Following their season's end to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Seminfinals, the Cleveland Cavaliers may be poised for major shifts in personnel and leadership this offseason as a result.
Roster fits and coaching have been contentious topics among Cleveland fans for the past two seasons, and while the team achieved greater success than last year, the Cavs have not found answers as they build toward the NBA Finals. Their best stretches of the season came during prolonged absences of two of their core players, leaving more question marks than certainties as the Cavaliers head into the offseason. According to a bombshell report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, this summer might force Cleveland to answer those concerns whether they want to or not.
Thankfully for the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell may be the first name to stick around in the wine and gold. On the subject of Mitchell, Charania noted that "there is a growing sentiment around the league that the Cavaliers will be able to position themselves to receive [Donovan Mitchell's] commitment for a lucrative contract extension." While the Cavs would surely welcome a longer relationship with the All-NBA guard, his commitment will force Cleveland to part ways with other beloved members of the organization.
5. Jarrett Allen cannot return to Cleveland's frontcourt
Since joining the Cavs in 2021, Jarrett Allen has defined Cleveland's stifling defense with his dominant interior presence and vocal leadership on the court. His tenure with the Cavaliers has been more than positive, and the latest generation of Cleveland success would not have happened without him. However, Evan Mobley's flourishing moments as the leading big man in the postseason after Allen was sidelined with a punctured rib will likely push Allen out this summer.
Despite stellar defense, the offensive fit between Allen and Mobley has never manifested. With Mobley's high ceiling and younger age, the Cavaliers will undoubtedly choose the third-year big man over their veteran. Allen's $20 million salary is also a perfect contract to entice possible suitors in a deal, easily laying a framework for the deal.
Additionally, the locker room fit for Allen may be in question after the Game 5 loss. One of the many Shams Bombs in the latest article mentioned that Jarrett refused an injection that would numb his rib pain to play through the injury during the second round.
""Few if any, members of the organization doubted the discomfort Allen has been in since the injury, but the frustration among some members of the team was that he refused an injection to try and numb the pain and play.""Shams Charania, The Athletic
Allen was one of Cleveland's most durable players throughout the year, playing in 81 consecutive games between the regular season and playoffs. If he was not comfortable playing, there was a good reason. He played through injury since Game 1 of the first round after a blow to his ribs, but a Game 4 elbow from Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner pierced his right rib and forced him out of action. In the games without Allen, Mobley shined as the lone center, signaling a divorce on the horizon for the starting frontcourt duo.
With Donovan Mitchell's extension looming and the clear need to resolve the frontcourt fit, the Cavaliers cannot bring Allen back to the wine and gold. Too many teams will show interest in Allen's talents to stay quiet this offseason.
4. The Cavaliers are going to have to replace J.B. Bickerstaff
J.B. Bickerstaff has spent the last five and a half seasons as the head coach of the Cavs, but his time may be coming to an end. Sham's article spent ample time detailing a lack of faith from the team in Bickerstaff, starting with Donovan Mitchell. If the roster does not believe in their coach's ability to construct a consistent or reliable offensive scheme, the front office cannot keep him around.
In his time as coach, Bickerstaff has had a mixed bag of success. In the regular season, the Cavs have dominated during the mid-season slump other teams suffer. When the All-Star Break ends and teams are competing for playoff positioning, the Cavaliers habitually stumble to the finish line. In the postseason, Bickerstaff has only led the Cavs to one road victory, Game 2 against Boston. With regular season accolades hardly translating to the playoffs, Bickerstaff has likely coached his last game with the Cavaliers.
ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Cleveland's leadership is still "fond" of Bickerstaff but will take considerable time to evaluate the coaching staff after their season-ending loss. While there is no official sentiment from the Cavaliers' office on Bickerstaff yet, the team would be foolish to keep a coach who has lost the trust of his locker room and a star player with the ability to force a trade if he grows unhappy.
3. Caris LeVert has played his last game with the Cavaliers
Columbus native Caris LeVert built a reputation as a talented but streaky swingman since joining the Cavaliers from the Indiana Pacers after overcoming a harrowing cancer diagnosis a year earlier. Though LeVert has given the Cavs valuable production in his time, his inconsistent impact and $16.6 million expiring contract is too valuable not to add him to a trade to buy into the core and upgrade the roster.
