Cavaliers Select Kay Felder with 54th Pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't have a draft pick heading into the 2016 NBA Draft. That didn't stop the Cavs from being active, however, and they went searching for a 2nd round pick, eventually agreeing to buy the 54th pick from the Atlanta Hawks, and drafting Kay Felder, the point guard from Oakland University:

Cleveland is drafting Oakland guard Kay Felder with the No. 54 pick, buying it from Hawks, sources tell The Vertical. Explosive PG.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016

The Cavs purchased the #54 pick (Kay Felder) in the draft for 2.4 million. Hefty price so late. Shows you how much teams value these picks.

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 24, 2016

Felder was one of the players I suggested could be in play if the Cavs grabbed a pick, and if you paid attention to college basketball this winter, you could see why they might be interested. Felder led a strong Oakland team through some early-season upsets, and was one of college basketball's most entertaining players, averaging 24.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists for the 23-12 Grizzlies. Felder is more of an offensively-based prospect, which makes sense given that he's just 5'10".

Felder's best attributes are his ability to finish and get to the line, and his intensity on defense. Felder shot 8.8 free throw attempts per 40 minutes, and he's great at absorbing contact and passing in space, two things that will greatly help him offensively at the next level. He's also a skilled off-ball defender, and excels in transition defense, where he can use timing and surprising strength to contest shots on the break.

However, Felder is obviously limited, or else he wouldn't be available this low. Felder's three-point shooting is inconsistent, as he hit just 35.5 percent from outside . Part of this could be due to volume (6.7 attempts per game) but he's never been that good and his form is inconsistent. Defensively, he has obvious drawbacks, given his combination of short stature and suboptimal quickness.

Felder will almost certainly be playing in Canton next year, and this is likely a long-term play by the Cavs to address their potential need for point guard depth. With Matthew Dellavedova a free agent, and Mo Williams not getting any younger, the Cavs need to explore options to potentially fill in behind Kyrie Irving. They now have three, with Felder, Jordan McRae, and D-League Rookie of the Year Quinn Cook in place.