CLEVELAND, Ohio — The 58th pick doesn’t usually move the needle. But it can stiffen the spine of a roster.
That’s what the Cavs should be after Thursday night — not flash, not projection.
What Cleveland needs is someone who’s wired to compete, shaped by experience, and ready to fill the margins with purpose.
Viktor Lakhin isn’t a flyer. He’s a floor-raiser. And for a team that was outmuscled in the moments that mattered even against a run-and-gun Pacers squad last postseason, the Clemson bruiser offers something this roster needs in the second unit: bite.
You don’t have to squint to see the fit.
Lakhin is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound enforcer who thrives in traffic, plays through contact, and doesn’t shrink when the game gets muddy.
**The NBA is still dominated by bigs**
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At some point, Evan Mobley may become a full-time five. That’s the trajectory many envision for him as he adds muscle, sharpens his decision-making and develops his outside shot. But the NBA hasn’t let go of size just yet.
Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alperen Şengün, Isaiah Hartenstein and Nikola Jokic — these are the names standing in the Cavs’ path to a title. And as of today, Mobley isn’t physically built to withstand 40 minutes of those matchups in the trenches.
Jarrett Allen has long been the stabilizer in that role, but he can’t play every minute — nor should he in a postseason context.
That’s where Lakhin makes sense. He won’t be tasked with guarding Jokic in crunch time. But he can buy valuable minutes during the long haul of a season, or in critical stretches of a playoff game, to keep the defensive foundation intact.
And he gives Mobley the opportunity to grow into the five spot _on_ his timeline — not out of desperation.
Lakhin won’t solve every matchup, but he gives the Cavs optionality. You want a more physical second unit? He’s the answer. You want to keep Mobley fresh for fourth quarters? He’s your insurance. You want to maintain defensive identity when Allen sits? Lakhin fits the profile.
He doesn’t need usage or freedom. He needs a jersey and a role.
**Edge over elegance, and that’s a good thing**
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Lakhin plays with force. He doesn’t float into space — he charges into it, planting hard screens, wrestling for rebounds, and rotating with the intent to erase plays, not just disrupt them.
At 245 pounds, he’s built to absorb contact and dish it out. And while his lateral mobility is average, he competes on every possession.
He’s not subtle — but subtlety hasn’t been Cleveland’s problem.
The Cavs were bullied by the Knicks in 2023 and bruised by the Celtics in 2024. Physicality wasn’t just missing — it was exploited. Lakhin plays like someone who’s made a career out of standing in those gaps.
He won’t switch onto guards and win footraces, but he’ll hedge, recover and challenge. And he’s not a plodder — he runs the floor with purpose, which gives the Cavs another rim presence in transition and vertical threat off ball screens.
**Sneaky stretch and a growth arc worth watching**
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Lakhin’s offensive profile is under the radar, but functional.
He shot 37.5% from deep his final college season on low volume, with a compact release that could evolve into legitimate pick-and-pop gravity.
And while his career free-throw percentage hovers under 60%, he bumped that mark to nearly 70% as a senior. That’s not elite by any stretch, but it’s an encouraging progression from a big who was once seen as a liability at the line.
Under Kenny Atkinson, the Cavs are shifting toward an offense built on movement, space, and intelligent reads. Lakhin won’t be central to that, but he can be additive.
He’ll screen hard. He’ll roll with purpose. And if left open above the break, he won’t hesitate to let it fly. That’s all Cleveland needs — a big who can keep defenders honest and shooters freer.
And if Lakhin becomes more than that? Even better. But unlike most late picks, he doesn’t have to _become_ anything to bring value.
**Fitting the Cavs’ timeline**
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Some teams see an older rookie and balk. The Cavaliers should lean into it.
Lakhin turns 24 next month, but this isn’t a team looking to build a foundation from scratch. It’s one looking to sand down the edges of a rotation that’s reached the Eastern Conference semifinals in back-to-back seasons.
A young team with title hopes doesn’t need more upside swings — it needs certainty, even in its end of bench players.
If Tristan Thompson returns, he remains more spiritual anchor than nightly contributor. Lakhin offers a chance to pass that torch — only now with fresher legs, more fouls to give, and a deeper skill set than you’d expect from a No. 58 pick.
**A mindset worth drafting**
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Lakhin won’t carry your offense. He won’t light up the box score. But he will understand the moment. And the Cavs —who learned this past season that mental toughness is just as important as physical — should value that.
Cleveland doesn’t need to dream on another upside pick. It needs someone who will put a body on a rolling big, keep a second unit alive defensively, and deliver physicality when the postseason pace slows to a crawl.
Lakhin’s not a maybe. He’s a mentality. And if the Cavs want to be a team that doesn’t flinch in big moments, this pick helps get them there.