Cavs 2023 Review and Offseason Deep Dive

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     51 regular season wins after winning only 22 games just two years ago. A huge success overall, regardless of how it ended. I wanted to take a look at each individual player on the team and evaluate how they did, as well as where I'd like to see improvement. After that, detailing the kinds of roster moves I think would help fix where we went wrong.

Donovan Mitchell

    Donovan had his best year to date, 28-4-4 on 61% TS% with improved defense. Assist numbers might seem low but he ramped it up when Darius missed games, he was a better passer than the raw numbers would suggest. Seemed unstoppable when fully healthy, but a nagging groin injury led to some slumps where his burst was zapped. As far as skillset, there isn't much to improve, but I'd like him to be better at dissecting defenses, figuring out how defenses are going to respond to his attacks before he even attacks. It's definitely more of a cerebral improvement than anything. He's not bad at it right now, but being great at it is infinitely more important deep in the playoffs.

Darius Garland

    Darius posted similar numbers while adding a high volume creator next to him, 22-3-8 on 59% TS%. One thing from last year that I wanted to see him get better at was drawing fouls, and he did that. Jumped from 83 FTr+ to 107 FTr+, and it really helped his efficiency when his 2pt% took a hit. 3pt attempt rate inexplicably dipped from last year, when it should've been increasing significantly, so obviously that's an area of improvement. A great place he could implement that would be in his isolation game. It's really bad right now, one of the worst in the league for his volume. His entire plan of attack is wrong. Every time, he looks to blow by the defender and he's never looking to take a three. Defenders know it and will always play the drive and it makes him super easy to contain. The only times he actually does take threes is when he gets cut off before the foul line so he'll just take a huge stepback. The problem with this is that the process creates no separation, so it's a desperation heave more than anything. His stepbacks aren't the result of a fake drive, they're the result of a failed drive.

James Harden, for example, is the king of isolation threes, and he does it by faking a drive first to set up the stepback. It's been less effective now because he doesn't have the same burst, so defenders play his drive less. But in Houston, defenders knew Harden could blow by them so they couldn't just sit on his stepbacks. Whatever they chose to defend, he'd score with the other one. Just in case you forgot, we saw multiple teams legitimately defend him from behind to disrupt him, probably the craziest defensive strategy we've seen in the 21st century.

Faking drives to set up threes, via jabs and hesitations, will force slower defenders to either concede the threes or to play up more. When they play up more, then Darius can blow by them easier. They can't defend both.

Evan Mobley

    Mobley took a midseason leap offensively, and defensively was the youngest DPOY finalist in NBA history. 16-9-3 on 59% TS% with over two stocks. Absolutely solidified himself as the most important player in the franchise, and led the Cavs to the best defensive rating in the NBA. What's interesting about him is how his unique skillset meshes with the rest of the core and the possibilities it creates. Defensively, Mobley at PF with another big at center is absolutely devastating for offenses. However, that would leave you with two non-shooters, which hurts your offense, right? Most of the time yes, but Mobley's short roll prowess counteracts that. With elite PnR ball handlers like Darius and Donovan, their pull-up shooting forces bigs to play up or even double the ball. Mobley then slips behind and gets the ball on the short roll, where he can throw lobs to Allen or kick outs to shooters.

What's even more interesting about this is it requires so little of Allen. All he needs to do is finish from the dunker's spot. This means you can get the same production on offense from a standard run, jump, and dunk center. Making a cheap vertical center viable in the rotation opens up some interesting possibilities. The first and most obvious is that you could trade Jarrett for more help on the wing, but the other possibility is that you could play all of Mobley's minutes at PF. This is interesting because backup PF behind Mobley is a currently a question mark. Dean Wade was supposed to fill that role but his health is unreliable. Playing another center means you don't have to split Mobley's minutes between PF and center, so there's less PF minutes you'd have to fill behind him. Overall, Mobley is still exceeding expectations, and the future is bright in Cleveland because of him.

Jarrett Allen

    Allen was still really good but wasn't as impactful as last year, 14-10 on 67% TS% in 2023 vs 16-11 on 70% TS% in 2022. Definitely is still a core member of the team, but is pretty comfortably the fourth member of the core four. His defense was still really good, but some of that speed and lateral quickness we saw from him the year before looked zapped. Part of the praise he got as a defender came from his perimeter defense, and it looked like he got blown by much easier than he used to.

