3 goals for the Cleveland Cavaliers 2023 offseason
The collective heart of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the beloved fanbase broke a bit when the Cavs fell to the New York Knicks in five games during the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Though the Cavaliers lost a series with homecourt advantage, the series showcased a hopeful future for Cleveland rather than a grim omen of what is to come.
Even with an exciting season, there’s work to be done.
The Cavaliers core is set and deadly. With Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley at the center of Cleveland’s future, the next step to achieve the ultimate goal is filling out the roster and developing this core.
With the coming offseason, the Cavs front office is at a crossroads to either patiently develop depth or find it now. Since trading away a haul of draft picks to Utah for Donovan Mitchell, developing depth could become a waste of a potential championship window.
The truth is that this offseason could define the Cavaliers’ future. Although Donovan Mitchell has shown true joy playing in Cleveland, rumors of his desire to end up on his hometown team New York Knicks have circulated since his draft night. With recent comments, there is a lingering anxiety that the front office needs to show Mitchell that Cleveland is the best city for his legacy.
As of right now, the young nucleus in Cleveland is the best place for Mitchell to be. The weaknesses must be addressed this offseason, though, or Mitchell could grow unhappy in the team’s lack of improvement, rightfully so.
What goals should the Cavaliers have this offseason? There are three critical choices that need to be made.
Cavs Offseason Goal No. 3: Add solid shooters off the bench
For the Cavaliers, their unimpressive long range shooting might be the most obvious drawback of the roster. Outside of Mitchell, Garland, and upcoming free agent Caris LeVert, the team has little to no consistent shooting threats. While Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman can knock down shots occasionally, neither player has a consistent enough release or full enough game outside of shooting to bring Cleveland to the top of the NBA’s best shooting teams.
A shooter with defensive talent additionally would be a dream come true for Cleveland with players such as Royce O’Neale and Naz Reid being rumored offseason targets. Opening up the floor with shooting grants the Cavs a chance to flow through their offense more rather than the rigid high pick-and-roll plays we saw all last season and postseason.
Thankfully, adding shooting would not come at the cost of any major roster changes. While the Cavaliers do not have control of first-round picks to trade away, they have a horde of second-round picks and young talent worth developing for rebuilding rosters. Ricky Rubio’s $6.4 million contract next season could also easily be added to a trade package for a shooter with a higher price tag.
As mentioned, the Cavs already have stellar shooting in their backcourt and seemingly likely sixth man. Even with new shooting added to the roster, how can the Cavaliers get the most out of Garland and Mitchell’s potential? That comes through the next offseason goal.