The Cleveland Cavaliers waited 46 years until 2016 to win their first NBA Championship.
That 2016 championship over the 73-9 Golden State Warriors was the franchise’s top highlight, but it’s fair to say that things haven’t gone to plan for them since that, hopes of building on success have been quickly dashed.
It all began when LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, a move that left a huge hole in the Cavs team. With LeBron being their centerpiece and running their offense, the Cavs had no choice but to rebuild.
Thus far even with young players Colin Sexton, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman surrounding former all-stars Kevin Love and Andre Drummond, Cleveland’s rebuild has struggled to get off the ground, players have not looked right and the team has no identity at all.
The Pressure on Okoro to Shine
However, things may look a little different when the 2020-21 season begins, and it is all down to the arrival of one player. With the fifth pick in the 2020 draft, Cleveland chose Isaac Okoro after bigger names such as the multi-talented Anthony Edwards, big man James Wiseman and flashy point guard LaMelo Ball.
Okoro looks to be a player who might be the perfect piece for this franchise and one they can build around Karl Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.
When Okoro was taken with the fifth pick of the draft, he instantly became the main piece in the Cavs rebuild, but that isn’t a bad thing for the team.
In terms of quality, he certainly has enough to be the star man on this team, both now and in the future. On top of that, he has the defensive ability to build the team around him. He can act as a foundation piece, with others working off him to create and give the Cavs an attack.
There is no doubt that Okoro is an athlete, and this combined with his 6’9 wingspan is going to make him a credible defensive option from game one.
He will need time to learn how the NBA works, but his tools can ensure he makes an impact straight from the first tip off.
A New Balance to the Team
Perhaps the biggest reason why Okoro made a ton of sense on draft day, and why he will in the future, is because of the balance he adds to this team.
The Cavs have Darius Garland and Sexton together on the floor. There are many that believe this doesn’t work, as they both have defensive gaps in their game.
However, adding Okoro in behind them gives them a little more freedom, giving a far greater chance for this to work. Potentially, the addition of Okoro to the starting line up means that Cleveland can keep the Garland/Sexton duo on the court together while also not giving up too much defensively.
Of course, this is not guaranteed to work, but if it does, Cleveland suddenly gets a lot better.
What to Expect From the Cavs This Season?
Although Okoro is going to play this season, his impact on the team is expected to be minimal. Yes he will play well, and have an impact that could go as far as winning games for them.
But don’t expect this too often. Remember we are talking about a 19 year old, those betting on the Cavs should wait a while.
The NBA is an incredibly popular betting league, so people will be looking at the Cavs and thinking about backing them with a bookmaker. Bet365 or Paddy Power are the most trustworthy bookmakers out there, but there are many others to choose from, for those who want to bet.
There will be a time when the Cavs are a feasible option for gamblers, that is certainly the hope of their fans. However, this is not something that will happen overnight.
Yes, the Cavs will be better and hopefully win more games next year, but another NBA Championship still remains a long way off.
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