The Cavaliers got bounced by the eventual champion Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. The series felt like it could have gone differently had Cleveland not blown a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Knicks absolutely stomped them the rest of the way, and the lopsided fashion in which it happened had people calling for Kenny Atkinson’s job. The front office ultimately kept Atkinson, which might have had something to do with Cleveland analytically winning the series. We’ll see if the team regrets that decision, but there are more positives than negatives heading into 2026-27.
Cleveland inked Donovan Mitchell and James Harden to new deals in the summer. Mitchell was locked in for four years, $273 million, while Harden signed for three years, $97 million. Those two just might make up the best backcourt in the NBA. They did have some shaky moments in last year’s playoffs — and neither one likes playing defense — but a full training camp and preseason to get more comfortable with one another should work wonders.
The Cavaliers also have the frontcourt pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen back, giving the team two massive bodies who pride themselves on defense. The two bigs also happen to be pretty damn efficient offensively.
The big change is that Cleveland now has an exciting new starter at small forward. For a while, it seemed like it’d be LeBron James, but the Cavaliers pivoted to Peyton Watson once The King signed with the 76ers. Cleveland got Watson in a sign-and-trade with Denver, and he could be the perfect fit. Watson is active defensively, uses his size and athleticism well as an off-ball player, and is improving his three-ball. He also hasn’t yet reached his prime, so he can be with this franchise for a long time.
The Cavaliers did sacrifice depth to improve their starting five, but that should pay off. Many people seem to be dismissing this group as an Eastern Conference contender, but they’re firmly in the mix. There’s also a good chance this team goes Over its win total, as we have seen 50+ wins from Cleveland in three of the last four years. The roster is packed with players who play great ball in the regular season.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Is there another jump coming from Mobley?
Mobley has talked up his improved ball-handling and ability to create in isolation. If he can do a little more as a scorer, that’d be great for Cleveland’s half-court offense. However, just shooting the three-ball better would be lovely. After shooting 37.0% from three in 2024-25, Mobley made only 29.7% of his 3.2 attempts per game in 2025-26. He needs to find his confidence and show up ready to launch in 2026-27.
Mobley continues to be a high-level defender, and it’s clear he’s very skilled. But this is a question we’ve been asking for years. It’s time he plays more assertively, and it’s time he finds some consistency.
Will Watson be the rug that ties the room together?
Watson is coming off a fantastic year with the Nuggets. His 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game were all career highs. He shot 41.1% from three, up from 35.3% in 2024-25. Unfortunately, hamstring injuries kept Watson out of the playoffs. But it sounds like he’s healthy heading into 2026-27, and the Cavaliers are going to love having him.
Watson should enjoy playing with Harden and Mitchell, who should set him up for the same quality of looks he got playing off Nikola Jokic. We could also see Watson do a bit more in transition, and don’t be surprised if he quickly becomes a favorite of Harden’s as a play-finisher.
The 24-year-old should also fit Cleveland defensively. He won’t shy away from guarding the opponent’s best scorer, and he’ll be aggressive in looking to make plays off the ball.
The only thing I can poke at is that Watson appears to be a touch overrated defensively. He’s not a negative by any means, but his defensive metrics aren’t all that great, and he doesn’t profile as a lockdown guy. Still, I love this fit, and it was impressive the front office made this happen without having many assets.
Who steps up off the bench?
Sam Merrill, who averaged 12.8 points per game and shot 42.1% from three last season, will be Cleveland’s most reliable reserve. He’s as dangerous as it gets as an off-ball weapon. Jaylon Tyson should also give the Cavaliers good minutes after popping a bit as a sophomore last year. Cleveland will need contributions from unexpected places in 2026-27.
One of the best bets to crack the rotation is Mario Hezonja. The 31-year-old was the fifth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, but he had an up-and-down career before heading overseas after the 2019-20 season. But Hezonja is a 6-foot-9 wing with a good jumper and some real athleticism. Bringing him in was a sharp move from the front office, especially with the way Hezonja has performed the last few years.
WIN TOTAL BEST BET: Over 47.5
