The Cleveland Cavaliers are only three games away from reaching their second consecutive playoff berth, and the road to get there has been as dramatic as possible.
Despite a tremendous run from mid-December to the All-Star break, the post ASG Cavaliers have been disappointing at best. The ups and downs of the season have led to tremendous comeback wins and breakout nights for various members of the squad. From the onset of the regular season, the Cavs have battled back from countless and unstopping injuries, allowing role players and unexpected contributors to make their impression on the year.
As difficult as the last few weeks of Cavaliers basketball have been, it is important to take a balanced look back at the development of the team over the full year. Their true status as a contender will be tested in the playoffs, making every second count in their final few matchups of the regular season campaign. The biggest surprise successes of the season have likely secured a guaranteed spot on the roster next season as the Cavs build toward a true contender this offseason.
Not everyone in Cleveland has looked good, though. Despite another winning record and a superstar at the helm with Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers have endured crushing defeats and embarrassing performances from key players. If the Cavs' biggest disappointments cannot turn their year around and impact in the postseason, they may find themselves in a new city before next year's opening night.
Max Strus has been a big surprise in his first season with Cleveland
At the start of free agency last summer, the Cleveland Cavaliers came out swinging for the fences. Their first major acquisition was a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat for veteran wing Max Strus. After developing into a solid 3-and-D wing for the Heat, Strus joined the Cavaliers as an answer to the team's underwhelming perimeter presence.
In his debut night with the Cavs, Max Strus set a franchise debut record with seven three-pointers made. From the jump, Strus fulfilled his promise to be a confident volume shooter, helping the Cavaliers discover their potential as a versatile offense. At the time of Strus' arrival in Cleveland, volume shooting was all that was expected, but he quickly surprised and changed the narrative. Early in the year, Strus set himself apart by impacting every aspect of the game for Cleveland.
Playing in the largest role of his career, Strus has averaged career highs in assists (3.8) and rebounds (4.7) in 32 minutes per game. Strus' dynamic versatility has lifted the Cavaliers' offense, especially amid long stretches without integral players due to injury. Without Max's activity and hustle, this season would look much different for the Cavaliers.
Darius Garland is confusing and exhausting this season for the Cavaliers
Before and after Darius Garland's bouts with injuries this year, he has never looked like himself. The Cavaliers witnessed what Garland can be since drafting him in 2019, but the young All-Star has hit a rut all season. At this point, it is not clear whether this has just been a down year or is a sign that Garland does not fit into the Cavaliers' system anymore.
Garland has still had high moments this season, entering history books with the team after spectacular performances. Unfortunately, Garland's best has only been glimpses amid a string of confusing turnover troubles and inexcusable late-game choke jobs. As the Cavaliers approach the playoffs, Darius has yet to establish any rhythm on a game-to-game basis.
At this point of his career, Garland has never made a positive impact in postseason matches. In the 2022 Play-In Tournament, DG could not lift the Cavaliers over the Brooklyn Nets or Atlanta Hawks. The Cavs' supporting cast was still young and raw, so Cleveland swung for the fences and added Donovan Mitchell to the roster late in the following postseason. In the 2023 playoffs, Garland still looked unfinished as a playoff prospect. The rest of the supporting cast was still underwhelming, too, but Garland was a non-starter still.
If Garland cannot recover from his down year in the postseason and give the Cavs some level of positive production, his tenure in Cleveland could be cut short as the front office searches for necessary upgrades on their path to the Finals. With Donovan Mitchell's contract extension at the forefront of the Cavaliers' priorities this summer, a bad playoff run this year would force the Cavs to make major moves to keep Mitchell around.
Sam Merrill is the secret weapon the Cavaliers needed this season
When Garland and Evan Mobley were sidelined for more than a month in December, it seemed that the offseason was the next time to feel any hope for the Cavaliers. Instead, Cleveland enjoyed the best quarter of their season, going 18-2 in 20 games with Mitchell and Jarrett Allen leading the way.