Regarding ball screens, Allen is still currently the better screener and roller between he and Mobley. Allen gets downhill more, slipping behind screens or diving hard after a solid screen. Mobley doesn't do this as much, often still attempting to set a screen when the opposing big is playing too high and he should be slipping. Allen is definitely better at knowing what to do, but it's something that should be easily teachable. Mobley also has the higher ceiling as a roller with his short roll passing, so I'd like to see the screener usage transition more to Mobley when the two share the court.

The rebounding is something else definitely worth mentioning. I don't think Jarrett is entirely to blame for Mitchell Robinson getting a million offensive rebounds in the playoffs, but having to fight with Robinson took a toll on Jarrett physically and mentally. Coach Bickerstaff had Allen shade heavily towards Brunson, consistently putting him out of position for the rebounding battle with Robinson. Allen lost that battle over and over again, so he gave up. Mid way through the series his hustle was gone, he seemed disinterested, and even on offense he quit rolling hard to the basket. His lack of rolling killed what little juice the offense had left, allowing the entire Knicks defense to load up on whoever had the ball without consequences. I think the primary cause of his playoff failure was JB intentionally hanging him out to dry against Robinson, but Allen let it effect the rest of his game and he became absolutely useless. He might be more replaceable than we originally realized, and could be the trade chip that gets us some real wing help. Jarrett fits extremely well with the rest of the young core, but there is an opportunity cost to consider with possibly moving him, even if now isn't the right time for it.

Caris LeVert

    Caris honestly probably turned his entire career around. Averaged 12-4-4 on 55% TS% for the whole season but in the last 12 regular season games he averaged 16-3-4 with over 2 stocks on 69% TS%. Normally it would be easy to disregard a run like that and say it was just a hot streak but Caris made notable changes to his game to allow this, not just hot shooting. His shot selection changed dramatically, cutting down on a lot of his two pointers and taking more threes. He shot 52% on 3s (35/68, 5.7at/g) and 56% on 2s (31/55, 4.6at/g). Caris has always been a player that took a below average number of threes relative to his overall volume, but he cut out a lot of his bad shots and started taking more threes than twos. This adjustment to his game has really helped him finally find that efficiency that has escaped him so far in his career. We'll have to see if it sticks, but he definitely earned another contract with the team. Very interested to see what he looks like next year.

Isaac Okoro

    Okoro took another step forward but I'm still not confident in him long term. He improved his defense yet again, and his offense looked a little bit better after a rough start to the season. However, the big question is still unanswered. Can he become a good enough shooter to survive in the playoffs? So far I'm leaning no, but I think that says more about playoff basketball than about Isaac. I don't think the structure of the Cavs' roster is really doing Isaac many favors either. A lot of the time he's playing with two bigs or even the entire core four. He gets some of the best looks from deep in the entire league because teams help off him, but it makes everything tougher for his teammates for the same reason. As a result, his lack of shooting gets amplified into the Achilles' Heel of the entire offense, where it might not be so magnified on other teams. I'm definitely willing to trade him for the right player, but we'll have more clarity on who fits best after free agency. So far, the name that sticks out to me as a trade target is Tim Hardaway Jr., but we'll see.

Dean Wade

    Wade was supposed to be full time backup power forward, and buying out Kevin Love was a vote of confidence in him from Koby Altman. However, the shoulder injury derailed his season, and he never regained his shooting. His defense was still really good, but it wasn't enough to keep him on the floor. Wade went undrafted because of injury concerns, and he's definitely missed a lot of time in the NBA. When fully healthy he's definitely a good role player but I wouldn't shoe him in as the 3rd big in the rotation. I just don't fully trust him, and this is coming from someone who's been begging for Dean to get a spot in the rotation for years. But I definitely want to give him another shot, I've seen some people throw him in trades because they've given up on him and I absolutely would not do that without seeing what he looks like after having a full offseason to recover. In case it doesn't work out, getting another power forward in free agency is a necessity, like Trey Lyles.

Cedi Osman

    Cedi was the lone bench shooter basically on the entire roster. He probably resembles what this team should be looking for in role players better than anyone. He's big, can shoot, has some ball skills, and can be capable defensively. However, Cedi's consistent inconsistency is becoming just too much to handle year after year. This team needs guys they can trust more than anything, and Cedi just isn't that. He has all the skills the Cavs should be looking for, but his time in Cleveland is probably up. If free agency goes poorly then he's worth keeping around, but a trade feels kind of inevitable.

