Where do the Cleveland Cavaliers go After an Early Postseason Exit?

The Cleveland Cavaliers posted a 51-31 record in the regular season and finished fourth in the East but fell to the Knicks in five games. The core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley provides Cleveland with a great foundation to build around going forward. Still, the pieces around them aren’t sufficient or complementary to their skill sets. Changes are needed around the promising young core, so here are three things we’d like the Cavs’ offseason to focus on for them to make the leap.Answer at Center

Let’s not beat around the bush. Jarrett Allen stunk in the playoffs. Offensively, he proved to be a liability, given his inability to space the floor. On the defensive end, Mitchell Robinson had his way for the most part, and by no means should a guy like Mitchell Robinson be having his way.

Long-term, Evan Mobley needs to be the five. That’s what the Cavs are eyeing long-term anyway, but that process should be sped up. He needs to bulk up big time and get a bit of a mean streak going. Yes, he’s still young and already one of the league’s best young big men, but he can reach new heights.

A backup big is also a necessity as they really could have used a guy like Kevin Love to control the glass and stretch the floor. Oh, wait.

Direction and depth are needed heading into the fall, as this same approach will warrant another early playoff bounce.

This team needs wings so badly. Isaac Okoro doesn’t have it,  Danny Green didn’t cut it, Cedi Osman brings nothing to the table, and Caris LeVert can’t be your best option. As bland as it may seem, the Cavs need a wing that can defend and is a threat beyond the arc. It doesn’t need to be anyone glamorous, as Mitchell and Garland already occupy most of the offensive attack. You just need reliability.

Someone like Bruce Brown or Josh Hart could be acquirable through free agency that could fill the void nicely. I’d target a potential stretch four, maybe someone like Harrison Barnes through free agency, slide Evan Mobley to the five, and see what value Jarrett Allen has on the open market. Shipping Allen out for depth pieces or a starting wing would be ideal, but they can’t trade Allen just to trade him at the same time.

While the playoff experience the Cavs’ young core got will help going forward, the Knicks were able to impose their will. They were tougher, more resilient, and simply wanted it more. The Cavs lacked a serious edge. Adding toughness is easier said than done. After all, there is only one PJ Tucker in the league to solve a team’s toughness problems. 

There is nothing Cleveland can do this offseason to add toughness. It needs to come from within. They’ll need to take the beatdown they received to heart, hit the weight room, and change their mindsets. Ideally, the playoff experience will help, but from the looks of the lackluster nature they played, we need to see the Cavs enter training camp in the fall with a completely new approach.