Cleveland Cavaliers following a similar model as NBA champ Nuggets
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers and the rest of the NBA watched as Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets raised the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The Cavs are looking at the Nuggets as a potential model in the quest to find their own road to a championship.
Above all else, the Nuggets drafted well and allowed that talent to develop. That mainly means Jokic, who has transformed from the 41st pick of the 2014 draft into a two-time MVP and a five-time All-Star.
But it wasn't only Jokic. It was Jamal Murray in 2016. And it was Michael Porter Jr. in 2018. It's actually a list that also includes Donovan Mitchell, who was quickly dealt to the Utah Jazz.
But while the Nuggets bolstered the roster through other trades and free agent signings, that core was allowed to develop. It certainly took longer than the Nuggets would have preferred. It's also likely they don't exactly care anymore, now with a championship being celebrated in Denver.
It's that general framework on which the Cavs are counting in 2023-24. But they might not have the luxury of carrying quite as much patience. Mitchell has two guaranteed years left on his contract before a player option year. It potentially means the Cavs have one full season with Mitchell before they must at least explore options of trading him before he can leave in free agency.
But for several core pieces on the roster, it also means the front office is betting on those draft picks to continue to blossom.
"I think we've always looked at Denver as a model, even before they won the championship, because it was five years ago, after the departure of LeBron, we did different studies around the league about rebuilds and which rebuilds were successful," said Koby Altman, the Cavs' president of basketball operations. "Obviously, hitting on the draft is the most important part, and that model of drafting well, developing players and staying patient was definitely driven from the success of Denver. And to see it happen in year eight for Jokic, I'm sure for them is really gratifying."
The Cavs went to work this summer to add shooters, and largely accomplished that goal about as well as could have been reasonably hoped with the additions of Max Strus, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome (along with retaining Caris LeVert). But the Cavs are leaning heavily into the continued developments of recent draft picks, like Darius Garland and especially Evan Mobley.
The aggressive addition of Mitchell was a slight deviation from the draft-and-build model. The Cavs have to hope they timed it correctly.
But within those goals, the Cavs have balanced making the "splash" of adding Mitchell (made possible by the drafting of Collin Sexton) and allowing draftees to develop in belief that it can all align at the right moment. It's one reason why Altman has been adamant that the Cavs have no plans to break up the "core 4" of Mitchell, Garland, Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
"I think we made our splash last summer with Donovan. Like I said, we weren't going to make sweeping changes [this summer]," Altman said. "I don't think we did anything outlandish this offseason, just smart, tactical moves. And like Calvin Booth did this year with Denver, really small, tactical moves that really helped Denver with KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] signing and Bruce Brown, those were really integral to the core that they have built.
"They've had failures in the playoffs, they've had setbacks, they've had injuries and they've stayed the course. They've been really, really patient. Is that going to be our road? We'll see. But I do appreciate an ownership group that really buys into the core and gives them the patience to really grow and blossom."
It could be argued that no individual situation is more important to the Cavs' success than Mobley's potential development in his third year in the NBA. Last season, Mobley averaged 16.9 points and 9.4 rebounds on 55% shooting from the floor while leading the NBA with 4.8 Defensive Win Shares.
The Cavs have viewed Mobley as a budding superstar. They want to give him and others the time to develop, just as the Nuggets did with Jokic, Murray and Porter.
"Just looking at the comparable — and we're not saying Evan's going to be Jokic at all; Jokic is the best player in the world right now — Evan's in year three, but what does Evan look like in year five? What does he look like in year eight?" Altman said. "I'm thrilled to find out. We just all have to have the patience to go through these years and have green years doing it and enjoy the process doing it.
"And I think Denver's a great model for that."
