How strong are the Cavs now?

[Karate Diop]

[code][/code]

They'll go as far as Mobley takes them

Put some RESPEK on JAFRO he's the undisputed leader of that team. Coordinates them on both ends and leads with his play, absolute monster.

Actually agree with you. JAFRO is the go. Nets never should have let him go.

100%. I get why they traded for Harden, but in hindsight with Harden being damaged goods they really lost out on that one... Don't get me wrong Ben Simmons is nice on paper, but who knows if he'll play / what he'll do, with JAFRO you know he's going to come correct nightly.

[gorz]

They went from bounce out of 1st round to now title contenders. They might have the best backcourt in all of the nba albeit very small. One of the best rising front courts in the nba. Starting 5 Talent wise on paper at least looks the best in the eastern conference not accounting for chemistry.

[michaelm]

They went from bounce out of 1st round to now title contenders. They might have the best backcourt in all of the nba albeit very small. One of the best rising front courts in the nba. Starting 5 Talent wise on paper at least looks the best in the eastern conference not accounting for chemistry.

My only reservation is actually Mitchell, whom I see as something of a chucker, and whether he can/will play winning play-off basketball. They didn’t need Markainen as well as Mobley and Allen, but I rate Sexton fairly highly.

[BostonCouchGM]

As talented as any team in the NBA now. Whether they all gel is the question. If they get the massive jump from Mobley people expect they'll have as good a chance as any team to make the Finals.

[Jabroni Lames]

All they are missing is a big wing 3&D vet, like an Otto Porter, Jae Crowder, RoCo or Batum and they’re all set.

[pingpongrac]

They went from bounce out of 1st round to now title contenders. They might have the best backcourt in all of the nba albeit very small. One of the best rising front courts in the nba. Starting 5 Talent wise on paper at least looks the best in the eastern conference not accounting for chemistry.

I think you are vastly overrating Cleveland's starting 5. Garland and Allen are one-time All-Stars and Mobley isn't guaranteed to be an All-Star level talent this season while it's a mystery who will start at the 3. Depending on who Cleveland starts at the 3 (Okoro? LeVert? Wade? Stevens?), they will likely have some spacing issues and the defence of the backcourt has the potential to cause problems (in a bad way).

Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Boston all have clearly better top options and at least comparable 2nd bananas with some very good 3rd options and/or role players to round out their starting lineups. Even a team like Toronto had 5 15+ PPG players last season (who are all in their 20s) that are two-way players while Chicago has 3 All-Star level players plus some potentional very good role players and Atlanta could also have a very good starting 5 if everything clicks.

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[Harry Garris]

that lineup is not scaring anyone

That lineup is going to be an eastern conference playoff staple for a very long time. Whether they'll be finals contenders or not depends on what Evan Mobley's ceiling as a player is. He has the talent to be one of the best players in the league. If he gets there then yeah this lineup will be more than good enough to scare some other teams.

[76ciology]

Blazers east

[76ciology]

Jarett Allen and Mobley frontcourt wont work with Mitchell. Specially with Okoro at the 3.

Mitchell run the 2 man game and the lane gets clogged with the defenders of Okoro, Mobley and JA.

[John Murdoch]

They are the new miami

[xb3at band1tx]

2nd round fodder to me but I can see them in the ECF if Don goes nuclear and some of the older teams are limping by then.

[picko]

They will be competitive with anyone in the East, although I certainly wouldn't be betting on them making a semi-final or conference final. That assessment could change though if the likes of Garland or Mobley improve considerably on last season.

I think the main thing will be keeping this core in tact and letting them develop continuity over a number of seasons. Good talent, growing together, is often a great way to enjoy sustained success.

[Papi_swav]

I'm shaking in my boots

[76ciology]

Not perfect but 538 has Mitchell projected only as borderline star

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2023-nba-player-projections/donovan-mitchell/

[SA37]

Cleveland can compete with any team in the East. They have a very good rotation of 9 players and a good mix of youth and vets. I was under the impression Cleveland wanted to trade Levert, but he'd be a great 6th man if he'd accept that role. It's a shame Cleveland couldn't have brought Bogdanovic over in the Mitchell trade since I think Cleveland needs a SF.

[Lalouie]

4>8

[SpreeS]

Mitchell is your lead scorer - that alone take out you from TOP teams conversation. Back court size could have problems defending bigger ones. Spacing with Allen/Mobley/Okoro/Lavert is terrible.

Garland 6-1/Curry 6-2/Smart 6-3
Mitchell 6-1/Klay 6-6/Brown 6-6
Rubio 6-2/Poole,DiVincenzo 6-4/White 6-4
Okoro 6-5/Moodey 6-6/Brogdon 6-5
Lavert 6-6/Wiggs 6-7/Tatum 6-8

[timO]

Fringe contender, can make ecf

[Asianiac_24]

Very scary, but I’m also very high on Mobley. IMO he’s going to be a KG level player in his prime

[tundraknight]

They’re going to be a fun team to watch with that Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, Allen core.

Biggest glaring hole as others have mentioned is SF.

Until they address and upgrade the SF position I can’t confidently put them in “contender status” yet.