Cleveland Cavaliers Get No. 29 Pick in NBA Draft: What it Means and Why it Matters

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the No. 29 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here's why it matters and who they could be targeting.

Jun 21, 2019; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman answers questions during a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the No. 29 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Cavs will have one of the final selections in the first round of the 2026 class after their Eastern Conference Finals berth for the first time since 1992 without LeBron James. It’s rare for the Cavs to have a first round selection, as they alternate years with draft picks until 2030, sending every other selection to the Utah Jazz from the Donovan Mitchell trade.

During the 2025 NBA Draft, the Cavs only had second round selections, which they used on Duke guard Tyrese Proctor and Senegal's Saliou Niang. The last time the Cavs had a first round pick was 2024, where they selected California’s Jaylon Tyson at No. 20 overall.

Due to the Stepien rule, the Cavs aren’t allowed to trade the No. 29 overall selection in an effort to improve their roster with a veteran player. Unless they trade up, which feels unlikely, the Cavs will be on the clock at No. 29 overall.

Here’s why the No. 29 overall pick matters

Even though the Cavs won’t be able to land a marquee talent in this class like BYU’s AJ Dybantsa or Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, the No. 29 overall pick is still important to this franchise. 

Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman has had an eye for developing young talent in Cleveland. The team’s last two draft picks, Proctor and Tyson, both played regular season roles to help the Cavaliers secure the No. 4 seed in the East. Following Cleveland’s Eastern Conference Finals sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks, Altman proclaimed a big offseason for Proctor, who figures to be a contributing factor in 2026.

Tyson has emerged as a fan favorite in Cleveland due to his toughness and physicality. If Tyson’s offense continues to improve each season, he’ll become a regular member of the rotation. The next step for Tyson is to nail down some consistency and earn the trust of Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson for postseason minutes. 

It’s not just Tyson and Proctor, though. The Cavaliers ended Sam Merrill’s journeyman career and turned him into a viable NBA role player. Dean Wade is another example. He went undrafted in 2019 and started a career-high 38 games for the Cavs in 2026.

Who could the Cavs target at No. 29?

Don’t expect one of the superstar prospects to fall all the way to the end of the round.

Instead, take a look at some of the realistic prospects for the Cavaliers to select. Cleveland enters the offseason with a need at small forward and backup center. Arizona’s Koa Peat is an intriguing 19-year-old small forward with a 6-foot-8 frame. He would need to prove himself throughout Summer League and training camp in order to secure a roster spot on Cleveland’s championship-contending squad, but that’s the ilk of player they’ll be after with the late first round selection.