Welcome to IAI Sports! And welcome to the 2022-23 NBA Season!
To begin the season, we will be running through each NBA team and analysing what they’ve done throughout the off-season. Each article will start off with an introduction, telling a story of how this team is where they are at today. We quickly delve into the results of the 2021-2022 NBA season, before diving into the off-season in’s and out’s.
From there, we go into depth discussing some of the important rotation pieces for the upcoming season, before finishing with a quick analysis of a team’s win totals and a full conclusion of why this team has completed these moves, what their win total will be, and my own predictions of breakout players and what to expect from this team. It’s a season preview series with the purpose of getting you up-to-date with what has happened throughout the league.
A season preview of each of the 30 teams will be released, leading up to the beginning of the NBA season. All data and information included in these articles have been gathered from Basketball Reference, NBA.com and ESPN.
Today’s team is the Cleveland Cavaliers – the surprise success story of last season.
Introduction
The Cleveland Cavaliers were once a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. Throughout the 2010s, the franchise was led by their star trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love; where they made four consecutive NBA Finals appearances and accomplishing the dream of winning the Cavs’ first championship in 2016. This championship was special in many different ways. It was the city of Cleveland’s first sporting title in 52 years. LeBron James, born and raised in Akron, Ohio – 45 minutes away from Cleveland, was able to accomplish his goal of bringing a championship to the team he was first drafted to and his hometown. And the team was the first in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series 4-3. They defied the odds and got the job done.
But like all great things, they have to end. Irving wanted out and was promptly traded to the Boston Celtics. LeBron accomplished what he set out to do and moved to the bright lights of Los Angeles, signing with the Lakers in the free agency of 2018. What was left was an aging support cast of veterans who signed with the team to win championships. And it showed: winning 19 games total in 2019 after winning 50 games and making the NBA finals the previous season. The team had to start over and begin their rebuild.
In every good rebuild, there is the process of accumulating talent from the draft. In the same off-season LeBron left for the Lakers, the Cavs were able to select Collin Sexton 8th overall. The following year, they picked up his future partner-in-crime in Darius Garland with the 5th overall selection. In 2020, they selected forward Isaac Okoro 5th overall, and in 2021, they were fortunate enough to select Evan Mobley 3rd overall. With this quartet of high-end lottery selections, they spent the post-LeBron era getting games into these youngsters.
They were also able to accumulate an important piece to their roster just by being involved in a trade between a fresh and former contender. In January 2021, the Brooklyn Nets went out to bring in James Harden from the Houston Rockets. The Cavs were able to bring in the extension-eligible Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince for Dante Exum and a 1st round pick. Adding Allen to a core that (at the time) consisted of Sexton, Garland and Okoro gave the Cavs a defensive anchor to build their team around, as well as a lob threat in pick-and-roll actions with Sexton and Garland.
Last Season
Expectations for the Cavaliers were low, as many thought they had too many guards and way too many big-men. The Cavs signed 7’0” Lauri Markkanen to the team after drafting Mobley and re-signed Allen to a 4-year extension. How the team combated their top-heavy roster was to go with the simple philosophy of playing the five best players on the floor, regardless of height, fit and position. So, the Cavs started the season with a starting five of Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. And despite Sexton going down with an ACL tear and only playing 11 games, the Cavs were very successful, as they got to as high as 3rd in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-21 by the start of February.
What hurt the Cavs’ chances last season was injuries. Their guard position was decimated after both Sexton and Ricky Rubio both suffered ACL tears, while first time All-Star Jarrett Allen missed the last 18 games of the regular season due to a fractured finger. In the last 26 games of the regular season, the Cavs went 9-17 and finished as the 8th seed, where they lost both play-in games to the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks miss the playoffs entirely. Despite the ending, it was the franchise’s first winning season without LeBron James since 1998; a year where they were a top 5 defence in the entire league, but struggled with the 20th ranked offence.
