When LeBron James departed for the bright lights of Hollywood and decided to join the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers instantly became an afterthought.
Players would usually want their teams to be on the spotlight, to be featured in nationally televised games, and to be included in the NBA’s marquee matchups. However, Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman seems to be enamored with the fact that they are flying under everyone’s radar.
“I think it’s just better to be a little bit off the radar. They expect us to be worse by 15 or 20 games. I think that’s like, crazy for us, for this team. So, we’ll have a really talented team.” Osman said per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
With the marquee player LeBron James joining the NBA’s marquee team, the spotlight will be with them for perhaps the entire season.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, are now left in the dust and are just being overlooked. That’s just what happens when the best player in the world leaves your squad.
However, this may actually be helpful for this young group. With James leaving town, the pressure for the players, as echoed by All-star Kevin Love, has also subsided.
Though there is still pressure for them to prove that they can remain competitive despite LeBron’s departure, it is no longer as heavy as having championship expectations year in and year out.
The Cavaliers lineup features a balanced mix of young prospects like Osman, Colin Sexton, Rodney Hood, and Larry Nance, Jr., along with steady vets like Love, Kyle Korver, J.R. Smith, and Tristan Thompson.
On paper, they may not look to be the most talented bunch. But this looks like a team that will scratch, claw, and fight to prove that they still belong. They certainly have a chance to sneak in the playoffs in a weaker Eastern Conference.
The new-look Cavaliers open their 2018-19 campaign tonight at 7:30 pm E.T. as they head up north to take on Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors.