Cavs Winning While Testing Things Out.

Do you want to know how you can tell the Cleveland Cavaliers are a real good basketball team? It’s because they haven’t played very well to date and yet they have a 10-6 record after the first five weeks of the NBA season.

There have been a lot of injuries for sure. Max Strus hasn’t played yet and like won’t until the middle of December at the earliest. Darius Garland has played in only three games. Sam Merrill has missed time. De’Andre Hunter has missed three contests. Jaylon Tyson has been out the last four games in concussion protocol.

So, there hasn’t been very much continuity for Kenny Atkinson, yet this team is so good, they still have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Frankly, we are fine with this. We have been saying since training camp started, we would be happy if the wine and gold got off to a slower start and approached the playoffs playing their best basketball.

Last year, Cleveland relied on the three point shot quite a bit and it worked. They took 45.7% of their field goals from behind the arc and converted on 38.3% of those long range tries.

This season, they are taking even more threes (49.1%) but making less at 34.9%. In watching the games, we don’t see enough of what analyst Brad Daugherty talks about, which is playing inside out, meaning getting the ball in the paint or in a post-up situation and then kicking out to a wide-open shooter.

One of the things about last season’s squad was the guys who took the most 3s also shot at a very good percentage. The leaders in three-points attempts last year were: Donovan Mitchell (36.8%), Darius Garland (40.1%), Sam Merrill (37.2%), Strus (38.6%) and Ty Jerome (43.9%).

The league average was 36% and all five of the players taking the most long distance shots for Cleveland a year ago were above league average.

This year, the league wide percentage is about the same (35.8%).

And two of the top five shot takers from beyond the arc, Hunter (31%) and Lonzo Ball (31.3%) are well below the league average. Both are historically better than that. Hunter has made 36.9% for his career, while Ball has knocked them down at a 36.1% clip.

So perhaps those two should take the ball to the hoop a little more until they regain their touch from long range.

Much has been made about the lack of minutes for Jarrett Allen in the fourth quarter of games, but at this point in the season, we chalk that up to experimentation by the coaching staff. Allen is still a solid defender and good rebounder, and that’s greatly needed if you have a lead down the stretch.

If you haven’t noticed, the NBA is getting longer and having more size, particularly on the wings will be even more important. We have talked about the Cavs not having enough size for a few years now. That’s why we are happy to see Nae’Qwan Tomlin have some success.

He’s 6’10” and very active on the glass, particularly on the offensive end. And having Tyson and Ball, both at 6’6″ adds some size to the backcourt when needed. Think about it, without the injuries, does Tomlin get any playing time?

But having Garland’s shooting is also important for offensive spacing. Perhaps in the playoffs it will be like baseball. Get the lead and then bring in the defenders.

We haven’t moved off of our belief that this is the time for the Cavs to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s a good thing they are able to do that and still win more often than not.

Browns Just Don’t Have It. A Culture That Is

We definitely believe that winning is a learned skill. Yes, it comes through experience, but it is also a mindset. It’s a lot like waking up in the morning and deciding if you are going to have a good day or a bad day.

Or you are an optimist or a pessimist.

We do complain about the money the Cleveland Guardians spend, but there is no question in our mind that there still is an attitude of we are going to win throughout the organization.

We all saw it this past season, when the Guards fell 15 games out of first place, and lost their closer to a suspension and still wound up winning the American League Central Division. Of course, that comes from over a decade of success, but their manager, the front office, and the players didn’t let negatives creep into their mindset.

Since Terry Francona was hired by the team in 2013, the Indians/Guardians have only missed the post-season five times and the worst season they had was a year where they lost 86 games.

There has been no tanking, no deliberate losing.

The same holds true for the Cavaliers, who won the city’s only professional sports title since 1964 in 2016. Yes, they had some down years when LeBron James left via free agency, but we would guess that everyone involved with the Cavs knows owner Dan Gilbert wants to win, and they take steps to get back to that each year.

