The Cleveland Cavaliers head into the 2026 offseason looking to build on their best non-LeBron James campaign in more than three decades, a run that ended with a sweep by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Regular-Season Roller Coaster
Cleveland opened 2025/26 on uneven footing after finishing 64-18 the previous year. By the season’s midpoint the club had already dropped 19 games—one more than in all of 2024/25—yet rallied to close 30-11, securing a 52-30 record and the East’s No. 4 seed.
Playoff Path
The Cavaliers survived back-to-back seven-game series against the Raptors and top-seeded Pistons before collapsing in the conference finals. In Game 1 at Madison Square Garden they squandered a 22-point advantage in the final eight minutes and were outscored by 11 in overtime, setting the tone for a four-game sweep. The Knicks went on to capture their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Key Moves Last Season
Owner Dan Gilbert once again approved heavy spending despite the club sitting above the second tax apron. Management kept the core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland intact through last summer, then:
- Drafted guards Tyrese Proctor and Saliou Niang late in 2025.
- Re-signed Sam Merrill on a four-year, $38 million deal; Ty Jerome departed for Memphis on a three-year, $27 million contract.
- Acquired Lonzo Ball from Chicago for Isaac Okoro to add size and playmaking.
Garland’s recurring toe injuries limited him early, leading to a February shake-up. Cleveland sent Garland to the Clippers for James Harden, moved Ball to Utah, and shipped De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento in a three-team deal that returned Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder. The transactions trimmed salary obligations for 2025/26 and positioned the organization to fall below the second apron in 2026/27, though the Cavaliers still carried the league’s highest payroll this season.
Offseason Priorities
Mitchell becomes eligible for a contract extension in July, and Harden headlines a group of potential free agents. With financial flexibility still constrained, Cleveland must decide whether to retain the veteran guard, reshape the roster around Mitchell and Mobley, or explore additional cost-cutting trades.
The front office has signaled that reaching the conference finals was “another incremental step” toward a title. How president of basketball operations Koby Altman navigates cap pressures, extension talks and roster depth will determine whether that next step arrives in 2026/27.
Source: Hoops Rumors
