In the ever-hectic NBA offseason, one thing that seems to break through the superstar drama and trade rumors is uniform reveals. Basketball culture is so much more than how one plays. It’s about look, style and feel on and off the court. That’s what draws in fascination for new jerseys. The Cleveland Cavaliers are up for a share of that spotlight, as the team released new uniform mockups via Twitter.
The new designs are based around refreshed branding that was revealed in June. Across NBA history, the Cavaliers have changed their branding and jerseys relatively often, and the new looks acknowledge each era of the team’s history.
The wine-colored “Icon” uniform is the most modern rendition of the three, basing designs around lettering and colors from the previous era of jerseys. The biggest difference between these jerseys and last season’s is the minimization of the design.
The statement and association jerseys touch on the team’s past, or “gold standard.” The white jerseys features throwback logos and lettering honoring the era of players like Mark Price and Larry Nance Sr. Cleveland also returns to the iconic black jerseys with the center “C” crest, paying homage to the Lebron James era and miraculous 2016 title run.
These are just the three core jerseys in the Cavs’ repertoire. If Nike’s jersey rollout remains the same as recent years, Cleveland could add a City edition and throwback jersey as well. There’s still time for other franchises to drop new threads, but as of right now, the Cavs could be one of the cleanest squads in 2022-23.