1 Reason Cleveland Cavaliers, perhaps foolishly, have refused to reshuffle core

After inching by the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in a seven-game battle, and then eventually losing to the Boston Celtics in the second round, it became clear that the Cleveland Cavaliers needed some sort of upgrade this offseason. Through the first month of the offseason, the Cavs have not made many changes. Aside from hiring a new head coach, the only other moves the Cavs have made revolve around signing Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen to long-term contracts.

Not to downplay any of those moves, because they are important to their future, but the Cavs have done little to upgrade a roster that wasn’t good enough to make much noise in the NBA Playoffs last season. To think the Cavs would be able to emerge as a real threat in an improved Eastern Conference could be considered a foolish way of thinking.

Nevertheless, it appears to be what’s happening with the Cavs. According to a recent report, at least one part of the Cavs’ decision to keep their core together centers on their belief in new head coach Kenny Atkinson. Part of the hiring process with Atkinson revolved around him selling the Cavs on getting the most out of the established core.

Can “the others” step up in a big way as supporting stars next to Donovan Mitchell?

While that may not be a terrible idea or thought process, I’m not sure if it’s something that will end up working out for the Cavs in the long run. But I suppose the Cavs have to trust Atkinson at this point. If they believe Atkinson is going to be able to take the core to new lengths, it would be foolish to not trust his vision for the team.

At the start of the offseason, there was some belief that the Cavs could potentially shake up their core in a way that would fit the Mitchell build better, especially now that he’s signed a long-term extension with the team. At the heart of those whispers was Darius Garland, who at times was an odd fit next to Mitchell.

However, the Cavs don’t seem to be ready to move in that direction. Will that end up being a mistake remains to be seen. At worst, though, the Cavs have a young enough core that they could always pivot in the future. It’s something to keep an eye on as the Cavs