Is the Cleveland Cavaliers season already a success regardless of what happens next?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

The rebuild of the Cleveland Cavaliers is finished, and the talent has come together as well as can be expected to lead this team to the playoffs. This is the first time since 2018 the team is in the playoffs officially, because apparently, the 2022 play-in doesn’t count, but whatever. It’s also the first time the Cavs made the playoffs without LeBron James on their roster since 1998.

For context, that was one of the last years Shawn Kemp was still a viable starter in the league. So needless to say, it’s been a while. Yet, should the Cavs stumble in the playoffs, would that put a downer on the season at hand?

That’s the question that’s making the rounds at the moment. Was the Cavs’ 2022-2023 season already a success because the squad made the playoffs? This a simple question, but it contains a slightly complicated answer.

Have the Cleveland Cavaliers already earned the right to call the season a success?

Now, there are levels to this. For a team like the Bucks, who have playoff experience, an NBA title, and several years’ worth of Central Division championships adorning their championship hallways, a first-round exit would be cataclysmic. They have championship aspirations and many see them as the best all-around team in the league, with an obvious Top 5 player and a team filled with players who complement him.

A first-round loss would be concerning for a team like the Bucks. The Cavs, on the other hand, don’t have the same expectations. At least not this year. The Cavs have four obvious pieces in their team they aren’t looking to move on from in the form of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley.

They don’t have much else, beyond them. Ricky Rubio and Dean Wade are expected to be around long-term, as is Isaac Okoro, but should a trade come around that benefits the squad, those three names would not be spared from being dealt.

After all, the team’s bench isn’t great. It lacks scoring potential, and the best player off the bench is Caris LeVert, known for his bouts of inconsistency, poor shot selection, and of course his expiring contract. He’s a fine player, but he’s not worth what he’s getting paid now and he’ll likely look for a raise in the offseason.

So the Cavs, admittedly, don’t have the same depth on their bench that they had last year. Especially with how bad Kevin Love has been on both the Cavs and Heat this year. He was a huge piece to the bench crew, and his injuries and declining play have affected the Cavs’ bench production significantly.

So the Cavs are coming into the playoffs without really anyone they can rely on to take over scoring off the bench. Even LeVert, who has come on strong in the last few weeks, is more of an all-around creator, and not so much an out-right scorer.

So the Cavaliers do have huge issues in their system at the moment. Coupled that by the fact it’s been nearly 30 years since the Cavs made the playoffs without LeBron James carrying them to it, and the fact that this team is only a 4th seed, it’s fair to say that a first-round exit wouldn’t diminish what the team has done already.

The team won 50 games, and did so without the team’s All-Time leader in so many categories, that in itself is huge. It also landed Mitchell in a trade, saw Mobley develop into a top-tier defender, and has set itself up for multiple playoff births to come with how the roster is built.

A few new pieces to the bench and this team goes from “just happy to be here”, to “NBA Champions” in no time.

So no, a loss to the New York Knicks wouldn’t dampen thins. Unless the Cavs get blown out in four-straight games, then we’ll revisit how we feel.