One NBA scout believes the Cavaliers have enough talent to win the Eastern Conference. Yes, as currently constructed.
But that doesn’t mean he looks at their roster and sees a team without flaws.
In evaluating the Cavs as they stand today, the scout pointed first to the obvious — Donovan Mitchell and James Harden give coach Kenny Atkinson two elite offensive creators, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen provide Cleveland with one of the NBA’s better defensive frontcourts.
That’s a pretty good place to start.
“They can score with anybody,” the scout told Hoops Wire. “Mitchell can take over a playoff game, Harden can run everything, and Mobley has become a guy you have to account for on both ends.”
The Cavs reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, so this isn’t exactly a theoretical contender. Still, the scout identified two areas worth watching.
The first is the wing. Cleveland continues to pursue Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson, and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said Monday that the Cavs are considered a “serious” candidate to land him.
That pursuit makes sense. The roster still could use another long, athletic defender capable of handling bigger wings, particularly in the postseason.
The other concern is age.
Harden remains an elite playmaker, but he’s entering his 18th NBA season. The Cavs need him healthy and effective when the games matter most, not merely piling up regular-season wins.
“They’re good enough,” the scout said. “The question is whether they have the right pieces around those four when you get deep into the playoffs.”
That’s really where the Cavs stand. They don’t need another star. They may need one more player who makes their stars easier to play together when May arrives.
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