Rarely if ever has a team of Cleveland’s pedigree — three consecutive Finals appearances, one Larry O’Brien trophy in 2016 — endured so tumultuous an offseason. Kyrie Irving’s announcement that he wanted out was a broadside to rival any hitting any team since LeBron James himself left Miami in 2014 and before that, the Cavs in 2010. And that came after GM David Griffin was allowed to walk, the result of a breakdown in contract talks with owner Dan Gilbert. Still, the goals — a return to the Finals, a second ring — remain the same and few are doubting at least the first of those two.
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ICYMI
Not the sort of offseason you would have expected. It was so busy, in fact, the Cavs could have installed a revolving door in general manager David Griffin’s office. Except, oops, Griffin was the first to go, exiting when contract negotiations — over money and control — with owner Dan Gilbert broke down. … Koby Altman, who joined the organization in 2012, was the somewhat surprising replacement. … From there, it was on to a serious roster overhaul. Veteran NBA free agents Jose Calderon, Jeff Green and Derrick Rose all were added in July. … The biggest news came at the end of August when Cleveland honored All-Star guard Kyrie Irving’s trade request — yes, he wanted to leave a three-time Finals team and a teammate who happens to be LeBron James — by dealing him to Boston. The Cavs got Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, that coveted Brooklyn 2018 first-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick. There was a snag when the Cavs complained about the length of Thomas’ anticipated absence due to a hip injury, which is how that 2020 pick got added to the deal. … Frustrated after failed attempts to land Paul George or Jimmy Butler, the Cavs finally did brighten James’ offseason when they signed his buddy Dwyane Wade, fresh off waivers from Chicago, on the second day of camp workouts.
THREE POINTS
1. This might be the deepest Cavaliers team on which LeBron James ever has played. Irving’s departure cost Cleveland arguably a second Top 15 player but it started dominos falling that led to two solid five-man lineups. Now let’s see how many guys coach Tyronn Lue uses in his rotation.
2. Isaiah Thomas won’t replace Irving’s isolation theatrics, but he does pack an offensive punch all his own — and he might be only marginally worse as a defender than the Cavs’ previous point guard. The good news for Cleveland is that Thomas’ ailing hip didn’t require surgery and he might be back on the court by January, giving him and his teammates plenty of time to adjust.
3. James is on the record saying his free agency next summer won’t interfere with any team ambitions in 2017-18. That’s swell if it plays out that way, but the media won’t let the Cavaliers ignore the elephant in the room, especially if there are hiccups along the way in the team’s plans to navigate the regular season, rip through the first three rounds and then hit the Finals with momentum. Will the next nine months fly or feel like a drag? That’s Cleveland’s big question.
MAN ON THE SPOT
Koby Altman is a rookie general manager, stepping into his boss David Griffin’s shoes after the job was offered to former NBA point guard Chauncey Billups. But he hasn’t had and never will get much of a honeymoon in his position. At age 34, having joined Cleveland’s front office five years ago, Altman already has had to trade Irving and plug roster holes. He is the franchise’s fifth GM since 2005, which means he’ll also have to find a manageable working relationship with owner Dan Gilbert. And in James, Altman has to maneuver with one of the league’s savviest and outspoken players, when it comes to the title-worthiness (or not) of his roster.
STARTING FIVE
Derrick Rose | 18.0 ppg | 3.8 rpg | 4.4 apg
Gets first shot at filling void of Irving’s departure
Dwyane Wade | 18.3 ppg | 4.5 rpg | 3.8 apg
Might be best suited to a Sixth Man role
LeBron James | 26.4 ppg | 8.6 rpg | 8.7 apg
Those are MVP numbers, even if voters have grown weary
Kevin Love | 19.0 ppg | 11.1 rpg | 1.9 apg
Comparisons to Chris Bosh will be more apt than ever
Tristan Thompson | 8.1 ppg | 9.2 rpg | 1.0 apg
The blue collar worker of the bunch.
KEY RESERVES
J.R. Smith | 8.6 ppg | 2.8 rpg | 1.5 apg
Worst 3-point percentage since 2011-12; minutes set to decline
Isaiah Thomas | 28.9 ppg | 2.7 rpg | 5.9 apg
If back in January, plenty of time to prep for postseason
Jae Crowder | 13.9 ppg | 5.8 rpg | 2.2 apg
Taking him from Boston a double-whammy for playoffs
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Cavaliers had the luxury for the past two years of using the regular season as they best saw fit, confident that they would get the heavy lifting done when it counted and have the necessary edge by the postseason. That probably won’t be the case this time around, as they embrace a bevy of new faces or old faces in new places. A midseason adjustment to Thomas at point guard adds to the changes and tweaks. These guys still might feel confident they don’t need the No. 1 seed but they will be working harder through their first 82. Before, OK, earning their fourth go-around with Golden State.
Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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