Cleveland Cavaliers 2021-22 NBA season preview: Roster moves, starting lineup projection, and training camp storylines to follow
The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to add a number of lottery picks to their roster that have serious upside. It seems as if it's only a matter of time before the Cavaliers finally take a step forward in their goal towards becoming a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference. The question now is when will that next step happen?
After finishing last season with a 22-50 record, the Cleveland Cavaliers found themselves in a similar position selecting in the early portion of the NBA draft. After selecting Isaac Okoro last year with the fifth overall selection in 2020, the Cavaliers added USC big man Evan Mobley with the third pick in this year's draft. There's no debate that the Cavaliers are adding some notable talent to this roster, but can this team gel together and become a team on the rise in the NBA?
Cleveland Cavaliers' roster moves so far in the 2021-22 NBA season
The Cleveland Cavaliers went to work this offseason and the first matter of business was retaining one of their own. They agreed to an extension with big man Jarrett Allen on a five-year, $100 million contract. It was a great get for the Cavaliers after they acquired Allen as part of the James Harden trade last year. The 23-year-old big man now looks to be the man in the middle of the paint for the Cavaliers for the foreseeable future.
The Cavaliers weren't done adding to their frontcourt. They went on to make an eye-opening move, acquiring Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls in a three-team trade.
ESPN Sources: Cleveland’s acquiring Chicago’s Lauri Markkanen in three-way sign and trade with Portland. Bulls get Derrick Jones Jr., POR’s lottery protected future 1st and Cavs’ future second-rounder. POR gets Larry Nance Jr. twitter.com/wojespn/status…
Not only did the Cavaliers take a swing with the acquisition of Markkanen, but they also agreed to a four-year, $67 million extension with the 24-year-old. Once viewed as a talented big man on the rise, Markkanen looks like a potential player who could thrive in a new situation. With Kevin Love still on the roster, and with the team investing the third pick in Evan Mobley, Cleveland will have to figure out the rotation with a suddenly "crowded" frontcourt.
Another underrated move by the Cavaliers this offseason was the acquisition of veteran guard Ricky Rubio. Known as of late for his mentor role with young guards, Rubio should do wonders for the development of both Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. The Cavaliers haven't lost a lot of pieces this offseason except for Larry Nance Jr., who was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Markkanen deal.
Important storylines for Cleveland Cavaliers' training camp
#1 What will the frontcourt rotation look like?
There's a lot to discuss when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt this year. After securing Jarrett Allen with an extension and drafting Evan Mobley, it looked as if the Cavaliers had some solid depth inside. That included veteran Kevin Love, who remains with the Cavaliers for now. The Cavaliers then went out and made the trade to acquire power forward Lauri Markkanen. Suddenly, the Cavaliers have a bit of a logjam down low. The Cavaliers will need to have a plan in place and they don't want to get too experimental when it comes to who they will play together. One thing is for sure, Jarrett Allen looks like he will have the starting job at center for the foreseeable future. After that, there's a lot of questions when it comes to who will play minutes alongside Allen.
#2 Will the backcourt take another step forward?
After an offseason in which Collin Sexton was a popular name amid trade rumors, it looks as if the Cleveland Cavaliers will give their talented backcourt duo another season to play together. Sexton is up for an extension and it remains to be seen if the Cavs will invest in Sexton for the future. For now, we know what the Cavaliers have. They have a potential rising star running the point in Darius Garland. After an impressive second year in the league, Garland looks poised to breakout this year. If the two can continue to show signs of coexisting, then Cleveland could be in a position to secure Sexton with an extension.
#3 Does Cleveland stress patience with Evan Mobley?
It's easy to get overly excited about a top three selection in the NBA draft. That's exactly what's going to happen when it comes to rookie big man Evan Mobley. The harsh reality is that the Cavaliers are now in a position in which they don't need to rush the recently turned 20-year-old. With some serious depth in the frontcourt, the Cavaliers might be smart to allow Mobley to build some confidence before they try to play him a major amount of minutes. Mobley has the potential to be a serious defensive weapon in the NBA, but his offensive game is going to need some polishing. For a young player transitioning to one of the most difficult positions in the NBA, it would be smart for the Cavaliers to stress patience.
Predicted starting lineup for the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into 2021-22 NBA season
Expect the Cavaliers backcourt to feature Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. If the Cavaliers aren't sold on Sexton, they could look to try to move him again as the trade deadline gets closer. Second-year wing Isaac Okoro should be in for a potential breakout year as well. Evan Mobley gets the nod at power forward for now, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he comes off the bench to start the year.
Point Guard - Darius Garland | Shooting Guard - Collin Sexton | Small Forward - Isaac Okoro | Power Forward - Evan Mobley | Center - Jarrett Allen