After a 64-win season behind a core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cleveland Cavaliers were penciled in as a lock Eastern Conference Finals participant. After cruising in the first round past Miami, it looked like making the Finals was within reach.
Then Indiana — and injuries — came in with an eraser and wiped out those plans, leaving only questions behind.
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman answered those questions saying the Cavaliers were going to run it back, speaking with the media Monday, via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
“We’re disappointed how it ended. But it was a remarkable year on so many fronts and you guys were all invested in this. We’re not going to go anywhere. We’re going to keep fighting for that championship and this window is wide open, we believe…
“I love our foundation. I love our core. Our starting lineup, the average age is 26.8. We have two All-Stars that are 25 (Garland) and 23 (Mobley), respectively, and they’re going through it, they’re going through these experiences, they’re going through these battles and we’re sustainable in a lot of ways, not just because guys are under contract, but our youth… Us figuring out our offensive identity happened this year and so I’m really high on and optimistic about our future. That being said, it can’t just be 82 games. We have to figure out this next 16, we have to figure out how to get over the hump.”
There had been calls in some quarters for the Cavaliers to do something radical — try and trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Trade Jarrett Allen? — to improve their chances. Don’t bet on anything drastic happening.
“If we were going to be reactionary, it would have been last year after everything that was written about that group, and all the rumors and all this and that and we stood pat and look what happened, right? I think the same thing now as you lean in even more to what we’re building, the culture that we have here, the internal growth, the youth, the sustainability of that. I think there’s a championship window that we have here that’s wide open and that’s one that we’re going to try to pursue next year and the year after and the year after and so forth. We’re not done by any stretch.”
Considering the Jayson Tatum injury throwing the Celtics’ ability to contend next season into serious doubt, and with Antetokounmpo possibly being traded out of the conference, this is the right play by Altman. Don’t break this thing up now, the East should be down next season. That doesn’t mean there is an easy path past the Knicks, Pacers, and improving teams like Orlando and Detroit, but the Cavaliers were held back this year by injuries — especially Garland suffering turf toe — and the team could use a little more veteran grit. However, these Cavaliers should not be one-and-done.
Do expect Altman to make some changes. It’s possible that after a strong season, the market for free agent Ty Jerome may be too rich for the Cavaliers, and they will be looking for veterans and win-now guys to help round out the roster.
However, expect the Cavaliers’ core to be back for another run at a ring.
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