The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the upswing four years after LeBron James left town, but there is still a long way for them to go before they can be considered championship contenders again.
They finished seventh in the Eastern Conference, narrowly missing out on making the playoffs outright, and they blew a shot at winning the play-in tournament by blowing a sizable lead in the second game versus the Atlanta Hawks.
With Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and potentially Collin Sexton (if the team re-signs him), the Cavs have three legitimate franchise pillars to build a winner around.
But if they want to be bold rather than patient, they may be two players they can go after this offseason in order to join the ranks of the elite in the Eastern Conference.
Bradley Beal
Beal is one of the better shooting guards in the NBA, and he has been named to the All-Star team in three of the last five seasons.
But he has been stuck on a mediocre Washington Wizards team during that time, and with a player option for next season, there has been speculation that Beal may leave the nation’s capital or at least be open to doing so.
If Beal does leave, there will be plenty of suitors for him, such as the Miami Heat, who have been linked to Beal the last couple of years and already have a team that is close to championship-caliber.
If he enters the market, either as a free agent or via trade, the Cavs should at least try to get involved.
Beal can score, and he boasts a 22.1 points per game career average, which includes two seasons at above 30 points a game in 2020 and 2021.
But he has also become a strong facilitator, as evidenced by his 6.6 assists per game this season, and he could therefore take some pressure off Garland.
Cleveland was just 20th in offensive efficiency, 25th in points per game and 26th in pace, and improving those numbers is absolutely vital if it hopes to become anything approaching a title contender.
Zach LaVine
This may not seem realistic, but if it ever were to happen, it would make the Cavs a dangerous squad, especially on the offensive end.
LaVine is one of the game’s more exciting players, but he is also an effective player.
Zach LaVine went off again last night 😤 44 points against the Cavs. Look at his production and he’s clearly an All-Star, but do the eye test on his game and it’s easy to tell he should be a LOCK for it. Such a pure talent. (🎥 @nba) pic.twitter.com/IAGwptlpbf
— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) January 26, 2020
This season, he averaged 24.4 points on 47.6 percent overall shooting and 38.9 percent shooting from 3-point range for the Chicago Bulls
LaVine’s outside shooting in particular would help a Cavs team that ranked 15th in 3-point shooting accuracy, especially since he is a high-volume 3-point shooter (he attempted 7.1 such shots a game this year).
He will be a free agent this summer, and there are rumors that he may leave Chicago.
LaVine would be a huge shot in the arm for the Cavs’ offense, not just in terms of production but also in terms of pace, as he is a fast-break player and a tremendous finisher in transition.
Both LaVine and Beal would cost the Cavs a lot in a potential trade, but the huge contract of Kevin Love would greatly help match salaries if the Wizards or Bulls would accept him in return.
Another option would be a sign-and-trade involving Sexton, who is very young and seems to still have plenty of upside.
Bleacher Report Mock Trade 🔁
Cavs Receive: Bradley Beal
Wizards Receive: Sexton, Markkanen, Pick #14
Yes or no? #LetEmKnow
— The Cleveland Pulse (@PulseCleveland) May 18, 2022
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