Alongside the star power in the Land, Sam Merrill entered the rotation and immediately made the most of his opportunities. Merrill joined the Cavaliers last season on a non-guaranteed deal, spending most of his time with the G-League affiliate Cleveland Charge. The mid-December run gave Merrill his chance to cement himself in the NBA once again.
Against his hometown team Utah Jazz in March, Merrill set Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse ablaze as he hit an NBA career-high 27 points with eight three-pointers off the bench. His consistency from deep continued throughout the year, breaking a franchise record for three-pointers made off the bench in a single season when the Cavaliers beat the Charlotte Hornets later in March.
With a 40.5 three-point percentage on 5.9 attempts per game, Merrill's fearless instant release punishes the slightest mistake from the defense. As any shooter, Merrill has fallen into slumps at times this season, but in total Merrill is the best surprise Cleveland basketball has enjoyed this year. The 27-year-old wing has won over the hearts of many fans and deserves a spot on the playoff rotation to uplift Cleveland's offense.
The lack of Ty Jerome hurt Cleveland's backcourt
There is not much to say about another one of Cleveland's offseason additions, as Ty Jerome suffered a high ankle sprain in his second game with the Cavs and never returned to the lineup.
When Jerome joined the Cavaliers, the sharpshooting guard was seen as a reliable backup for Garland and Mitchell. Jerome built his reputation from beyond the arc with a hint of playmaking on the side. Though not expected to be a critical do-or-die member of the team, Jerome's absence this year was one of the first pillars to fall as the Cavaliers' inconsistent availability from game-to-game began.
Throughout the season, Cleveland held hopes that Jerome would return to the lineup. At times, it appeared that his return could be nearby, but the most recent news that Jerome would undergo surgery for his ankle injury eliminated the chance for the veteran guard to come back this year.
Jerome's predicament is at no fault of his own. Hopefully, he is capable of returning to the roster over the summer once he recovers from his successful procedure. Jerome is a serviceable point guard, but he unluckily lost a full season to injury. Thankfully for Jerome, he has another year guaranteed on his contract, so his opportunities are not gone yet. Conversely, the Cavaliers may view Jerome's cheap $2.5 million salary as nothing more than filler for an offseason trade. If Cleveland is searching for an upgrade in the summer, Jerome might be on the way out despite his recovery.
Isaac Okoro discovered his potential and is thriving for Cleveland
In the final year of his rookie contract, 2020 draft prospect Isaac Okoro has broken past his limits and become a solidified threat on both ends of the court on the Cavaliers. Throughout the early years of his career, Okoro's fit on the Cavs was in peril as he could not find a feeling for the offensive side of the ball. From his rookie debut, the former Auburn wing displayed his elite defensive abilities. Cleveland trusted in Isaac's work ethic to develop a steady three-point shot, and he finally found his stride this year.
As both a starter and bench player, Okoro has set career-highs in points (9.4) and three-point percentage (38.8) while maintaining his defensive prowess and all-around effort. As the Cavs enter the playoffs, Okoro looks prepared to establish his reputation and silence the doubters after last year's playoff dud. For the past few seasons, Okoro's criticism was earned. Without any consistent offensive production, the Cavaliers' timeline seemed to have leapfrogged Okoro's own development. Now, Okoro has become indispensable for Cleveland in the offseason when he hits restricted free agency.
With Okoro's continued ability to shut down the rival's best scorer, the Cavs have happily enjoyed witnessing the immense growth out of the talented wing. Okoro deserves recognition for his efforts, both from the fanbase and from the front office in his next contract.
As the season winds down, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of questions to answer but also have plenty to celebrate. No season is perfect, and players will rise and fall every year. The Cavaliers should emphasize the surprise talents this year and work to uplift their struggling teammates. The ultimate path forward for Cleveland will emerge as the offseason comes, hopefully after a long and exciting playoff run.