With the season already going south for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the recent prolonged injury news of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley has the aspiring contenders in a downward spiral.
On December 15, Shams Charania announced a fatal blow regarding a reeling Cavaliers team. All-Star point guard Darius Garland suffered a fractured jaw in his collision with Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in the prior night's 116-107 road loss. He is expected to miss several weeks with this injury, but the bad news did not stop there.
Shortly after Garland's news, Adrian Wojnarowski broke the story that Cavs big man Evan Mobley will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, sidelining him for at least six-to-eight weeks.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/GqNCP1aZs7
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2023
First and foremost, the most important aspect is finding a path to return to health on the right timeline, not the fastest one. Currently, the Cavs sit 13-12 on the season and have never had a fully healthy roster. Rushing one or both of these players back to the court would only result in worse news in the future.
On the season, Garland has averaged 20.7 points and 5.9 assists on 47/34/84 shooting splits in 20 games played. With an earlier injury at the start of the season, Garland had only recently found his rhythm this season and began regaining his momentum. This injury is only another hurdle in a brutal season for the young star guard.
As for Mobley, this is the first prolonged absence due to injury he has ever faced. At seven-feet tall, Mobley has been consistently healthy year after year. In his 21 games this season, Mobley has averaged 16 points, 10.5 rebounds (career high), 2.9 assists (career high) and 1.7 blocks with improved shooting efficiency. All signs were pointing to a leap forward for the former third overall pick. There is no definite timetable for his return, as he will be reevaluated in six-to-eight weeks, meaning his recovery from surgery might take longer than the reevaluation timeline.
Where do the Cleveland Cavaliers go now with Garland and Mobley out?
Last season, the Cavaliers achieved their first 50-win season since LeBron James' departure in 2018. They ended the year fourth in the Eastern Conference, losing in the first round to the New York Knicks. Entering the 2023-24 campaign, the pressure was on for the Cavs to look better than an early playoff exit. Their offseason acquisitions of Max Strus and Georges Niang added shooting depth to surround their core four of Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Although this year has not been a breakout year for the Cavs, they had begun to find their footing and played consistently over the past stretch of games. With Garland and Mobley out, it is hard to imagine the Cavaliers reclaiming home-court advantage in the playoffs, but their hopes of a postseason are not dead. Donovan Mitchell is still as close to a guarantee for the All-Star game as it could be, and Jarrett Allen is a reliable center and defensive anchor.
Where the problems lie for the Cavs in this is the timeline of Mitchell's contract and their preexisting shortcomings. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been on the hot seat since the playoffs, and this year was meant to be his opportunity to prove himself as the right leader for a developing contender. Mitchell will have a player option in the 2025 offseason, leaving Cleveland with a short timeframe to convince him to extend or to find a trade partner for the All-NBA guard.
Initial reactions might be that the Cavaliers need to tank this season, since they retain full control of their draft pick this offseason for the last time until 2029. Trade rumors have spawned for Mitchell's future already, with the Brooklyn Nets named as potential suitors according to Bleacher Report. While the Cavaliers might be more willing to consider massive personnel overhauls, they are highly unlikely to get enough in return for Mitchell in the middle of the season instead of the offseason.
The Cavs do need a response plan to a dramatic round of bad news, however, and these three paths might what Cleveland ultimately does.
No. 1: The Cavaliers might need to move on from J.B. Bickerstaff early
While these injuries will stop Cleveland's current momentum toward the playoffs, the injuries also stop Bickerstaff from proving himself one way or the other as the right man for the job.
Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman has taken a patient approach to any major moves since acquiring Donovan Mitchell in 2022. The Cavs are not yet in a true win-now situation. Mobley and Garland are seen as the future of the organization, and both players are far from entering their prime years. With Bickerstaff, though, he is in his fifth season as the head coach and has yet to take this team to any truly astonishing results.
Bickerstaff has faced continued criticism for his perplexing rotation choices, often only employing eight players in a game after boasting of the team's depth and potential for a 10-man rotation during training camp.
With Bickerstaff's inflexible gameplans, it is hard to imagine that he can retool his strategies enough to keep the Cavs afloat until Garland and Mobley return. The Cavs do not need to reset their entire roster and start from scratch after just two tough injuries, but the current leadership has already been underwhelming with a talented and healthy squad in the past.
