Roadmap for the Cleveland Cavaliers to Get Back To NBA Playoffs

Fans in Cleveland are enjoying their NBA team these days. Well, the main reason for that is the team is not in the postseason and therefore is not playing. You have to go all the way back to 1997-98 for the team’s last playoff trip with LeBron James not present.

It has been a tough existence, and they have work to be done. Can next year be the year? It very well could, if they can make some of the following moves.

Improve At the Forward Spots

Dean Wade and Larry Nance Jr. had very good seasons last year. It was no surprise that when Larry was healthy, he was a top-notch player on both ends of the floor for the team. And Wade was a guy they could always rely on to come in and bury a high volume of threes.

The small forward spot had Isaac Okoro as a starter. He was a great defender but often did not provide scoring. His backups, Cedi Osman and Taurean Prince, did not bring value every night. Sure, they could make some threes and drive to the cup. But, the team should consider making some upgrades.

In an ideal world, they trade Kevin Love this summer for a player that can play both forward spots. In doing so, you can kill two birds with one stone.

Make Sure to Draft the Right Guy

Nobody wants to see Cleveland draft somebody short. Darius Garland and Collin Sexton have been great, but the team does need more length on the wings. 6’5 Okoro is not necessarily locked in as a starter here for the future. He will be a Cav, but the role is to be determined.

They have done a good job for three lotteries in a row, but clearly, Kevin Porter Jr.’s off-court trouble got the best of him. After a really impressive rookie campaign, he was shipped to Houston. And this season, he casually dropped 50 in a game.

Pain is the word.

If they win the lottery and get Cade Cunningham, that would be perfect. If not, just make sure not to go the Anthony Bennett route. Pick an established guy. Boom.

Commit to Sexton and Allen

Collin has improved his game every year in Cleveland. And yet, there are still fans who want him traded. Media members do not like his fit within the organization. Kyrie Irving, who wore No. 2 before Sexton, signed a 5-year extension as soon as he became eligible. The story this time will probably not be the same.

But, if the team was smart, they would give him a long-term deal sooner than later. He can fill up on points pretty much whenever he wants. He has shown promise as a young leader. So, just please pay him.

And Jarrett Allen is another guy you cannot let get away. He will expect some major Benjamins this summer, and he should get them. When you have an elite rim protector and lob threat on O, you pay him. He is a great complement to what they have going, and the fact they kind of got him for free in the James Harden trade is incredible. 

Follow these steps, and the playoffs may be within reach.