The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team on the rise. While they fell short in the NBA Play-In Tournament against the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks, this is a team that is heading in the right direction.
The Cavaliers have an excellent young core with All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. They have another lottery pick in Isaac Okoro and Lauri Markkanen was signed during free agency in 2021.
This is a team whose success is predicated on their defense, which is why they struggled once Allen went down with an injury. Already combating devastating injuries in their backcourt to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, Allen’s was too much to overcome.
Rubio was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Caris LeVert and Sexton is a restricted free agent, so they could be looking for some help in the backcourt. Acquiring a reliable guard is near the top of their to-do list as well.
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One name to keep an eye on is Mike Conley Jr. of the Utah Jazz. Cavaliers beat writer Chris Fedor, on a recent episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, discussed the possibility of landing Conley, who would bring a lot of the same qualities to the table that Rubio did but with a little more of a scoring punch and better 3-point shooting.
“There’s another name, too, since they need a reliable backup point guard that can start, and I’ve heard this name with the Cavaliers as well. My sources tell me JB Bickerstaff would love to coach him again, Mike Conley. If Utah decides to move him in an effort to put the right pieces around Donovan Mitchell and shake up that roster. Conley for somebody like Caris LeVert is something I think the Cavs would consider.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Cavaliers-Pelicans Trade Sends Intriguing Guard To Cleveland
The relationship between players and coaches is important and Conley seems to already have a good one with Bickerstaff. That would make the adjustment period much easier, especially if Conley is asked to come off the bench for the Cavaliers.
It would be the first time probably in his basketball life that Conley would be asked to lead the second unit full time. He has started 922 out of the 958 games that he has played in the NBA and hasn’t come off the bench since his second season in the league.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Cavaliers-Pelicans Trade Sends Intriguing Guard To Cleveland
The Caris LeVert acquisition hasn’t been as impactful as the Cleveland Cavaliers had hoped it would be, so it would not be surprising if they looked into shaking things up a little more. The Utah Jazz could overhaul its roster this offseason and if that occurs, Cleveland is in a position to take advantage.
