Three Things To Watch For In The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Preseason Opener In Atlanta
With a week of training camp in the books, the Cleveland Cavaliers are poised to take what they’ve learned from practice and put it to the test, as the team tips off its preseason on the road Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
Here are three things to watch for in the wine-and-gold’s first action since late April.
The Floor Is Yours, Damian Jones (And Other Bigs)
As we wrote earlier, Jarrett Allen has been sidelined by a left ankle bone bruise, which means the Cavs will have to do things by committee earlier than anticipated. Damian Jones, a seven-year pro and two-time NBA champion, is slated to see plenty of playing time alongside Evan Mobley. Tristan Thompson will probably see a decent amount of minutes as well.
Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff also mentioned he’ll experiment with Mobley at the 5 surrounded by shooters and smalls.
Can The Two-Way Trio Carry Over Momentum From Summer League?
All eyes have been on Emoni Bates since the Cavs took him with the 49th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. To this point, the coaching staff, his teammates and the organization couldn’t be more pleased with what they’ve seen from him as a professional. Cleveland is still figuring out what the regular season plan will be for the 19-year-old, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take on a good chunk of minutes in exhibition play.
Isaiah Mobley had a great summer himself, and he’s got his eyes on working his way toward a permanent roster spot to join his brother on the big club. Craig Porter Jr. literally burst onto the scene in Las Vegas, and he will have Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell to lean on for guidance.
Don’t be surprised if these three make some noise with the chances they’re afforded.
Oct 2, 2023; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) and forward Georges Niang (20) and guard Darius Garland (10) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and guard Ty Jerome (2) and guard Max Strus (1) pose for a photo during media day at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Isaac Okoro’s Role In A Contract Year
Year four is a critical one for Isaac Okoro, who has his work cut out for him to earn a payday next offseason. The Cavs signed Max Strus to a four-year, $63 million contract and ponied up $32 million for the services of Caris LeVert over the next two seasons. Bates is going to be fighting for his spot on the squad soon as well. That leaves Okoro with a statement to make to keep it.
The good news? Okoro should greatly benefit from the spacing that Strus and Niang provide, and Bickerstaff is chomping at the bit to see him play-make from the corners off the dribble drive. We know that Okoro is an incredible defensive player, but when he’s playing fast — whether it’s in transition or off of swing actions — he can be one heck of a weapon.
