Although the Cleveland Cavaliers fell short fast in the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks, their phenomenal regular season with 51 wins sets Cleveland up for a bright future going forward. Their young core of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley seem to be a perfect combination with one another, but there remain some questions to be answered.
They seem to be only a tier below a true contender due to a lack of shooting, a stagnant offensive scheme, and a lack of experience. These three issues could be solved with smart choices this summer. This now-past season’s Cavaliers roster was spread thin in the postseason against the deep roster in New York led by two-time NBA Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau.
Finding a starting small forward and improving their depth would bolster the opportunities for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to implement new offensive game plans with the team’s growing postseason experience.
A lot of focus on the Cavs’ offseason has been surrounding their Mid-Level Exception and Bi-Annual Exception which totals just under $17 million. Additionally, rumors continue to swirl around trade packages for Cleveland’s big man Jarrett Allen after a disappointing performance in the first round.
The Eastern Conference is wide open right now, and Cleveland is in prime position to climb to the highest rung. Two offseason moves could bolster the Cavaliers into this tier of contention for the coming NBA season, and here, we’ll examine those.
Offseason Move No. 1: Trade for depth and shooting
After years and years of mediocrity, the Washington Wizards are seriously considering a full reset, including a Bradley Beal trade, which was a long-awaited Woj Bomb from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. To cash in on their current roster, the Wizards could work out a substantial deal with the Cavaliers. The deal would not include Beal, of course, as the Cavs already have their back court of the future signed onto long-term high-cost deals.
As previously mentioned, the Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen has been a player suggested in numerous trade proposals from the outside, but Cleveland President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman has shown no signs of an intent to move on from Allen after praising the team’s stellar defense through the regular season. Trading Allen would open a Pandora’s Box of new problems, leaving the Cavaliers with no post presence outside of Evan Mobley.
This trade would build off of Bleacher Report‘s recent trade proposal for the Cavs bringing in Washington’s sharpshooter Corey Kispert. Bleacher Report suggested the Cavaliers swap four second-round picks for Kispert, but this offseason move enhances it to bring depth to Cleveland and sent youth back to the Wizards.
To find depth at both the wing and center position, Cleveland would need to send more than draft picks to Washington. Going into a full-rebuild leaves Washington in need for young talent that can be developed. Sending Okoro and Dean Wade gives the Wizards two young wings with steady defense. These players can help any talent the team drafts in the coming years.
For the Cavaliers, both Kispert and Daniel Gafford have earned their place in the NBA as valuable role players. Kispert can score on multiple levels, earning a 63.7% efficient Field Goal percentage (eFG%) and 42.4% from three.
Kispert’s defense needs work, but at times all it takes is guiding and forcing an opponent to move into a tough spot where a better defender can come help. On a team such as the Cavaliers, Kispert will have the leadership in Bickerstaff and support in the frontcourt to be a serviceable defender. At 6-foot-6, Kispert has the size to guard other wings and has the athleticism and speed to keep up with shifty opponents.
Gafford has averaged 4.8 rebounds per contest throughout his career alongside 1.3 blocks per game over his four seasons in the league. At 6-foot 10, Gafford brings size and defense to the Cavaliers in a reserve role, giving Allen a chance to rest without leaving the team hopeless on the boards.
Both players would slot easily into their roles in Cleveland, putting them into the best position for success they have been in their careers. The second move would strengthen the Cavaliers in free agency, securing a full, competitive 10-man rotation without losing their current identity.
Potential Cavs Offseason No. 2: Split their exceptions and retain Caris LeVert
Going into free agency, the Cavaliers seem to intend on keeping Caris LeVert going into the 2023-2024 season, per a report from Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. LeVert’s inconsistent production is a cause for concern, but he took on the role as Cleveland’s sixth man and improved his court vision and passing over the season. The progression of LeVert as a playmaker went alongside his long range shooting and impressive perimeter defense.
Alongside re-signing LeVert, the Cavaliers will still have their two exceptions available to offer free agents. Some astonishing wing talent is rumored to be possibly available on the Mid-Level Exception this summer in Grant Williams and Max Strus. Ideally, the Cavaliers would bring in Boston’s Grant Williams with their full MLE as their backup 3/4 (assuming he can make both of his free throws for the Cavs). However, the Cavaliers could be outbid for each of these players.
Over his years in Boston, Williams has competed in the NBA Playoffs every season thus far, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2022. The struggle the Cavs would have in securing Williams is his status as a Restricted Free Agent, meaning the Celtics would be able to match any offer sheet Altman hands to the Boston wing. The route to Williams requires the Celtics to lose interest in keeping him in order to save money on their growing salary commitments.
If Williams is unavailable, the Cavs should target Philadelphia’s Jalen McDaniels, a 6-foot-9 forward drafted in 2019 by Charlotte. McDaniels has been unable to earn a steady spot on Philadelphia’s rotation, as they already have both Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris consuming the majority of the minutes at the post position.
The 25-year-old wing has a career 34.5% three-point percentage and shot a career-high 40% this past season. Defensively, McDaniels is an above average threat but is far from being on an All-Defense team.
Though talented, McDaniels would likely be possible to sign without the full MLE, saving the Cavaliers some breathing room on the cap sheet with the new restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Coming to Cleveland could be a chance to bet on himself and assure his career in the NBA and earn a bulk of the Cavaliers’ secondary wing minutes.
After signing Williams or McDaniels, Cleveland should bring in more veteran leadership.
Secondly, the Cavs should target their $4.4 million Bi-Annual Exception on NBA journeyman Josh Richardson on a short-term deal. After playing in both San Antonio and New Orleans last season, the eight-year veteran is a proven shooter and wing defender. Richardson would be a veteran presence with postseason experience to guide the younger talents.
At 29 years old, Richardson would still be more than a player coach watching from the bench. He is still a useful player that could serve a steady role on a team with its eyes set on the NBA Finals, especially a team such as Cleveland who needs his talents as a 3-and-D wing.
In total, then, the Cavaliers would have a 10-man rotation of their core four with Kispert in the starting five. Off the bench, LeVert, Richardson, Osman, McDaniels/Williams, and Gafford set the Cavaliers up to go toe-to-toe with any of the league’s current powerhouses.
This build of the Cavs would never be counted out of any matchup with an honest chance to beat anybody in a seven-game series.