2022 Off-season Thread - The Future is Bright

[jjvors]

Okay, I'm caught up with everyone's posts. Here's my take:

1. It seems everyone is forgetting Sexton was scoring at 25 ppg in 2021. With the emergence of DG and Mobley, he'll get fewer shots, but I still expect 20 ppg from him at least. He's a clutch shooter too, especially when they can't double-team him with Mobley, and DG, and Allen around him. He'll solve our need for outside shooting and half-court offense.
2. Before Rubio, Mobley, Markkanen, and Allen got injured, I had us penciled in for 4th seed in the East. I think that's still a reasonable goal for 2023. That'd give us home court for the first round and a good chance at the second round.
3. With trades, I'm always nervous about breaking what we have. Our espirit de corps was excellent even with the injuries. I don't want to lose Sexton, DG, Mark, Allen, or Mobley. Everyone else can be traded, IMO. However Love, Cedi, and Rubio had really good chemistry off the bench and I would take that in mind when considering trades.
4. LeVert is in a wait-and-see situation. He never got a complete tryout while healthy. I have hopes he can be a volume scorer and bench offense.

 

[sailfish]

He's on an expiring contract, he has high expectations for his next one, and they're underwhelmed with his defense.

I’d trade LeVert for Trent straight up. Not sure Toronto would do that deal however.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

He's on an expiring contract, he has high expectations for his next one, and they're underwhelmed with his defense.

Trent has two years left, so he’s not an expiring. That being said, he’d be a perfect fit for what we need at SG. I’m guessing Toronto will probably try to use him to get a C though. I’m not sure what we have that would really interest them outside of our pick.

 

[CavsKermit]

I’d trade LeVert for Trent straight up. Not sure Toronto would do that deal however.

Toronto would not. They'd want the No. 14 pick. But this is why I'm not treating our expiring contracts as guys who absolutely must be traded. Trent will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and if he and the Raptors disagree as to his value, then he might be a good target.

 

[CavsKermit]

Trent has two years left, so he’s not an expiring. That being said, he’d be a perfect fit for what we need at SG. I’m guessing Toronto will probably try to use him to get a C though. I’m not sure what we have that would really interest them outside of our pick.

His last year is a player option that he's expected to decline.

 

[MirORich]

While I’m not sold on LeVert yet, it’s important to note that he was traded mid season, has almost no practices, missed ten games, and then when he returned, Jarrett Allen, the one player he has preexisting chemistry with and natural game fit, went down for twenty games.

IF a really smart deal came up involving LeVert I’m not opposed, but I’d also caution against making harsh judgements in him so early after just a very disjointed 20 game sample size

 

[CavsKermit]

While I’m not sold on LeVert yet, it’s important to note that he was traded mid season, has almost no practices, missed ten games, and then when he returned, Jarrett Allen, the one player he has preexisting chemistry with and natural game fit, went down for twenty games.

IF a really smart deal came up involving LeVert I’m not opposed, but I’d also caution against making harsh judgements in him so early after just a very disjointed 20 game sample size

I'm willing to give him a full look over the course of a season, but he wants an extension and that's not a thing that should happen.

 

[CavsKermit]

Okay, I'm caught up with everyone's posts. Here's my take:

1. It seems everyone is forgetting Sexton was scoring at 25 ppg in 2021. With the emergence of DG and Mobley, he'll get fewer shots, but I still expect 20 ppg from him at least. He's a clutch shooter too, especially when they can't double-team him with Mobley, and DG, and Allen around him. He'll solve our need for outside shooting and half-court offense.
2. Before Rubio, Mobley, Markkanen, and Allen got injured, I had us penciled in for 4th seed in the East. I think that's still a reasonable goal for 2023. That'd give us home court for the first round and a good chance at the second round.
3. With trades, I'm always nervous about breaking what we have. Our espirit de corps was excellent even with the injuries. I don't want to lose Sexton, DG, Mark, Allen, or Mobley. Everyone else can be traded, IMO. However Love, Cedi, and Rubio had really good chemistry off the bench and I would take that in mind when considering trades.
4. LeVert is in a wait-and-see situation. He never got a complete tryout while healthy. I have hopes he can be a volume scorer and bench offense.

1. Sexton has never averaged 25 ppg. In 2021, he averaged. 24.3 ppg, while taking 18.4 shots a game and getting to the line 6.4 times per game. Neither of the last two are happening again, at least not with the Cavs. I fully expect his efficiency to dip as it has with Beal, Harden, Young, etc. as he's not going to get the benefit of the doubt on those calls where he's initiating contact anymore.

With Sexton at that usage that high, the Cavs were a 20-win team three seasons in a row. It was not the quality of Sexton's teammates that lead to other teams consistently double teaming him, it was his reluctance to give up the ball, especially during crunch time, that made him a very predictable and easy guy to defend.

As 75% of Sexton's shots came from within the arc, despite the coaching staff imploring to shoot more from outside for years, and he hasn't shot well from range since the first half of his third season, I'm not seeing how he's *solving* anything there. He likes to take advantage of his speed to drive and beat defenders to their spots.

