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Potential targets for Cleveland Cavaliers with Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick

The Cavs received the Nets' pick from Boston in the Kyrie Irving trade last summer.
Credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images

March Madness is in full swing and if you're a Cleveland Cavaliers fan, you may be paying attention to more than just your bracket this spring.

Thanks to the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics last summer, the Cavs lay claim to the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round pick, which is expected to land somewhere within the top-10 of the NBA Draft. The Cavs haven't possessed a draft pick since 2015, when they traded point guard Tyus Jones to Minnesota after selecting him with the No. 24 overall pick.

At 23-48, the Nets currently possess the NBA's seventh-worst record. Should Brooklyn's spot in the standings remain consistent through the final three weeks of the regular season, the Cavs' pick would have a 4.3 percent chance of being first overall and 15 percent chance of landing in the top-three, according to Tankathon.com.

To put those numbers in perspective, the Phoenix Suns (19-52) possess the worst record in the league and thus have a 25 percent chance of landing the top pick and a 64.3 percent chance of landing in the top-three. And unlike the other "tanking" teams, the Nets have no incentive to lose in the final three weeks of the season, given that the Cavs own their pick.

In other words, it seems more than reasonable to believe that barring unforeseen luck in the NBA Draft Lottery, the Cavs will be picking in the 6-to-9 range this June, assuming they hold onto Brooklyn's pick. That would likely take the Cavs out of the running for the draft's top prospects -- such as Arizona's DeAndre Ayton or Slovenia's Luka Doncic -- but could leave Cleveland in line for some interesting prospects to pick from, including:

Michael Porter Jr.

Should the Nets' pick land in its current projected spot, getting Michael Porter Jr. could be the best case scenario for the Cavs.

After entering the 2017-18 season as one of the top prospects in the country, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound forward missed all but three games of Missouri's season due to a back injury. Although he struggled shooting from the field in the very limited action that comprised his freshman season, Porter Jr. still showed flashes of the player who ranked as the No. 2 overall player in the 2017 class according to 247Sports.

Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Image

Trae Young

Although he may not be this year's top prospect, Trae Young is arguably college basketball's biggest star. Averaging 27.4 points and 8.7 assists per game, the Oklahoma guard has drawn comparisons to Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.

What's more is that Young -- who declared for the draft on Tuesday -- already appears to have a relationship with LeBron James. Asked last month if he thought Young would turn pro, James made it clear the star freshman didn't have much of a decision on his hands.

“What decision? That ain’t no decision,” James said. “That’s like saying, ‘Am I waking up this morning?’ That ain’t no decision, or brushing my teeth. That ain’t a decision. He better go pro.”

Collin Sexton

Averaging 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, Collin Sexton showed a well-rounded game while leading Alabama to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 this season.

There are some who even believe that the 6-foot-2, 183-pound guard is better suited for the pro game than Young is. And it's worth noting that when the two faced off in January, the Cavs brought a large contingent, in a game in which Sexton scored 18 points while leading the Crimson Tide to an 80-73 victory.

Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Wendell Carter Jr.

Currently projected by ESPN's Jonathan Givony to be selected with the No. 6 pick, the Cavs would be fortunate to be in a position to pick a player of Wendell Carter Jr.'s caliber. But with this being a strong draft for the center position -- which has been devalued in recent years -- it wouldn't be surprising to see at least one big man slide on June 21.

With Cleveland lacking big men, the 6-foot-10 Carter Jr. could become an intriguing prospect should he declare for the draft as expected. In 35 games this season, the Duke freshman has averaged 13.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

Miles Bridges

Had he entered the draft a year ago, Miles Bridges almost assuredly would have been picked in the top-10. But after returning to Michigan State for his sophomore season, the 6-foot-7 swingman could fall in what appears to be a more talented draft class.

Averaging 17.0 points per game in each of the last two years, Bridges has proven effective as a scorer in his time in East Lansing. It also might not hurt his cause that Cavs owner and MSU alum Dan Gilbert is a big fan of the Green and White.

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