Just five seasons after James departed, the Cavaliers won 51 regular season games. Yes, the LeBron years set a foundation and expectation to win, and it continues today.

Which brings us to the Browns. From our perspective, it doesn’t appear there is a culture of winning. Now what is that? We don’t know exactly, but you can tell who has it and who doesn’t.

We have said this many times on this site, but the Browns are like the sign in the bar proclaiming free beer tomorrow. One of the area’s sports writers (Jason Lloyd) has written the Browns are great at talking about different plans to win, but they rarely are able to execute them.

The front office is stuck on having one way to be able to win, getting a franchise quarterback, and they think there is only one way to do that, and that is to get a very high draft pick.

We have detailed in past posts that there is simply no evidence to suggest that a path to success. When you look around the league, yes, you probably need to have a QB drafted in the first round to be able to win, but it’s more about recognizing talent.

We all know the Browns did have the first pick overall and drafted a QB just eight years ago in Baker Mayfield and after a few years, they convinced themselves he wasn’t the guy. How is that working out?

They saw a shiny object in the corner in Deshaun Watson and decided to move on from Mayfield and trade for him? Why, because it makes the process easier and quicker.

There isn’t an easy way to establish culture. It’s hard and sometimes painful.

We laugh at times at the “tanking crowd” because they will look at some quarterback with disdain. They want the first overall pick in the draft, but only when and if guys like Joe Burrow, Andrew Luck, or Peyton Manning are at the top.

So, the strategy is luck of the draw? If so, that’s a poor method.

Heck, the owner told everyone the hope is to find the “franchise quarterback” in 2026. What do the players think about that? It’s hard to set a winning culture when the team owner is talking about next season.

Free beer tomorrow.

That’s why new leadership is needed. Not new ownership, because no one is selling a cash cow. But someone who will set a standard of winning football games, no matter who the QB is or what else surrounds the team.

All you have to do is look two hours to the east and the rival Steelers. They have a winning culture. And guess what, they are always in the mix.

Stop making plans, stop making excuses. That’s the first step to building a culture.

Garland Helps The Offense For Sure, But…

The Cleveland Cavaliers are finally getting healthy. Friday night against the lowly Washington Wizards, coach Kenny Atkinson was finally able to put the starting lineup he projected over the summer on the floor.

Darius Garland figured to be out until the middle or end of November, but he made his first appearance of the season on Wednesday against Philadelphia. The offense immediately looked a lot better, as the Cavs have scored 132 and 148 points in his first two games back.

And that would figure because Garland is a terrific offensive player and can penetrate and dish very well. Adding someone who scored 20.6 points and doled out 6.7 assists last season should make the offense look better.

After Garland’s debut, all of the people who cover the Cavs were reporting how much better the ball movement and shooting was with Garland back. And it was. However, Sam Merrill, who missed three games and is shooting the three pointer at an outrageous rate so far this season (26 of 45,.578), was also back and shooting like that helps as well.

The pundits said it showed Garland’s importance to the team, and indeed he is important.

However, one of the things we are concerned with and some people who cover the NBA are also, is the size of the Cavs’ backcourt. Remember, and we have said this both last year and this season, what Cleveland does in the regular season is not that important for this group.

It’s what happens in the playoffs.

While Garland contributes a lot to the team, our question is simply this: Would a bigger, taller version of Garland help the offense more? And we continue to say it would. And that’s not a rap on the player. It would also be beneficial to the team if Donovan Mitchell were 6’5″ and not 6’3″. But he isn’t and that’s kind of the issue.

And although it’s one game, we saw some the issues that you can’t have in the playoffs. For example, the Cavaliers had a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter against the Sixers and won by 11.

Atkinson mentioned after the win Friday night that this is a point of emphasis for him and the team, get a lead and build on it. Don’t let the opponent back in the contest.

They did that against Philadelphia, mostly because they had six of their 15 turnovers in the final quarter. Two were by Evan Mobley and two more from Garland. For his career in the post-season, Garland averages a half a turnover more per game than in the regular season.

