Since the Cleveland Cavaliers added Isaac Okoro with the fifth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the better the team has gotten, the less the former Auburn standout has played.

As a rookie, Okoro started all 67 games in which he played and averaged 32.4 minutes per game. The Cavaliers had a 22-50 record.

In his second season, Okoro started in 61 of his 67 games and averaged 29.6 minutes per game. Cleveland went 44-38 and fell short of the postseason field in the play-in games.

Last season, Okoro started 46 of his 76 games and averaged 21.7 minutes per game. The Cavaliers posted a 51-31 record and lost to the New York Knicks in a first-round playoff series.

“I’m always going to play my role, do what I have to do, whether I’m a starter or coming off the bench,” Okoro said. “I just want to win games, so I’ll do whatever my role is to win games. As long as we get further than we got last year – to the Finals, to the championship — that’s what I care about. If we win, I’m happy.”

As for Okoro’s trend, it also could continue. In the offseason, the Cavaliers signed small forward Max Strus to a four-year, $62.297 million contract after he averaged 11.5 points and 2.5 3-pointers per game for the Miami Heat last season. Cleveland also signed forward Georges Niang, a career 40 percent 3-point shooter.

Bridging the backcourt and frontcourt is the only unsettled spot in Cleveland’s starting lineup, which features Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell as guards and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley as the Cavs’ big combo.

The Cavaliers drafted Okoro projecting him as a standout NBA defensive wing, and defense has been his calling card. But while his 3-point shooting has improved annually, he reached 36.3 percent shooting and made fewer than one per game last season. His scoring average of 9.6 points per game as a rookie has declined to 8.8 in 2021-22 and 6.4 in 2022-23.

“For me, it’s just to go out there and compete, be a two-way player this year, bring more to the offensive side,” Okoro said of his goals for this season. “For the team, of course, the goal every year is to make it to the Finals and win the championship.”

Offensive improvement was Okoro’s offseason focus.

“Just the other side of the basketball,” Okoro said. “Working on my offense game, shooting, ballhandling, just trying to be more efficient and effective on that side. …

“Of course, the shooting is the main part, but also there’s a lot of other sides to the offense – being a handler for this team, trying to take stress off Darius and Donovan. Of course, like I said, shooting all over the 3-point line, top the key, corners, wings, just being efficient with that, too.”

With the Cavaliers aiming to play faster this season, Okoro thinks he’ll be a better fit on offense in the 2023-24 campaign.

“I’ve been playing that way all my life,” Okoro said. “When I first got here, we was playing a little more slower halfcourt sets. It was kind of hard to adjust to that. But now that we’re playing faster, playing to my strengths of getting downhill, getting to the basket, running in transition helps me out.”

Okoro is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He’s eligible for an extension. But that hasn’t come through, and Okoro will become a restricted free agent next offseason without one.

The Cavaliers complete their preseason schedule on Friday night against the Indiana Pacers.

In Cleveland’s previous three preseason games, Okoro has 28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in 67 minutes. He’s made 10-of-17 shots, including 3-of-7 on 3-pointers.

Cleveland will tip off its regular-season schedule on Wednesday on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.