Cleveland Cavaliers Receive Surprising Expectations For 2024-25

Most are dismissing the Cleveland Cavaliers as a legitimate threat for next season, but there are a select few who have hefty expectations for the club.

Nov 5, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts with teammates guard Caris LeVert (3) and center Evan Mobley (4) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Josefczyk-USA TODAY Sports / Aaron Josefczyk-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most silent teams in the NBA this offseason, as they have not signed a free agent and haven't made any trades.

They did, however, sign Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension, and they swapped out J.B. Bickerstaff for Kenny Atkinson at head coach.

The continuity that the Cavaliers seem to be forming with their "core four" of Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is certainly something to monitor, and it could ultimately result in Cleveland having a better season next year.

As a matter of fact, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale is expecting big things from the Cavs during the 2024-25 campaign, suggesting that 50 wins "should be the expectation" for the Cavaliers.

Favale notes that Cleveland's big four only played 28 games together last season, which was certainly a major contributing factor to the club only going 48-34. He also mentions that the aforementioned quartet outscored opponents by over 10 points per 100 possessions in 2022-23.

He adds that the Cavs could be "a sleeping giant about to awake after a year of hibernation."

The Cavaliers actually made it further in the playoffs this past year than they did the preceding campaign. They managed to win 51 games in 2022-23, but lost to the New York Knicks in the first round. This past spring, however, Cleveland bounced the Orlando Magic in a seven-game opening-round series before falling to the Boston Celtics in Round 2.

The vast majority of pundits are not exactly anticipating a major jump from the Cavs next season, and some have even suggested that the Cavaliers break up their "core four."

But perhaps the experience that Cleveland has built as a cohesive unit will end up paying dividends for the club come October...and next spring.