Cavs should have been in the Finals this year. In 4 meetings vs Knicks they won by 20 plus points this year per gm .
The reason Cle lost is bc in Playoff basketball teams target Darius Garland, DG... His defense is abysmal, especially in playoffs & his offense has not made up for it.
The other issue is Jarret Allen seems to get bullied in playoffs. Hes such a nice guy & you rarely see that aggression that you need to win in the playoffs.
The way Cle is constructed w 4 near max players has now put them in 2nd apron which is a death penalty. Ask PHX suns... Mil... Bos...
If Cle got to the finals & took it to 6 or 7 gms, there could be argument to run it back.
Definition of insanity is doing same thing over & over again & expecting different. Results.
All those who say that look Boston kept its core together. No they kept there 2 best players, and it took several years to find combination to get the title.
They traded the heart & soul of their team in M Smart which was unthinkable at the time bc of dopty.. and just the vocal leader & heart & soul of team.
Cle 2x best players are Mobley & Mitchell. There's a reason Blazers never got to finals w 2x small lineup. Defense wins championships.
Why you think Kenny had to play so much zone vs Indiana? Bc DG was being targeted everytime on Def, often he would get in early foul trouble & just was being bullied all over the court. This aint 1st time thos happened in playoffs. Knicks, bullied J Allen & Mobley & DG, and Celtics famously bullied DG. I can still see the 2x small taunt to this day.
Donovan Mitchell is a 6 4 small guard but he's got a 6 11 wingspan.. And he bulked up & cant be punked.
DG is like AI, 170lb and he just gets bullied in the playoffs.
So the 1st trade involves sending DG to the magic & this is a win win for both squads.
Magic could desperately use DG in there system. There would be 1 small guard rather than 2 on both teams. Banchero is a beast & watch out if DG goes to Magic as he will be able to facilitate for Wagner & Banchero, & Orlando will have a young floor general. Orlando bets the 2x All Star bulks up & front office buys fact he was injured in playoffs.
Cavs this trade is 2 fold. 1x is getting under 2nd apron goal. But most importantly is getting bigger defensively at the PG & SG.
Getting 23 yr old Suggs at 35mil a year, over 5yrs the contract goes down to 26mil a year in year 4 and 5. It's front loaded which is genius by the magic. Anyways if im koby Altman im not trading DG to Magic unless I get BOTH Suggs & A Black. Orlando is getting the best player & a 2x all Star facilitator which is exactly what its team needs.
A Black just turned 21 and is a 6 7 pg w 6 11 wingspan with huge upside. Hes taken steps & improved each year & he would be my ty jerome replacement on a rookie deal.
Suggs is 6 5 and an all nba level defender. He needs to improve his 3pt shot but his defense is his calling card.
Suggs & Mitchell backcourt is 1000x better defensively, w A Black developing as backup PG, this kid can be a star in a few years. I believe in A Black & if im koby Altman he MUST be included in any trade. If he's not included i would expect 2x 1st rd picks, Pick 25 upcoming draft, Orlando also got pick 17(cle trying to shed $ will take 25) & a black rather than a fut lotto protected top 10 pick in 2026.
So now Cle replaced Ty Jerome, & got all nba Defender in Jalen Suggs & has moved on from Garland. Side note Mobley went 3, Suggs went 5. Raptors shocked every1 & took Barnes 4.
Now Cle needs to move J Allen, LA Lakers make too much sense.
Rui Hachamuri, D knecht, 2030 1st rd swap, 2031 unprotected 1st will get the job done.
Cle now needs to find a big, though going forward Mobley is moving to the 5 to unlock the offense. Hachamuri is a stretch 4, and d hunter can play stretch 4 too.
Playing Mobley at the 5 unlocks spacing for mitchell & rest of team bc Mobley can shoot 3s. Mobley has bulked up & is ready to bang w 5s.
Now finally cle targets Dal mavs big Daniel Gafford on his expiring deal to come in & play backup 5. Cle also would have pick 25, and 2x 2nd rd picks to address Bigs.
Cle FO great at finding bigs. Isiah Hartenstein, ex cav.. Luke kornet, ex cav ...
Love Cle getting gafford, they move 2x young guys in Jaylen Tyson who i like, & I Okoro, to go get Gafford. Dallas has too many bigs, w AD, Lively, & adding Cooper Flagg, Gafford prob aint getting extended in Dallas & Cle can find its JA alternative at a much cheaper price.
Other players Cavs could target to get toughness, Det Pistons Isiah Stewart. Prob over JB Bickerstaffs dead body but ya never know. Pick 25 this draft could find a big & also got 2x 2nds to find a big & backup big.
MOST IMPORTANTLY after all that, Cle is UNDER the 2nd apron. The timeline is there & they added depth & defense to take that next step to a title.
Mobley at the 5 unlocks 🔑 everything!!!
Cle lineups
J Suggs
D Mitchell
M Struss
R Hachamuri
E Mobley
Backups
A Black
D Knecht
D Hunter
D Gafford / Pick 25
D Gafford / Pick 25
Also note cle has picked up rd1 pick 25 in upcoming draft this year.
They have picked up a 2030 swap w LA, and got Lakers 2031 unprotected pick which is very valuable going forward.
Most importantly above all else, Cle is under the 2nd Apron.
This is how Cle wins a title going forward.
Thoughts?