The Cleveland Cavaliers need to stop dragging their feet when improving the roster.
With a starring cast of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs have no excuse to stay in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference, but their silent offseason has casted doubt on the franchise's ability to compete at the highest level. Notably, it is the weakness of the supporting cast that hurts Cleveland's reputation the most.
Last playoffs, the Cavaliers had the worst bench of any team to advance to the second round, setting a net rating of -4.2 through the five-game series against the Boston Celtics. In the first round, Cleveland had the sixth-worst bench. Holding onto the talented young core establishes the Cavs' chances to grow, but they may have already found their ceiling if they do not advance the second unit.
This offseason, the Cavaliers attempted to make moves, but each one fell flat due to increasingly harsh financial restrictions. Still, Cleveland would be foolish to enter the regular season with a nearly identical roster. One player still holds value on the market as his free agency lingers over the Cavs.
The Cavaliers must revisit Isaac Okoro's value to Brooklyn
For years, the Brooklyn Nets and Cavaliers have been linked with the chance of a deal sending Isaac Okoro to the Nets in exchange for a more veteran wing returning to Cleveland. The name most commonly associated early on was Royce O'Neale before he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns.
With training camp approaching, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst stated that trade talks for Okoro will pick up again after Okoro's camp declined a multi-year offer from the Cavaliers. For the sake of the Cavs' chances to battle with the East Titans, they must reignite the discussions with the Nets. Okoro is a young, talented wing, but his offensive flaws and playoff disappearing acts are too costly for an aspiring contender. Okoro is still a raw prospect, and moving to a rebuilding franchise could greatly benefit his future.
If talks have failed time after time over the years, it will not be an easy task for the Cavs to swap Okoro with Brooklyn. Still, making a recently reported deal happen within the coming weeks must be revisited. The Cavaliers need veteran talent, and the Nets have plenty to offer.