Cavs: 3 goals for John Beilein to aim for to show progress in 2019-20
By Dan Gilinsky
Here’s how new Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein can show his team is making progress in his first year as an NBA head coach in 2019-20.
The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be fully behind new head coach John Beilein, and it’s encouraging that the organization is fully invested into a player development approach for the coming years.
Statements by general manager Koby Altman have reaffirmed that, and the mostly-new coaching staff led by Beilein seems well aware that this team’s vision in the next few seasons will be based around getting young players valuable minutes on an NBA floor to further progress in their development, and not be focused on contending for a postseason birth through the play of mostly veterans, established stars, etc.
Looking back a bit, Cleveland went on to add three rookies in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft in Darius Garland, Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr., and all three should eventually see meaningful minutes in the 2019-20 season, and I would think the first two probably will warrant rotational minutes right away.
Along with that, the Cavs should have star big Kevin Love ready to roll at the season’s outset, and as our own Josh Friedman detailed, Love should be in an offense catered to him with Beilein’s system being heavily predicated on man and ball movement, and with Love being a career 37.0% three-point shooter (per Basketball Reference), Beilein should find plenty of use for Cleveland’s best player.
I’ll still acknowledge that Cleveland’s best player will likely continue to have trade rumor after trade rumor surrounding him for the foreseeable future, but the team has been steadfast in saying (and reportedly Altman in particular, as we’ve noted), along with local reporters it seems, that Love is a crucial part of the team’s future, and I agree with that, as I believe his presence as a five-time All-Star will help the coaching staff, and will help young players on and off the floor.
So we’ll start with the goals for Beilein in year one here.