2023-24 Cleveland Cavaliers season primer
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Donovan Mitchell, don't go! Photo: Cole Burston/Getty Images
Get ready to sit back, relax and — in the immortal words of play-by-play announcer John Michael — "crack open your favorite beverage," because it's time for another season of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball.
Driving the news: The Cavs begin a pivotal 2023-24 season tonight in Brooklyn against the Nets, with a beefed-up roster that supplements a maturing young core with lethal long-range shooters.
Yes, but: The specter of superstar guard Donovan Mitchell's departure via trade or free agency, hinted at all offseason by NBA pundits, pressurizes the season.
Why it matters: Mitchell may want to play elsewhere regardless — at media day he said it's a conversation for the end of the season — but a dominant regular season and a deep playoff run is the best pitch for Mitchell to stick around.
Projected starters: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen.
- Of note: As of Tuesday, Allen had not practiced with the team due to a bone bruise suffered early in the preseason. He's questionable for tonight's game.
Key reserves: Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang, Dean Wade, Damian Jones.
Of note: Strus and Niang were the Cavs marquee offseason acquisitions. Both are three-point marksmen who give head coach J.B. Bickerstaff lineup flexibility.
By the numbers: FanDuel's over/under win total for the Cavs is 50.5, projecting them almost precisely where they finished last year (51-31), good for fourth in the Eastern Conference.
The big picture: The top of the East markedly improved with the additions of Damian Lillard on the Milwaukee Bucks and Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday on the Boston Celtics.
- But with chaos in Philadelphia, the three-seed is there for the snatching, and the Cavs backcourt's offensive firepower coupled with their front court's defensive prowess puts them in prime position.
The intrigue: The Cavs recently unveiled their red "city edition" uniforms, featuring gold trim modeled after Playhouse Square's carpeting.
- They will wear them for six home games this year, the first on Nov. 17.
💭 Sam's thought bubble: Initial impressions are that these are ghastly.