by The Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings agreed to a draft night trade involving the 29th pick in this year’s Draft. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Cleveland traded the 29th pick to Sacramento in exchange for the 34th pick and a future second-round pick.
With the 29th pick, Sacramento selected UConn forward Alex Karaban. Karaban played a key role in helping the Huskies capture back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2023 and 2024. His experience, versatility, and winning pedigree made him a good-looking option for the Kings late in the first round.
For Cleveland, this move lined up with one of the most commonly projected draft-night scenarios. Many sources believed the Cavaliers would either trade down to acquire additional draft capital and reduce salary commitments related with a first-round selection or use the pick to address a need.
Several mock drafts had the Cavaliers selecting either Spanish point guard Sergio de Larrea or UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. However, both prospects were selected before Cleveland was on the clock. De Larrea was taken by the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks with the 25th pick, while Reed Jr. was selected by the Denver Nuggets one pick later at No. 26.
By moving back five spots and adding a future second-round pick, the Cavaliers increased their draft assets while maintaining the opportunity to add a young prospect early in the second round.
SOURCES:
Shams Charania, X (formerly Twitter) — https://x.com/ShamsCharania
Ryan Lewis, USA Today — Cavs trade first-round pick to Kings, who select Alex Karaban
Jackson Flickinger, Fear The Sword — “Cavs 2026 Mock Draft Roundup: Cleveland Could Be Targeting a Spanish Wing”