Lamar Stevens

    Lamar again filled his role of defensive spark plug, bringing in energy to jumpstart the team when they're looking sluggish. Most notably improved his shooting, it definitely isn't good yet but it's a step in the right direction. I wouldn't put him in the rotation every night but he's more beneficial to keep around than whoever his replacement would be.

Ricky Rubio

    The magic from the 2022 season doesn't look like it's coming back. There's a chance he looks better this year, since that would make it two seasons removed from the ACL tear, but I wouldn't put any money on him earning a rotation spot again. Still is a good locker room guy who might occasionally be able to play spot minutes but his days of playing meaningful minutes are most likely behind him. 

Danny Green

    Danny Green in his prime would be the absolute perfect fit for this team, however we all know that isn't who he is anymore. Just like Rubio, though, he could come back better physically in his second season since the ACL tear. That seems to be the timeline for when players look like their old selves after ACL tears. I think he'll resign because he knows he has a shot at earning some important playing time on this roster, probably for the vet minimum.

Raul Neto

    Neto fulfilled his role very well as the third point guard, and played well enough when called upon. Overall everyone was happy with him last year but I think Rubio will take over his role. Especially if Craig Porter is going to take a 2-way contract, then I don't really see a reason to bring Neto back. He will be remembered fondly though.

Robin Lopez

    I'm sure Robin was a good locker room presence, and that has value, but he was unplayable on the court. Cleveland centers need to fit the run, jump, and dunk archetype, and Lopez doesn't have the athleticism for that. There really wasn't another center on the bench besides Lopez, so when Allen or Mobley inevitably missed games, then Lopez was forced into the rotation. That can't happen again, center is too important on this team to not have a competent plug and play option on the roster. Khalifa Diop theoretically fits that mold but Koby Altman reportedly has no intentions of bringing him over to the States to play, so for at least this year, that role will need to be filled externally.

Sam Merrill

    Merrill was an elite shooter, 44% from deep on 8.9 attempts in the G-League. Has some playmaking chops with the ball in his hand, but it's not a selling point. Absolutely is the caliber of shooter the Cavs need, but is just too small to have a clear path into the rotation. We'll see, though, he could surprise me.

Isaiah Mobley

    Isaiah played some really good basketball for the Charge, and maybe could compete for the backup power forward spot for the Cavs. It's clear he's actually a real player unlike someone like Thanasis, which is definitely nice. There's a world where he eventually plays real minutes, and Isaiah at PF and Evan at C is a real lineup.

Emoni Bates

    Bates was probably the best option to take with the 49th pick. 6'9 and hits tough shots better than anyone else in the class. As far as his frame, he does have a negative wingspan and is rail thin, but at small forward, just being 6'9 should keep him from getting absolutely bullied. As a high volume creator with significant limitations physically, the Cavs didn't draft him to run their offense. It's just a matter of Emoni and his camp realizing that. They drafted him because he is an insanely good 3pt shooter, and their biggest weakness is wing 3pt shooting. If he can tone down his usage and dribbling, play off ball, build his body, and compete on defense, he absolutely has a shot at making it on this team. There's a very good chance this doesn't work, but the path is there. It's just up to Emoni to accept no longer being the primary shot creator and put in the work to round out his game. The vision for Emoni should be some sort of mix of MPJ and Tim Hardaway Jr., with some Duncan Robinson. He can still use his dribble to create some open step back threes, but he needs to primarily shoot off of the catch to succeed and have a real career in the NBA. Cleveland is absolutely the best situation for him, now it's up to him to take advantage of that.


Craig Porter Jr.

    Undrafted diamond in the rough? Looks like he can do everything on the court as a point guard, including for some reason block shots at an insane rate. He averaged both 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals this past season at Wichita State. Passed the ball well and rebounded extremely well for a guard. The shooting looks better on tape than in the numbers, so I'm optimistic on that but not sold. His best comparison would be a Dollar Tree Derrick White.