No doubt, the reason the team traded for Lonzo Ball was to have a bigger guard who can handle the basketball, someone that Atkinson can pair with either Garland or Mitchell to provide some size but still have someone who has a plus handle.

Ball leads the team in assists despite missing two games and playing only about half the minutes in the games he does appear in.

If a trade doesn’t occur before the playoffs, Cleveland will need Garland for sure, but if the things that have plagued him in the post-season before, turnovers and opponents attacking his defensively, they now have Ball as an alternative.

What are we saying? Yes, Darius Garland is a good player. He’s made two All-Star teams. But remember, many basketball people worry the small backcourt is something the Cavs have to overcome. Can it work in the spring?

That’s still the biggest question surrounding the Cavs.

This Is A Different Season For Cavs. Don’t Jump To Conclusions Yet

The Cleveland Cavaliers open the home part of their schedule tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks, their only game at Rocket Arena out of their first five contests.

Already, there are complaints about the first two games for the wine and gold, and we base that on the football mentality that permeates throughout the area.

Folks, there are 80 more games to play.

Last year, the Cavs got off to a 15-0 start, one of the best starts in NBA history. Note the end of that last sentence. Teams don’t do that on a regular basis, and the Cavaliers weren’t going to do it again this season.

And frankly, we have said previously that we wanted Kenny Atkinson to do some experimenting with rotations in October and November, particularly getting good looks at some young players.

He has had to make some changes because Darius Garland, Max Strus will both miss significant time to open the year, and then De’Andre Hunter suffered a bruised knee in the last exhibition game. That’s three prominent players.

As a result, Sam Merrill has moved into the starting lineup along with second year player Jaylon Tyson, and guys like Craig Porter Jr. and perhaps Dean Wade are getting more playing time than normal.

Heck, even second-round pick Tyrese Proctor has played in both games, something we didn’t foresee happening before training camp starting.

Perhaps the biggest complaint has been about the usage of Donovan Mitchell, who have taken 40 shots in the first two games. Evan Mobley has taken the next most at 30.

We don’t Atkinson wants his team to rely on Mitchell so much and would like the shot numbers between his two best players to be much closer. By the way, Merrill has taken the third most shots, followed by Jarrett Allen and Larry Nance Jr.

Bet no one had Merrill and Nance in that group.

Mitchell’s usage would have been less had the Cavs not had questionable shot selection in the fourth quarter vs. Brooklyn. Cleveland had a 108-86 lead heading into the fourth quarter Friday night.

Then, they feel into the NBA trap. They made 9 of 11 threes in a 45 point third stanza. Early in the fourth, the long-range shot stopped falling, but the Cavs kept hoisting them, and perhaps had they taken the ball to the hoop when that happened, Mitchell and Mobley could’ve taken the last quarter off.

Merrill made 6 of 10 threes for the game but missed three of them in the fourth. Wade missed three more, as the wine and gold went 1 of 11 in the quarter as a team.

Again, it’s a different season, a different team, and it is way too soon to have any concern.

For this team to get where they want to go, the principal players have to be Mitchell and Mobley, and almost in a #1A and #1B role. Our only question is can Mobley demand the ball at times during the game. For example, last night, would he tell his teammates they need baskets and get me the ball in the paint.

But again, it’s just two games. We would guess Hunter will be back in the lineup tonight, and if so, it probably means less minutes for Wade, and either Porter or Proctor because Tyson can be used at guard.

Much like last season, when they were 15-0, this season is all about how the Cavs are playing in April and May.

Take a deep breath and keep that in mind.

Cavs Need To Show Progress, Like It Or Not

The Cleveland Cavaliers open their NBA season this week and it goes without saying this is their biggest season since LeBron James left via free agency following the 2017-18 campaign, the last of four straight Finals appearances.

This is Donovan Mitchell’s fourth season with the wine and gold, and each year the Cavs made the playoffs. The year prior to his arrival, Cleveland qualified for the play in tournament.

