Cavs: 3 players under the most pressure this season

The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be approaching next season with a combination of patience and impatience. The Cavs haven’t rushed to trade Collin Sexton, they stayed put to draft Evan Mobley, and will likely start five players 23 and under on opening night.

On the other hand, they flipped Larry Nance Jr. to give Lauri Markkanen a significant contract, gave up a second-round pick to bring in Ricky Rubio, and won’t have functional cap space for at least four years. Those aren’t the decisions of a rebuilding team, but rather one feeling pressure to compete. That pressure could trickle down to the players as well.

Even for a rebuilding team decisions have to be made. Which 3 players on the Cavs are under the most pressure this season?

Whether the Cavs take the long view or start pressing for the playoff race, they will need to make decisions on some of the players on the roster. Who do they re-sign next summer? Which players should be protected in trades, and which should be offered up? And most importantly, who from the young core do they prioritize in contract negotiations?

An example of each situation highlights the three players on the Cleveland Cavaliers who are under the most pressure this season. We’ll start with a new addition, a veteran point guard balanced between extending his prime and riding down the backslope of his career.