Cavaliers Land No. 7 in ESPN’s Early 2026-27 NBA Power Rankings
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ESPN’s first look at the 2026-27 NBA landscape puts the Cleveland Cavaliers in the No. 7 slot, even after the club’s run to this season’s Eastern Conference finals.
The rankings were published shortly after the New York Knicks secured the 2025-26 championship. Because they precede free agency, the NBA Draft and the summer trade period, ESPN emphasized that the list reflects only each team’s current roster.
Top of the List
Oklahoma City topped the projection, followed by San Antonio, New York, Boston, Detroit and Denver. Cleveland was next, marking the franchise’s highest placement in an ESPN preseason ranking since its 2018 roster overhaul.
Progress and Remaining Questions
ESPN credited the Cavaliers for advancing to the conference finals for the first time in eight years but noted their four-game sweep by the Knicks as evidence that more work is needed to reach title contention.
President of basketball operations Koby Altman recently told reporters he does not anticipate a major roster overhaul this offseason. Even so, league observers expect Cleveland’s front office to explore tweaks aimed at another step forward.
The network cautioned that any ranking made in early summer is subject to dramatic change once player movement begins—a familiar pattern across recent off-seasons.
Source: Hoops Wire
