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The Cleveland Cavaliers' 2020/21 campaign has been a shipwreck so far, eventually resulting in elimination from playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. The 2016 champions are currently 14th in the East and have a dismal 21-44 record. The team clearly has some glaring issues to address, and without further ado, let's look at a few of them.
2020-21 NBA season: How the Cleveland Cavaliers can come back stronger next year
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a young and talented roster featuring the likes of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. However, the talent on the court has not translated to results, as the team finds itself languishing in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference.
On that note, here are five issues the Cleveland Cavaliers should address going into the 2021/22 season:
#5- Their stagnant offense
The Cleveland Cavaliers offense has been extremely underwhelming this season, registering a poor rating of 106.1, the third-worst mark in the league. They also rank dead-last in points scored per game, with an average of 104.1.
With the exception of Darius Garland and Sexton, no other Cleveland Cavaliers player is adept at creating shots for himself or his teammates. The Cavaliers top brass will have to address this problem quite earnestly, or things could look quite ugly for the franchise over the next few years.
#4- Improve their scoring strategy
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team that doesn't attempt a lot of 3-pointers. They rely on shots around the rim, but it is a strategy that has not worked for coach JB Bickerstaff and his team. They rank second in attempts at the rim, but shoot them at just 56.4%, one of the worst marks in the NBA this year.
The guard duo of Garland and Sexton are both below average in three-point shooting attempts for their position. Only three players - Taurean Prince, Dylan Windler and Cedi Osman - are taking three-pointers above the league average, which is a concerning sign. The NBA is moving to a more perimeter-based approach, something the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to inculcate in their offense sooner or later.
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#3- Trade/release Kevin Love
Veteran power forward Kevin Love signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, and it is safe to say his impact has been nowhere near the guaranteed money he is making. An injury-prone player who is in the twilight of his career, Love has averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds on 39% shooting from the field.
These numbers might look good for a fringe player, but for a star making $31,300,000 next season, they're not nearly good enough. The Cleveland Cavaliers need to find a new destination for Love as a priority in their basketball operations.
#2- Regain their defensive identity
In the initial stages of the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the no.1 defense in the league in terms of ratings. Their offense wasn't clicking, but the defense held its fort and ensured that the team could grind out results.
Fast forward to May and the Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves in the 25th spot, amongst the worst defensive teams in the NBA. Their defense has gone from solid to fragile and this is another area the coaching staff will have to look at going into next year.
#1- Nurture their young players better
As mentioned before, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a decent core of young players - Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Cedi Osman and Jarrett Allen. All of them have warranted some high praise in their relatively young careers. These four players have the potential to be difference-makers for the franchise in the long term.
They had another gem in Kevin Porter Jr. but had to let him go because of disciplinary issues. Still, the Cavs have four youngsters who play different positions, but they will have to nurture them more carefully if the team wants long-term success.
Guess the Lakers players!
