Why the Cavs are a lock to make the playoffs in 2022-2023

The Cavs should be able to manage defensively, and they’ll be a motivated young group

Now, defensively there will be questions, and Isaac Okoro is arguably the biggest X-factor. Okoro is a very good defender; that said, if he can make strides as a shooter and become a legitimate 3-and-D player, it’d unlock another element for this team. The Cavaliers have a small backcourt, but defensively unlike the Garland/Sexton years, Mitchell has much more defensive potential than Sexton.

No, that hasn’t been proven yet, as an aside. Still, Mitchell is a physically more opposing player with Mitchell coming in at 215 pounds compared to Sexton’s 190 pounds. That’s a 25-pound difference, while Mitchell for his size and position has a very good wingspan at 6-foot-10 compared to Sexton’s 6-foot-6.

And personally, I think Mitchell took off defensively in Utah because he often had to exert way more energy offensively, as he had to mostly shoulder all the load offensively. Also if you’re going to have a small backcourt, the Cavaliers now have the personnel to get away with it with the likes of Okoro, Mobley and Allen covering up any potential weak spots.

This was a team that if not for injuries probably would’ve made the playoffs. Yes, the Eastern Conference is brutal and other teams got better. Although considering the talent that was already on the roster with Garland, Mobley and Allen, I can comfortably say adding Mitchell puts the Cavs over teams like the Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Toronto Raptors. I think it’s a very safe bet at the very least the Cavaliers outright make the playoffs. It would be a disappointment if they aren’t at least a top 6 team, even in an ultra-competitive East.

I think the Cavs’ floor is probably the No. 6 seed. The Bulls had a good season last year and had injuries themselves, however, Lonzo Ball’s health is still a question mark, and per the Bulls, he will undergo another knee procedure, and is set to be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks. On top of that I don’t expect DeMar DeRozan to have the career year that he had last year.

The toughest argument would be the Raptors. The Cavaliers and Raptors should have a rivalry for a long time, particularly the Mobley vs. Scottie Barnes matchup. I thought last year the Raptors were further along than the Cavs, but the two teams were close last year and I believe adding Mitchell, who is the best player among the two teams for next year, right now pushes the Cavs past the Raptors.

I could see Cleveland going as high as No. 3 in the East. Older teams such as the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks could not take the regular season as serious and they’d take a step back as far as the regular season is concerned. We know what adding Mitchell does, but I think if a couple things break in their favor they could get that high.

Garland should be even better next year and Mobley should take a leap, to reiterate. If Okoro becomes a true 3-and-D guy, that’d be a different dynamic, and more importantly, Mobley if has a huge leap and breakout, that would be the difference in being a top 4-5 seed in 2022-23. If that’s the case, perhaps the Cavaliers could win a postseason series and/or possibly make a deep run.

A potential Mobley breakout and to a lesser extent Okoro making big strides offensively might determine how high the Cavs ceiling is now, but in future years, as things stand now getting Donovan Mitchell makes the Wine and Gold a very safe bet to be a top 6 seed and outright make the playoffs.

Even in a tough Eastern Conference, they’re in good shape.