The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Cavs aim to again be playoff contenders
LeBron James was not physically at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence on Sept. 24 as the Cavaliers staged media day.
James was 2,365 miles away in El Segundo, Calif., where his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, had their media day.
Still, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and Akron native was an unseen presence as Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue and some of his players fielded questions about life after LeBron and their outlooks for the 2018-19 season.
Lue lavished praise in James, who in his second stint with the Cavs led them to four straight Eastern Division titles, four NBA Finals appearances and the 2016 NBA title.
In July, James opted for free agency and signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Lakers.
“We know how important LeBron is to this franchise, winning the championship in 2016. We really thank him for that,” Lue said. “Now, we have a new challenge, a new chapter with old guys and young guys who can help each other. We’re very excited for it.”
The Cavs finished 5032 last season with James. They earned the fourth playoff seed in the NBA East.
“We’re still aiming for the playoffs,” Lue said.
Lue identified his biggest challenge going into the new season as getting the Cavs to buy into the belief they are playoff contenders without James.
“With LeBron leaving, it’s a tough task as far as going into the season,” Lue said. “These young guys will have opportunities to play every night in meaningful games.”
Chief among those young guys is Collin Sexton, the 6-foot-2 guard out of Alabama selected by the Cavs with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
Sexton averaged 19.2 points in is lone season at Alabama. He was a standout in the NBA Summer League and looms large in the Cavs’ plans for this season.
“I like his heart, his toughness, his work ethic, his will to win,” Lue said of Sexton. “When the game is on the line, he the guy. You want the ball in his hands. I’m excited to have him here.”
The Cavs will rely heavily on a core of returning veterans led by forward-center Kevin Love. He’ll be in his 11th NBA season and fifth with the Cavs. Last season, he averaged 17.6 points and a team-high 9.3 rebounds in 59 games.
“I’ve been preparing my mind for getting a lot more touches,” Love said of the LeBron-less Cavs. “I know we’ll have a ton of movement on the floor and we’re really need to be in shape. It will be really fun to see where this team heads.”
Shortly after James made his move to the Lakers, Love and the Cavs came to an agreement on a fouryear, $120 million contract
extension.
“Any time you lose the best player in the world, anything can happen,” Love said. “Nothing is outside the realm of possibility in this league, as we’ve seen a million times. This is where I wanted to be. We won a championship here in 2016. There are a lot of really special memories. I wanted to keep that going.”
Going into training camp that begins with practice on Sept. 25, second-year forward Cedi Osman is the leading contender to step into the spot in the starting five formerly held by James.
The 24-year-old native of Turkey averaged 3.9 points a game last season while showing flashes of energetic talent.
“Last year was an amazing experience, playing in the Finals and playing with LeBron,” Osman said. “My dream is to have a role and show the world what I’m capable of. I’m ready.”
The Cavs play the first of four preseason games on Oct. 2 in Boston against the Celtics.