Off-Season
Ins:
Donovan Mitchell (trade, originally with Utah Jazz)
Khalifa Diop (39th pick, NBA draft)
Isaiah Mobley (49th pick, NBA draft)
Luke Travers (56th pick, NBA draft)
Robin Lopez (free agency, originally with Orlando Magic)
Raul Neto (free agency, originally with Washington Wizards)
Ricky Rubio (free agency, originally with Indiana Pacers)
Outs:
Collin Sexton (sign-and-trade, moved to Utah Jazz)
Lauri Markkanen (traded, moved to Utah Jazz)
Moses Brown (free agency)
Brandon Goodwin (free agency)
Ed Davis (free agency)
The Cavs made a big play to bring in one of the best scoring guards in the game late in the 2022 off-season, trading for Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. Solidifying their backcourt, the team also went out and rewarded Darius Garland with a max rookie extension (5 yr/$192.6m). With their 2nd round picks, the team drafted Isaiah Mobley (who signed a two-way contract with the team), Luke Travers and Khalifa Diop (both draft and stash prospects). The Cavs also bolstered their depth with experienced veterans, bringing in Raul Neto and Robin Lopez. Despite trading him 6 months ago, the Cavs decided to sign back Ricky Rubio, who will play a key role in the Cavaliers success when he returns from injury.
In order to bring Mitchell to Cleveland, the Cavs had to give up Collin Sexton (via sign-and-trade), Lauri Markkanen, their 12th overall selection – Ochai Agbaji and 5 future 1st round picks/pick swaps. Otherwise, the Cavs lost minimal players through free agency, only letting end of bench players such as Moses Brown, Ed Davis and Rajon Rondo go.
2022-23 Roster
Starting Five
PG – Darius Garland
| H: 6’1″ | W: 192lbs | Age: 22 |
| Contract: 6 yr/$201.8m | Years Pro: 3 |
Career Averages:
17.4 pts, 2.6 reb, 6.3 asts, 1.1 stls, 0.1 blks, 3.1 to, 44.3%/37.8%/87.6%, 33.4 mins
Averages Last Season:
21.7 pts, 3.3 reb, 8.6 asts, 1.3 stls, 0.1 blks, 3.6 to, 46.2%/38.3%/89.2%, 35.7 mins
2022-23 Projections:
19.9 pts, 3.2 reb, 7.5 asts, 1.2 stls, 0.1 blks, 3.3 to, 46.5%/39.2%/88.1%
From a rookie season where he was considered the NBA’s worst player, Darius Garland embraced the added responsibility and turned himself into a future star of the league. A first-time All-Star and finalist for Most Improved Player last season, Garland provides stability through his playmaking and shooting on offense, while being an improving on-ball defender.
SG – Donovan Mitchell
| H: 6’1″ | W: 215lbs | Age: 26 |
| Contract: 3 yr/$97.8m | Years Pro: 5 |
Career Averages:
23.9 pts, 4.2 reb, 4.5 asts, 1.3 stls, 0.3 blks, 2.8 to, 44.1%/36.1%/83.3%, 33.7 mins
Averages Last Season:
25.9 pts, 4.2 reb, 5.3 asts, 1.5 stls, 0.2 blks, 3.0 to, 44.8%/35.5%/85.3%, 33.8 mins
2022-23 Projections:
25.5 pts, 4.4 reb, 5.2 asts, 1.3 stls, 0.2 blks, 2.8 to, 45.0%/36.7%/85.2%
Donovan Mitchell became an instant hit as soon as he was drafted 13th overall by the Utah Jazz. He stepped in and replaced Gordon Hayward’s scoring load, forming a duo with Rudy Gobert that helped the Jazz compete in the Western Conference. Despite standing 6’1”, Mitchell has a willing knack from scoring anywhere from the floor, and can also use his 6’10” wingspan to reach for steals (1.5 per game last season). He now has the opportunity to combine with Garland, Allen and Mobley to help the Cavs contend in the Eastern Conference.
SF - Isaac Okoro
| H: 6’5″ | W: 225lbs | Age: 21 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$15.9m (RC) | Years Pro: 2 |
Career Averages:
9.2 pts, 3.0 reb, 1.9 asts, 0.9 stls, 0.3 blks, 1.1 to, 44.6%/31.5%/74.7%, 31.0 mins
Averages Last Season:
8.8 pts, 3.0 reb, 1.8 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.3 blks, 0.9 to, 48.0%/35.0%/76.8%, 29.6 mins
2022-23 Projections
9.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.9 asts, 0.9 stls, 0.3 blks, 1.0 to, 46.9%/33.9%/76.3%
Isaac Okoro is a developing wing with the potential to be a solid 3-and-D player in this league. He has a 6’8” wingspan to mark opposing offensive wings, while he also continues to develop a 3-point shot (29% in his rookie year vs 35% last season). The next stage of his development will be to become a more reliable scorer by taking more shots during games.
