As a team, the Cleveland Cavaliers enter the 2025-26 with an obligation to change the perception around another sad playoff exit.
The Cavs may have earned 64 wins in the regular season, but they could only secure an extra five in the postseason. With a sour taste lingering on the franchise this summer, every Cavalier must step up and help elevate the team. Cleveland is a top Eastern Conference contender, viewed as a favorite to win the conference in the postseason.
To do that, it is imperative that key players take the next step and prove themselves. Donovan Mitchell's arrival in 2022 accelerated the Cavs' rebuild, and the team has found ways to catch up and build a solid supporting cast around the stars. Three Cavaliers will be game changers this season, either evolving and carrying the team forward or hitting a plateau and suffering a down year.
Evan Mobley needs to prove he's got another level
All-NBA, All-Star, All-Defense and Defensive Player of the Year is an outstanding list of accomplishments to achieve in a single season. Cavaliers unicorn Evan Mobley did that, and he could be on pace to repeat many of those accolades. To do that, complacency must be seen as his enemy.
Mobley has a wealth of talent and ascended to true NBA stardom last season. He set career bests in points per game (18.5), improved his three-point shooting volume and maintained his elite talent on defense and rebounding. In the playoffs, Mobley saw continued success, averaging slightly lower numbers but still impacting the game at a high level.
In truth, Mobley proved almost everything that could be asked of him last year. Still, the Cavs have eyes on the NBA Finals, not a second-round exit. While much ire has fallen on some of his teammates who struggled in the playoffs, Mobley needs to prove himself as a superstar capable of leading a team in the postseason. He needs to prove he is a dominant force, demanding the ball from teammates and commanding the flow of the game.
There will never be a season as a Cavalier in which Mobley does not face lofty expectations. Since his draft in 2021, he became a franchise cornerstone and has only further cemented himself as the player holding the keys to the Cavs' future. Cleveland is building a contender with Mobley at the center, and this next year is the time for him to prove that a great season is his baseline, not his ceiling.
The Cavaliers need the best version of Max Strus
Veteran wing Max Strus is the Cavaliers glue guy in the starting lineup. While he may not be elite at any one skill, he does the dirty work and never loses confidence. His attitude on the court spreads to his teammates, driving them to be better and play with passion.
That all seemed great, but the playoffs killed his reputation. After demanding the most from his team, saying "If you don't believe, don't show up" ahead of an abysmal 0-of-9 performance in an elimination game five against the Indiana Pacers. Though Strus is still a beloved Cavaliers role player and has earned much respect, his postseason charisma failed to translate on the court.
Strus needs to prove one key factor this year: consistency. The former Miami Heat veteran is an athletic two-way wing, and like many of his archetype, his is susceptible to dry spells from three-point range. His intensity and hustle never diminish, but his scoring production can disappear without a clear reason. What the Cavaliers cannot afford, however, is a disappearing act in win-or-go-home scenarios.
Strus is not to blame for the Cavs' short playoffs. He is not the leader of the team, but he is a tone setter as a vocal leader on the court and in the locker room. Cleveland needs to be able to depend on Strus, and this season is his time to show that he is the dependable wing the Cavs needed when he signed in 2023.
Lonzo Ball needs to stay available for the Cavs
In his first season with the Cavs, Lonzo Ball is going to be thrust into a role as the bench unit leader and will be responsible for making his teammates better. Perhaps more than any other second-unit player in Cleveland, Ball will have the most impact on the Cavaliers' season. He is a playmaking maestro and a defensive powerhouse. As he has grown into the NBA, he has molded himself into one of the best defensive guards and one of the smartest passing role players across the league.
For the Cavaliers to accomplish their goals, Ball is going to be almost just as pivotal as the stars. Unfortunately, Ball comes with a real concern over his health and long-term availability. He has never played in a playoff series, watching from the sidelines when the Chicago Bulls reached the playoffs in 2022 and lost the Milwaukee Bucks in round one.
Cleveland needs an offensive engine to lead the bench unit. When Darius Garland rests or misses a game, the Cavs cannot afford to have a stalled offense like what they had against Indy. On paper, Ball is the perfect solution to that problem. He adds defense, shooting and high basketball IQ. With eyes on him to be the final piece to Cleveland's championship puzzle, he must prove that he was the right trade target to bet on.
The Cleveland Cavaliers need to make the most of the 2025-26 season. With injuries hampering rivals and an inflating salary sheet, the Cavs are entering a make-or-break year. The talent is there, but the puzzle is still left incomplete.