Cleveland Cavaliers 2011-12 Season Preview: A Step Toward the Future

The 2010-11 NBA season was a lost season of sorts for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team that had ridden high above the Eastern Conference for much of the latter half of the decade, had once again fallen, becoming a bottom-feeder in the NBA’s weaker conference.

Now, with the 2010-11 season a distant memory, the Cavaliers enter the new 2011-12 season looking to improve upon the few things that can be taken away from the “lost season"—the work, input and mindset of head coach Byron Scott.

People should look at this season as if it were Scott’s first in Cleveland. When he took over the head coaching position, he did so believing he would have a franchise small forward in place. That, of course, did not happen, and the team was sent into a scramble as it changed the course of the franchise from one that was working toward a title to one that was rebuilding.

Given that, and Scott’s track record of improvement from year one to year two, this should definitely be looked at as his first season.

Team chemistry can also be built up from last year. Last season, the team was almost entirely turned over; this season the roster is very is similar to the one that ended its season in April. Given the fact that the same guys are returning and have a had almost a full year—in most cases—to get to know each other, on and off the court, this should help improve the squad on the floor.

Of course, there is something else that can help improve this squad on the floor. A certain point guard, drafted No. 1 overall, wearing jersey No. 2: Kyrie Irving.

Irving takes over the reigns this season as the Cavs' new face of the franchise, and he is expected to be their biggest building block as they attempt to gain respectability in the NBA once again. The 6’3” lead guard comes to Cleveland after playing in 11 games in his only season as a Blue Devil, so there is not a ton of film to base expectations on.

However, in the few games he did play, he certainly played well, scoring double figures in every game of his college career and dominating his competition on his way to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

So what are realistic expectations for the former Dukie?

Expect Irving to play in about 60 games, average mid-teens in points scored and six to eight assists a night. But most importantly, expect him to play like a leader on both ends of the court, make the kinds of plays that won’t show up in the stat sheet and make Cavaliers fans see that there is life after No. 23.

Irving wasn’t the only addition that makes the team deeper and the future brighter. Many people forget the quietest fourth-overall pick in history—power forward Tristan Thompson. Thompson may be an afterthought to many but will become a fan favorite very early, due to his lunch pail, blue-collar work ethic on the court that will see him diving for loose balls, and making athletic plays like no Cavs big man since Larry Nance.

Another important piece of the Cavaliers puzzle is small forward Omri Casspi. The 6’9” small forward from Israel, will add toughness, athleticism and three-point shooting to the the 3-position the team sorely lacked last season. Mix Casspi into a starting unit that includes Irving, Anthony Parker, Anderson Varejao and Antawn Jamison, and the Cavs have a starting unit that will be able to compete on a nightly basis—maybe not win, but definitely compete.

This season the Cavs will also have a strong bench as Thompson, Samardo Samuels, Ramon Sessions and Boobie Gibson will give the team some punch off the pine, which can help spell the starters yet not allow the opposing team to runaway with the game, which happened so many times last season.

With the pieces of the future added, a healthy Varejao and young players like Samuels and Christian Eyenga now playing with a year of NBA experience under their belts, the 2011-12 season will be much more exciting than the 2010-11 season was. It will give Cleveland a glimpse of what is to come as the team works toward becoming a championship squad once again.

Projected Starters

PF Antawn Jamison

SF Omri Casspi

C Anderson Varejao

SG Anthony Parker

PG Kyrie Irving

Key Subs

PF Tristan Thompson

PG Ramon Sessions

PF/C Samardo Samuels

Projected Record

21-45, 14th in Eastern Conference, fifth in the Central

A Few Predictions

• Anderson Varejao and Antawn Jamison will be dealt by March.
• Omri Casspi will average more than 14 points per game and shoot higher than 38 percent from deep.
• Thompson will average more than eight boards per 48 minutes.
• Eyenga will be the player who spends the most time in Scott’s doghouse.
• They will start out 2-1, and that will be the only time they are above .500 on the season.
• Samuels will average a double-double per 48 minutes.
• The team will play Byron Scott basketball for 48 minutes a night. He will make a huge difference on this team and serve as the best mentor for Irving.
• Irving will remind us of Chris Paul in his early days.
• The Cavs will acquire another first-round pick in next year’s draft.
• This will be a much more exciting and fun season than last, and it will allow us all to move on and make a step toward the future of Cleveland basketball.

(Like what you read? Follow Jeremy on Twitter @CTownSportsTalk or check out more of his writings on BleacherReport.com or CTownSportsTalk.com.