Each of the three years Mitchell has been here have ended in what is called a “gentleman’s sweep”, meaning a five-game series, and really, Cleveland hasn’t been competitive in any of the series in which they have been bounced from the tournament.

After being eliminated by Indiana in the second round last season, Mitchell told the media it wouldn’t matter if the Cavs went 82-0 this season. He’s right.

We said before Kenny Atkinson’s first year at the helm that for a team like Cleveland, the regular season didn’t matter, so while the 15-0 start was great, and so was the 16-game winning streak later in the season, the proof for how much this team improved would not come until the playoffs.

That’s why we would have reshaped the roster this summer. We could make a very solid argument that as currently constituted, the Cavaliers aren’t tough enough to win in the playoffs.

Yes, we know about the injuries. Darius Garland was hampered. Evan Mobley had a bad ankle. Mitchell’s calf and ankle weren’t 100%. But it’s the playoffs, every team is banged up at that point in the year.

Indiana used its size to force the Cleveland offense further away from the basket and they pressured the ball in the backcourt forcing the Cavs to use more time off the shot clock.

Team president Koby Altman did make some roster changes, but not to what the organization calls “the Core Four”, consisting of Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

We will find out this year if that gamble pays off.

Altman and GM Mike Gansey did bring in Lonzo Ball, a 6’6″ guard to provide the Cavs with some size in the backcourt. However, Ball has played just 35 games combined in the last three seasons, and 70 contests in the last four years.

If he can stay healthy, Ball can provide Atkinson with someone who can handle the ball and see over the top of the defense. They also signed Larry Nance Jr. to provide another big player and a very shot blocker.

The Cavs have gotten off to great starts the last three years and kind of faded a bit or at least weren’t playing their best with the playoffs came around. It would be better if the Cavs found out about some younger players early in the year, to see if they can help with late April and May come along.

With Garland and Max Strus missing time early in the year, last season’s first round pick, 6’6″ Jaylon Tyson should get a chance to claim some minutes. And Strus’ spot looks like it will go to De’Andre Hunter, who will provide more size to the starting lineup at 6’8″.

Barring some significant injuries, the Cavaliers will be in the playoffs at the end of this season. After winning 64 games last year, what really matters for this group is doing enough to qualify for the playoffs and going into the final month of the year playing their best basketball.

This team is good enough to get to the NBA Finals. Anything less than making the conference finals will likely result in a drastic roster shakeup next summer.

Atkinson and his team simply have to make progress. That’s what this season is all about.

Injuries Mean Opportunities For Some Young Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced they will be taking training camp on the road again this season, but they will have two holes in their starting lineup when it starts.

We know about Darius Garland’s toe surgery which will likely keep him out for at least a few weeks, and last week it was discovered that Max Strus will probably be out until December with a foot fracture.

How will Kenny Atkinson and his staff fill those openings when the regular season starts.

We have had issues about a lack of size at both guard spots and the small forward position for the Cavaliers over the past few seasons, and coincidentally, Garland and Strus man two of those spots.

So, it’s the perfect time to see if bigger will be better.

First, let’s look at the guard spot open with Garland’s injury. We would doubt Atkinson would want to start newcomer Lonzo Ball because they want to limit the veteran’s minutes because of his injury history.

That would leave Sam Merrill, second year player Jaylon Tyson, and Craig Porter Jr. as the likely candidates. Porter is more of a point guard, which would make him a natural fit opposite Donovan Mitchell, but we worry about his handle, and he’s still just 6’2″, so it doesn’t make the backcourt bigger all that much.

Merrill would provide shooting for sure and he’s 6’4″, and Tyson shows an all-around game we like and he’s 6’6″ but starting either of those players would involve putting the ball in Mitchell’s hands as the primary playmaker.

Mitchell’s minutes were down to 31.4 a year ago in the regular season, and he has assumed playmaking duties before with Garland out and the Cavs have flourished, so perhaps it’s not a bad way to go.

