bench, so it will be tough for any first-year player to find his way to the court next season.
Then again, it should be easy to create minutes for Tonje, especially if the Cavs wind up losing either Sam Merrill or Ty Jerome, or both.
While not the best defensive player, Tonje is a decent on-ball defender who can be disruptive in passing lanes when he’s locked in.
Scouts might not be so high on him because they don’t usually favor players who spent a lot of time in college.
Then again, that experience could make the transition much easier for Tonje.
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