Cleveland Cavaliers UDFA DJ Burns Gets Huge NBA Comparison

Cleveland Cavaliers undrafted free agent DJ Burns is being compared to a former NBA star.

North Carolina State forward DJ Burns Jr. (30) shows his frustrations with an official during the Final Four semifinal game against Purdue at State Farm Stadium. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to walk away from the 2024 NBA Draft with one selection at No. 20 overall. With that pick, they were able to land Jaylon Tyson, a player who could end up earning a role with the team very early on during his career.

Despite rumors that the Cavaliers were hopeful to trade into the second round of the draft, they did not end up doing so.

However, shortly after the draft concluded, Cleveland did make a move for an intriguing undrafted free agent. Former NC State standout DJ Burns was signed to a deal.

Burns became very popular across the nation during the NCAA Tournament. Fans fell in love with his game, but his size also became a very popular talking point as the tournament carried on.

Standing in at 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds, Burns is a very intimidating physical presence. Some analysts even suggested that if the NBA doesn't work out for him, he might be able to switch sports and play football.

During March Madness, Burns helped his Wolfpack make a run all the way to the Final Four. Unfortunately, they were unable to defeat Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers.

All of that being said, he's now prepared to start his NBA journey with the Cavaliers and fans are excited to see what he can bring to the table and whether or not he can earn a roster spot.

The Sporting News has revealed their take on Burns and actually gave him a very impressive comparison to a former NBA star. That former star is none other than Zach Randolph.

"Burns and Randolph are similar in size — Burns is listed at 6-9, 275 lbs. while Randolph was 6-9, 250 lbs. — and have the same soft touch and smooth footwork. This isn't to say Burns will be Randolph in the NBA, though. Randolph was a two-time All-Star who averaged 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds for his career and had five seasons where he averaged a 20-point double-double. He also played a remarkable 17 seasons in the league. It's more of a stature and play style comparison than a projection of who Burns could become."

Randolph was very big for an NBA player as well, but he put together a very successful career. As the above comparison stated, Burns would have to put in a lot of work to have the kind of career Randolph had.

During the 2023-24 college basketball season, Burns ended up averaging 12.9 points per game. He also chipped in 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.

While he's going to be fun to watch, there are some concerns about Burns. His defensive ability and his ability to move quickly could be problematic.

Despite any concerns that might surround him, Burns is deserving of the opportunity. He's got a lot of work to do, but no one should count him out when it comes to potentially sticking with Cleveland.