NBA 2025-26 Guide: Cleveland Cavaliers

It Didn’t End Well for Cleveland Cavaliers

In the last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers established themselves as a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. After two solid years with their core quartet, the Cavs brought in head coach Kenny Atkinson, who managed to make all the pieces fit together and turned what had been an average offense into one of the best in the entire NBA.

In 2023–24, with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen already on the roster, Cleveland ranked among the ten lowest-scoring teams in the league and sat around the middle of the pack in both field goal percentage and turnovers. But in 2024–25, the Cavaliers completely flipped the script — they had the highest-scoring offense in the league, the second-best overall shooting percentage, and the third-fewest turnovers.

With such a potent offense and a solid defense, the team quickly pulled away from the rest of the East and virtually secured the No. 1 seed months before the season ended. The Cavs were the first team in the league to hit the 10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-win marks, cruising past most competition — with the exception of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

By the end of the regular season, Cleveland finished with a 64–18 record, just two wins shy of tying the franchise’s all-time best mark set in 2008–09.

Holding the top seed in the East as they headed into the playoffs, the Cavaliers faced the Miami Heat in the first round — and it turned out to be their easiest series. Even without Garland for a few games, Cleveland swept Miami 4–0, delivering multiple blowout wins. Up to that point, the season felt like a fairy tale — the Cavs seemed unstoppable.

However, things changed dramatically in the second round against the Indiana Pacers. It’s worth noting that Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter, all missed multiple games during the series and returned playing through injuries. On top of that, the Pacers proved themselves to be a formidable playoff team, pulling off wild comebacks and delivering clutch performances.

As a result, Cleveland couldn’t replicate the dominant form they showed all season and ultimately lost the series 4–1. So, after yet another exciting campaign — their best in the last three years — the Cavaliers once again fell short in the playoffs.

Cavs Focused More on Maintaining Current Roster, Avoided Drastic Offseason Moves

(3.5 stars)

The Cavaliers’ offseason wasn’t particularly exciting, as the team chose continuity over bold moves — opting to stick with their current roster and coaching staff rather than making drastic trades or shake-ups. Even so, Cleveland made a few targeted changes that sparked mixed reactions.

First, the team re-signed shooting guard Sam Merrill but let Ty Jerome walk, allowing him to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. Jerome had been Cleveland’s best bench player last season and even finished second in the voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

On the other hand, the Cavs did make one notable trade: they sent forward Isaac Okoro away and brought in point guard Lonzo Ball, who returned to action last season after nearly three years sidelined by serious knee issues.

Finally, Cleveland added forward-center Larry Nance Jr., who will serve as the third big man in the rotation alongside Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

What to Expect from Cavs in Upcoming Season?

Heading into next season, Cleveland once again enters as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. Not only are the Cavaliers bringing back virtually the same roster they’ve had for the past three seasons, but they’ll also benefit from the apparent weakening of both the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers. As a result, Cleveland, alongside the New York Knicks, is expected to be among the favorites to claim the East’s No. 1 seed.

However, it’s unlikely that the Cavaliers will be able to replicate the same level of dominance they showed in 2024–25. The team lost Ty Jerome, is no longer unusual to the rest of the league, and probably won’t approach the regular season with the same hunger after winning 64 games and dealing with injuries in the playoffs.

Even then, Cleveland should remain highly competitive. However, this time, they’ll need to finally prove themselves at the most crucial moments.

All Eyes Set on 2024-25 Defender of the Year Evan Mobley

After the tough playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers, general manager Koby Altman stated that the Cavaliers will grow as Evan Mobley grows — and that statement doesn’t sound far-fetched. Looking at Cleveland’s current roster, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen are already established NBA players. Any improvement from them will likely come in smaller details or team chemistry.

Mobley, however, still has a long road ahead. The power forward won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award last season, but his offensive game remains raw. In three years in the league, he hasn’t shown significant leap on that end, even though his three-point shooting has noticeably improved. The issue is that Mobley still isn’t a reliable offensive option — the kind of player who can consistently take over possessions and be a dominant inside presence for a team that often leans heavily on its perimeter players.

If Mobley manages to take that next step, though, he could be the key difference-maker that pushes Cleveland beyond last season’s record.

Guards’ Defensive Impact Could be Crucial

Last season, the Cavaliers had a solid overall defense, but it was mostly their interior, anchored by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Cleveland’s perimeter defense has been a recurring weakness, especially with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, who often allow too many drives to the basket and give opposing offenses easy advantages.

In 2024–25, the Cavs compensated for this flaw with an aggressive defensive approach on the perimeter, frequently taking risks and going after steals to disrupt opponents’ rhythm.

However, the playoffs exposed this vulnerability. More physical teams like the Indiana Pacers, and potentially the New York Knicks showed that they can exploit Cleveland’s perimeter defense and make the Cavs pay for it.