PF - Evan Mobley
| H: 7’0″ | W: 215lbs | Age: 21 |
| Contract: 3 yr/$28.6m (RC) | Years Pro: 1 |
Career Averages:
15.0 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.5 asts, 0.8 stls, 1.7 blks, 1.9 to, 50.8%/25.0%/66.3%, 33.8 mins
Averages Last Season:
15.0 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.5 asts, 0.8 stls, 1.7 blks, 1.9 to, 50.8%/25.0%/66.3%, 33.8 mins
2022-23 Projections:
15.4 pts, 8.4 reb, 2.6 asts, 0.8 stls, 1.7 blks, 1.9 to, 51.9%/28.3%/68.1%
One of the biggest reasons behind the Cavaliers’ success was due to the team drafting Evan Mobley. A finalist for Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-Rookie First team, Mobley is one of the best defensive prospects the NBA has seen in a long time. He has the ability to defend in the paint and on the perimeter, and has shown flashes of playmaking on the block on offence.
C - Jarrett Allen
| H: 6’11” | W: 243lbs | Age: 24 |
| Contract: 4 yr/$80m | Years Pro: 5 |
Career Averages:
11.6 pts, 8.7 reb, 1.4 asts, 0.5 stls, 1.4 blks, 1.3 to, 62.6%/18.9%/69.9%, 26.6 mins
Averages Last Season:
16.1 pts, 10.8 reb, 1.6 asts, 0.8 stls, 1.3 blks, 1.7 to, 67.7%/10.0%/70.8%, 32.3 mins
2022-23 Projections:
14.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 1.7 asts, 0.7 stls, 1.3 blks, 1.5 to, 65.2%/29.0%/70.8%
Jarrett Allen embraced his new surroundings and became a first time All-Star this past season. Averaging more minutes than ever before (32.3 per game), he was able to be so efficient around the rim, shooting 67.3% from the field – 3rd best in the league. He continues to be a defensive anchor around the rim and is now partnered with Mobley to create one of the scariest defensive front courts in the NBA.
Backups
G - Caris LeVert
| H: 6’6″ | W: 205lbs | Age: 27 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$18.8m | Years Pro: 6 |
Caris LeVert arrived at the Cavaliers at last season’s trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers. Only playing 19 games for the team, he hopes to have a solid season where he can help bring success to Cleveland in the final year of his contract. In the past, LeVert has provided teams a scorer with the potential to be a playmaker at the SG/SF spots.
G - Ricky Rubio
| H: 6’2″ | W: 190lbs | Age: 31 |
| Contract: 3 yr/$18.4m | Years Pro: 11 |
The former lottery pick has had a maligned career. But last season Rubio fully embraced the bench role and had one of the better seasons of his career. He brings a basketball IQ that only a handful of players in the league can match, and when we went down with an ACL tear, the team dynamic changed considerably. He was traded at last season’s trade deadline to the Indiana Pacers, but re-signed with the Cavaliers this past off-season.
F - Cedi Osman
| H: 6’7″ | W: 230lbs | Age: 27 |
| Contract: 2 yrs/$14.1m | Years Pro: 5 |
Since LeBron James left the Cavaliers, Cedi Osman has been the starting SF. He lost the starting role as Markkanen arrived to the club, but was able to transition himself to become a handy scorer off the bench. He had his best season shooting from the field (43.2% from the field, 35.7% from 3-point range) which resulted in a career-best points-per-minute ratio.
F - Dean Wade
| H: 6’9″ | W: 228lbs | Age: 25 |
| Contract: 4 yr/$20.4m | Years Pro: 3 |
The Cavaliers have slowly developed Dean Wade from a lightly-used, undrafted free agent to a key piece in their forward rotation. He is capable of stretching the floor (36.5% from downtown for his career), splitting his time between starting and coming off the bench. Wade will play a similar role this season – potentially becoming the starting SF if more floor-spacing is needed.
C - Kevin Love
| H: 6’8″ | W: 251lbs | Age: 33 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$28.9m | Years Pro: 14 |
The last remaining impactful rotation player of the previous Cleveland dynasty, Kevin Love voluntarily sat out the previous three seasons, playing 103 games total. This past season, he was crucial to the Cavaliers bench, being selected as a finalist for the 6th Man of the Year award. He partnered with Rubio to put up shots whenever open, which resulted in his best 3-point percentage since his All-Star days (39.2%). He may not be the player we once knew, but he had adapted to what the team needs, a high-volume shooter off the bench.
