Cavs news and links for Wednesday, September 11th.
Things can change quickly in the NBA. But for now, it seems the Cleveland Cavaliers are satisfied with the moves they’ve made this offseason. The roster isn’t totally settled (we are still waiting on a resolution to the Isaac Okoro situation) but now is a good time to reflect on what they have done this summer.
The first sip
It was a relatively quiet offseason for the Cavs. An initial frenzy of trade rumors featuring Darius Garland was hushed within a few weeks. And after the NBA Draft, there was hardly a whisper of any seismic changes for Cleveland.
Some might view this as a failure. There’s a valid concern that the Cavaliers could fall behind as the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers each made big swings this summer. Meanwhile, up-and-coming teams like Indiana and Orlando threaten to bump Cleveland further down the standings.
But let’s be clear on something. Donovan Mitchell is an All-NBA First-Team caliber player when he’s healthy. His pairing with the rest of Cleveland’s core hasn’t been seamless but together, this squad has boasted the best defense in the league while packing an occasional knockout punch offensively.
Don’t take for granted how many landmines the franchise navigated to keep the team together. Retaining Mitchell while extending Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley is a huge win for stability. The Cavs would have truly fallen behind if they botched any one of those situations. For now, they can rest assured they are still in the Eastern Conference race.
Cleaning out the shop and hiring a fresh slate of coaches to address the offensive concerns was a necessary move. There is no way to know if Kenny Atkinson and his staff will make a difference but the thought process behind this decision was strong.
Then there’s Jaylon Tyson, a 6’5” combo guard who excelled in the Summer League. His potential as a connective playmaker and scorer makes Tyson the ideal fit in Cleveland. But that’s only if you believe in his long-term development. The truth is — we don’t know what kind of NBA player Tyson will be. So for now, we can’t properly review this selection.
The Cavs have begun rounding out their roster with the return of Tristan Thompson. This is a low-risk move that probably won’t make a huge difference. Nonetheless, Thompson was their best backup big last season. It’s hard to be too upset at this.
The two-way contracts are even less likely to be impactful. But there is still a reason to be excited about each one. Emoni Bates, JT Thor and Luke Travers have skills that just need to be polished. At the least, watching the Charge will be worthwhile for anyone invested in their development.
Overall, the Cavs have tripled down on their commitment to the core while adding enough potential spin to keep things interesting. Atkinson could unlock whatever potential remains for the offense. Tyson might be the answer at small forward. Yet, nothing has changed in terms of raising their ceiling. It all comes down to the internal development of the core four. It always has.
Random Cavalier of the Day – Andrew DeClercq
Andrew “Hammer” DeClercq played all 82 games for the Cavaliers during the 1999-00 season. He averaged 10.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Not bad for a former second-round draft pick.
DeClerq was selected 34th overall by the Warriors and enjoyed an 11-year NBA career. He’s gone on to coach middle school girl’s basketball and has worked as a color commentator for the SEC Network. He’s also the best Cavalier to ever wear No. 55, according to King James Gospel.
WNBA games on today
- Minnesota Lynx at Atlanta Dream – 7:30 PM
- New York Liberty at Dallas Wings – 8 PM
- Connecticut Sun at Los Angeles Sparks – 10 PM