Since LeBron James’ most recent escape from the Cleveland Cavaliers for greener pastures (following the 2017-18 season), the Wine and Gold’s culture has been anything but positive. A third straight lottery season post-LeBron has the Cavs looking less desirable by the day.
Add questionable decisions: Kevin Love, Andre Drummond, John Beilein, Kevin Porter Jr. etc. to the consistent losing and the 2016 championship season seems decades old. With the uncertainty seemingly factored in, there’s been recent reports/rumors that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert/ownership is considering potentially making front office changes this offseason.
And in a world where being cancelled is the norm, nobody needs cancelled more than the Cavaliers’ culture.
On Thursday, the Cavs’ Twitter released a culture referencing quote from point guard Darius Garland. After just finishing his second season, Garland said of the organization the following.
Culture on the rise 📈 pic.twitter.com/U7lHBEDWNY
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2021
The quote reads well but anyone who’s followed the Cavaliers even casually, knows this team has issues.
Lately, the only constant amongst the Wine and Gold is losing. The squad’s had four head coaches since the start of the 2018 season and they’re on their third general manager since 2014.
Maybe more importantly, the team seems to approach each season by talking about their “plan” and what they’re doing for the “long-term.”
This is a young team with some misfit veterans such as Kevin Love that is just spinning its wheels. Granted, the contract situation with Love is not a simple one, and we’ll have to see what plays out there.
Albeit sadly, the Cavs are the team equivalent to former Toronto Raptors prospect Bruno Caboclo, whom ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla famously labeled as being “two years away from being two years away (from making an impact)” during the 2014 NBA Draft, via The Crossover (Sports Illustrated NBA) then.
Fran Fraschilla on Bruno Caboclo: "He's two years away from being two years away."
— The Crossover (@TheCrossover) June 27, 2014
Competing on a consistent level requires more than the hope and prayer of a couple of ping pong balls bouncing your way in the form of a Zion Williamson or LaMelo Ball. Even in the event the Cavaliers land a potential superstar in this summer’s draft, such as Cade Cunningham or Evan Mobley, they need a plan to build a consistent winner around them.
Funneling through head coaches and general managers while holding onto underperforming and unhappy veterans like Kevin Love will have their lottery pick counting down the days until they too, can escape for greener pastures.