CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers went into this offseason knowing they would need to upgrade the perimeter, and it appears they have taken the first step in doing just that, selecting Jaylon Tyson out of California with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft Wednesday night.
The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 19.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this past season as a junior, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in the process. The 21-year-old also shot 37.2% from 3-point range during his college career, which included stops at Texas and Texas Tech prior to his arrival in Berkley.
"He is a capable ball handler who can create his own shot in the transition," 3News' Anna Meyer wrote of Tyson prior to the draft. "Tyson would undoubtedly be a powerful rotation piece to add to the roster if available."
The Cavs are coming off their most successful season in years, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals before falling to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in five games. However, their wing play has long been perceived as a weakness, with guys like Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, and George Niang all struggling from beyond the arc in the postseason.
It's already a summer of change for Cleveland, which has reportedly hired Kenny Atkinson to replace J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach. On Wednesday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the two sides had come to an agreement on a five-year contract.
Cavs general manager Mike Gansey confirmed to reporters that Atkinson was in the draft room with other members of the front office, but would not offer more details on his status with the club.