Offseason Targets

    Before diving into who might be available, I'd like to take a look at what the Cavs are missing. Right now, there's 5 players that you can be confident in playing. Darius, Donovan, Caris, Evan, and Jarrett. Everyone else is unreliable, and could fall out of the rotation entirely come playoff time. Based off that, you'd need a starting small forward, backup power forward, one to two more shooting forwards you trust, and another bench center. Dean Wade could fill the role of backup power forward but as mentioned earlier, I wouldn't go into the season without a solid Plan B there. Danny Green, if he comes back, could also fill in as a bench shooter but he needs to prove he can move well enough to stay on the floor. Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman are also still on the roster but neither inspire confidence for the postseason. Regarding the center position, a run jump and dunk center in the mold of Jarrett Allen is ideal. PF Lamar Stevens, PG Ricky Rubio, SG Sam Merrill, PG Craig Porter Jr., PF Isaiah Mobley, and SF Emoni Bates would be depth pieces who are good to have but shouldn't see the floor with everyone healthy.

    Looking at possible trades, I just want to get this out of the way first. Darius, Donovan, and Evan are all untradeable. I am open to trading Jarrett, but I don't think you'll get good offers this offseason. I'd rather hang onto him for at least another year, unless the Pelicans offer Trey Murphy and Jonas Valanciunas. I've also seen a hypothetical trade I like where Allen goes to the Pelicans, who send assets to San Antonio for either Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson. Without many other significant salaries on the roster, Isaac Okoro's $8.9m and Cedi Osman's $6.7m are the best options to actually bring in talent via trade. It's not super likely they'll be traded, as free agency seems to be the primary route to add guys to this roster, but they'll at least be shopped around heavily.

Max Strus

    Strus is probably the best fit on paper for the starting small forward job among UFAs who should be available for the MLE. The MLE is going to be the biggest route towards bringing in talent, so whoever gets signed for it is extremely important. Strus is a very good shooter bordering on elite, heavily weighted by his volume. For his career, Strus puts up over 13 threes per 100 possessions, which consistently puts him near the top of the league. The volume and difficulty of his threes hurts his overall percentage, but his gravity from out there would do wonders for the offense. Doesn't really provide much else besides that offensively, but he does fill in the biggest need on that end. On defense, he doesn't have the best impact metrics but he has the size to play small forward and switch around some. Strus has earned a lot of interest around the league, and is also rumored to possibly get more than the MLE, so this once-likely option is starting to become less realistic.

Grant Williams

    Grant Williams is an RFA and Boston seems unlikely to match an offer sheet. Boston already started fizzling him out of their rotation towards the end of the season, and with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, Williams just doesn't have a place on this team anymore. The new CBA and the implications of the second tax apron means expensive teams are going to have to start trimming the fat on their cap sheets, so it looks like Boston won't be able to afford to bring Grant Williams back. Williams as a player fits the role of backup power forward on the Cavs extremely well, and hits corner threes at a high clip too. Defensively he's more of a switchy strong forward rather than a helping rim protector, so it's not a seamless scheme fit defensively, but he's good enough to where he's going to be a pretty solid positive on that end no matter what. Offensively he doesn't provide anything with the ball in his hands aside from the occasional blow by on a close out, but his shooting is good enough to either force defenses to stay on him in the corner, or take advantage if they help off. Last two years he shot over 40% from deep in the regular season, and for his playoff career he's at 43% while never having a postseason below 39%. His jumpshot isn't very versatile, but if he's just going to stay in the corner most of the time and knock down shots then it doesn't need to be very versatile. He could also start at small forward and do well there but it's probably not his best role. There is speculation however that he could command more than the MLE in free agency but we'll have to wait and see. At only 24 years old, if he ends up in Cleveland, he could be a big part of this team for a very long time.

PJ Washington

    RFA and Charlotte just drafted another forward with the second overall pick. I really like PJ Washington and if I was Charlotte, there would be no way I'd let him go. However, Charlotte hasn't seemed too sold on PJ being there long term. They almost traded him for Jakob Poeltl at the 2022 deadline, and obviously just drafted Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson. Looking at their other forwards, they still have Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre returning isn't completely out of the picture, even if it isn't all that likely. PJ is long and athletic, can protect the basket, and is smart on defense. On offense he can shoot pretty well, and has enough of a handle to utilize advantages and attack close outs, as well as score inside on mismatches. Honestly I'd be looking at starting him at power forward and trading Allen if he signed a long term deal for the Cavs. Despite all this, I still don't really see a world where PJ ends up in Cleveland, even if I'd love him here. He'll get more than the MLE, and a sign and trade with Charlotte is possible but not to be expected.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