The Rest
11. Raul Neto (PG)
12. Dylan Windler (SF)
13. Robin Lopez (C)
14. Lamar Stevens (SG)
15.
T-W. Isaiah Mobley (PF)
T-W. RJ Nembhard (PG)
Season Projections
Sports betting agencies currently have the Cleveland Cavaliers win totals sitting at 46.5, 6th best in the Eastern Conference. Considering the strength of the other squads in the East, I feel like 46 wins is a good total for the Cavs. With the addition of Mitchell, they now have the chance to be a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. But considering the depth of good teams in the conference, they will be battling to avoiding the play-in tournament.
Conclusion
As previously mentioned, the Cleveland Cavaliers surprised many with how well they played last season. The fact that they were a top-5 defence in the league shows that this team is more than capable of being in the mix for playoffs once again this upcoming season, especially now that they have picked up Donovan Mitchell.
It was a massive trade that not many people were expecting the Cavs to complete (mainly because the media were solely focused on Mitchell getting to the New York Knicks). Some may find it concerning that the Cavs now have two small guards in their starting back court who are not elite defensively. I don’t think it is an issue – with a 6’10” wingspan, Mitchell has the physical tools to become a capable defender, he just hasn’t had to focus on that end because he’s always had Rudy Gobert backing him up.
In essence, the Cavs have their own defensive front court that can mop up any defensive shortcomings of Mitchell and Garland. Jarrett Allen is a monster when it comes to protecting the paint, while Evan Mobley showed the potential to be an all-time great defender after his rookie season. It’s one of the best defensive front courts in the NBA – the backbone of their sudden rise to playoff contention last season.
The one position that will be the barometer to the Cavaliers’ success this season is SF. Currently there are many options that could run through there: Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Caris LeVert, or even Cedi Osman. All four bring something different – both Okoro and Wade are 3-and-D prospects, while LeVert and Osman are ballhandling creators offensively. Both LeVert and Osman will be required to come off the bench in order for the offence to run smoothly. So, it will be up to Okoro and Wade to be able to space the floor and be capable of guarding 1-through-4 defensively. At this stage, Okoro will have first crack at the starting job – due to his experience and high-upside. But if he doesn’t work out, watch for Wade (a fan-favourite in Cleveland) to make the role his own.
What’s important to remember about the Cavs is that their core is still so young. Garland (22 years old), Mobley (21), Allen (24) and now Mitchell (26) have long careers ahead of them and have already shown the talent to be either All-Star selections last season, or in the future. Backing this quartet with experienced heads like Neto, Lopez and Rubio, not gives the Cavs excellent backups that have proven that they can still play meaningful minutes, but can be mentors to the young core. The Cavs have perfected their off-season acquisitions – making the right play for an established star, while complementing their roster with seasoned veterans.
It’s obvious what the Cavaliers need to do this season to improve on last year: maintain their elite-level defence and improve offensively. I feel like this is definitely achievable with the current roster they have constructed. Considering that Mitchell is a spark-plug offensively, and LeVert hardly played for the team last season, improvement is a guarantee on paper. Last season, key members of the Cavs’ rotation got injured, so having stability and an off-season to gel will also contribute to improvement offensively. I’m also keen to see how Mobley continues to improve his game. We saw last season how important he is for the Cavalier defence to thrive. What can he do to open up his game offensively? There’s room for him to become an average 3-point shooter, while he has the length and height to one day be a force in the post. It’ll be very interesting to see how he progresses after having a full off-season with a professional NBA team.
The Cavs knew where they were at in their rebuild and decided to go all in to compete with the best in the Eastern Conference. What’s exciting about this Cavs roster is how young they all are, so if the team underperforms this year, they will remain a contender for years to come. I’m predicting the team to blow past their win projections and get to 48 wins this season. This Cavs team will flourish in the future, but it may take some time for Mitchell to co-exist with their already-established core. Mobley will take another big leap as he becomes more comfortable at NBA-level, while Okoro will progress into a premiere 3-and-D prospect for the future. Watch for Mitchell and Garland to play off each other really well, where both can thrive in the Cavaliers’ system.