With the 2020-21 NBA season drawing to a close with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 6 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns, it’s time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to start ramping up their rebuild in an effort to become postseason relevant again for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
With that being said, here are three bold predictions for the Cavs ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Cavs bold prediction #1: Isaac Okoro will finish the season as a finalist for the Most Improved Player Award.
Drafted 5th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Isaac Okoro was taken primarily because of his defensive capabilities as well as the Cavs’ severe need for perimeter defense. Okoro has proven his worth on that end of the court, routinely defending the opposition’s best guard or wing. Be it LeBron James, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, or Kyrie Irving, he was up to the unenviable task of trying to lock down whomever he faced.
With his defensive chops proven, Okoro must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is not simply just a “defensive stopper” and must show improvement on the offensive end. Statistically speaking, the Auburn alum averaged 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting just 29.0 percent from three-point range. On the surface, these numbers are not exactly encouraging for a player who was selected within the top five of his respective draft class, but the numbers do not tell the whole story.
Okoro’s energy is spent mostly on the defensive end where not all of his impact can be quantified, but towards the end of the regular season he began showing signs of serious growth. During the month of May he produced at a level that hadn’t quite been seen for most of the season putting up 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 45.6 percent from the field. His off-ball movement looked much improved as well as he appeared more and more comfortable as a cutter during that stretch.
The rookie wing had a solid rookie season highlighted by offensive struggles but a hot finish. If Isaac Okoro is able to carry his late-season surge into next season while continuing to develop on both ends, the Cavs may be staring at a possible MIP award winner come the end of the 2021-22 campaign.