Cleveland Cavaliers 2022-23 Season Preview and Best Bet (Odds, Offseason Moves and More)

The Cleveland Cavaliers made the splash of the offseason, swooping in to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz for what amounts to five first round picks and three players who were first round selections themselves. Now, the question is whether the Cavs' big gamble will pay off.

Thanks to in large part to stellar campaigns from Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs made an impressive run to the playoffs last season before a stagnant offense spelled their doom.

Well, Donovan Mitchell seemingly solves that Achilles' heel. The 26-year-old three-time All Star should compliment Cleveland's roster perfectly, and expectations are quickly rising for the young yet deep roster.

Can the Cavaliers deliver on their promise and secure a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs or perhaps better? I'm betting so. Let's look at their offseason moves and futures odds before I explain why:

Cleveland Cavaliers Offseason Moves and Additions

Cavaliers Roster Additions:

• Donovan Mitchell (Trade)

• Ricky Rubio (Free Agency)

• Raul Neto (Free Agency)

• Robin Lopez (Free Agency)

• Isaiah Mobley (Draft)

Cavaliers Roster Losses:

• Collin Sexton (Trade)

• Lauri Markkanen (Trade)

• Ochai Agbaji (Trade)

Cleveland Cavaliers Odds to Win NBA Championship, Make Playoffs and Win Total

• Odds to Win NBA Finals: +3300
• Odds to Win Western Conference: +1800
• Make Playoffs: -320
• Win Total: 47.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Cleveland Cavaliers Best Bet for 2022-23 NBA Season

I fell in love with this Cavs team last season. Cleveland was a fantastic bet throughout the season until injuries to key depth players caused a slide to end the year, but the foundational pieces for a deep playoff run were there. The roster just needed a star playmaker to carry the offensive load when games were tight. Hellooo Donovan Mitchell!

Mitchell is, at worst, one of the most electric offensive players in the league with the ability to go supernova at any moment and drop 50 points. He has legitimate defensive limitations, but the Cavaliers' fantastic interior defenders will mitigate that weakness just like Rudy Gobert did in Utah all those years.

Meanwhile, Darius Garland's attacking style will free Mitchell up to shoot around screens and make hard cuts to the basket, further unlocking his offensive ceiling while quality spot-up shooters like Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro wait for open kick-out three's. In other words, Mitchell is the perfect puzzle piece that Cleveland's roster was missing.

Cleveland won 44 games last year despite the roster's fatal flaw. Adding Mitchell should give the Cavs a 50-win floor, barring injury. They've still got a lot of quality depth pieces even after sending the farm to Utah, and we can expect a step-forward from Mobley, Garland, and Okoro.

This is a young roster that will continue to grow together, and they've got four legitimate All-Star candidates. It wouldn't surprise me to see Cleveland compete for a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, and the over on the Cavs' win total is a slam-dunk bet for me.