In case you missed it, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the hottest team in the Association since before Christmas.
The Wine & Gold are 21-4 since Dec. 16 and are 16-2 since the start of 2024 – the best start to a calendar year in franchise history.
Those winning marks and stats that come with it played a part in Koby Altman’s decisions at the trade deadline.
“When you hear ‘first time in franchise history,’ and ’15-1,’ and ‘best start to a calendar year,’ it does give you pause,” said Altman, speaking to the media over Zoom on Thursday afternoon.
“That’s what we’ve always set out to do, have a sustainable roster, a roster that’s well built now and into the future,” noted the Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations.
Altman mentioned the offseason acquisitions as a reason for not making a move, as Max Strus came in via a sign-and-trade, while signing Georges Niang to a contract over the summer.
“The bulk of our work was done in the offseason,” said Altman, speaking to the additions of Strus and Niang.
Strus has started and played in every game this season, averaging career-highs in minutes played (32.7), three-point attempts (7.3), rebounds (5.1), assists (3.7), and points (12.4). He has a high work-rate that pays dividends on both ends of the court.
Niang has suited up in every game this season as well and has given the Cavs a spark off the bench, shooting it at 35 percent from deep.
These two have directly impacted the way the Cavaliers play on a nightly basis, especially after the injuries to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley in mid-December.
Niang has had 14 double-figure scoring nights, with a career-high 33 against the Bucks since Dec. 16. Strus has three 20-point outings and five games of five-plus assists during that same stretch.
While the heavy lifting was done in the summer months, the development of in-house talent needs to be spoken for since the season started.
Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro, and Sam Merrill have all taken big steps forward in their career by their play on the court – especially of late.
“These are huge success stories. This will help us be sustainable into the future,” said Altman of that trio.
The undrafted Wade does not have the flashiest or most eye-catching stats on a nightly basis, but he does not need to. He is shooting a career-high from behind the arc and has played a big role in the Cavs defensive surge, showing the ability to guard various positions all over the floor.
Okoro is much like Wade – often guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player on a nightly basis while getting up some three pointers and scoring at the rim off of cuts and in transition. Okoro has held Damian Lillard, Trae Young, and Paul George to light scoring nights.
Merrill’s play this year has been the revelation. The sharpshooter burst onto the scene with back-to-back career-high scoring nights and has not looked back since, shooting over 44 percent from three with five games of five-plus made threes, and two making eight triples.
Finding minutes for all these guys on a nightly basis could consist of some juggling on coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s end.
“Right now, it helps to be winning,” said Altman. “We just got to play minutes together as a group and have continuity.
“I don’t think we’ll get to consistent minutes for Darius and Evan until after All-Star Break,” he continued. “We’ll then see a lot more consistency in rotations and minutes, and then we’ll get a little more comfortable.”
Since their returns from injury, Garland and Mobley have each played between 20-28 minutes, while each continue to ramp up playing time; DG was almost at 30 minutes in Brooklyn.
This half of the young Cavs core has a unique skillset that can seamlessly help them jump back into the starting lineup and rotation as a whole.
To go along with the three-point shooting theme, Mobley is five of his last six from deep, going a perfect 3-for-3 in San Antonio and a perfect 2-for-2 in DC.
Garland has struggled to find his shot from deep upon returning, but is still being encouraged to let it fly.
“We’ve always wanted Darius to take more threes,” said Altman of the one-time All-Star.
They can also both pass the ball, another common theme for the Cavs the past two months of play.
Mobley reminded everyone of his skill set with a career-high-tying seven assist night in the win against the Kings. Garland has recorded 4-plus in four straight, including seven against the Grizzlies last week.
When fully healthy and with minutes restrictions lifted, this iteration of the Wine & Gold is hard to scout. The Cavs have always been a tough team to score on, and have now shown they are a tough team to defend with so many ways and so many players to hurt the opposing defense.
For Altman and his front office, there were no official comings and goings, or players arriving or departing Cleveland this deadline.
That may not be his M.O. But make no mistake about it – the Cavs got better at the deadline.
The skilled roster the Cavaliers ended 2023 with and started 2024 with just ‘acquired’ two major pieces and have found a new offensive identity.
So, why stand pat at the deadline?
The additions around the core have given the front office trust, and, according to Altman, he did not want to mess up a good thing for one of the best teams in basketball.