With the hiring of Kenny Atkinson and Donovan Mitchell signing his extension, the Cleveland Cavaliers can now shift their focus to improving their roster.
With President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman essentially saying that he will not be breaking up the core four of Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the team will likely be looking to improve the roster around the margins, specifically at the wing spot.
The Cavs have been reported to be interested in upgrading at the wing and adding a 3 and D player. With Isaac Okoro still a restricted free agent and having interest from the Detroit Pistons, it makes sense that Cleveland is looking for forwards. They have reportedly been looking at acquiring either Cam Johnson or Dorian Finney-Smith, but according to Marc Stein, the Cavs also have another target in mind: Hornets forward Miles Bridges.
League sources have described the Cleveland Cavaliers as a team to watch in a sign-and-trade for Miles Bridges, per @TheSteinLine via https://t.co/wkYcSljNb8 pic.twitter.com/VK79XfHazw
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 4, 2024
From a basketball standpoint, Bridges fits exactly what the Cavs have been missing at the forward spot. He is a strong shot creator who can shoot the three well and is not bad defensively. In 69 games played this past season, Bridges averaged 21 points per game on 46 percent shooting and 35 percent from three-point range. He would be an offensive upgrade over Okoro. The problem is, Bridges has his share of off-court issues.
Is Bridges worth the controversy for Cavaliers?
Last year, Bridges was convicted in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend that led to him being suspended for 10 games by the NBA and mandated therapy and counseling because of the incident. This is something that the Cavaliers have to consider if they really want him on their team.
Has he put those issues behind him? Has he grown as a human? Is he maintaining healthy relationships? These are the questions the organization is going to have to ask themselves before giving him a new contract and potentially parting with Okoro in that deal.
If the answer to those questions is yes, then the Cavs would be upgrading their roster with the addition of Bridges.
Simply put, the team has needed a legit wing player at the small forward spot for a few years now, instead of having shooting guards play that spot (i.e. Max Strus and Caris LeVert). Standing at 6-foot-7, Bridges adds positional versatility, playing either forward position with steady production. Adding a third 20-point scorer in a loaded Eastern Conference would make the Cleveland Cavaliers more competitive with the top teams like the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.