{"id":78828,"date":"2024-05-26T02:45:17","date_gmt":"2024-05-26T06:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=78828"},"modified":"2024-05-26T02:45:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-26T06:45:17","slug":"cavs-does-plan-keep-backcourt-duo-together-make-sense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/26\/cavs-does-plan-keep-backcourt-duo-together-make-sense\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Cavs\u2019 Plan to Keep Backcourt Duo Together Make Sense?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Cleveland Cavaliers haven\u2019t had this much drama since LeBron James<\/a> was in town.<\/p>\n

Losing steam throughout 2023-24, their season was punctuated by bitter defeat. Firing culture-builder J.B. Bickerstaff soon after, the Cavs\u2019 primary offseason task is now finding a head coach who\u2019s better at player development<\/a>. However, Bickerstaff\u2019s coaching was only one of Cleveland\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n

The Cavs are also considering parting ways<\/a> with Jarrett Allen<\/a> after he refused to play through injury are understandable. A team that\u2019s known to lack toughness, Allen\u2019s unwillingness to sacrifice for his teammates may have closed the door on his future in Ohio. That said, Allen\u2019s fit alongside Evan Mobley<\/a> has also been a matter of debate due to a small but significant overlap in their offensive strengths.<\/p>\n

This is a problem that extends to their backcourt as well. Two star guards who are at their best with the ball in their hands, the\u00a0backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell<\/a> and Darius Garland<\/a> has been a mixed bag. Their first season together went swimmingly, but in 2023-24, they were like a fish out of water. Complicating matters are rumors that Garland will request a trade<\/a> if Mitchell stays.<\/p>\n

Yet, when asked by reporters whether he envisions Cleveland Cavaliers breaking up the duo, Cavs general manager Koby Altman responded in the negative:<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see why we should<\/a>,\u201d he says (h\/t Cleveland Magazine\u2019s Danny Cunningham).<\/p>\n

Does Cavs\u2019 Plan to Keep Backcourt Duo Together Make Sense?<\/h2>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s way more data that speaks to it works than doesn\u2019t,\u201d Altman begins, explaining why concerns about the pairing are \u201coverblown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last two years combined \u2014because they\u2019ve been together two years \u2014there\u2019s a lot of data we can look at, right? Over the last two years, including the playoffs, they\u2019re a net positive +5.0 together on the floor,\u201d Altman says.<\/p>\n

\n

Koby Altman was asked about Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell fit together.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s way more data that speaks to it works than doesn\u2019t [\u2026] The other thing we have to realize is that this is just Year 2\u201d pic.twitter.com\/lrUnskMnve<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00b9\u2070 (@HoodiGarland) May 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n