2018 NBA Draft Rumors: Trae Young Had 'Secret Workout' with Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly hosted Trae Young for a private workout Saturday and have narrowed their targets to three.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com reported the Cavs have identified Young and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as their preferred selections should Michael Porter Jr. be off the board. The former Missouri Tiger has become a Cleveland management favorite as Thursday's draft approaches but is likely to be taken before the No. 8 pick.
Young had previously declined an opportunity to work out for the Cavs.
Cleveland will enter the draft nearly blind. LeBron James' future will dictate the franchise's outlook, but the four-time MVP has given no clues about where he will play next season. James will be an unrestricted free agent in July if he declines his player option for 2018-19 and is expected to be open to other suitors.
If James stays, whoever Cleveland drafts at No. 8 likely won't have a long career with the team. The Cavs' roster is constructed to win now, not to develop a rookie.
Young, who garnered Steph Curry comparisons during his lone season at Oklahoma, could generate a number of offers around the league. In the event LeBron leaves, Young is a microwave scorer who could be ready to lead the Cavs' next group.
On the other hand, James has spoken about Young on multiple occasions and sent out an Instagram post featuring the two. This could be a situation where the Cavs are considering Young to appease James' camp, who could see the guard as a Kyrie Irving replacement.
That seems unlikely, given the 33-year-old James' career timeline and the learning curve of NBA rookies, but it's possible.
