NBA.com: Peyton Watson could help Cavs take next step

The Cavaliers didn’t exactly overhaul the roster this offseason. They may not have needed to.

After winning 52 games and reaching the Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland mostly kept its core together while adding Peyton Watson, Mario Hezonja, Khalifa Diop and rookie guard Meleek Thomas.

Of that group, NBA.com’s Shaun Powell suggested Watson could be the one who makes the biggest immediate difference.

“How do the Cavaliers take the next step in a process that saw them reach the conference finals, yet come up well short against the Knicks?” Powell wrote in NBA.com’s Central Division preview.

Watson, acquired after showing encouraging signs with the Nuggets last season, could be part of the answer.

Powell described Watson as potentially a “real-deal solid two-way player” who should receive plenty of opportunities in Cleveland’s rotation. If that proves accurate, Powell wrote, the Cavs could have some additional firepower against the East’s better teams.

There’s another potential benefit: James Harden.

Harden remained productive after arriving in Cleveland at last season’s trade deadline, though Powell noted that the veteran guard showed some signs of wear during the playoffs. A deeper rotation, particularly with Watson capable of helping on both ends, could allow the Cavs to keep Harden fresher for another postseason run.

For Cleveland, that’s really what this season is about.

The Cavs reached the conference finals. Now comes figuring out how to get beyond them.