Altman Sets Championship Standard as Bold Forecasts Target Cavaliers’ 2024-25 Season
SLUG: altman-cavaliers-championship-expectations-bold-predictions
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Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said the franchise is no longer satisfied with regular-season milestones, telling Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor the team’s objective is now squarely on winning an NBA title.
“We want to compete for a championship,” Altman said, noting that last season’s 64-win total raised internal expectations. “The goal is to back that up with our play.”
The Cavaliers have spent aggressively to support that pursuit. After adding Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr. and Thomas Bryant, the club could carry one of the most expensive payrolls in league history once luxury-tax penalties are included.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson, the reigning NBA Coach of the Year, acknowledged the financial commitment comes with pressure. “We’ve got a lot to prove,” he said. “The playoffs—that’s where it happens.”
Five Bold Predictions
In a separate Cleveland.com story, Ethan Sands outlined five possibilities for the upcoming campaign:
- Evan Mobley enters the MVP race. After winning Defensive Player of the Year and earning an All-Star nod, Mobley is expected to take on a larger offensive role.
- De’Andre Hunter retains the starting small-forward spot. His size, defense and mid-range game are projected to stabilize the wing rotation.
- Lonzo Ball appears in 50 games and contributes in April. Cleveland is banking on postseason availability to expand its offense.
- Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade anchor the bench. Tyson’s defense and Wade’s perimeter shooting are viewed as keys to maintaining elite play during injury stretches.
- The Cavaliers win 58 games and reach the NBA Finals. Sands cites depth, defense and chemistry as factors that could carry the team through a wide-open Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers open training camp next week with three returning All-Stars, the league’s reigning Coach of the Year, and newly elevated expectations that extend well beyond another strong regular season.
Source: Hoops Wire