    Sharpshooter, and probably the most realistic trade target. He makes $17.9m this year and $16.2m next year before becoming a free agent. Hardaway would immediately plug into the starting lineup at small forward and fix every problem that lineup has on the offensive end. He's one of the highest volume three point shooters in the league year after year, and can bomb away with even a sliver of daylight. Defensively, he's a little small for a small forward, and never has excelled on that end, but he should hold up well enough with Mobley and Allen behind him. A trade package for him would start with Isaac Okoro, as well as Cedi and some second round picks. Dallas has all the offense in the world with Luka and Kyrie (unless Kyrie leaves, which in that case I think this falls apart), but their defense is where they suffer as a team. Okoro could be really valuable to them, he'd instantly become their best perimeter defender, and that could be enough to make them sacrifice some offense to get him. Cedi would also likely have a place on that team. The other nice thing about trading for Hardaway is that you'd still have the MLE to go get another player, too.

Jae Crowder

    Crowder theoretically fits very well, but no one seems to be talking about it. Crowder has been one of the premiere 3 and D wings in the league for the last decade, and is a UFA this offseason. Most executives around the league assume he'll will resign with the Bucks after they traded 5 second round picks for him, but I'm not so sure. The reason Crowder refused to play for the Suns was because they didn't want to start him anymore, and the Bucks can't guarantee that either. He only started 3 of the 18 regular season games he played in for the Bucks, and started zero games in the playoffs. It went underreported, but he was again vocal about his displeasure with his smaller role. 

    If there's one thing the Cavs can offer Crowder, it's a guaranteed starting spot on a playoff team. Sure, Crowder is more of a power forward at this point in his career, and his jumper comes and goes, and personality doesn't seem like it'll mesh with the other Cavaliers, but he might be the most likely player to accept an offer because the thing he cares the most about is how much he matters to a winning team and the Cavs need a player like him more than any other team.

Georges Niang

    I find it funny that his nickname is Minivan, and hilarious that it fits him perfectly. Niang has been an incredible shooter in the league, hitting over 40% of his threes every year for the last five years on high volume. He's not the most versatile shooter, rarely taking shots off of movement and never off of the dribble, but the bottom line is that he puts a lot of them up and a lot of them go in. Very few players are better standstill catch and shoot three point shooters than Georges Niang. As far as the rest of his game goes, he's not very athletic, can't do much with the ball in his hands, and is atrocious defensively, but the Cavs should be willing to look past all of that with how much we need his shooting. Regarding his role, I would start him at small forward. Niang is listed at 6'7 230 with a 6'10 wingspan and has been playing at power forward for most of his career, but I don't trust him defensively at power forward. He's basically Kevin Love but closer to a wing than a big, so I'd like to put him in a position where he can have both Allen and Mobley behind him defensively. Also the starting lineup needs his shooting more than any other lineup, so starting at small forward is probably best for utilizing his strengths and covering for his weaknesses. I think he might be a little better at hanging with bigger wings as opposed to having to rotate and help at the rim as a big. If you remember, he did have a playoff highlight in that role, locking up Tatum down the stretch of a huge playoff game. I'm not saying he'll be good defensively as a small forward, but I do think it's better for him than trying to be vertical at the rim. Again, his nickname is Minivan for a reason. As far as how likely it would be to sign him, I'm sure Philly would be very interested in resigning him, but Niang will most likely go to the highest bidder. He's never made over $3.5m in a single season in the NBA, so his primary concern this offseason should be to get a payday.

Donte DiVincenzo

    Probably the most bulletproof MLE UFA target, this guy just screams playoff reliability. He's a good defender both on and off the ball, can shoot the ball really well, is a very good passer, can make plays off of the dribble, and overall is extremely smart in everything he does. He's pretty athletic too, but his size isn't great for what the Cavs need. Listed at 6'4 with a 6'6 wingspan, Donte definitely fits in more as a shooting guard than a small forward, but he's just so good at everything that he could easily fit in as the starting small forward without many issues. Some matchups would expose his lack of size, but he's too good to get played off of the floor in the playoffs. He's a guy that you can trust in any situation, which is absolutely something the Cavs need. At only 26 years old, signing him to the full MLE for as long as possible would be a huge success.

