The 2017 NBA Draft has aged into one of the league’s richest talent hauls, loaded with stars, elite defenders and, yes, a handful of names with Cleveland ties. Nearly a decade later, a redraft of that class would look a lot different at the top.
Jayson Tatum would go first without much debate. He’s already a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, and his career line of 23.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game shows how steady his production has been.
At 6-foot-8, he brings a rare mix of defense and offensive creation, and the championship he helped lead puts him in a different lane from the rest of the class. Donovan Mitchell has been a brilliant scorer in his own right, but Tatum’s size and two-way value give him the edge.
Mitchell still comes in at No. 2.
The case is simple: he was the best player on a playoff team as a rookie and has kept rolling ever since. His career averages - 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and three 3-pointers per game - tell the story of a guard who changes games with the ball in his hands.
There are team-building questions because of his size and the fact that he isn’t a full-time point guard, but his teams have always made the playoffs and he drives winning at a high level. In a redraft, he’d jump from 13th to second.
Bam Adebayo lands at No. 3, just behind Mitchell after a tough call. He’s known first for defense and versatility, but he also had the biggest offensive moment of his career last season when he scored 83 points to pass Kobe Bryant for the most points in an NBA game.
Over time, he’s sharpened his ball-handling and shooting enough to handle either big-man spot. Still, defense is where he makes his money.
He’s the league’s best switch defender, able to protect the rim and hold up on the perimeter.
OG Anunoby slides into the No. 4 spot, moving up from 23rd in the original draft. His perimeter defense is elite, and he showed that for the champion New York Knicks this past season.
Add in reliable scoring and a steady 3-point shot, and you get the kind of player every roster can use. He isn’t the most dangerous offensive option left on the board, but his ability to slot in next to one makes him hugely valuable.
Derrick White checks in at No. 5, and the impact metrics love him. Originally taken 29th by the San Antonio Spurs, White has grown into a major piece for the Boston Celtics and was a key player on their 2024 title team.
He brings top-tier perimeter defense, rare shot-blocking for a guard, and enough passing and shooting to open up Boston’s offense and defense alike. He’s not an offensive engine, but his scalability pushes him into the top five.
De’Aaron Fox lands at No. 6.
He’s the fastest player in the class and deserves credit for helping Sacramento reach its first competitive seasons in two decades. Fox can fly, attack the rim and score from all over the floor.
But the warts are real too: his defense comes and goes, he’s only a decent passer, and he’s a career 33.1 percent shooter from deep. That makes him a strong starting point guard, just not a true top-tier star.
Jarrett Allen comes next at No. 7, a significant rise from his original spot at No. 22.
The stretch from picks 15 through 26 was a rough one overall, with only three real hits in that range: John Collins at 19, Allen at 22 and Anunoby at 23. Allen has been dependable from the start.
He protects the paint, moves well enough to survive on the perimeter, finishes efficiently and rebounds well. He doesn’t create his own offense and he isn’t the strongest center, but he’s been very good for a long time.
Lauri Markkanen arrives at No. 8, and he’s another familiar name for Cavaliers fans. The seven-footer has a case to be higher if you focus on his best seasons.
His overall career has been clouded by a slow start and years on tanking Utah teams, but the offensive package is still special. He’s a seven-foot marksman who can bend defenses, and while he’s only fine on the other end, his scoring gives him a massive ceiling.
Isaiah Hartenstein takes No. 9 after finally finding his footing with the New York Knicks in 2024 before moving on to start for a title team with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. He’s an excellent passing center with a strong frame, good touch around the rim and real value on the glass.
His defense may be a little underrated because of the talent around him, but he’s clearly very good on that side too. Even No. 9 might undersell how much he affects a game.
Josh Hart rounds out the top 10, beating out Dillon Brooks in a final call that also included John Collins, Luke Kennard, Kyle Kuzma and Malik Monk. Brooks brings valuable defense and edge, but Hart has shown he can fit on a championship team and do the little things that help winning every night.
At 6-foot-4, he’s one of the league’s best rebounders and a versatile defender, and while his shooting is only good rather than great, his strengths are loud. His culture-setting presence and winning track record make him the last name in the redraft top 10.
In Other News...
Cam Whitmore Suddenly Feels Like A Bigger Cavs Question Than Expected
Cam Whitmores arrival in Cleveland was supposed to be one of the quieter parts of a sprawling five-team trade, a secondary piece next to Peyton Watson and the larger roster mechanics that came with it. But the former 20th overall pick brings a different kind of intrigue because he is also coming off a season cut short by a blood clot, and the Cavaliers have yet to spell out where he fits in their plans.
For now, the uncertainty is less about Whitmores talent than about the business of the move itself. Cleveland still has to sort through the roster and cap implications tied to the deal, and that has left open the possibility that Whitmore could be moved again or even waived before he ever settles in. In a summer full of transactions, he has quickly become one of the more interesting unresolved questions on the Cavs books. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Just Paid A Popular Veteran Price In Latest Roster Shakeup
The Cavaliers made another notable roster move this week, sending Max Strus to the Clippers in a sprawling five-team deal that also pulled in the Nuggets, Hornets and Wizards. Clevelands part of the transaction also included moving Dennis Schroder to Charlotte and Tre Mann to Washington, a reminder that this front office is still actively reshaping the back end of the roster while trying to balance present needs with future flexibility.
For Cleveland, the Strus departure carries a little extra weight because he was one of the more popular veterans in the room, and president of basketball operations Koby Altman made sure to acknowledge both his and Schroders contributions. Moves like this are part of the NBAs business, but they still leave a mark when a team says goodbye to players who helped define its recent stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Need An Unusual Final Roster Move To Finish This Deal
The Cavaliers are working through an awkward end-of-offseason squeeze, and it has little to do with on-court fit and everything to do with the math. After adding Peyton Watson and James Harden, Cleveland is hardcapped at the first apron, which leaves the front office with a fixed team salary limit of $208 million and very little room to maneuver as it tries to settle the roster.
One possible solution sits in the draft-rights stash of French center Ismael Kamagate, whose salary would likely come in lower than that of a veteran free agent. Kamagate is not expected to make a major impact this season, but his signing could give the Cavaliers some much-needed financial flexibility as they navigate the cap and finish assembling the roster. [Read more 🡒]