When Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson can confidently play 14 players against in a 40-point blowout victory over the Orlando Magic, it's safe to say this roster is loaded with talent.
The talent in Cleveland has been apparent since game one, and a 15-0 start to the season proved it even more. Now, with roughly two dozen games left on the year, the Cavs have not even suffered a dozen losses. They hold onto the best record in the Eastern Conference by a wide margin, enjoyed three All-Star nods and made one of the best trades of this year's deadline.
Despite having employed LeBron James for over a decade, this Cavaliers squad is special like no other. Atkinson has transformed a team that had little true identity and contention possibilities into a game-changing monolith. Rival franchises are now mimicking the Cavs as the Miami Heat employ Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware together, and the Oklahoma City Thunder pair Chet Holmgren with Isaiah Hartenstein.
Cleveland's dynamic two-way style of play has allowed them to capture the eyes of the league, and the national media has taken notice, too. Stephen A. Smith lambasted his hometown New York Knicks for folding to the Cavaliers this season, praising the Cavs' elite playstyle while lamenting the state of his squad.
Still, with so much depth of talent, certain players have gone underappreciated for their contributions. Die hard fans and informed commentators may pick up on the value every Cavalier provides, but the nature of Cleveland's position and philosophy have left some players' impact hidden behind the counting statistics. A pair of Cavaliers have been affected most and should be credited more for winning.
Jarrett Allen is almost too selfless
When the Cavaliers returned to All-Star weekend for the first time since LeBron James exited in 2018, it was Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen who welcomed the 75th All-Star Game crowd to Cleveland, Ohio. The pair of Cavaliers representatives signaled a new direction for the franchise. After a short rebuild, Cleveland was on the path to playoff contention.
A 2022 trade for Donovan Mitchell vaulted the Cavs from fringe Play-In squad to the fourth seed in just one season. Allen's veteran experience and interior dominance accelerated this, as well, adding a level of dominance the Cavaliers had not seen from a traditional big man in a long time.
Fast forward to 2025, and Allen was the only member of Cleveland's core four that did not earn a free trip to San Francisco for All-Star festivities. Evan Mobley earned his first nod while Garland and Mitchell continued their All-Star careers. Allen's exclusion was not due to a sudden regression. In fact, Allen is arguably better than ever. But, he is no longer at the center of the Cavs' systems as he was earlier.
Just last season, Allen was undeniably the Cavaliers' second-best player and touted the team's best two-man lineup stats with Mitchell. Discussions of the true second star the Cavs needed alongside Mitchell to be real contenders revolved around Allen at times. Not Garland. Not Mobley.
This season, Allen is averaging 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 28.6 minutes per game. Earlier in the season, he was repeatedly absent from Atkinson's closing lineups. He became a forgotten man as Mobley rose to stardom. Yet, Allen has never shaken. He is resolutely dedicated to this team and never places himself before others.
Allen undoubtedly has All-Star talent. He earned his selection in 2022. But, as many NBA fans wish other stars would do, he happily values winning over individual accolades and praise. Cleveland's beloved big man has taken a lessened role in order to help elevate the entire team. He still gives the Cavs star-level impact, but his selflessness allows the Cavaliers to balance all the talent at hand.
Longtime fans are not going to forget Allen, and none of his teammates will, either. Unfortunately, though, he is the fourth core player now. A role he is willing to accept.
Cleveland's rookie is a sleeping giant
Selected 20th overall, three-year college prospect Jaylon Tyson had few expectations entering the NBA. Ahead of the draft, Tyson was typically projected to be a second-round pick, but the Cavaliers saw something unique in him and passed on rookies with higher expected ceilings.
While Tyson has only seen sparse minutes this year, he is an instant winner. His role is still unclear, leading to some flukey mistakes, but Tyson is making a statement with every second he spends on the court. Standing at 6'6", Tyson has the frame for a modern NBA wing, and his skillset has shown a valuable jack-of-all-trades type of player.
In his inaugural campaign, Tyson shows traits of any position 1-4 on the court. Is he a Nash-esque point guard, darting a pass between the eye of a needle to a cutting teammate? No. But, in the modern league, Tyson's serviceable court vision and willingness to pass allows him to serve in a point guard role when needed. Otherwise, his strength, intelligence, shooting and crafty scoring make him an above-average option at any wing or forward spot.
Though most of his time is spent at the three, Atkinson has deployed Tyson roughly even across the shooting guard, small forward and power forward positions. He has made a positive impact at each spot and is only getting better as he integrates more into the Cavs and league as a whole.
Tyson is not being written off as a bust, but he is often viewed as a project player. What he has shown already suggests that his lower stats are simply a product of a small role on an established roster. As time goes on, Tyson will force himself into a larger rotational role, possibly causing the Cavs to shift their perspective on their wing depth chart construction.
The Cavaliers won the draft by selecting Jaylon Tyson. He is not a rough prospect, but a nearly complete talent who has honed his skills after battling through a seemingly strenuous collegiate career.
On any team, praise will be unevenly distributed, just as blame will be placed more heavily on some than others for bad teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers have too many players who are just too good to ignore.