Mazzulla emphasized his job now is to "understand our offensive system— shoot the ball when he's open, drive ... when he's not, make the right play."

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a rough start to the preseason, losing both of their opening games despite having a healthy roster. They lost twice to the Chicago Bulls, starting with a heartbreaking 118–117 defeat on October 7, where the Bulls sealed the win with back-to-back game-saving blocks.