Why don’t the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 1st-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?

While the rest of the league is preparing for the first round of the NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers can focus on the second-round and free agency.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been active on the NBA trade market the past few years, building a deep and versatile roster they hope will lead an NBA championship run this season. However, all of that trading has required sending out some serious draft capital, especially the acquisition of Donovan Mitchell.

Because of a recent trade, the Cavs do not have a pick in this year’s draft. And due to the Mitchell trade, they will send their 2025, 2027 and 2029 first-round picks to the Utah Jazz along with holding the wrong end of a pick swap with Utah in 2028.

Why don’t the Cavaliers have a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?

The Cavaliers owe their first- and second-round picks to the Indiana Pacers in the 2023 NBA Draft. The first-round pick, slotted at No. 26, is owed as part of the Caris LeVert trade from February 2022. The second-round pick, slotted at No. 55, was originally sent to the Pistons in 2020 as part of the Andre Drummond trade. It wound up in the hands of the Pacers after being included in two other trades — Marvin Bagley in 2022 and the Kevin Durant trade this year. The Cavaliers do still have a pick in the draft though, a second-rounder from Golden State, No. 48.

LeVert, who cost them their first-rounder this year, averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, shooting a career-high 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. However, he is an unrestricted free agent this season and a strong postseason run may keep his salary close to the roughly $18 million per season he was making on his previous deal.

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