The Cleveland Cavaliers shook the NBA up with a trade to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, sneaking up on the New York Knicks who were widely expected to land Mitchell. Now that the Cavs have added Spida, the team that was eliminated in the play-in last season is looking to challenge atop the East with their incredibly young core.
Former Cavs center Brad Daugherty is incredibly optimistic about the Cavaliers team and their potential in the extremely competitive Eastern Conference. He expected the team to be a 50-win squad anyway but now thinks they should make it to the Eastern Conference Finals with their new core.
"This is a significant piece for a basketball team that I thought would win 50 games this year anyway. Donovan can not only score in volume, he works on the defensive end. You add that to what they have with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and on and on and on. Now you have something and go into that luxury tax situation and go deep into it. I would be shocked if this team didn't make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. I think there's enough depth there with the guys that have been working their butts off."
Can The Cavaliers Upset The Status Quo And Make A Run To The Conference Finals?
The Cavs could have been a playoff lock last season but injuries to top stars across the roster derailed their progress. They will hope for better health and look to employ a 4-star lineup with an undersized backcourt with Donovan and Darius Garland, with a double-big frontcourt in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
They have roster concerns to address, especially with what they will do at the small forward position. Isaac Okoro is a high-potential defensive wing but is not a good shooter and the Cavs will need spacing around their double-big lineup. Lauri Markkanen provided that up until now. It will be interesting to see how J.B. Bickerstaff employs this contending core on the court.
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