With the NBA season on the horizon, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to defend their title come opening night. With star point guard Kyrie Irving, big men Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson and the best player in the world Lebron James on their roster, the Cavaliers will have a great chance of getting back to the NBA Finals. However, despite their star power, they have a very short bench. The Cleveland bench is a noticeable flaw, and that flaw makes them beatable.
What Cleveland Cavaliers have Lost
This offseason, the Cavaliers lost two key reserves in free agency. With point guard Matthew Dellavedova and center Timofey Mozgov bolting Cleveland, the Cavaliers are faced with a glaring issue; they have very little depth. Although they both played limited minutes in the NBA Finals, Dellavedova and Mozgov were key components to Cleveland’s success last season.
Dellavedova is known for being a gritty player. He’s one of the more aggressive on-ball defenders in the league, and is a very good shooter from the outside. While not a star, he was arguably the Cavaliers’ most important reserve over the past two years; he will be missed, as will Mozgov.
While not a top ten center, Mozgov was a solid contributor for the Cleveland. His defensive play, his ability to clog up the middle, and his ability to finish inside were very valuable skill sets for this team the last two years. While Mozgov did end up losing his starting job midseason in favor of Tristan Thompson, his presence will be missed. Another factor to consider is the potential loss of shooting guard J.R.Smith.
The J.R. Smith Dilemma
Currently, Cleveland shooting guard J.R. Smith remains an unrestricted free agent. Smith started at shooting guard for Cleveland last season, and was a crucial part of their championship run. He’s an explosive player. He is a high flyer who can attack the basket, and is also a perimeter threat. Smith and the Cavaliers have been at odds when it comes to contract talks. He wants to get the big contract he feels that he deserves, but the Cavaliers feel he’s unworthy of such a deal. Who’s right in this scenario? It’s hard to tell, but it’s clear that the Cavaliers need him more than he needs them. If Smith doesn’t re-sign with them, the Cavaliers are looking at a very weak bench, especially in their backcourt.
The Cavaliers currently have Kyrie Irving and inconsistent swingman Iman Shumpert in their starting backcourt. On their bench, they have guards Toney Douglas and Jordan McRae. Their backcourt depth is very weak. If the Cavaliers and Smith can’t reach a deal, then the Eastern Conference may become wide open.
With the Cavs’ Lack of Depth, the East is Wide Open
The Clevaland Cavaliers are the team to beat in the East, but their lack of depth makes them vulnerable. With the departures of Dellavedova and Mozgov, the Cavaliers’ depth has taken a big hit; they are also faced with the potential departure of Smith, who remains unsigned after three months. While they do have forward Channing Frye and recently acquired forward Mike Dunleavy Jr., the Cavaliers’ bench is full of players who are out of their primes, or unproven. With veteran forwards Richard Jefferson and James Jones, along with backup center Chris Anderson, Cleveland does have experienced veterans, but these players are on the brink of retirement. Their veteran bench doesn’t guarantee anything. This Cleveland Cavaliers team is the team to beat in the East, but their lack of depth is frightening, and makes them beatable.
