A patient offseason dedicated to committing to a talented and promising core is a reasonable and viable approach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Stubbornly trusting in a second unit that has repeatedly fallen short and inconsistently provided is not.
The Cavaliers are continually increasing their payroll without increasingly reaching toward the top of the Eastern Conference. After a concerningly large comeback effort was needed at home in game seven to advance past the Orlando Magic in round one, the Cavs fell in five games to the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics. While Cleveland has celebrated the playoff series win, it cannot be forgotten that the Cavs chose to throw away their last game of the season in order to face the Magic. Nearly losing to the seemingly optimal opponent should still raise concerns.
Cleveland's biggest flaw is a lacking depth chart. Behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers have nobody at center. The wing rotation is either chronically injured or a non-threat from three-point range. While sweeping changes are not needed, the Cavs need to make a positive move to have a chance at making a respectable playoff run next postseason.
Trading Caris LeVert is the Cavaliers' best option
To this point in the summer, the Cavs have stayed entirely silent in free agency and trades. During the confusing Isaac Okoro saga, Cleveland has repeatedly failed to strike a sign-and-trade deal or a contract to retain the young wing. In numerous itirations of an Okoro trade, extra salary would have had to been included. That salary likely would have been Caris LeVert, Cleveland's sixth man on an expiring $16.6 million deal this season.
In his time with the Cavs, LeVert has stunned crowds with his confident shot making and impressive passing. His energy on defense has helped him become a positive perimeter defender and on-ball pest. At his best, he can contribute well both on and off the ball. At his worst, though, LeVert soaks up the shot clock and forces an unnecessary isolation play just to heave a contested midrange jump shot at the buzzer. Far too often, the Cavaliers have fallen short in tight matches due to LeVert's unpredictable impact
Last regular season, LeVert averaged 14 points and 5.1 assists in 28.8 minutes per game. Although he gave the Cavaliers valuable minutes some nights, he finished the season as one of the most inefficient scorers across the board. In the playoffs, LeVert undebatably fell apart. He scored only 10 points per game and shot 18.2 percent from the arc. It was his worst postseason appearance of his career, and the Cavaliers cannot afford to rely on him to be the highest paid bench player going forward.
Despite LeVert's knack for passing and decent scoring, his team-friendly expiring contract and redundant role on the Cavs makes him the best candidate to be traded. Considering the Cavaliers were probably willing to move him in tandem with Okoro, exploring his trade market should be a priority for the rest of the offseason in Cleveland.