2. We have to replace at least 80% of what Rubio gave us which is easier said than done.

3. Agree except Sexton. He's not a core piece. He'd be good to have a sixth man type.

4. Agreed.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

Okay, I'm caught up with everyone's posts. Here's my take:

1. It seems everyone is forgetting Sexton was scoring at 25 ppg in 2021. With the emergence of DG and Mobley, he'll get fewer shots, but I still expect 20 ppg from him at least. He's a clutch shooter too, especially when they can't double-team him with Mobley, and DG, and Allen around him. He'll solve our need for outside shooting and half-court offense.

It seems like everyone is forgetting what happened during that season or just never watched any of the games. Our opening day starting lineup was DG, Sexton, Okoro, Nance, Drummond. That just feels gross typing it out.

1. Sexton & DG were literally the only two ball-handlers on the roster after the Allen trade.
2. Nance & Love both missed over half the year.
3. DG missed almost 20 games to injury.

Sexton was the #1 option on a team that basically had no other options. The Cavs were also one of the worst teams in the league that year. I like Sexton, but to me that year is like Jerami Grant averaging 20 pts on the Pistons. Someone's gotta take shots. He just happened to be the guy.

If the Cavs bring everyone back, the pecking order on offense will be Garland, Mobley, LeVert, Sexton. I see him more as a 15-18 ppg guy to be honest. I just think with some of the other guys on the team, he's not going to be the focal point of the offense anymore. He can still be really valuable, but it's extremely tough to put up those type of numbers off the bench unless you're playing starter minutes, which he's not going to get if LeVert, Okoro, and potentially Rubio are all here.

Also, Wade, Love, and Cedi started a combined 70 games for the Cavs in 20-21. This past year, that group only started 35 despite playing in 44 more games combined.

 

[CavsKermit]

It seems like everyone is forgetting what happened during that season or just never watched any of the games. Our opening day starting lineup was DG, Sexton, Okoro, Nance, Drummond. That just feels gross typing it out.

1. Sexton & DG were literally the only two ball-handlers on the roster after the Allen trade.
2. Nance & Love both missed over half the year.
3. DG missed almost 20 games to injury.

Sexton was the #1 option on a team that basically had no other options. The Cavs were also one of the worst teams in the league that year. I like Sexton, but to me that year is like Jerami Grant averaging 20 pts on the Pistons. Someone's gotta take shots. He just happened to be the guy.

If the Cavs bring everyone back, the pecking order on offense will be Garland, Mobley, LeVert, Sexton. I see him more as a 15-18 ppg guy to be honest. I just think with some of the other guys on the team, he's not going to be the focal point of the offense anymore. He can still be really valuable, but it's extremely tough to put up those type of numbers off the bench unless you're playing starter minutes, which he's not going to get if LeVert, Okoro, and potentially Rubio are all here.

Also, Wade, Love, and Cedi started a combined 70 games for the Cavs in 20-21. This past year, that group only started 35 despite playing in 44 more games combined.

People keep leaving out Allen, who averaged 16ppg, and had the highest FG% on the roster by far. Whoever was second in terms of efficiency wasn't particularly close.

 

[Rich]

Seeing teams like Houston, Memphis, and Oklahoma City with multiple first round picks in multiple years makes me think the Cavs botched their rebuild. They should have done a complete tear down starting in 2019 instead of trying to stay competitive. The biggest mistake was resigning Kevin Love to that huge contract. They should have instead used cap space to take on bad contracts from other teams in exchange for draft picks. It is inexcusable for a team like the Cavs who are rebuilding to not have multiple first round picks and now we are looking at not even having a first round pick next year after acquiring a player no one wants. Even though the Cavs hit on Darius Garland and Evan Mobley the team still has multiple holes on the team (shooting guard, small forward, backup point guard, backup center) and no good ways to address those needs.

This isn't worth relitigating again.

It's easy to see why they have so many firsts and why we don't.

 

[Dr No]

Does anyone else think it is a distinct possibility that the Cavs miss the playoffs again next season? Looking at the East six teams are clearly better than the Cavs: Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn. The Cavs seem to be more on par with the final two teams Atlanta and Toronto.

What makes everyone so sure that the Cavs can win more games than Atlanta or Toronto next year?

We are going to have to improve. In addition to the teams you mention, the Hornets were only a game behind us and will likely be better next year.

 

[sailfish]

Here’s a trade to ponder, if the Cavs can draft either Jalen Duren or Mark Williams at #14:

To CLE: Anunoby & Trent, Jr.
To TOR: Allen & LeVert

 

[inliner311]

Here’s a trade to ponder, if the Cavs can draft either Jalen Duren or Mark Williams at #14:

To CLE: Anunoby & Trent, Jr.
To TOR: Allen & LeVert

If the plan is to turn Allen into a wing while taking his replacement at #14, I think that's something that has to be negotiated before we get on the clock and something that get finalized when our guy is there at #14.

 

[Nphan]

I’d trade LeVert for Trent straight up. Not sure Toronto would do that deal however.

Who wouldn't though? Trent is a much better fit and overall player.