There's no denying that the Cleveland Cavaliers failed in the postseason.
Following a historic regular season, the Cavaliers squandered their efforts with a dismal showing in the second round of the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers punished every Cavs weakness as Cleveland's league-leading offense slowed to a stop, often reverting to zero-pass isolation possessions. Despite their best efforts, the Cavaliers proved their path to contention is not yet finished.
In the Cavaliers' defense, injuries plagued the roster and core, especially with Darius Garland's toe sprain that sidelined him for four games. Upon his return, Garland was clearly fighting through the pain, sometimes falling over when his foot could not hold his weight from the sprain. For a guard whose career is predicated on quick footwork and stop-and-go movement, the injury was practically a death sentence for his production in the playoffs.
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter also battled through significant injuries. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers were not prepared for the brutal buzzsaw that is the run-and-gun Pacers. Indiana's decisive playmaking and physical presence bullied Cleveland, pushing them past their limits and embarrassing the Cavs three times in front of the home crowd.
For the Cavs to accomplish a trip to the NBA Finals, a more complete roster needs to be built. With 64 wins in 82 tries, Cleveland proved they are not far, but a few clever moves could bring the Cavaliers to that next stage.
The Cavaliers are out of the star sweepstakes
Barring a complete dismantling of the core four, the Cavaliers can count themselves out of any race to add another star player to the roster. Despite rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential departure from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Cavs have little ability to add the former Finals MVP. Giannis will command a historic haul in return, an offer the Cavaliers cannot put together.
While the Cavs could dip below the second apron to have the flexibility to offer Garland and Allen for the Greek Freak, Cleveland's lack of draft assets hamper their ability to compete with rival bidders who have a stockpile of future assets to throw at the Bucks. Ultimately, Cleveland will need to build around the core rather than tear it down. Though one of the core may end up in a deal, there is little possibility that the Cavaliers enter next season looking much different than they do now.
Giannis is an enticing player for any team, but the Cavaliers are not the destination. Instead, the Cavs can find talent to bolster depth and fill their remaining needs and flaws without rebuilding everything. Retooling, rather, is the path the Cavaliers must take.
Cleveland has undersized backcourt and wing depth, and the frontcourt is shallow with just Mobley and Allen providing worthwhile minutes at center. Looking away from star names, the Cavaliers could find the final piece to their puzzle with a reliable role player.
Lonzo Ball makes the Cavaliers better
After years of struggling to build a reputation in the NBA, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball suffered a severe knee injury that sidelined him for over two years. Ball, a former second-overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, never fulfilled his initial potential as an All-NBA talent. Still, he has developed into a productive two-way big guard with impressive playmaking intelligence.
Last season, Ball averaged 7.6 points, 3.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 35 games played with Chicago. As he continues to revamp after his injury woes, Ball has proven himself to be a reliable three-point shooter, knocking down 34.4 percent of his 5.6 attempts per game, sitting just around league average. In the 2021-22 season, before his injury Ball shot over 40 percent on more than 7 attempts from deep per night.
As a passer, Ball is one of the best non-All-Star offensive maestros the Cavaliers could find. He rarely turns the ball over, and his basketball IQ is one of his best tools. Defensively, though, is where Ball truly shines. Standing at 6'6", Lonzo is a great perimeter defender, a skill the Cavs could desperately use. Adding an oversized, defensive guard to the Cavaliers backcourt could help alleviate the flaws brought on by Garland and Mitchell in the starting unit.
With a new extension worth $10 million per season, the Cavs can easily match Ball's salary, potentially offering Isaac Okoro in a deal to drop a bit of Cleveland's salary cap and give the Bulls a young defensive wing to pair with Coby White.
Cleveland would love Daniel Gafford
To build up the Cavaliers' center depth, Dallas Mavericks veteran center Daniel Gafford could be the perfect answer. The 26-year-old big man is a physical, backdown player who battles for every missed shot on both ends of the court. Last year, he averaged 6.8 rebounds, splitting it with 4.1 defensive and 2.7 offensive per game. Considering the Cavaliers' persistent rebounding shortcomings, adding Gafford could be an ideal move this summer.
In the wake of the Luka Doncic trade, the Mavs are retooling their frontcourt rotation around Anthony Davis and Derick Lively. With Cooper Flagg on the way via the NBA Draft, Dallas does not have need for Gafford's services going forward. Recent reports mark Gafford as the Mavs' most likely trade piece this offseason as his extension looms over the Texas squad.
With an expiring contract worth just over $13 million, the Cavs would have to match his salary with Max Strus, trading wing depth for center depth. Moving on from Strus would be a major hit to the Cavs' roster, but if Cleveland is serious about building up their frontcourt, it may be something the front office cannot ignore. With Hunter, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson likely to fill the wing rotation next year, the Cavaliers could consider this trade, though with serious reasons to be cautious.
Royce O'Neale is perfect for the Cavs
Once again, the Cavaliers would find plenty of value out of a veteran 3-and-D wing. Namely, the Cavs could reenter the running for Mitchell's former teammate Royce O'Neale. The current Phoenix Suns wing is one of the league's premier bench shooters, averaging 2.4 makes on 5.9 attempts per game last year.
Last season, O'Neale averaged 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds off the Phoenix bench. With the Suns preparing to blow up the core and move on from Kevin Durant, veteran leaders like O'Neale could be easy for the Cavs to add if the right deal is available. For this to work, one of the Suns or Cavs would have to drop below the second apron. Considering Phoenix's uncertain future, it is reasonable to expect Arizona's basketball squad to maneuver themselves into the lower tax apron for future flexibility.
Entering his ninth NBA season, O'Neale could give the Cavaliers a proven wing shooter and veteran presence. As a young, upcoming contender, the mentorship from O'Neale could prove invaluable in high-pressure situations. Additionally, the 6'6" wing could be a talented two-way player for a franchise that has finally begun investing in wing depth.
If the Cavaliers can find a path to adding O'Neale after years of rumors and almost-done deals, Cleveland fans would quickly learn to love his talent and presence.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers cannot afford to make star moves, there are plenty of opportunities for meaningful growth and improvement. The Cavs cannot sit quiet this summer and expect another year of silence to make any difference. There is a reason this team has won a total of two games in the second round in just as many years. The core is young and talented, but they have too many flaws that have not been addressed yet to be a true Finals threat.