Either way, Tyson’s minutes should increase dramatically when the season opens.

And that’s because he’s also a candidate to absorb some minutes at small forward with Strus out. The easiest move for the coach would be to move De’Andre Hunter (6’8″) into the starting lineup, which would give the Cavs more size.

Think about a lineup with both Tyson and Hunter starting. It would give the Cavs a starting five measuring 6’3″, 6’6″, 6’8″ and a pair of 6’11” players in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

That’s the kind of size most NBA teams take the court with.

Over the past few years, the Cavs have gotten off to great starts and faded a bit in the second half of the season, one theory we have on this is that other teams are experimenting a bit early in the season, especially with younger players.

Barring more injuries, we believe it is safe to assume the Cavaliers will be a playoff team in 2025-26, so they should use the beginning part of the year to see what Tyson can be, and also to see if Nae’Qwan Tomlin can be a rotation piece.

If they can contribute, it gives Atkinson another more depth on the roster and in the case of Tomlin, a 6’10” player with some range on his shot.

Sure, you might lose a few more games, but you also may get someone who can give you quality minutes down the stretch and into the playoffs.

Either way, it would be a win for the organization.

Tomlin And Tyson Are Summer Leaguers Who Might Help

The NBA Summer League is fun. You get to see the draftees from the most recent NBA Draft and many of the second-year players from the selections made in the prior year, most because those guys got most of their action in the G League during the 2024-25 season.

And it’s also good because unless your favorite team played in the NBA Finals, it has been a while since anyone wearing the uniform has seen time. For example, it was great to see players wearing the Cavaliers’ colors out there playing.

However, the brand of basketball being played more closely resembles a playground game than an NBA regular season contest, let alone a playoff game. The defensive intensity isn’t there and let’s face it, these players are looking to make a name for themselves, as most of them aren’t under contract.

On the other hand, we don’t get too excited about the players on floor during the Summer League because let’s face it, the Cavaliers are a real good team, we are sure no one has forgotten they did win 64 games this past year.

So, if came out of watching these games in Las Vegas thinking second round pick Tyrese Proctor is going to be an important piece for the 2025-26 edition of the Cavaliers, you are either extremely optimistic or a Cavs’ influencer.

Players taken 45th overall are probably not helping a team whose goal should be to win the NBA title.

We will say the performance of Nae’Qwan Tomlin was very promising and he should be given the opportunity to play early next season. Why? First, because he’s 6’10” and if you read this site regularly, you know we believe the wine and gold need to add players with some length.

Tomlin averaged 19.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in Las Vegas, and better yet, shot 33.3% from three. Kenny Atkinson can use a big man with some range from the perimeter, and at his height, the only players on the roster taller than him are Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

The Cavs have had better first halves the past three seasons than they’ve performed down the stretch, and we believe one reason is that other teams are looking at guys like Tomlin early in the year. Why not see in October and November if the big man can be a rotational player, rather than trying to see in March and April.

The other player in Vegas who could make an impact this season is second year wing Jaylon Tyson. He impressed us last year as an all-around talent, and in three games out west, he averaged 19.7 points, 6 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Again, does a bit of everything which we like.

With Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro no longer on the roster and Lonzo Ball’s injury history, Tyson could be in Atkinson’s rotation at the beginning of the season. And if he can play some in the backcourt, that would be a plus because he’s 6’6″.

For a team in the Cavaliers’ position, players like Proctor and Cleveland State product Tristan Enaruma are right now organizational depth, and most of their playing time will come with the G League Cleveland Charge.

And that’s okay. Just don’t get crazy with expectations for them in ’25-’26.

Does Guardians’ Front Office Have A “Hate To Lose” Mindset?

In our coaching days, we used to say there was a difference between wanting to win and hating to lose. Our favorite players were the latter.

Some people might think that is the same thing, but they are not. Everyone likes to win. It’s more fun, your peers love it, everybody is happy. But if you hate to lose, that means you will do everything you can to avoid having that feeling.

