Bleacher Report ranks Cavs projected starting lineup 11th in NBA

As we’ve mentioned numerous times here at KJG, the Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the best emerging young cores in the league and they have one of the brightest futures in the league. The expectation this next year for the Cavs isn’t just to be relevant or be in the play-in conversation, it is to make the playoffs out right. Anything less than that would be viewed as a disappointment, even in the improved Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers have a very good chance of doing that, and according to a recent article by Bleacher Report the Cavs have one of the better projected starting lineups in the NBA.

It’s understandable to be high on the Cavs’ potential starting lineup suggested by B/R, and with better chemistry next season, that group should gell.

The Cavs projected lineup of Darius Garland-Caris Levert-Lauri Markkanen-Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen came in 11th in the NBA and 5th in the East. Last year the Cavs started the season With a Garland/Collin Sexton backcourt, but after Sexton was lost for the season early on, Isaac Okoro was thrust into the starting lineup and for plenty of the season, Markkanen, Mobley and Allen were the other starters from there.

Okoro definitely helped give the Cavs more of a defensive identity and brought a certain toughness in the starting lineup, but he was also a big offensive liability. Okoro has to make improvements offensively.

In this sense assuming Sexton, a restricted free agent currently, returns, going into training camp, Caris LeVert reportedly likely has the inside track to be the starting 2 guard and it’s his job to lose seemingly. The Cavs because of injuries simply didn’t get enough time to get looks at this lineup when they traded for LeVert. LeVert missed time post-All-Star break close to when the Cavaliers traded for him, Allen missed most of post-All-Star break play because of injury as well, and even Mobley missed some time.

The LeVert trade didn’t live up to the Cavs expectations, but again a big part of that was injuries and they could never quite get him acclimated where the chemistry clicked. LeVert was up and down after the trade over from the Indiana Pacers, but the Cavs are probably hoping that after a full offseason, they’ll see more of the LeVert that they were hoping for when they traded for him.

If they go with LeVert over Sexton and Okoro my guess is in the case over Okoro they just want someone that offers much more shot creation/scoring, based on last year. Assuming Sexton is back, my guess for their reason of LeVert over Sexton would be, they just just like LeVert’s size more next to Garland and think two 6-foot-1 guards causes too many defensive issues.

I can understand why some are so high on the Cavaliers potential starting lineup, as Garland has already established himself as a star and I personally believe he has another leap in him as well.

Now, much has been made of the Atlanta Hawks’ trade acquisition of All-Star guard Dejounte Murray. Murray figures to make the Hawks better and more dangerous, however, on the other side you can argue the expected leap Mobley makes in his second is clearly a bigger acquisition than Murray as good as Murray is, as an aside.

Lauri Markkanen back with the same group another year will only help him and we should see more consistency from him and obviously getting Jarrett Allen back and healthy will solidify things. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this starting lineup. Last season, the Cavs just didn’t get anywhere near enough time to fully evaluate it, as they were shredded by injuries.

If this group stays healthy, I believe being a top 6 team in the East and ending up with 45 or 46 wins, also with Sexton, Ricky Rubio back, and Ochai Agbaji in the fold, would be feasible. And that should be the expectation.