The Cleveland Cavaliers have a wealth of talent on their roster, but the offensive flow has never manifested with their current core. This summer, they need to make changes both to their starting lineup and bench crew to develop into a serious contender.
From a congested starting frontcourt to a mismanaged wing and guard rotation, the Cavs cannot enter next season without any substantial changes to complement their core athletes. All eyes have been on Cleveland's leading four, but the Cavaliers may need to include other players in their offseason moves to build upon their recent successes.
Since trading for Donovan Mitchell in 2022, the Cavaliers have little to no draft assets to include in trades, meaning they must consider parting ways with solid contributors to return a player with a greater fit and impact. While the franchise is confident they can strike a deal to extend Mitchell for the long term, Cleveland needs to improve their rotation to give Mitchell a true chance to reach his ultimate goal of the NBA Finals.
This summer, the Cavs must be buyers and actively explore every trade scenario that could improve their chances to advance beyond the second round next postseason. Competitive mediocrity cannot be this organization's ceiling. Their redundant roster and silence in trades the last two years must change this offseason to maximize their young core's potential.
With Isaac Okoro's restricted free agency this summer, the Cavs might investigate the potential sign-and-trade options for their young wing if the two sides cannot come to terms on the next contract. Outside of Okoro, the Cavaliers do not have many mid-level contracts to add to negotiations. With roughly $16 million owed each season, Max Strus fits the bill. But, his impact last season and multiple years left under contract make Strus unlikely to be included in a trade.
Instead, the Cavaliers may part ways with their sixth man after three years in search of a more reliable talent with a better fit in the offensive system.
Cleveland needs to shed Caris LeVert's salary this summer
With an expiring $16 million salary this next season, Columbus native Caris LeVert is the Cavs' best non-core player to offer this offseason. During his tenure with Cleveland, LeVert served as the go-to ballhandler and bucket-getter off the bench on offense. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers could not find consistent output from LeVert, leading to numerous lost possessions and unforced errors on his bad nights.
While LeVert's finesse and intelligence allowed him to be one of Cleveland's best playmakers at times, his score-first mentality could get the team in trouble far too often. Ball movement could end and the offense could stagnate frequently when LeVert got ahold of the ball. Defenses would recognize his intent to find his shot rather than pass, forcing him into contested mid-range fadeaways at the end of the shot clock rather than setting up a play for a teammate.
As a team, the Cavaliers relied heavily on isolation plays over the past few seasons, and LeVert could often exacerbate the problem, even ignoring Cleveland's star Donovan Mitchell when open in favor of a worse attempt. Certain nights, LeVert's killer mentality would save the Cavs' lives, winning tight matches and causing tremendous upsets. Defensively, LeVert rarely made the wrong choice, keeping his assignment in front of him. The veteran swingman covers for many of Mitchell's or Darius Garland's defensive limitations.
Teams in need of two-way wings with ballhandling know-how should value LeVert highly in trade talks, and his mid-sized salary creates flexibility for the Cavs in who they target in return. When LeVert signed a new two-year, $32 million deal, the writing seemed to be on the wall that he would be a major trade asset entering this summer. Expiring contracts are highly-sought-after across the NBA, especially within LeVert's payrange.
Cleveland acquired Caris LeVert in 2022 for Ricky Rubio and a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick (conveyed to 2023). Rubio suffered a season-ending injury, and LeVert helped restore the Cavs' depth in their failed attempt to reach the playoffs that season. With endless injuries and stagnant offensive gameplans, LeVert's role constantly shifted from the bench to the starting lineup, never permitting him a chance to build consistency with the team. Once his role as a sixth man solidified, LeVert's inconsistency remained.
The Cavaliers cannot enter next season with the redundancy that plagued their rotation in the past two postseasons, and LeVert could be a foundational piece in a trade that solves their needs. Whether they include him to match a maximum salary to add another star or target a high-end role player, Cleveland needs to explore LeVert's trade value this season rather than remaining in the middle of the Eastern Conference contenders but below the true threats to reach the Finals.