“They haven't made the playoffs without LeBron since 1998”- NBA analyst on Cleveland's roster's talent, calls their playoff contention without LeBron James intriguing
Since pulling off a blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, the Cleveland Cavaliers have become one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. They were already on the rise following an impressive last season, but the addition of Mitchell has taken expectations off the roof.
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With the addition of the All-Star guard, the Cavs roster is stacked. Along with the backcourt of Darius Garland and Mitchell, they still have promising players in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Despite still being a younger team, they are viewed as a darkhorse team to be a threat in the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland has only been relevant during the time LeBron James was on the roster. For the first time in nearly two decades, they have put together a contending group without the services of the All-Star forward. During a recent episode of the "The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst opened up on the new era of the Cavaliers:
"They haven't made the playoffs without LeBron since 1998. The idea that they're gonna have a team that is competitive without LeBron James is something that nobody who's younger than 48 can possibly remember."
Can the Cleveland Cavaliers be a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference?
The Cleveland Cavaliers have some stiff competition coming their way, but they have the pieces to make some noise in the East.
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For starters, they now have legitimate star power. Darius Garland burst onto the scene last season and will now be flanked by Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. As far as offensive guard duos go, they are up their among the best.
Another thing the Cavaliers have going for them is that they can get it done on both ends of the floor. While the guards are doing their thing on offense, Issac Okoro, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen can anchor the defense. Their frontcourt size will also help them against teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
Depth is another factor that the Cleveland Cavaliers have going for them. On top of their impressive starting lineup, they have multiple depth pieces off the bench. Kevin Love got a second wind as the team's sixth man last season. Caris LeVert is capable of being a microwave scorer for the second unit.
The Eastern Conference is already expected to be tough this season. The Cavaliers just threw their hat in the mix. Inexperience might be a factor at times. But the Cavs have the talent to hang around with Milwaukee, the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia and the Miami Heat.