That means putting in extra work, studying the game, recognizing something your opponent does that you can take advantage of. It’s taking the extra step, so you don’t have the feeling you have after a loss.

We bring this up because recently there have been conversations on the sports talk shows around town about the ownership of the city’s three professional sports teams.

Some fans of the Cleveland Guardians have been upset because it has been suggested that the owners of the franchise don’t have the same attitudes as the Haslam family and the Gilbert family.

The first thing to point out is this has nothing to do with the success of the franchise. We know of the three teams, the Guardians have been the most consistent winners, making the playoffs seven times in the last 12 completed seasons.

The Cavaliers have won the only title northeast Ohio has seen in the last 61 years, hanging a banner after the 2015-16 season. They have been wildly successful since drafting LeBron James in 2003, and even without James, they have made the post-season the past three years and had the best record in the Eastern Conference this past year.

We all know about the woeful history of the Browns since they returned to the league in 1999. They have had three playoff seasons, but also 18 double digit loss years, including the infamous 0-16 in 2017.

The argument isn’t who has had the most success though, it’s what group would do the most to get a championship for the franchise and city?

We know Dan Gilbert did everything he could to win a title when James was here both times, and he spent all he could after the superstar returned, trading draft picks to put together a roster to achieve the title in ’16, and he has said he has no problem paying a tax to win again.

You have to know he would love to get a second title and one without James.

The Browns have made many ill-fated moves in order to get to the franchise’s first Super Bowl since the Haslam family bought the team. But you can’t say they aren’t passionate about getting to the championship game.

And we have every confidence that if the Browns were in that “one piece away” situation, the ownership would step up and do what it takes to get there.

We are sorry but we do not feel the same way about the Dolan ownership of the Guardians. There is a feeling they are in the class of being happy when they win, but if they don’t, well they don’t like it, but they don’t hate it.

With all the success the Indians/Guardians have had since 2013, the only time the franchise really “went for it” was in ’16 when they traded for Andrew Miller and don’t forget they had another deal in place for catcher Jonathan Lucroy that he vetoed.

Also remember, that team went to the World Series.

If they do have a burning desire to win a championship, they don’t communicate it to their fans very well. The attitude that surrounds the franchise is that of we hope we can get in the playoffs, and we’ll see what happens then.

We understand baseball has the flukiest post-season of the major sports, but the most recent example of last off-season echos. The Guardians were three wins away from getting back to the Fall Classic and decided to allocate less money to the front office than they did the year before.

We have said it before, and we will say it again. 1948 should ring throughout the bowels on the offices on Ontario and Carnegie.

Cavs Still Need To Get Longer

The NBA season does not start next week, so there is still time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to add to their roster. However, in the first frenzied week of NBA moves, Koby Altman and Mike Gansey really didn’t get involved.

We’ve already talked about the trade for Lonzo Ball, and getting a taller (6’6″) ball handler who can shoot a bit and defend was a solid move for Cleveland. Being able to pair Ball with either Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland in the backcourt eases a bit having those two smaller guards.

Of course, the big caveat is Ball’s health. How many games will he be able to play in the regular season and will he be available in the playoffs?

We also like the addition of Larry Nance Jr., making his second visit to the franchise where his father’s jersey hangs in the rafters. Nance adds some size at 6’8″ and he’s a player we have always liked because he’s smart and versatile.

He’s also made himself a threat from the perimeter. He shot 34.6% from three with the Cavs from 2018-2021, but the last two seasons, he’s converted on over 40%.

Nance gives Kenny Atkinson another player with size who can play upfront with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, something the franchise needed last season.

But more work needs to be done.

Cleveland is still small on the wings. They have De’Andre Hunter who is 6’8″ and we would like to think he moves into the starting lineup next season. He scored 14.3 points and grabbed 4.2 rebounds after coming over to the Cavaliers last season and shot 42.6% from three.

He’s still the only wing Atkinson has that is over 6’6″, and we would still like to see another big man who can play in the post.

