The Cleveland Cavaliers are approaching the NBA playoffs as one of the Eastern Conference's premier squads.
With the fourth-best net rating in the Association, the Cavaliers are set up for a much-improved playoff berth than last year. Behind Donovan Mitchell's best season of his career, Jarrett Allen's emergence and Evan Mobley's dominant return from injury, Cleveland is a team that could spoil any other contender's hopes. Throughout the extended period without Darius Garland or Evan Mobley, the Cavs discovered a new confidence and depth that has established them atop the conference.
At this season's trade deadline, the Cavs stayed silent and opted to buy into their well-rounded talent and in-season growth after a busy offseason last summer. With a group of contract extensions and roster decisions ahead of Cleveland, this coming offseason will hold significant impact on the future of the franchise. With the NBA Finals in their sight, the Cavs should build upon what has worked thus far and buy into their existing strengths. This is how Cleveland can evolve once again and have the ideal offseason, starting with their existing talent.
Keep Donovan Mitchell for the long-term
Getting the obvious out of the way, agreeing to a contract extension with Donovan Mitchell to keep him in Cleveland for the foreseeable future should top the Cavs' priority list. Mitchell has been the best player to take court for the Cavaliers since LeBron James joined the squad in 2003. Regardless of the baseless rumors around Mitchell's intentions to escape Cleveland as soon as possible, the Cavaliers cannot voluntarily give up on their leading superstar after two seasons unless he demands a trade.
Thus far, Mitchell has always expressed joy to be in Cleveland. Most recently, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported that Spida is perfectly happy exactly where he's at already. To start their offseason on the right note, the Cavaliers must show Mitchell long-term commitment in order to take the next step toward the Finals.
Explore the trade market for Caris LeVert
Since joining the Cavaliers in 2022, Columbus native Caris LeVert has given everything he can to the team and has grown as both a playmaker and defender. Last season, LeVert's role constantly fluctuated between the starting lineup and the bench. As the team's sixth man this year, LeVert has shined and given the Cavs a necessary spark in plenty of close games. Unfortunately, LeVert may be Cleveland's only valuable trade piece to make real improvements for the next campaign.
Given Cleveland's underwhelming draft asset available for trade, the Cavs will have to part ways with rotational players to make any upgrades. LeVert's $16.6 million expiring contract next season is going to be the organization's most valuable trade piece. Before the trade deadline, the Cavaliers were linked to various 3-and-D veteran wings, but the price to bring them to the Land would have made marginal improvements at best. In the offseason, there is always vastly more flexibility in negotiations.
While the Cavs might view LeVert as their best trade piece for another proven forward, their answer might already be on the roster waiting for a new contract.
Keep Isaac Okoro and Sam Merrill in Cleveland
In last year's playoff embarrassment, Isaac Okoro's inability to affect the game on offense allowed the New York Knicks to suffocate Cleveland's starring backcourt and force contested shots every possession. This season, Okoro has taken a step forward as a shooter from the corner and has continued his consistency as a lockdown point-of-attack defender. While his volume from three-point range is still relatively low, Max Strus and Sam Merrill give the Cavs force defenses to stay honest and open up more opportunities for Okoro.
The young forward has to keep up his impact going into the playoffs, but he has done more than enough to earn his next contract after failing to come to terms on an extension before this season opened. Alongside Okoro's offensive evolution, his defense is only getting better. If the Cavaliers are searching for a knockdown shooter who defends at the highest level, the former Auburn wing might be exactly who they need.
As for Sam Merrill, the Cavaliers might have found the best surprise of the Association in a player who had struggled to stay in the NBA in the past. Cleveland's secret weapon is the team's best volume shooter, hitting 44.2 percent of his 5.3 three-point attempts per game. On a surprisingly small $1.9 million contract this season, Merrill is still under contract for a non-guaranteed $2.1 million next year, and the Cavaliers would do well to ensure Merrill is in Cleveland after this summer.
Add another veteran floor spacer to their frontcourt
If the Cavaliers have learned anything this season, it is that they play their best when they can put one of their frontcourt players on the perimeter. Dean Wade and Georges Niang provide Cleveland the offensive boom needed, and Evan Mobley has even begun showcasing range with improved form and confidence.
At the start of the season, the Cavaliers' frontcourt duo of Mobley and Allen seemed to be teetering on unplayable. Discussions around the two big men centered on which one should be on the trade block first. Given the growth both players have shown this year, the conversation is beginning to lean in favor of keeping the pair together. Together, Cleveland's defense can stifle almost any offensive scheme. Offensively, Allen and Mobley are consistently becoming more untouchable by the day.
Adding another floor spacer to the end of their frontcourt rotation would allow the Cavaliers to maintain their free-flowing offense that has led to their recent surge to the top of the East.
Trade their draft pick and go all-in
Finally, if the Cavaliers can retain Donovan Mitchell, they need to be buyers in the offseason and move whoever they select in the 2024 first round to evolve into a powerhouse. While the Cavs should still explore intriguing prospects, their chance to win now will not be drastically improved in this draft. The Cavaliers should instead look to package their pick in a larger trade to solidify their rotation.
The perfect offseason trade targets are not clear yet for the Cavaliers, but their postseason performance will be the guiding force behind their offseason plans. Currently, there is no need to make any dramatic changes to the foundation of the team. This year's draft pick should be used as a way to sweeten a deal for a proven player at whatever position they find most vulnerable by the start of the summer. Additionally, if the Cavs fall short in the playoffs again, then a young prospect could help them come to terms on a larger trade to restructure their core for a major bid at the Finals next year.
In the end, the course to an ideal offseason should not include breaking up a young star frontcourt or moving on from a superstar captain right now. As Mobley perfects his game and Mitchell continues to show his love for being on the team, the Cavaliers are in position to establish themselves in the upper echelon of contenders with a strategic yet conservative summer.