NBA 2018/19: 3 best performing Cleveland Cavaliers players of the season so far

When LeBron James made the decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, the Cavaliers were under no illusions at how tough it would be to maintain their run of Eastern Conference Finals appearances. Nevertheless, the team acted quickly by drafting an exciting point guard in Collin Sexton, while also signing their remaining All-Star, Kevin Love to a new four-year, $120 million contract.

Despite the organisation's attempts to contend, the franchise has since abandoned this approach after making a disastrous start to the season. The Cavs started off with a 0-6 run, which resulted in the firing of head coach Tyronn Lue, and at the midway point of the season, the Cavaliers have a record of 8-34. Despite the disastrous season, a few members of the roster have performed well, and here are Cavs' best performers of the season so far.

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#3 Larry Nance Jr.

Nance Jr. arrived in Cleveland in early 2018 following a trade between the Cavs and Lakers

In a season of turmoil, Larry Nance Jr. has remained one of the most consistent performers on a struggling team. The 26-year-old has averaged 8.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, which is similar to his stat-line from the last three seasons. Nance Jr. has, however, managed to develop his shooting range, and he is currently shooting at a rate of .333 from beyond the arc.

The Cavs can rely on Nance Jr. to deliver a dedicated performance every night, although doubts still remain over the player's ability to transition into a player that can take over games on his own. Neverthless Nance Jr. has stated that he is happy with the Cavaliers despite their struggles this season, and the player looks to be one of only a few players that could stick around for the foreseeable future.

#2 Collin Sexton

Sexton looks to be a good draft pick

Collin Sexton has been impressive this season, despite the difficult circumstances surrounding his rookie year. The 20-year-old was selected by the Cavaliers with the 8th pick of the 2018 NBA draft, and the youngster has faced the extra scrutiny of being the teams first draft pick since the departure of 14-time All-Star, LeBron James.

After the point guard struggled during his first few games, some critics prematurely labelled Sexton as a bust, although he has since silenced critics, and Sexton enjoyed a particularly strong December. During a run of three games against the Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, Sexton scored at least 20 points in each game, while shooting 50 percent from the field.

For the season, Sexton is now averaging 14.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, and the young guard looks as though he will play a major part in the Cavs future.

#1 Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson in action against his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers

Jordan Clarkson was surprisingly traded by the Los Angeles Lakers last season, as Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. were traded to the Cavs in exchange for Channing Frye, Isaiah Thomas and a 2018 first-round draft pick. While Clarkson got the opportunity to play in the NBA Finals with the Cavs, Clarkson only averaged 15.1 minutes per game during Cleveland's postseason run to the Finals, and the 26-year-old looked set to leave in the summer.

Nevertheless, Clarkson is still a member of the Cavs roster, and the guards minutes per game has risen to 26.5. Clarkson's production is also at an all-time high for him, as the Cavs man is currently averaging 17.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Cleveland could still look to trade Clarkson away due to his $12.5 million contract, however, there is no doubting that the guard has increased his trade value this season.