Malik Beasley

    Absolute sharpshooter and the Lakers declined his team option, making him a UFA for this offseason. Beasley doesn't always shoot the highest percentage from deep, as he has only cracked 40% once in his career and shot under 36% this season, but that's because he's always testing the limits of what shots he can make. His trigger is lightning fast and can pull in any scenario, making him an extremely versatile and high volume shooter. Per 100 possessions, Beasley took 15 threes, putting him 3rd in the league in volume among qualified players, behind only Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson. Watching his shooting tape, he bombs away if he has even the smallest sliver of an opening, making him an extremely tough cover for a defense. His overall efficiency isn't great, usually comes out to slightly below league average, but the spacing and gravity he provides from his volume and ability to make difficult threes gives him a solidly positive impact on an offense. The Cavs would be drooling over getting a shooter like him, but the rest of his game definitely leaves things to be desired. He's pretty athletic but it hasn't translated to a 2pt% over 50% since 2019, and his defense is not great. He's listed at 6'4 187 with a 6'7 wingspan, so he's definitely too small to play small forward against most lineups. That being said, if it's going to work anywhere, it would be on a team with Mobley and Allen behind him, but I still wouldn't bet on it. He's just too small to ever share the floor more than one other small guard. His shooting would definitely still be very appreciated off of the bench, even if I don't think shooting guard was where the Cavs were looking to improve. Sliding Caris to small forward in most bench lineups would add room for Beasley among the guards, so they could still make it work. His overall game has some significant holes, but it's pretty clear the biggest issue for the Cavs was a lack of 3pt shooting, and they won't find a much better shooter for the MLE than Malik Beasley.

Trey Lyles

    Lyles is a UFA power forward who plays like a big wing. What sticks out the most with Lyles is how refined his perimeter game is. He has a pretty solid jumpshot with a quick release, but his biggest strength his how he attacks off of the catch. He's extremely comfortable attacking close outs, and even if the defender doesn't sell out, Lyles can still get to the rim or make a play for a teammate. I'm surprised there isn't more buzz around his free agency, he should be stepping up into a bigger role than what he had in Sacramento. He's relatively similar to Naz Reid in the sense that they have much better handles and overall perimeter games than most other players of their position, especially for being guys that start the game on the bench. He would pretty easily take the backup power forward spot from Dean Wade, which could allow Wade to either fight for minutes with other guys or slide back into the designated injury replacement starter, where we've seen him excel in the past. I don't think Lyles would cost the full MLE but I could be proven wrong. It's the NBA, guys get paid. In that case, I think finding a starting small forward would be more important than bringing him in, but there are trades out there that could solve that problem while leaving the MLE for Lyles.

Corey Kispert

    Kispert would be the starting small forward for as long as the rest of the core four remains intact if he were to get brought in. Washington is officially blowing it all up, which is the most exciting time to be a contender because so many pieces finally become available. We've already seen Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis get traded to other contenders, but it is yet to be seen how deep the dismantling will go for Washington. Kispert was drafted with the 15th pick in the summer of 2021, but despite being in the league for only two years, he's already passed his 24th birthday. He was an older prospect, and it's very possible the Wizards' new front office doesn't see him as a long term piece for this new era of the team. If they do end up trading him, the Cavs should have no problem sending over every second round pick they have in exchange for Kispert. Cleveland also still has a TPE from Ochai Agbaji worth about $3.9m, which Kispert's contract barely squeezes into, so they can absorb his contract without having to send back any matching salaries. Regarding Kispert as a player, he's first and foremost a very good shooter as a small forward. Last year he averaged 11 points and shot 42% on 3s and 64% on 2s, boasting an impressive 66% TS%. He doesn't do much with the ball in his hands but he's a smart cutter and if he's open from anywhere it's going in. Defensively he isn't very good and his tools aren't super helpful. At 6'7 220 with a 6'7 wingspan, he isn't going to be generating any turnovers but he has size and some of the best rim protectors in the league behind him. Bottom line is Kispert is exactly what the starting lineup needs offensively and he fits in positionally on defense. Getting him from Washington would be huge.

