2022 Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

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Last year’s 44-win season signaled a resurgence for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This city has proven how hard that can get behind teams who show they are willing to improve, bring in talent and spend the money to build a contender.  It is a prime reason why Cavaliers games will sell out during the season while Guardians games may get 50% capacity.  Dan Gilbert has never been shy about spending a buck and now it appears like Cleveland will challenge for an NBA title again.

The biggest reason the Cavaliers look like a contender again this season is the perfect mix of veteran leadership and young hungry talent. Jarrett Allen showed everyone last year he is worth the money the Cavaliers spent to resign him long term.  Allen can score and rebound at ease, he has proven to be the “old school” kind of big man the Cavaliers need to dominate the paint.

Perhaps the biggest moves the Cavaliers made in the offseason was to eliminate the growing distraction that was Collin Sexton and bring back veteran Ricky Rubio to come off the bench when he recovers from injury.  Rubio was an absolute gem last year as he averaged 13 points per game off the bench and was an absolute spark every time he checked in the game.  Had he not gotten injured, the Cavaliers would have contended for the 3^rd seed, the injuries to him and Allen crushed them.

The term “big 3” is tossed around a lot when it comes to the NBA.  In my opinion, the Cavaliers now have their big 3 with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.  Coach Bickerstaff will get the best defensive effort he can out of Mitchell and Garland, while their offense will only get better as they both can shoot lights out.

Mitchell averaged 24 points a game in his first 5 seasons in the league playing with the Utah Jazz.  For everyone worried about those numbers dropping off now that he has to share the ball with Garland and Mobley, don’t be, I see his per game average jumping up over 25 a game this year.

As for Garland, he proved last season that he can deliver when he is counted on to do so and the distraction that was Collin Sexton was not on the court.  As for Mobley, he has all the talent in the world to become one of the leagues top players, he simply needs to stay healthy which he has proven he cannot do as of yet.  If he can get past the injury bug, he may go down as one of the best Cleveland Cavaliers of all time.

When you mix in veterans such as Kevin Love, Cedi Osman and Caris LeVert coming off the bench and this team can go toe to toe with anyone.  Strap in tight Cleveland, we are about to go for a ride!