The Cleveland Cavaliers are about to embark on a new season. New things always spark opportunity and that’s what these Cavs have in front of them. This new Cavs team has added several new players to the team and yet are still very young and don’t have a ton of experience, especially when it comes to winning consistently. Even so it’s that new fresh-air smell that has fans of the team ready to cheer them on as the team starts the season playing the Memphis Grizzlies in their season opener. Let’s discuss a couple of preseason predictions.
Cavs season prediction No. 1: They will make the playoffs
Yes, the Cavs only went 22-50 a year ago. Yes, they haven’t made it to the playoffs in what seems like forever but it’s only been three seasons. So why the optimism?
Well, it’s the start of a new season. There should always be hope at the beginning of a journey or otherwise you’re stuck in a rut and aren’t very positive.
Is it realistic to say the Cavs will make the playoffs? Probably not based on records alone and their lack of concrete evidence, but let’s stick to the positives. I will add here that the Charlotte Hornets and the Indiana Pacers got into the play-in game to make the playoffs a year ago with 33 and 34 wins respectably so going from 22 wins to 34 wins could be a challenge but not a huge task.
The Cavs have added several nice additions to the roster that I trust are building a strong foundation. They’ve added veteran guard Ricky Rubio, who’s had a very nice career in the NBA. He’ll start as the backup but if starting guards Darius Garland or Collin Sexton go down with injury or are not producing then Rubio would fit in well. They’ve added seven-footer Lauri Markkenan, the three-point sharpshooter from the Chicago Bulls. His specialty is that long-distance shot and that should help the Cavs offense spread the floor and create mismatches for their opponents.
Finally, they drafted a future star in the league in Evan Mobley the 7-foot big man, who will play opposite Jarrett Allen, the Cavs’ $100 million dollar man with his recent new contract. Mobley will get a lot of playing time and exposure to the NBA right away as he’ll be in the starting lineup. His defensive skills will be a huge plus to this Cavs team and is a big reason I’m predicting a playoff appearance for the team.
Cavs season prediction No. 2 – They will have an All-Star
The NBA All-Star Game and its big weekend of events are scheduled to be in Cleveland this season. The All-Star game is scheduled for February 20th, 2022 and I fully expect Cavs guard Collin Sexton to be selected this season; if not as a starter, certainly as a reserve player. The NBA certainly will not want to leave a player from the host city out in the cold and for Sexton, he will likely certainly be worth the honor.
His numbers statistically have grown each of his first three seasons in the league. He averaged over 24 points a game a year ago along with dishing out four-plus assists a game. He’s been the Cavs’ best scorer over the last couple of seasons. His defense is progressing.
The Cavs just decided to not extend Sexton’s contract thus allowing him to become a restricted free agent a year from now. This will give Sexton cause to do even more for the Cavs and also try to drive home to the Cavs and other teams interested in his talents that he’d be worth the risk long-term.
Could Evan Mobley, the soon-to-be rookie sensation get a call to the All-Star game? It would be a long-distance call but it could happen, especially if his defensive skill sets show up early and often in things like blocks and rebounds.
Whatever happens this season for the Cavs, I believe the talent on the team and the experience of the players are building are only going to have this team earning more respect with each dribble. Playoffs? Absolutely! Go Cavs!