Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season

On the back of a third consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, here are five bold predictions for the Cleveland Cavaliers in season 2017-18.

Few teams in the league have experienced a more drama-packed offseason than the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Just weeks after coming up short in the NBA Finals at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving shocked the NBA world with his demand for a trade.

So naturally in the ensuing weeks, the speculation regarding Irving, and the Cavaliers’ future, was almost never-ending.

But that all came to an end this week with the news that Irving’s trade to the Boston Celtics had been finalized. In exchange for Irving, the Cavaliers have received All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected 2018 first round draft pick, and the Celtics’ 2020 second round draft pick.

The sticking point in proceedings had been the condition of Thomas’ hip, which prematurely ended his recent playoff campaign against, ironically, the Cavaliers. With lingering doubt as to his health moving forward, the Celtics included their future second round pick in order to somewhat sweeten the deal.

Aside from this blockbuster deal, the Cavaliers have also welcomed a host of other veterans into the mix.

They began proceedings by signing veteran point guard Jose Calderon to a one-year, $2.3 million veteran minimum deal. At the time, Calderon was brought in with idea of being Irving’s backup at the point. But the Cars usurped this weeks later with the signing off former league MVP Derrick Rose to a one-year, $2.1 million veteran’s minimum deal.

In the midst of these signings, the Cavaliers also came to an agreement with forward Jeff Green, also on a veteran’s minimum deal for one year and $2.3 million.

Therefore, this represents five new additions to the Cavaliers’ core rotation – Thomas, Crowder, Rose, Green and Calderon.

With Thomas’ start to the season somewhat in doubt, the addition of Rose, and to a lesser extent Calderon, are likely to be vital to keep the Cavaliers ticking along in the early part of the season.

And this is all without mentioning the ongoing soap opera regarding LeBron James and is his potential landing spot beyond this season when he becomes a free agent. So with the eyes of the league still firmly on the Cavaliers, here are five bold predictions for the 2017-18 season.