While he didn't walk away with the hardware, Mobley had one of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent memory, and it wasn't because of his offense, though his play on that end showed why the Cavs took him third overall in 2021. Next up: Mobley's developmentĪlthough Mobley didn't win Rookie of the Year last season, it was really a coin flip between him and winner Scottie Barnes. Garland has experience playing alongside high-usage guards (Collin Sexton, Ricky Rubio) to varying results, and where he and Mitchell fall on that spectrum will weigh heavily in Cleveland's success this season. Both are at their best when they have the ball in their hands, and while Garland has proven to be dangerous off-ball as a cutter and coming around off-ball screens to nail a jumper, that was a seldom-used part of his game last season. The defensive fit may not be a major problem until the playoffs, but a more immediate storyline that will play out over the course of the season is how the Cavaliers can find a balance between Garland and Mitchell on offense. Of course, the hope is that they can improve on defense, and that may very well happen, but when you're going against guys like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, it's going to be hard for the Cavs to hide both of their backcourt players on defense. Garland and Mitchell are going to get switch-hunted relentlessly and it'll be a problem the Cavs will have to figure out. You can assume Isaac Okoro will take the opposing team's best player on defense as he was Cleveland's best perimeter defender a season ago, but he alone can't guard everyone on the floor. Especially when Cleveland gets to the playoffs and has to face a team like the Celtics, Nets or Sixers who all have multiple weapons to attack you with. ![]() ![]() While Allen and Mobley can make up for some deficiencies that the two guards have on defense, that's still a lot to ask of them. And while both guards are All-Stars on offense, they leave much to be desired on defense. For starters, adding the 6-foot-3 Mitchell to a backcourt that already features a 6-foot-2 Garland means the Cavaliers are going to be severely undersized on the defensive side of the ball. You slide Mitchell into a lineup that's returning two All-Stars in Garland and Allen, in addition to the Rookie of the Year runner-up in Mobley and you have a Cavs team that could go far in the East.īut with all the positives about the Mitchell trade, that doesn't mean it's absent of some valid concerns entering the season. Mitchell can punish you from 3-point territory, he had the most efficient year of his career at the rim, ranking in the 81st percentile among guards in efficiency around the basket (65 percent). While Cleveland had an impressive season last year, they were certainly missing a guy who could just score at will, and in a variety of ways. You make that trade 100 times out of 100. 49 pickįirst things first, the Cavaliers absolutely should've traded for Mitchell. Signed Darius Garland to a contract extension.Acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029), two pick swaps (2026, 2028).But we'll have to see if this team can execute to prove they belong in the conversation with some of the top teams in the conference.Īhead of the 2022-23 season, here's a quick breakdown of Cleveland's offseason, and a preview of some key storylines to watch for when their season tips off on Oct. On paper, the Cavaliers have assembled an exciting roster that can make some noise in the East. Adding Mitchell to what was already an impressive young core immediately vaults Cleveland up the standings in the East, providing them with an elite offensive player capable of dropping 40 points in a playoff game. Instead, the Cavs chose to swing for the fences and won the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes, a shocking move that no one could've predicted. The Cavaliers could've very well ran it back for another season and made the playoffs without having to go through the play-in round. However, there was potential bubbling just below the surface with the young core the team built that had a bright future ahead of it. In the end, Cleveland lost in the play-in round, missing the postseason for the fourth straight season. ![]() However, injuries began to set in during the second half of the season, most notably to Allen who missed the last month of the season. They also had two players represent them at the All-Star Game in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, and a Rookie of the Year frontrunner in Evan Mobley. It's difficult to believe that the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't make the playoffs last season, given at the All-Star break they had the third-best record in the East.
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