Since LeBron James left the Lakers in the 17-18 season, this team hasn't even smelled the playoffs. The team used the third pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, adding potential center Evan Mobley from the University of Southern California. Mobley is a big man who can move fast, he can shoot at the other end and protect the inside line, and has the potential to become a special player. In addition to signing Mobli, the Cavaliers also traded in for goalscorer Laurie Markkanen and veteran Ricky Rubio. Both players should help Cleveland's stagnant offense. Also given the continued growth and development of young guards Colin Sexton and Darius Garland, the Cavaliers have a chance to become better than LeBron since he left.
Then again, let's take a look at the Cavaliers' roster and four key points to watch before the 2021-22 season.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="3">Cleveland Cavaliers roster</h1>
Jarrett Allen
Mitch Ballock
Tacko Fall
Darius Garland
Mfiondu Kabengele
Kevin Love
Lauri Markkanen
Evan Mobley
RJ Nembhard Jr.
Isaac Okoro
Cedi Osman
Ricky Rubio
Trevon Scott
Collin Sexton
Lamar Stevens
Brodric Thomas
Dean Wade
Dylan Windler
1. Evan Mobley
The Cavaliers could have had a lot of different options for the third pick, as 2021 was widely considered to be a big draft year. They ended up choosing Mobley, for good reason. The team already has a pair of promising young defenders Sexton and Garland, so it makes sense they want to balance the squad by adding a big man to complement those defenders. If these three players can grow together and reach their potential, the Cavaliers will have a strong interior and exterior offense for the foreseeable future. Given the Cavaliers' current state, Mobley should be able to see plenty of playing opportunities right away. While no one is expecting Mobley to become Davis in his rookie season, people — especially those in Cleveland — are sure to look for signs of superstardom. As a result, Mobley's performance will be the focus of Cleveland's upcoming new season.
2. The continuous improvement of Sexton and Garland
In addition to Mobley, the future of the Cavaliers depends on the continued development of Sexton and Garland. As a result, both players are expected to make progress this season.
Sexton entered his fourth season in the league, his best year as a professional player. Last season, he averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, and in the process, he looks a lot like a future All-Star. Even though he plays well, he still has some room for improvement. His assist turnovers could have been better than last season (4.4 to 2.8), and as a 45 percent career pitcher, he could also improve his efficiency. If Sexton can continue to improve in these areas, he will soon become a better defender.
Garland's story is similar. He averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game in his second year and shot 39 percent from long range. Like Sexton, he could benefit from fewer turnovers (he averaged 3 turnovers per game last season) while continuing to improve his defence. If the two players continue to move in the right direction, the Cavaliers' future will be bright.
3. Kevin Love
The Cavaliers' roster is mostly made up of young talented players who aren't fully ready to compete, and it's clear that the Cavaliers are still in the midst of a rebuild that began after James left in 2018. Considering that Kevin Love is 32 years old and therefore not in line with the Cavaliers' future direction, many believe the experienced forward will be eager to agree to buy out his two-year contract with the Cavaliers so that he can continue his career elsewhere and have the potential to compete for the championship again when he is still young. But this is not the case. Loew has two years left on his contract for $60 million, and he is reportedly completely uninterested in a buyout. Love may be interested in a Cleveland deal because it would allow him to bring his current contract to a new team. However, the Cavaliers apparently haven't found any deals they like so far. Given Loaf's age, injury history and contract size, Lefour's trading market is very low, and the Cavaliers are not interested in trading additional assets in exchange for Lefour.
4. Potential Deals - Ben Simmons
In the offseason, the Cavaliers have been considered a potential landing spot for Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons. In fact, just last week, there were reports that the Cavaliers were actively trying to trade Simmons. So, when discussing the Cavaliers' upcoming new season, the possibility of them trading Simmons was mentioned. The 76ers are asking very high for Simmons, but as the season begins, their asking price could drop, especially after Simmons threatened to give up training camp. At that point, maybe the Knights could take advantage of some assets and make deals. Now it seems that Simmons' deal is inevitable. However, there are other teams interested in the young star, so there's no guarantee he'll end up wearing the Cavaliers jersey. Still, this possibility is worth remembering.