2 realistic expectations for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2023 offseason

The 2023 offseason is one where the Cleveland Cavaliers have to take steps to keep building on their 2022-23 campaign.

For the Cavaliers, this now-past season was a success, to some extent, as the squad won 51 games. It was the first time Cleveland made the playoffs without LeBron James on the roster since 1997-98, and Cleveland would secure the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. There was plenty of reason to look forward to the postseason as a fan of the Wine and Gold.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the deep run the team and fan base was hoping for would not happen. Thefifth-seeded New York Knicks had their way with the Cavs, as they dispatched the Wine and Gold in just five games, and ended the Cavs’ season on their home floor.

Cleveland was out-muscled on the glass, and their key quartet of players in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were inconsistent. Allen and Mitchell had a particularly underwhelming last three contests, but it’s not as if the bench should be absolved of blame, nor J.B. Bickerstaff.

It’s time for the Cavaliers to look ahead, though, and this offseason, Cleveland has to prioritize adding perimeter shooting and/or wing help, feasibly a backup big and perhaps a third lead guard for the rotation. The Cavs have to have more playable depth, for both the 2023-24 regular season, and hopefully, a noteworthy playoff run to follow in the next go-around.

With that said, here, we’ll take a glance at two realistic expectations for the Cavaliers for the 2023 offseason, which is going to be a crucial one.

The first pertains to an obvious need.