The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but their recent downturn has highlighted some worrisome troubles they must answer this offseason.
With a 4-5 record since the All-Star break, the Cavs are struggling to regain any semblance of the dominance they displayed throughout December and January without Darius Garland Evan Mobley. When both players first returned, Cleveland kept rolling. Now, with Donovan Mitchell sidelined with a left knee bone bruise, the Cavs have struggled to beat any team, even in heavily favored matches.
In their February 28 matchup with the Washington Wizards, the Cavaliers had to grind out a 9-point victory. After falling behind in the first quarter, the Cavs built momentum to surge ahead. Even facing teams at the bottom of the conference rankings, the Cavaliers are struggling to assert themselves in the opening minutes in stark contrast to their instant pace from their mid-season stint.
The Cavs have an 8-7 record without Donovan Mitchell this season. Since the All-Star break, Cleveland is 2-3 without Mitchell. While Cleveland has remained over .500 without their best player, they have a -2.7 net rating without Spida taking the court. Their offense is clearly stagnant without Mitchell, and none of Cleveland's other leading players have taken the stage to help the team maintain their playoff positioning.
The Cavaliers need another true star next to Donovan Mitchell
With the Cavaliers' downward trends without Mitchell, the Cavs are still in search of the right second star to put next to him for the long term. Jarrett Allen rose to the occasion and built a strong case for the All-Star rosters when Mobley and Garland were out, but even his impact has subsided in recent nights.
Entering this offseason, the Cavs will still be heavily limited in draft assets available for trade, but their top priority will need to be convincing Donovan Mitchell to sign a contract extension. The best way to do that would be to find another dominant player that complements his playstyle. It may force the Cavaliers to part ways with one of their current core four players, but with a win-now mindset and a looming threat of Mitchell leaving for nothing, the Cavs will have to consider every possibility this summer.
These three star players could take the Cavaliers to the next level alongside Donovan Mitchell, immediately making Cleveland a powerhouse in the East next season.
The Cavaliers should call about Brandon Ingram
One question that has plagued the Cavaliers this season is the fit of the star talent they have. As much flack as any single player on the Cavs might get, their core four all can shock the world with stunning talent on the right night. For the New Orleans Pelicans, their troubles are not far away from Cleveland's troubles.
This past trade deadline, rumors swirled around the long-term fit of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. If the Pels do decide to split them up, the Cavaliers could provide a better fit alongside Williamson in a swap for Ingram.
On paper, Brandon Ingram and Donovan Mitchell would be one of the deadliest duos in the NBA. If Jarrett Allen is kept out of the deal, then they might become the best three-man lineup in the league by the end of their first season together. Ingram is in the 98th percentile in a plethora of statistics, including overall shot-making and on-ball gravity, per BBall-Index (subscription required). If the Cavs can find another player who demands defensive attention every play and can draw defenders away on a drive, Mitchell's offensive load would drastically diminish, allowing him to move off the ball and not have to force bad shots when the defense collapses on him at the end of a shot clock.
Ingram has averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 assists and five rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game. In Cleveland, his role would not change significantly, as he currently serves as the secondary initiator behind Ohio native C.J. McCollum. Mitchell and Ingram would carry the majority of the responsibility for getting the Cavs into their sets, allowing Ingram to transition to the new environment fairly easily on offense.
Next season, Ingram will be owed $36 million on the final year of his contract, meaning the Cavs would have to offer up substantial players in return. This type of deal would require complete commitment and trust in the pair, but the 28-year-old forward might very well be the homerun swing the Cavaliers never regret.
Cleveland could enter the Paul George sweepstakes
Years ago, the Cavaliers neared a trade to bring Paul George to Cleveland alongside LeBron James. Instead, George was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder before eventually joining the Los Angeles Clippers. This summer, the Clippers and George will be in a seemingly heated negotiation for his next contract. If talks go awry after a poor end to the postseason, PG could once again be on the trade market, looking for one final chance to be a part of a championship contender.
While George is not the fearless slasher and athlete that he was in his prime years with the Indiana Pacers, he is still one of the best two-way forwards in the NBA. He can never be ignored by defenses anywhere on the court, and his defense can scare even the best into passing up a shot. Georges' playoff resume is not perfect, but he has a wealth of awe-inspiring postseason runs in his past, including the Clippers' first appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2021.
In his 13th season, PG-13 is averaging 22.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals with a 39.6 three-point percentage on 8.3 attempts per game. George is still an elite talent, earning his ninth All-Star appearance this year in a stacked West. Adding PG would be a massive upgrade for the Cavs if they can strike a balanced deal with LAC.
The Clippers' price tag for George would be high, but they also intend to fight for contention next season, meaning they would not be intrigued by draft picks. George will be owed over $40 million next season, once again meaning the Cavs would have to part ways with some of their best talent. At 34 years old at the start of next season, trading for George is high risk, high reward. He is not a long-term option, but he would make the Cavaliers much more of a threat to reach the Finals in 2025.
The Cavaliers should save Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets
While the Brooklyn Nets refused to trade Mikal Bridges at the past trade deadline, the team is going nowhere fast and will be forced to make a major decision soon. If the Nets did give up Bridges, they would likely target draft compensation in return, making the path to acquire him for the Cavs more difficult than the last two names. Still, Cleveland would have to make any offer they could.
Mikal Bridges emerged as a star forward after the 2023 blockbuster deadline trade that sent a disgruntled Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. Although Bridges is still one of the most consistent scorers in the NBA this season with 21 points on good efficiency, he is likely not a possible number-one star on a championship team. His two-way skillset and clutch talent still make him a great second option, and he would thrive with Mitchell getting him open looks.
Still, the obstacle of giving Brooklyn enough in return might hurt the deal. Bridges is the cheapest player on this list, earning only $23.3 million next season with another year guaranteed after that. The Cavs could offer the Nets Isaac Okoro in a sign-and-trade alongside other players and whatever draft picks they can include. It might still be below the asking price, but the possibility of Mitchell and Bridges together should make the Cavaliers willing to spend sleepless nights convincing Brooklyn finally to do what everybody is waiting to see happen.
In the end, the Cleveland Cavaliers will only know where to go this offseason after the postseason concludes. If Darius Garland, Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen steps up when it matters the most and becomes a true superstar, then Cleveland may have everything they need to keep Donovan Mitchell around. No matter how far the Cavs go in the playoffs, this summer will surely be dramatically busy with such uncertainty hovering over the franchise.