3 Biggest Questions Facing the Cleveland Cavaliers This Offseason

After getting swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers will officially enter offseason mode.

According to several reports, the Cavaliers will bring back head coach Kenny Atkinson and President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has a reputation for shaking things up, but there’s something to be said for continuity in the NBA, and that’s what the Cavs are chasing.

Here are the three biggest questions facing the Cavs this offseason.

1. Will the backcourt duo remain intact?

Immediately following Game 4’s embarrassing loss against the Knicks, both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden expressed their desire to remain with the Cavaliers.

The Cavs traded for Harden at the deadline, getting significantly older by sending 26-year-old guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers. But Harden was more available than Garland was, helping the Cavaliers get past the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons to clinch their first conference finals since 2018.

Harden didn’t have a stellar postseason, and rarely ever does. He had seven games where he finished with more turnovers than field goals made. But because the Cavs are in a “win now” window, Harden is expected to decline his player option and return to Cleveland on a new two-year contract.

Altman pursued Harden with a stamp of approval from Mitchell, who has embraced Cleveland since he arrived in the blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz in 2022. The Cavs will certainly put a contract offer in front of Mitchell this offseason. He could wait to sign it, making next year the final season on his contract extension. This would make trading Mitchell enticing, but he endorsed bringing back Atkinson after the season and seems to have a strong relationship with the organization’s brass.

2. Are the Cavs on Mitchell’s timeline to win a title? Or Evan Mobley’s?

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert doesn’t want to go back to the days of rebuilding. He has a future basketball Hall of Famer on the back nine of his career in Harden, and a fringe top 10 player in the NBA in Mitchell.

By trading for Harden, the Cavaliers proved to be on Mitchell’s timeline, nuking the original core four featuring Garland, Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

This could spell trouble for Mobley. He’ll be 25 years old heading into next season with a Defensive Player of the Year award already on his mantle. Mobley is undeniably one of the best defenders in the league and his offensive skillset has taken strides each year.

But the Milwaukee Bucks wanted Mobley at the deadline in a blockbuster package centered around two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Cavs turned that package down, but could revisit this offseason, especially if they decide to upgrade their personnel around Atkinson, Mitchell and Harden.

3. Is LeBron 3.0 actually happening?

It feels like the reports about the mutual interest between the Cavaliers and NBA legend LeBron James are for real.

But can the Cavs actually secure a reunion with the man that delivered their first championship?

Getting James back to Cleveland will require some salary cap gymnastics from Altman. The Los Angeles Lakers and other contending teams will also likely pursue LeBron, who is still one of the best players in the sport at 41.

A farewell tour with the Cavaliers would be a storybook ending. But it also elevates the Cavaliers to even the playing field against the Knicks. LeBron would bring a championship mindset to a team that desperately needs leadership. The Cavs should aggressively pursue James as early as they’re allowed to this offseason.

Add us as a preferred source on Google