It might simply be time to cut the cord and move on from Bickerstaff sooner rather than later. The NBA has a wealth of available coaches, including current assistant coaches such as Sacramento Kings assistant and former player Leandro Barbosa. If the Cavs do choose to find a new coach, now is the time to do it.
Next, the Cavaliers might only need to look down their existing bench to find the answers to the sudden heartbreak.
No. 2: Cleveland should give extended playing time to Craig Porter, Jr. and Emoni Bates
While the Cavaliers will certainly explore the trade market for players that can help them stay afloat with these injuries, they may already have their best possible answers under contract.
Emerging as a steal in the 2023 draft, Craig Porter, Jr. joined Cleveland on a two-way deal with the Charge and Cavaliers as an 23-year-old undrafted prospect out of Wichita State. In the Summer League, Porter's confident scoring and intelligent playstyle helped lift the Cavs to a franchise first Summer League Championship. In the regular season, he has shown an ability to produce instantaneously whenever called upon.
Against the Denver Nuggets, Porter set his career high at 21 points with 4 assists, 4 rebounds and impressive defense as well in a shocking 121-109 upset victory on the road. Bickerstaff believes Porter has earned a spot in the rotation, but he has not played in more than half the Cavs' games since these comments. With Garland's absence, Porter should have the chance to earn a fully guaranteed contract and join the main roster.
As for Emoni Bates, he has sparsely played for the Cavs, often only appearing in garbage time and standing in the corner, rarely touching the ball. In the G-League, however, Bates is one of the leading scorers in the league with 24.3 points per game, including an impressive 42.7 percent from deep on 9.9 attempts per game. His overall game has improved with the Charge, as Bates has averaged 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks and 5 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign.
Even though the Cavs added shooting in the offseason, they still sit in the bottom half of NBA teams in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. Bates' proven shooting talent, 6-foot 10-inches build and continued improvement all prove he could have a bright future in Cleveland if given the chance.
Cleveland's third two-way player is Evan Mobley's older brother, Isaiah Mobley. Isaiah Mobley is a 6-foot 9-inches big man with relatively good shooting range and solid defense. Although he is less likely than his counterparts to earn a full roster spot, the older Mobley brother could certainly gain some more minutes as a late rotation piece until his brother returns.
Bringing both Bates and Porter to the main roster is not currently possible, as the Cavs only have one remaining open roster spot and are nearing the luxury tax threshold. If Cleveland wants to give them bigger roles, they would need to look another direction with some current players and consolidate talent for the present and near future.
No. 3: The Cavaliers should consider trading Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro this trade deadline
Losing Evan Mobley will undoubtedly hurt Cleveland's size and frontcourt depth. Bickerstaff suggested the lack of size on the bench has hurt the Cavs' lineup options this year and could signal plans for an active trade deadline to add size and depth.
The two Cavaliers with the best contracts for trades this year are current sixth man Caris LeVert and young wing Isaac Okoro. Both players are having solid seasons, and Okoro especially has improved his stock as a corner 3-point shooter while remaining a tough point-of-attack defender.
LeVert and Okoro's salaries combine to roughly $24 million, giving the Cavs enough to bring another young frontcourt talent to their ranks this year. Okoro is on an expiring deal and will enter restricted free agency this summer, making him a unique option for any rebuilding roster looking for wings with potential. As for LeVert, he is on the first year of a two-year, $32 million contract. The 29-year-old swing man is consistently Cleveland's best bench scorer. Coupled with Okoro, both players offer an enticing deal to any team looking to off-load salary.
In free agency, the Cavaliers had confirmed interest in Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent P.J. Washington, though all parties could not agree on a sign-and-trade. Should the Cavs revisit discussions for Washington, LeVert and Okoro could be the perfect pieces for a developing Charlotte roster in need of defense and depth.
Additionally, the Cavaliers may have an opportunity to buy-low on Utah Jazz forward John Collins, who joined Salt Lake City from the Atlanta Hawks for just salary filler and a second-round pick. The Jazz have reportedly placed Collins back on the trade market, looking to flip him for more future assets. The Cavaliers could explore a trade for the stretch four, and his current fluctuating value may give Cleveland an opportunity to add him to the roster for a discounted price.
The ultimate decision for the Cavaliers might just be to wait out the healing process and stay quiet at the deadline. Their already disappointing season thus far suggests the Cavs are far from a complete team, and these injuries may be the driving force needed to make changes rather than sit put.