Kelly Oubre

    Athletic wing UFA and is not expected to resign with the Hornets. Last year Oubre averaged 20-5 on well below average efficiency on a really bad Charlotte team. Everyone's efficiency took a hit for the Hornets from not having Lamelo to set them up all year, but Oubre has never been an efficient player anyhow. He hasn't had a single season where he's been above average in efficiency, and that's from an overall mediocrity in every aspect of the game. He pretty much always has a below average 2pt%, significantly below average 3pt%, slightly below average FT%, and overall slightly below average TS%. He at least has an average FTAr and above average 3PTAr, as well as average to above average defense, but there really isn't a single part of his game that stands out as being a significant positive. He can do everything okay, but there isn't anything he does particularly well. Oubre would probably be my second to last pick to take the MLE, just ahead of Jae Crowder due to age. He's definitely better than nothing, and there's always a chance the shooting improves, but I would definitely explore a lot of other options with the MLE before committing to Oubre.

Yuta Watanabe

    Now out of MLE territory, Yuta would either get a portion of the MLE or the $4.5 bi annual exception if he were to sign with Cleveland. Yuta has a great combination of size, athleticism, and shooting for a player as cheap as he likely will be. At 6'9 he moves very well and boasts some of the highest 3pt percentages in the league. This past year he shot 44% from deep and made an unreal 51% of his corner threes, a more specific aspect of shooting that the Cavs desperately need. I wouldn't put him ahead of some other shooters with higher volume and degree of difficulty, but his volume wasn't horrible and the the shots were going in. As far as the rest of his game, Yuta is a very low usage player without much creation ability but can finish plays well enough. Defensively he seems active and certainly has the body to be very effective on that end. I don't know how good he is currently and there isn't enough second hand knowledge to determine a consensus, but I would be optimistic on his impact given his tools and willingness. For a cheap option, the Cavs won't do much better than Yuta.

Terence Davis

    Basically copy the section about Malik Beasley and apply it here to TD. Both are 6'4 guards with extremely high volume from three, who make just good enough of a percentage of them to justify their audacious shot selection. They're basically clones of each other, right down to their legal issues. Neither are big enough to play small forward, but Davis does have some defensive upside that Beasley doesn't. TD has always been near the top of the league in steals, which could be useful with Allen and Mobley behind him. It's the Mattise Thybulle effect, having good rim protection on the backside allows talented turnover machines to be extra aggressive because it's less consequential if they get burned. Offensively I think TD has a little more ability on drives, but he never passes so I'm not sure how useful that'll be. I also think his three point shooting is a tick below Beasley's, but he's not behind by much. Sacramento has a logjam of guards ahead of him, so I wouldn't be surprised if TD would be enticed by a larger role on another playoff team. I don't know the final number he'll sign for, but it'll most likely be for a portion, but not all, of the MLE.

Taurean Prince

    The Wolves declined the rest of Prince's contract, making him a UFA. In the two years in Minnesota since being traded there by the Cavs, he's settled in nicely into a low usage 3 and D role. He made 38% of his 3s and 56% of his 2s, while taking a decent 8.5 threes per 100 possessions. Defensively, he fits in well at small forward and can switch around, all while being a slight positive overall on that end. He shouldn't cost much to sign, and will fit in well with whatever lineup he gets plugged into.

Amir Coffey

    Another cheap wing, very similar to Yuta and I'm not saying that just because they're both left handed. Coffey, like Yuta, has been struggling to find larger roles despite fitting the mold of good enough role players. In 2023, Coffey fell out of the rotation entirely for the Clippers, only recording 625 minutes played when he played 1567 minutes the year before. In that 2022 season where he actually got significant playing time, he shot 38% on 3s while taking 8 per 100 possessions, decent enough volume for a low usage spot up guy. He's fairly athletic and isn't bad defensively, and can actually do some stuff with the ball in his hands sometimes. Coffey wouldn't contend for a starting spot, but he can certainly get minutes on this Cavs roster and produce at an acceptable level. Worth trying to get him from the Clippers, he'd also fit into the Ochai Agbaji TPE just like Kispert.

Conclusion

    Koby Altman doesn't have a ton to work with, but he definitely has options to make this team better. Finding these cheap options and working to best utilize limited assets is part of what makes working as a general manager so exciting. In my last article talking about rebuilding the Westbrook Lakers, I said I initially was disappointed by being assigned a team with so little to work with, but I can't lie. It was really fun to try to pull as much as I could out of thin air. It probably actually worked to my advantage with the judges that I had to do so much with so little, leading to our 3rd place finish. I'm sure Koby feels the same way as I did, and he should be licking his chops over the opportunity to flex his abilities as President of Basketball Operations and show off just how much he can do with this roster. He has all the stars he needs, now he gets to do the fun part, dive in deep and find his diamonds in the rough.

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