Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineup
- Eastern Central
- Stadium
- Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has a big decision looming this offseason and it will potentially force a couple of decisions from the Cavaliers' front office at the same time. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said that Mitchell knows he needs to make a decision and both he and his agent will meet with the team "at the right time." There isn't any word on when that time maybe, but he's eligible to sign an extension worth up to $209 million for four years. Reports say that if Mitchell decides to stay, then Darius Garland and his agents will request a trade and the Cavaliers will need to scramble to find the right supporting cast for Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley is entering the final year of his rookie contract next season and it looks like the team is more than happy with his growth so far. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Cavs are likely to offer Mobley a rookie scale max extension this offseason. Unfortunately, he was hit by the injury bug this past season, but still averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game with shooting splits of .580/.373/.719. The 22-year-old was one of the team's best players this postseason outside of Donovan Mitchell, and their offseason seems like it could bring a shakeup to surround their core with more talent.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland struggled in Wednesday's loss to Boston. Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (rib) weren't available for Game 4 on Monday, resulting in Garland dropping 30 points. However, despite the pair being out again, he took a step back in Game 5, amassing 11 points and shooting 4-for-17 from the field. While Garland added nine assists and two steals, DFS participants expected more. The 24-year-old finished the regular season by averaging 18.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.7 boards, a drop from the 2022-23 campaign. Nonetheless, with Mitchell potentially on the move, Garland may become the No. 1 option for the offense next season. Of course, he'll need to stay healthy for a potential increase in production to make a difference for fantasy managers.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley finished with a game-high 33 points in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. He added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. With Jarrett Allen (rib) and Donovan Mitchell (calf) both sidelined, Mobley stepped up to deliver his best game of the postseason. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the Cavs' loss on Wednesday meant an end to their playoff run. The 22-year-old ended the regular season by averaging 15.7 points, 1.4 blocks, and a career-high 9.4 rebounds. However, he was limited to just 50 games due to various injuries. Without question, Mobley has plenty of untapped potential, so he'll remain a hot commodity for fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 campaign. He needs to get more consistent on the scoring end. But that should come in time.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Craig Porter Jr. (ankle) will remain on the shelf Wednesday versus Boston. He has been downgraded from doubtful to out. After featuring in 51 games during the regular season, Porter Jr. has not seen any action in the playoffs due to a sprained left ankle. With Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Caris LeVert (knee) also out, Darius Garland and Max Strus are set to carry huge workloads on the Cavaliers' backcourt Wednesday as the team tries to stave off elimination.