NBA Notes: Cavs, Donovan Mitchell, Lakers, Bulls, Zach LaVine

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are knocking on the door, but can they kick it down? That’s the question after two straight playoff appearances, capped off by a second-round exit to the eventual champion Celtics.

Yes, Cleveland has won 99 regular-season games over the past two years, but this is a team that’s been built to do more. In theory, anyway. So, when last season ended, whispers began. Would the Cavaliers break up the core? Would they move on from Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, or Jarrett Allen?

Well, no. Instead, the Cavs doubled down. They extended Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen, re-signed Isaac Okoro, and made one major change — replacing coach J.B. Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson. In other words, the Cavs aren’t retooling. They’re regrouping.

Mitchell is confident, too. He’s been around long enough to know when a team is close, and he believes this one is.

“There’s always another level,” Mitchell told David Aldridge of The Athletic. “You feel that, and going against them [Boston], you definitely walk off the floor feeling like, all right, they’re great. But I don’t think we’re far away.”

So, here they are — seemingly ripe with talent, committed to the core, and determined to take the next step. But in an Eastern Conference with juggernauts like Boston and Milwaukee standing in the way, it’s going to take more than just internal growth.

The Cavaliers need to show they can handle the pressure when it matters most. Otherwise, they could find themselves stuck in the same spot — good, but not great. And in Cleveland, that’s just not enough.

Lakers

Jarred Vanderbilt may not see the court this preseason, but the Lakers are crossing their fingers he’ll be ready when the regular season tips off on October 22. After undergoing surgery on both feet in May, the team’s being careful with the defensive stopper, easing him back in to make sure he’s right for when the games count. So far, so good—no setbacks, but no contact work either. Lakers coach J.J. Redick is hopeful, but still cautious.

“He’s following our ramp-up protocol,” Redick told reporters. “He hasn’t done any contact work. He’s been out of non-contact practice too, but we’re still targeting the start of the season. No setbacks so far, so we’re on target.”

Vanderbilt was a game-changer for the Lakers after being acquired from Utah at the trade deadline last season. He immediately stepped into the starting lineup and played a key role as the Lakers made their run to the Western Conference Finals. Injuries limited him to 29 games last year, and his return could be a major boost as Redick looks to put his stamp on the team’s defense.

“We’ve had some fun with one of our zones,” Redick said. “We haven’t practiced it, but we’ve used it in a game a couple times. We have another version of a zone that features [Vanderbilt]. I’m looking forward to experimenting with that. Probably won’t get to in the preseason.”

If Vanderbilt is ready by opening night, he could be a key piece in Redick’s new-look defense, giving the Lakers the kind of versatility they need to lock down opponents. But until then, the Lakers are taking no chances, hoping Vanderbilt is fully healthy and ready to roll when the real season begins.

Bulls

For the first time in a while, Zach LaVine gave a strong showing and offered reasons to believe that perhaps, yes, he can be an All-Star. Of course, it did happen during a preseason game.

Will this make the situation better, given that the Bulls have been trying to trade LaVine — but to no avail? We take an in-depth look right here.