The Cavaliers quietly retooled a lot of their roster past their core 4 — Donovan Mitchell, whom they signed to a four-year, $273M extension; James Harden, whom they signed to a brand new three-year $97M deal; Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
They misplaced longtime guard Max Strus and ahead Dean Wade however traded for 3-and-D wing Peyton Watson, who the crew hopes can shore up a porous perimeter protection and signed a four-year, $88M contract.
After shedding within the first spherical in 2022-23, the second spherical in 2023-24 and 2024-25, after which the convention finals final season, the subsequent step is clear for the Cavaliers and their core. The query is: Have they got the personnel to make it?
ESPN’s workers of consultants is trying again on the offseason and taking an early have a look at the 2026-27 season, with 30 previews — one for each crew — rolling out every weekday via Sept. 18. We’re answering the most important looming questions, evaluating X components and far more.
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Offseason at a look
Key additions: Peyton Watson, Mario Hezonja
Key subtractions: Dean Wade, Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, Larry Nance Jr., Keon Ellis
Key retentions: Donovan Mitchell, James Harden
The Cavs’ failed pursuit of LeBron James this summer time become a pivot for a youthful, athletic wing, prying Watson from the Nuggets after a profession 12 months.
Watson averaged profession highs in factors, rebounds, assists and steals whereas capturing 41% from 3 final 12 months, and he has lately been one of many strongest wing defenders within the league. That makes him a powerful complement subsequent to James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, because the Cavs hope he can present a considerable reply to the elusive fifth starter function subsequent to their core 4. — Jamal Collier
Zach Kram’s offseason grade: B
The Cavaliers’ offseason successfully boiled right down to the Peyton Watson sign-and-trade, as they dealt a bunch of their 2025-26 depth — most notably Max Strus — for the flexibility to suit Watson onto their cap sheet. In addition they re-signed James Harden to a brand new three-year deal, which could not age properly however helped them escape the second apron.
These are dangerous however obligatory strikes for a crew that desires to win now; the the 23-year-old Watson will increase Cleveland’s championship upside as a consequence of his potential as an athletic 3-and-D wing. — Kram
What we discovered over the previous few months
From Ben Golliver’s offseason classes piece: Donovan Mitchell gained the summer time.
Cleveland was in the course of the motion this summer time with LeBron James weighing one other homecoming to Ohio and giving James Harden a brand new three-year deal. Given these developments, it is likely to be straightforward to miss the truth that Mitchell signed a four-year, $273 million contract extension. That is an infinite amount of money.
Mitchell, 29, is firmly in his prime, incomes All-NBA second crew honors and ending seventh in MVP voting final season. And despite the fact that Cleveland was swept out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks, Mitchell did attain the convention finals for the primary time in his nine-year profession.
However the measurement of Mitchell’s new contract most likely deserves extra scrutiny than it has acquired. The seven-time All-Star is ready to earn greater than $60 million in 2027-28. By comparability, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, a extra achieved participant, will earn $40.5 million.
Mitchell is at present on tempo to be a top-10 earner as soon as his new extension kicks in, however his deal will run via his age-34 season. Should not his $75.5 million participant possibility for the 2030-31 season make the Cavaliers a little bit squeamish?
If Mitchell had been a greater defender or an elite playmaker for his teammates, these numbers is likely to be simpler to abdomen. Because it stands, Cleveland’s choice to pay him prime greenback feels a bit ominous. — Golliver
The large query: How will the crew profit from a full season from James Harden?
Throughout Cleveland’s run to the Japanese Convention Finals final 12 months, it was straightforward to neglect the crew had dramatically reshaped its roster just some months earlier, including Harden to the combo on the deadline in February.
Harden reiterated a number of occasions in the course of the postseason that he was studying on the fly, so he’ll presumably profit from having a full offseason and camp.
The Cavs hope it should lead to added pick-and-roll chemistry with their bigs, smoother symmetry with Mitchell and extra productive bench items with him operating the present. — Collier
Basketball Energy Index rank: No. 11
Listed below are the anticipated Web Factors per 100 possessions for the Cavs’ prime seven gamers for the 2026-27 season.
As a rule of thumb, defenses ought to intention to cease the opponent’s finest participant, versus stopping the supporting solid.
However now the Cavs have two gamers who play dramatically higher in wins versus losses.
Harden is 7.5 internet factors higher in wins than losses (fourth-biggest change) and Mitchell is 6.5 higher (thirteenth), implying that stopping each is necessary and a harder problem for defenses. — Dean Oliver
Examine how Web Factors works right here.
Largest X issue
G Jaylon Tyson
With Max Strus, Dean Wade, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder all departing over the summer time and solely Peyton Watson arriving as an exterior alternative, the Cavaliers can be counting on extra inside assist to backfill their manufacturing on the wing.
Tyson must be the second man up behind Watson, after he averaged a powerful 13.2 factors in 26.9 minutes per recreation in his sophomore season, whereas making 45% of his 3s.
Tyson fell to the fringes of the rotation within the playoffs, nonetheless, the place he averaged solely 4.1 factors in 12.7 minutes per recreation. The previous first-round choose wants to enhance his consistency and reliability in massive video games, however in concept, his 3-and-D talents would make him an ideal function participant amid Cleveland’s star-studded lineup. — Kram
Betting perception from our skilled
Guess to make forward of the season: Cavaliers to qualify for convention semifinals (+125); to win Central Division (+195)
The Cavaliers had been the highest seed within the Japanese Convention two seasons in the past after successful 64 video games with a plus-9.5 PPG scoring margin.
Final season, after a down common season due partially by accidents to level guard Darius Garland, the Cavaliers rode the late-season commerce of Garland for James Harden and performed their approach to the Japanese Convention Finals.
Whereas the Japanese Convention as a complete received stronger this offseason, the Cavaliers ought to return a crew with the identical key gamers who’ve demonstrated the capability for achievement in each the common season and playoffs.
To have the ability to guess them — at plus cash — to make it a spherical sooner than they made it final season, is nice worth, even within the new Japanese Convention. — André Snellings
Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publication.