Throughout the season, Cleveland's worst flaw was their unreliable rebounding effort and offensive flow. While LeVert's dazzling moments have led to unforgettable wins, his ball-dominant attitude and willingness to dribble out the shot clock before taking a heavily-contested mid-range jumpshot with numerous open teammates around him causes too much uncertainty and problems for the Cavaliers to stay invested in the veteran guard. Though he embraced his sixth-man role this season, LeVert's efficiency and output dipped this year, leaving questions surrounding even his fit in the long-term plans for the Cavaliers.
LeVert would not be easy to trade on his own, considering his volatility, but his defensive talent and potential upside should serve as an attractive sweetener in any trades with Jarrett Allen or other Cavaliers on the move. LeVert's $16.6 million and Allen's $20 million would be enough to match most max salaries across the Association, making the path to improvement for Cleveland too clear to ignore.
2. Isaac Okoro's playoff slump might spell trouble this summer
Another postseason drought plagued Isaac Okoro on the offensive side of the ball, as the young wing posted only 5.5 points on 34.8 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from deep. During the regular season, Okoro's growth as a 3-and-D threat and offensive talent paved the way for a generous contract offer as he approached restricted free agency. Now, the first option for Cleveland will likely be exploring Okoro's value in a sign-and-trade. Despite his offensive limitations, plenty of rebuilding franchises would be elated to bring in an elite wing defender and invest time into developing his scoring without the pressure to win now.
The Cavaliers needed Okoro to step up in the playoffs, especially as their stars fell to injury in the Boston series. Unfortunately, he could not answer the call. Okoro's exit from Cleveland may become one of the biggest "What If" questions in recent franchise history, as his potential to complete the team's needs as a hardened glue guy with hustle and energy will never be fully realized if the Cavs hope to compete for a title.
The concerns for Okoro's future in Cleveland spawned when the two parties could not come to terms on a contract extension this summer, guaranteeing that the Auburn prospect would enter restricted free agency instead. While the Cavs have stayed quiet the past two trade deadlines, they have historically been unafraid in making major changes when they are chasing the Larry O'Brien trophy.
1. Darius Garland is ready to move on from the Cavaliers
Perhaps the most heartbreaking news from Cleveland's playoffs loss the Charania's suggestion that Darius Garland's representative, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, will meet with the Cavaliers to discuss a new destination for Garland if Mitchell signs a contract extension this summer.
Despite Garland's underwhelming production this season, he was unlikely to leave the team this summer only two seasons after the Cavs invested the franchise's highest contract extension ever into the one-time All-Star point guard. Since Mitchell's arrival in Cleveland, Garland's role has undeniably diminished over the past two years. This season, Garland averaged 18 points, 3.7 points fewer than his All-Star season career-high average of 21.7 per game. Still, the brotherhood and friendship between the backcourt stars did not suggest any turmoil behind the scenes.
Likely, Garland's possible coming trade request is purely a business decision. Garland enjoyed the best season of his career as the lead guard after Collin Sexton's season-ending injury in the early weeks of the 2021-22 season. Garland earned his sole All-Star selection that year, but he soon found himself in a similar position with another ball-dominant small guard at his side with Mitchell. For Garland to maximize his potential and return to the best version of himself, a trade may be the only realistic option.
Seeing Garland in a new uniform next season is inevitable with Mitchell's likely extension, but the first public display of Garland playing for a new franchise will be heartbreaking for the Cleveland faithful. Garland's third-year leap kickstarted the Cavaliers' return to postseason contention, leading the team to a Play-In Tournament berth in his first year as a leader. Without Garland's growth, the Cavaliers would have never been in the position to trade for Donovan Mitchell the next offseason. Losing Garland will be a major change to the Cavaliers, but his value and potential as a backcourt captain would net the Cavs a towering return to complement Mitchell and Mobley.
There is no possible offseason that does not conclude without multiple major shifts in Cleveland basketball. Still, the Cavaliers have plenty of hope for the future of the franchise with Evan Mobley's growth and their playoff success despite a perplexing roster construction. Should Donovan Mitchell commit his future to the Cavaliers, Cleveland will continue to compete for the highest accolades in the East.