Maybe the plan is to see what they have in Nae’Qwan Tomlin early in the season, and if it is, then Atkinson should use him early in the season to see if he can be an option once the regular season ramps up after Christmas.

But Houston let 6’11” Jock Landale go, and the Cavs should have been interested. He signed with Memphis. He averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 boards in 12 minutes per game last season. We believe he could’ve helped.

Perhaps, the Cavaliers will give Jaylon Tyson and maybe Craig Porter Jr. opportunities in the first 20-25 games next season to see what they can do. But they still need some longer wings. This is a league now where players in the 6’7″-6’8″ range are plentiful. Cleveland just doesn’t have nearly enough of them.

Look at the recent NBA draft. Of the top ten players taken, only two (V.J. Edgecombe and Jeremiah Fears) were 6’5″ or smaller. The shortest player taken in the top 20 was 6’3″ Walter Clayton. The league is looking for long, athletic wings.

Cleveland doesn’t have enough of them.

After all, the Cavs should be pretty confident they will make the playoffs next season. They won 64 games last season, so even if they win say, 10 less contests, they will still win over 50, and that surely gets you a top four seed.

There is still time for the front office to find some more size on the wing. Let’s hope the roster for 2025-26 is still taking shape.

On Cavs’ Trade And Draft

The off-season in the NBA officially started with the draft on Wednesday and Thursday nights. The Cleveland Cavaliers did not have a pick in the first round but had two in the second round.

They used their first pick on guard Tyrese Proctor from Duke. The scouting report on Proctor is that he has a high basketball IQ and the good shooting touch, thriving in a half court setting. The rap on him is although he played both guard spots in college, his ball handling needs to get better.

Our first thought is everyone has a type, and Koby Altman’s is 6’5″ players. He collects them like some people collect trading cards. He can’t get enough of them.

However, the Cavs won 64 games last season and are projected to be in the mix for the best record in the conference again this year. That means it is doubtful that Proctor sees much court time, if any, with the Cavaliers this season. He will likely get mostly G League minutes to see how he performs.

Cleveland had the penultimate pick in the draft and used it on Saliou Niang, a 6’8″ forward from Italy. He will play this season there.

The report on him is he is very raw, but has quick feet and good lateral mobility, which means he should be a factor on the defensive end of the floor. He also has a high free throw rate, which means he is aggressive on the offensive end.

The bigger news was a trade over the weekend, a rare one for one player deal. The Cavs shipped Isaac Okoro to Chicago for the injury plagued Lonzo Ball.

When healthy, Ball is a very good ball handler with size at 6’6″, a perfect pairing for the Cavs’ small backcourt combination of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. In his career spanning 287 games, he’s averaged 11.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per contest. His shooting percentage from three is 36.2%, much improved from his first two years of 30.5% and 32.9%

The key phrase in that paragraph though is “when healthy”. Ball has never played more than 63 games in any season, and that’s the only season he appeared in that many. And since 2021-22, he missed the entire next two seasons and played in 35 games last year.

The Bulls used him just 22 minutes per contest and maybe reduced time will keep him in the lineup more. But he’s far from a “for sure” in the Cavs’ rotation.

Besides, the cost for Ball wasn’t much. Okoro simply never developed enough of a reliable offensive game to be on the court in the playoffs. Perhaps he was miscast as a “three and D” wing, because it seems like all the Cavs did for him offensively was put him in the corner for the three.

We wondered why the front office extended him last off-season, and now that has been rectified.

The one surprise, at least to us, was signing Sam Merrill to a four-year deal, pretty much closing the door on Ty Jerome’s tenure in wine and gold. The latter averaged 12.5 points per game a year ago and was up for sixth man of the year honors.

Merrill is more of a one-dimensional player, but that dimension is shooting and guys who can shoot get paid in today’s NBA.

It’s a good start to the off-season for Altman, GM Mike Gansey, and the Cavs, but they still haven’t addresses length on the wing and another solid power forward/center.

Hopefully, we will hear on those spots soon.