Cleveland Cavaliers fan and journalist Alex Cole assesses the 2021-22 season for his team, and then casts an eye ahead to 2022-23.
Where my love for the NBA and the Cavs came from…
After an initial infatuation of NBA Live 99 on PlayStation, it wasn’t until 2009 that I first sat down and watched the NBA properly. My first game was the Cavaliers up against the Boston Celtics.
The following summer, ‘The Decision’ took place. However, I had already made my mind up and fallen for a city 3,750 miles away from home. My talents were staying firmly in Cleveland.
I have since watched the Cavs, Browns and Guardians all play live in Cleveland and have great friends and memories from the city.
Whatever happens in the future, we will always have 2016.
My favourite player
Kevin Love, who won a chip with the Cavs in 2016, was a huge presence on and off the court last term. The veteran guided his young team-mates while contributing 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds himself.
The 33-year-old’s hot hand broke a franchise record for 3-pointers made off the bench and the ninth most for a single-season in NBA history. His 173 treys helped spread the floor and create space for Evan Mobley to work inside and Love was rewarded with runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year award voting.
It is hard to imagine more of an input from somebody written off by many before the season started.
Grade for last season: A-
Cleveland Cavaliers have finally made a statement in the post-LeBron James era. The fact he still gets a mention in the opening lines of this piece shows the impact the Akron-born superstar had on this franchise, but it is also time to turn a corner.
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The 44-38 Cavs may never have truly been contenders last season, but to be anywhere near that conversation was a blessing for fans denied of success in the near-distant past.
In truth, it was as good as any Cavs fan could imagine. A near-perfect season with some weaknesses highlighted towards the back end of the campaign.
What were the highlights and who were the Cavs’ star performers?
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff primarily knows how to get his guys going. His team plays with genuine energy and will to win. Cleveland are a defensive unit that is tough to score against, especially in the paint.
Bickerstaff’s game plan is unconventional with two, if not three, 7-footers in wine and gold at any given moment. Evan Mobley, alongside Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen (before this summer’s huge trade, more on that to come) or Kevin Love, caused opposition teams a headache in a league that continues to move towards a small-ball with outside shooting.
The key here is Mobley, a beast who can defend the perimeter as well as he can protect the rim and crash the glass. The third pick in last summer’s draft is a phenom.
The 21-year-old has size and skill to boot, elite level moves combined with playmaking ability.
Mobley also doesn’t hog the possession on offense. Cavs have a unit of scorers and buckets were generally shared between the guys on the floor.
What needs to improve in the season ahead?
It’s still a young team with inexperience in key areas. It was a long season and when it came to the crunch, crucial back-to-back play-in losses against Atlanta and Brooklyn were disappointing. Cavs, ultimately, shouldn’t have been in the tournament in the first place. It was a drop in form during the stretch that saw them fall into an eighth-place regular season finish in the Eastern Conference.
There were key losses with Sexton and Rubio both suffering season-ending injuries and Allen fracturing a finger in March. Back office staff will be hoping that more talent and depth next term will allow a run at the post season proper.
Assessing the offseason for the Cavs
Collin Sexton was the big question mark over the whole franchise coming into the offseason. He was an unrestricted FA and it was claimed the 23-year-old has been offered less than what he initially wanted from Cleveland.
The University of Alabama alumni was part of the blockbuster trade with Utah Jazz which saw Donovan Mitchell come back the other way.
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Sexton took a four-year, $72m sign-and-trade to be bundled with Markkanen plus picks, which allowed the Cavs to upgrade with Mitchell and become a legitimate challenger in the East.
The Cavs now have a three-time All-Star who is just coming into his prime, whilst not giving up the world in return.
A backcourt of Mitchell and Garland is mouth-watering for any NBA fan.
As well as that, you’d be more likely to win the lottery than find a Cavs fan who doesn’t love Ricky Rubio on this team. A collective cheer went up around Ohio – and across the globe – when the tricky Spaniard was re-signed to a three-year, $18m deal to return to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this summer.
The 32-year-old also played an integral role in the side’s successful start, providing the bench with a spark and filling in for Sexton when the young point guard went down.
The Cavaliers have also agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent center Robin Lopez, who should add to squad depth and provide trouble for opposition bigs.
Key points of note from the 2022 NBA Draft
Cleveland took Ochai Agbaji with the 14th pick in the NBA draft. The 22-year-old was the bonafide best player on the best team in college basketball; named Most Outstanding Player as the Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA tournament.
However, Agbaji was the final piece of Mitchell trade so he will get to strut his stuff in Utah.
Look out for Mobley’s brother Isaiah, 22, who was a second rounder and has signed on a two-way contract and may see time with Bickerstaff’s roster at some point.
The Cavs’ aims for next season
The ultimate objective for the upcoming season is to win a series of postseason basketball. Achieving a first round playoff spot would represent another step forward and provide crucial experience for the young core. Anything beyond the conference semis will be a bonus.
What else has you excited for the 2022-23 season?
Many became obsessed with Ja Morant’s game in 2021-22 so it’s worth keeping an eye on his progress.
The return of NBA basketball to Europe is also something to look forward to, albeit not in London. Any fan of the game should hope to head across the Channel to be involved in the festivities.
Finally, vow to soak in the greatness that is LeBron James whilst you still can. If the King averages 16.2 ppg this season, he will pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list with 38,387 pts. That night would not only be a memorable moment but a historic event and therefore must be enjoyed live and certainly savoured.