After the 2021-22 NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers pushed a lot of chips to the middle of the table in trading for all-star Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland had lost in the play-in tournament the year before after winning 44 games, and wanted to make a jump.
It worked too, as the Cavs jumped their win total to 51, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference and getting home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
The post-season didn’t work out as the wine and gold were eliminated in five games by the New York Knicks, and were relatively quiet last summer, adding shooters Max Strus and Georges Niang in free agency.
We felt the organization’s goal last season was to get into a seven-game series, not the play in tournament, and they have seemed to take an incremental view in terms of that goal, meaning they would like to win at least one series this season.
Right now, Cleveland sits where they were a year ago, 4th in the East, but in a jumble between second seed Milwaukee (32-16), New York (third at 31-17) and Philadelphia (fifth at 29-17). We don’t think catching top seed Boston is realistic, and the sixth seeded Pacers have lost five more games than the Cavs.
As we said, the Cavs took a big swing before last season in getting Mitchell, and they really haven’t followed up on that. Certainly, Mitchell’s contract situation, he can be a free agent after next season, probably precludes making another big move.
Another factor is how the Cavaliers have played since the injuries to Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. They have gone 16-7 since the pair went out on December 15th. Mobley returned to action on Monday and Garland was back in there last night.
We point out the Mitchell contract situation because while Garland was out, Mitchell became the primary ball handler and averaged 29.1 points per game with 7.9 assists and 2.9 turnovers per night.
Garland came into last night scoring 20.7 points with 5.9 assists and 3.8 turnovers a game.
We have always had doubts about the two small guard lineup, even back when Garland’s partner was Collin Sexton, who they traded to get Mitchell. With Garland out, the Cavs got bigger, moving 6’5″ Max Strus to guard and putting 6’5″ Isaac Okoro at small forward.
If Mitchell was already under a long-term deal, Altman’s decision would be easier. See what Garland, who has made an all-star team, can get you in a trade, perhaps the 6’7″ or 6’8″ wing the Cavs probably need to take the next step as a legitimate contender to get to the NBA Finals.
However, if Mitchell decides he isn’t going to sign the extension in Cleveland, then the Cavs will likely move him during the summer, and probably look for that wing as a return for the team’s best player.
What does all this mean for Cavalier fans? The organization will probably not make a big move at the trade deadline next week. They will see how the team looks with the Mitchell/Garland combination in the backcourt for the rest of the year and into the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see what the team’s record looks like over the next few weeks as they make yet another transition. They play five of the next six on the road, but the only game against a team over .500 is the home game, vs. Sacramento.
On paper, the winning should continue. But the style of play may change, and that’s the concern.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 