Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers may have been a huge disappointment in the 2023 NBA Playoffs; however, team president Koby Altman firmly believes it’s not a total failure for the franchise despite their first-round exit.
Cleveland was eliminated by New York in their series, 4-1, with Mitchell and co. unable to figure out a way to stop Jalen Brunson. The Cavs had some big moments, but they were just too inconsistent and erratic that they eventually doomed themselves.
While there is plenty to criticize about the team, though, Altman emphasized that he likes where the team is going. They may have lost, but the talent is there and it just needs some polishing.
“The high-end talent is in the building. That’s the hardest part [to achieve],” Altman shared, per Danny Cunningham of ESPN.
Of course that doesn’t mean Koby Altman won’t be looking to improve the team. He already said earlier that he would like to add some shooting for the Cavs to give them better spacing. But what he’s saying here is that the team already has a core that he believes can make them a championship contender.
Aside from Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are also there to form what could be an elite Big 4 for the franchise,
It remains to be seen what the Cavs will do to improve the supporting cast around the foursome, but as Altman shared, they are definitely on a good track. They made their first postseason in the post-LeBron James era. That is already a big step for the team. Now, here’s to hoping they can make another leap in 2023-24.