These Cavs could be replaced by Cleveland with the No. 29 pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers face a tough offseason as they try to reload their roster for another run at an elusive NBA title. The likes of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley are in their primes but they need support to topple their competitors in the Eastern Conference.

The complicating factor for GM Koby Altman and his front office is that the team lacks the financial flexibility to make sweeping roster changes. That places a lot of pressure on the franchise to nail their first round NBA Draft pick. Finding a difference maker at No. 29 won't be easy, but the Cavaliers can reasonably hope to find a rookie who can impact their rotation.

That plan should put some of the team's higher priced veterans on notice. The Cavaliers need to find a way to replace one bloated contract with a cheap rookie deal to ease their financial constraints. These players are in real jeopardy of losing their jobs as a result.

The Cavaliers should look to replace Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder did a reasonable job of eating minutes for the Cavaliers in the regular season before seeing his role minmized in the playoffs. That's a troubling trend for a 33-year-old guard who has an expiring contract.

Taking his $15 million and change off the books would really help Cleveland save some theoretical cash and open up trade opportunities. That's why it would be wise for the front office to target a combo guard who can play immediately with their late first-round pick.

Ideally, the Cavaliers could find a better shooter who can provide more spacing for their half-court offense. Someone like Sergio De Larrea, who shot over 40 percent from 3 in Spain last year, could be an ideal roll of the dice. It might take him some time to adjust to NBA competition but he could be an upgrade over Schroder by the time next year's playoffs roll around.

Cleveland should let Thomas Bryant go in free agency

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are going to play the lion's share of minutes for Cleveland at center next year. It's worth noting that Thomas Bryant did manage to scratch out just over 12 minutes per game in his reserve role last season.

Bryant his headed to unrestricted free agency and the Cavaliers should be looking to find a younger third center with more upside. Finding that sort of player at No. 29 could even open up the possibility of trading Allen down the line.

Houston standout Chris Cenac likely represents the best hope the Cavaliers can have at such a late juncture in Round 1. He will need time to develop before he's ready to play meaningful NBA minutes, but he has the upside of being a quality starter. That's the kind of swing Cleveland should be taking with their best draft pick.

The Cavaliers should aspire for better than Dean Wade in their second unit

Dean Wade has some bright moments during the Cavaliers' playoff push, but his lack of reliable 3-point shooting limits his ceiling playing alongside the team's stars. The Cavaliers front office would love to find a sweet-shooting wing to cut into his minutes with the No. 29 pick.

Admittedly, that sort of player doesn't grow on trees. Every team in the NBA would love to find a legitimate two-way wing in the first round. The Cavaliers' scouting department will need to do exemplary work to outsmart the competition and land that kind of player at 29.

Someone like Baba Miller could be an intriguing gamble for the Cavaliers. He's painfully thin, but he is a big wing who can shoot the ball from distance. He has a lot of bust potential, but the highest level of his outcome is to blossom into a strong 3-and-D starter. He's just the sort of player the Cavaliers should be gambling on given their roster restrictions.

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