The weaknesses of last season’s roster were clear for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They had every aspect of their approach that wasn’t rock-solid completely exposed by the New York Knicks in the first round, cutting short what could have been an exciting playoff performance.
From lack of shooting at the wing, to having no backup bigs able to take the load from Jarrett Allen, to Ricky Rubio not being who he was for the Cavs last season, there are plenty of problems for the team to address.
The only caveat? Much of their money will either be saved to prepare for the impending extension to Evan Mobley or spent on finding an upgrade at the starting three. This leaves little in the budget for finding a quality point guard off the bench for Darius Garland.
Luckily for the Cavaliers, there is an abundance of point guards available in free agency this year who are expected to sign a minimum contract.
What should the Cleveland Cavaliers look for in a backup point guard?
Two of the biggest things that the Cavs need off the bench are playmaking and defense. When Garland sat, the offense became stagnant, but the perimeter defense for the Cavaliers was suspect all season long.
While finding shooting would be wonderful, it isn’t a necessity. They have shooters off the bench who will likely stay such as Danny Green and Caris LeVert, both of which played major roles for the team, especially down the stretch of the season.
They will only need about 10-20 minutes per game from their backup since both Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are All-Star caliber players and will carry a heavy minute load.
Now with all that out of the way, let’s dive into who the Cleveland Cavaliers should consider signing to play the backup point.
No. 1 point guard: Reggie Jackson
Known as a scrappy defender who fights for every possession, Reggie Jackson could be an elite addition to the bench of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has played on numerous different playoff teams and now boasts championship experience.
He has been a major contributor everywhere he went until he got to the Denver Nuggets. While there, he fell behind Jamal Murray and Bruce Brown in the rotation and hardly got minutes. He was cut entirely from the minutes log in the postseason as the team shortened the depth chart and focused on winning every series.
Jackson is a willing distributor and can keep the offense flowing while the starting point guard rests. However, he is not capable of taking a large chunk of the offensive duties as he is primarily a scorer. While this could be useful in certain situations for the Cavs, particularly when Caris LeVert goes cold, it could also hold them back, making him a potential liability.
Jackson is no longer the player he was on the Detroit Pistons. That much is true. However, his experience makes him a valuable asset to a young Cavs team looking to take the next step in the upcoming NBA season.
Signing the vet to a minimum contract may be extremely beneficial to the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing them to rest either Mitchell or Garland as he can play both guard positions.
No. 2 point guard: AJ Green
While he may not be atop many lists, AJ Green showed true potential as an NBA player as he played incredibly well both in the G-League and during his minutes with the Milwaukee Bucks. He is one of the best pure shooters from his rookie class and showed out other skills during his time in college.
He was both the primary scoring option and the lead facilitator during his time with the University of Northern Iowa. He helped his team overcome great challenges and win tough games through his multi-faceted offensive game.
Giving him a chance to be the point guard off the bench could turn out in the Cavs’ favor as he is an elite shooter already, but also has the length and strength to be a quality defender off the bench. One sector of Bucks fans rooted for the Bucks to trade Grayson Allen at the deadline in favor of promoting their rookie to the full roster and taking much of his minutes.
He may not be the most talented option, but he has the ability to grow into exactly what the Cleveland Cavaliers need, and he has shown in the past that he is fully capable of doing so. Taking the chance on the second-year undrafted free agent has the potential to pan out very favorably for the franchise.
No. 3 point guard: Patrick Beverley
What is there to say about Patrick Beverley that hasn’t already been said? He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and is fully capable of sliding into the offense off the bench.
A pristine example of a culture guy, Beverley has transformed every team that he has been on for the better. The greatest example of his influence is this season’s Chicago Bulls. Before he joined the team, they looked like contenders for Victor Wembanyama, but once they signed Beverley, they looked like contenders for Larry O’Brien.
He had the same effect on the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets. He is a player who can transform a team from the bench. Hustle players, locker room speeches, wild on-the-court antics, he brings it all.
Adding a culture player off the bench is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This type of move is what will bring them from good to great.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers are able to sign one of these three point guards to the minimum contract, the team would take a step forward and look far better next season. They will be especially effective if the front office spends the money and trade assets on a wing who can stretch the floor or a center off the bench.