There seems to be a growing optimism amongst Cleveland Cavaliers fans regarding this year’s team.
There is a growing belief that the Cleveland Cavaliers young talent and veteran leaders could win a playoff series, and the franchise will soon be back to contending.
Realistically, this just isn’t the case.
While it is fun to think about and there are some encouraging components of this team, we need to take a step back. We have been spoiled the past few years. Winning in Cleveland has long been the exception, not the rule.
This is the same franchise, that when LeBron James left in 2010 regressed to a G-League roster featuring guys like Manny Harris, Donald Sloan and Alonzo Gee. Sure, they accumulated some top draft picks, and added Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, but other than that?
In four years they struggled, and ultimately didn’t even sniff the playoffs.
That was with high picks as well. Kyrie Irving was the first overall pick. Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters were both fourth overall picks. Other first rounders included Tyler Zeller and Anthony Bennett (a first overall selection).
This coming season, the Cavs need to finish with a bottom 10 record in order to keep their draft pick, a pick the Cavs desperately need to facilitate the rebuild.
Sure, this roster is substantially better than the 2010 roster, and the conference is easier, but this team is still largely unproven, just at the 2010 team was. This team still lacks playoff-caliber talent, as currently constructed.
But hey, the Cavs will have a ton of cap space in a year! Guys like JR Smith, George Hill and Kyle Korver will have non-guaranteed contracts, so the Cavs will have cap space.
Fans are quick to forget the struggle the Cavs had bringing in free agents during LeBron’s first tenure in Cleveland. They were spurned by guys like Trevor Ariza. Big name guys didn’t want to play in Cleveland, even with LeBron James.
So now they’re going to line up to come play with a 29-year-old Kevin Love?
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That’s not going to happen.
Like every other fan, I want this team to be good. I am rooting for the future and would love to see this team eventually compete for the title, but there is no timetable yet. People are quick to forget this is the same franchise that’s been marred by ineptitude at the ownership level for years.
This is the same franchise that has won only a singular title in its 48-year history, and the stars had to align for that to happen. The Cavs were only relevant because a generational talent was born half an hour down the road.
Here’s hoping Collin Sexton quickly develops into a premier point guard, Rodney Hood gets his head straight, Larry Nance Jr continues to grow his game, and Kevin Love puts up Minnesota numbers.
And here’s hoping Koby Altman hits on all his picks and that his free agent signings help the team. And that Ty Lue is actually a good coach, and his perceived incompetence is just a farce.
Unless all of that happens, Cavs fans may be in for a rude awakening. We’ve been spoiled watching championship-level basketball the past four years. This is not a premier franchise with a rich history of winning, but one that had an all-time great for 11 years, and still only put together one championship team.
This could be the beginning of a tough few years of basketball. Cavs fans out there may be wise to temper their expectations.