Mar 23, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Raul Neto (19) warms up prior to the game against Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers ran out to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference before withing in the first round, revealing a roster in need of serious tweaks.
After swinging a massive trade to land Donovan Mitchell at the end of last offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers entered this season with championship aspirations. Mitchell was absolutely lights-out to start the season and, as the defense coalesced and he and Darius Garland found their rhythm, they often looked the part.
But a gentleman’s sweep at the hands of the Knicks has revealed the cracks in this roster.
Mitchell and Garland are one of the best backcourts in the entire league but they carry an enormous load for offensive creation and outside shooting. With the twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley anchoring their defense, the Cavs desperately needed some additional floor spacing at multiple positions to keep the middle of the floor open.
The Cavs’ core is likely to remain intact for the next few seasons, but upgrading the supporting cast is a must. Caris LeVert is an unrestricted free agent but the Cavs have expressed interest in re-signing him. Keeping him would be a big piece but they’ll have to part with some other bench players and look for upgrades if they want to avoid the same fate next season.
These Cleveland Cavaliers won’t be back next season:
3. Raul Neto
Once Ricky Rubio returned from his ACL injury, Neto went from a lightly used backup point guard to a break-in-case-of-emergency option at the end of the bench. After Rubio’s first game back on Jan. 12, Neto played 20 minutes or more just three more times, with two of those coming in the final two games of the regular season as the Cavs rested their starters.
Neto is a reasonable option in that role but his 3-point shooting has abandoned him — 29.0 percent on 162 attempts over the past two seasons — and the Cavs might be interested in filling this roster spot with a player who has a bit more creation or shooting upside. As a 30-year-old unrestricted free agent, Neto is probably plying his journeyman trade somewhere else next season.