Ladies and gentlemen, the Cleveland Cavaliers are back as they kick off the 2023-24 NBA season in Dumbo against the Brooklyn Nets.
A lot of eyes will be on the Cavs this season after getting bounced by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2023 Eastern Conference playoffs. After dominating the NBA with a suffocating defense during the regular season, Cleveland was exposed by the Knicks to be not as tough as many thought. It left more questions than answers on what this Cavs team could be, and despite shaking a Magic 8 Ball several thousand times, no proper answer was available.
Fast forward to now and Cleveland is saying all the right things about how it's learned from last year's failures. But until they can back up what they’re saying on the court, there will be endless questions about what will happen this season for the Cavs, and it's not just what will happen with Donovan Mitchell.
On paper, Cleveland has improved immensely on offense after re-signing Caris LeVert and acquiring Max Strus, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome through free agency. Adding those ingredients to an already delicious stew of Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen should have the Cavs cooking all year long. The first step for Cleveland is handling business in Bed Stuy, but let's dive into Cavs bold predictions for the 2023-24 NBA season at large.
Playing big is no longer the Cavs' main attraction
Even though Jarrett Allen has missed the preseason with a bone bruise in his left ankle and could be doubtful to open the season, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the plan for the Cavs is to keep playing big. For those who don’t know, that means Cleveland will stick with Evan Mobley as their starting power forward and Allen (when healthy) at center. Considering this is a core identity for the Cavs, sticking with what they know makes sense. It’s led to a ton of regular season success for Cleveland up to this point and plays a massive part in why it's regularly among the best defensive teams in the NBA. Unfortunately, defense alone doesn’t win championships and the Cavs may need to sacrifice more of that defensive identity for more scoring.
With all the new faces and a focus on making Mobley a focal point of the offense, Cleveland has come out of its shell on offense. To open the preseason, Mobley started at center alongside Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert and Max Strus. There is no traditional power forward in that lineup and Mobley is expected to hold down everything on the defensive side of the ball. Nevertheless, Cleveland found a ton of offensive success going smaller in that instance and all throughout preseason action.
Looking ahead, that could easily become another core identity for the Cavs. That's not to say that Allen will be phased out of the starting lineup and relegated to backup center duties. The pairing of Mobley and Allen is elite defensively and, frankly, Cleveland doesn't want to try and fix something that isn't broken. Instead, keeping opponents on their toes and unable to fully prepare for the Cavs on a nightly basis could have Cleveland blowing some opponents out of the gym. Again, defense only gets you so far in the NBA, and considering how important this season is for Cleveland, it’s a sacrifice J.B. Bickerstaff and his coaching staff may need to make.
The Cavs will take a step back defensively
Before everyone gets out their pitchforks and torches, this is a compliment more than an insult to the Cavs. With a more offensive-focused approach hitting the court this season, Cleveland will have to expend more energy on that side of the ball. They want to play faster, taking only three real-time seconds to cross halfcourt off of any defensive rebound. But that major shift in philosophy means the Cavs must sacrifice somewhere else to stick to their new offensive scheme. Since there's only one other side of the court, defense, where Cleveland can play, it means that the Cavs will take a step back in that category.
Considering that Cleveland ranked as the best defensive team in the league last season, hearing that might be shocking. Don't worry, the Cavs won't suffer a massive fall from grace and instead will be a top-five defensive unit instead of the very best. The sacrifice will be worth it, considering that Cleveland could have a top-five offense to counterbalance the defensive dip.
Caris LeVert will be a Sixth Man of the Year finalist
After the Cavs added several new faces in free agency, Caris LeVert understands he'll be utilized as the team's sixth man while Max Strus starts at small forward. LeVert has been embracing the new role with open arms because—on paper, at least—he could be lethal as Cleveland's lead bench guard. He can be empowered to lean on his strengths as a score-first combo guard by taking advantage of lesser bench defenders and building momentum to keep him dynamic all game.
Considering the spacing and dynamic threats on offense that Cleveland added over the summer, it shouldn't be too hard for LeVert to do so. If everything falls into place statistically and in the win column, it wouldn't be surprising to see LeVert be named a Sixth Man of the Year finalist. If the Cavs win many games, and they likely will, LeVert will be a part of why they do. It's a seemingly perfect fit for both LeVert and Cleveland, and more than anything, could have him ending the season with some serious hardware.
Cleveland will finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference
While the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics broke the internet with their power moves, sitting idly by was an eye-opening experience for Cleveland: To survive in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs must win as many regular season games as possible. Since, on paper, Cleveland doesn't match up well with either Milwaukee or Boston. So, if the Cavs want to make a deep postseason run, they must avoid the Bucks and Celtics for as long as possible.
The best way to do that is to secure the top record in the Eastern Conference and that both nightmare matchups finish in second and third place. It would allow Cleveland to play a weaker opponent for the first two rounds and if the Cavs reach the Eastern Conference Finals, they'd face either a Bucks or Celtics squad that spent the second round in a bloodbath. Regardless of Milwaukee or Boston being more frazzled, it doesn't make Cleveland the favorite in a Conference Championship series. But that fatigue and homecourt advantage would give the Cavs a puncher's chance in the series and a chance to play for an NBA title.
Evan Mobley will win Defensive Player of the Year and become the best player on the Cavs
While Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are neck and neck for the most impactful player to start the season, it won't last forever. Evan Mobley, entering his third year in the NBA, will take the reigns at some point and become the franchise cornerstone he was always meant to be. Mobley is a unicorn. He has the offensive handle of a guard, the defensive capabilities of Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama and Joel Embiid and makes winning plays that can only be tracked via eye test.
The faster-paced, movement-based offense the Cavs want to utilize is planned with Mobley being the centerpiece of it all. His passing, playmaking and scoring touch all over the floor will accentuate everything Cleveland does on offense. Meanwhile, on defense, Mobley will continue to dominate as one of the league's best isolation defenders and rim protectors. There's a chance he could be in the running for MVP if everything falls into place. But, it feels all but certain that Mobley locks up Defensive Player of the Year honors and the title as the Cavs' best player.
Mobley is a special talent, and Cleveland will only go as far as he can carries the team most nights. While that doesn't mean championship or bust this season, once Mobley takes his expected third-year leap, everything and anything will be possible for the Cavs.
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