NEW YORK — After selecting guard Tyrese Proctor nine picks earlier, the Cleveland Cavaliers were back on the clock and selecting for a second time in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the No. 58 overall pick, the Cavs selected Saliou Niang from Senegal.
Niang, a 21-year-old 6'5", 190-pound swingman, was the penultimate pick of this year's draft and the final pick for Cleveland.
While he's from Senegal, Niang has been playing in the EuroLeague for Italy, starting with the Fortitudo Bologna junior team and making his debut with Fortitudo Bologna in the 2021-22 season, before signing with Aquila Trento in the 2023-24 season.
Niang recently won the 2025 Italian National Cup with Aquila Trento. This past season, he averaged 6.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 18.3 minutes.
Cavs general manager Mike Gansey said the plan is to keep Niang overseas, a draft-and-stash situation. He'll play in Italy this season with the hope he can participate in Summer League with the Cavs.
Cleveland didn't hold a first-round pick, but with the selections of Niang and Proctor in the second round, they were able to add some young talent to the organization.
The next question for the Cavs is what moves they will, or will not, make to the rest of their roster. Will they make a notable trade? Will they add another piece via free agency?
Whatever the Cavs decide to do will be financially strategic in addition to the considerations on the court. The Cavs are slated to be a second-apron team, above the NBA's luxury tax, next season, which would present restrictions including:
- Unable to make sign-and-trades if the player acquired keeps the team above the apron
- Unable to sign players who were waived during the regular season if their salary was above the $12.2 million mid-level exception
- Salary matching in trades has to be within 110% instead of the 125% teams in good standing get
- Unable to access the mid-level exception in free agency or absorb contracts
- Unable to trade first-round picks from seven years out
- Unable to use trade exceptions from previous years
- Unable to use cash in trades
- First round pick moves straight to the end of the first round if the team stays in the second apron for three of five years
While the Cavs continue to weigh their future, they're also gearing up for Summer League, which takes place in Las Vegas from July 10 to 20.
