Jason Lloyd had a column in The Athletic with some off-season stuff...
The Eastern Conference will look dramatically different when the season begins next month. Teams such as Milwaukee and Brooklyn will be improved. Philadelphia already fits together better and Daryl Morey is still unpacking his suitcases. The Raptors, Celtics and Heat all have reason to believe they can win the East. In other words, the days of the pitiful little brother are over. The conference should have more depth and competitiveness than it has in a long time.
It will be tough for the Cavs to get into the top eight. With regard to the Cavs' 20-21 season Lloyd had this:
Before last season crashed into the pandemic, J.B. Bickerstaff had the Cavs playing much, much better in an incredibly small sample. But this is a team that will go nine months between competitive games. With no Summer League, no real offseason workouts, a condensed training camp/preseason and a shortened season looming, this is not the appropriate time to expect a big leap. Remember, Bickerstaff still hasn’t even had any real time to implement his system.
There is another draft coming in only seven months. It makes much more sense to wait one more year, take your losses again and collect another high pick in what should be an absolutely loaded draft next summer. Then set the target on 2021-22. Not now.
Take your losses? I don't think that's what Gilbert has in mind. But trading Love, losing a few more games, and getting a higher draft pick as well as salary relief would be good, but probably not realistic.
The most important position in the NBA these days is the wing. More specifically, athletic playmakers who can guard a number of positions. It remains the Cavs’ biggest weakness, even after drafting Isaac Okoro. It just so happens that next summer’s draft is filled with athletic wings. Trying to make win-now moves that would position the Cavs too low in the lottery to reach any of them next year is shortsighted.
Our draft expert, Sam Vecenie, believes there are at least five players (and maybe more) in next year’s draft who will be better prospects than Anthony Edwards, who went No. 1 last week.
“It’s a loaded wing draft,” Vecenie told me.
All of this might not be popular with fans who want to see improvement, but it makes the most sense for the long-term health of this franchise. Run it back one more time, take some more beatings, don’t worry about the wins at this point and secure another high pick in an absolutely stuffed draft. Then activate real expectations next fall.
Vecenie, incidentally, was bullish on the Cavs’ choice of Okoro.
“Ultimately, everything hinges on the shot,” Vecenie wrote. “If he shoots it at even a reasonable level, he’s a monstrous role player who helps you win as a secondary player. … If the jumper breaks right, he has real All-Star upside.”
Here’s how the East appears to stack up, once again, presented in tiers:
TIER 1: class of the East
1) Bucks- flopped in the playoffs; can Jrue help lead them to the Finals?
2) Celtics- well coached, perimeter heavy team.
3) Heat- peaked in the playoffs; can they keep the momentum going?
TIER 2: fighting to get to tier 1
1) Nets- the return of KD makes them contenders.
2) 76ers- Morey is remaking that roster around Embiid & Simmons
3) Pacers- no big offseason moves, but the return of Oladipo should help.
TIER 3: the question marks
1) Raptors- can they withstand the big losses of Gasol & Ibaka to remain contenders?
2) Hawks- they seem poised for a big jump after a productive offseason; just how good can they be?
3) Magic- quiet offseason; will be without Isaac this year due to a knee injury.
4) Cavaliers- nice blend of youth & veterans; JBB had them playing well after the coaching change.
5) Bulls- you have to figure Billy Donovan is going to help them, but how much?
6) Wizards- can the return of John Wall turn them into playoff contenders?
TIER 4: lottery bound teams
1) Knicks- should contend for #1 pick.
2) Pistons- their rebuild is just starting.
3) Hornets- the Hayward signing was a curious move for a team that doesn’t appear to be a playoff contender.