Cavaliers Rumors: Obi Toppin 'In the Mix' with No. 5 Pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers may stay in the state of Ohio when it comes to the No. 5 overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft.

According to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, Dayton's Obi Toppin is "in the mix for the Cavs at No. 5." Woo pointed to Toppin's ability to "contribute immediately and supply energy to a locker room searching for a collective identity" and provide enough of a scoring spark to overcome the defensive concerns that come with his game.

Woo also noted Toppin, 22, would be the oldest top-five pick since the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Syracuse's Wesley Johnson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2010 draft.

That may be another reason for hesitation, but Toppin fits in with Cleveland's personnel as it rebuilds with an eye on the future.

Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. are all young guards, and Toppin wouldn't significantly cut into any of their playing time as a stretch forward. He is also someone who can extend his game beyond the three-point line (41.7 percent from deep in his collegiate career) and take advantage of the spacing created when any of those three perimeter playmakers attack.

Toppin is coming off a dominant final season at Dayton as the Associated Press Player of the Year, Naismith Award winner, Wooden Award winner and Atlantic-10 Player of the Year who averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

Had the NCAA tournament not been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his Flyers likely would have been a No. 1 seed. 

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the Detroit Pistons to take Toppin at No. 7 overall in his most recent mock draft with Cleveland selecting Deni Avdija at No. 5.