When the clock struck 0.0 and the 2024-25 NBA season officially ended for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the calls for drastic changes immediately began. Cleveland had set the pace for the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record, but lost unceremoniously in the second round to the Indiana Pacers. Questions immediately mounted over how far this core can really go.
Context is crucial, however, and emotions are natural in the early stages of a response to a disappointing outcome—facts Cleveland must remember when evaluating its offseason goals.
There's no way around the fact that the Cavaliers' season ended on a sour note. They won their most regular-season games since 2008-09, swept the Miami Heat in the first round, and then managed to win just one game against a division rival in Round 2.
For as disappointing as that may be, blowing up a team that just won 64 games and a playoff series would be a dramatic overreaction.
Cleveland needs to make difficult decisions this summer, including whether or not it should re-sign super-sub Ty Jerome. It must also decide how much longer it plans to give to its undersized backcourt, no matter how well they played together.
The difference between good and great franchises, however, is the ability to navigate adversity—and Cleveland must remember the positive as it evaluates the negative.
Cavaliers are too close to being elite to blow it up now
It's hardly an excuse to point out that Darius Garland appeared in just five of the Cavaliers' nine playoff games in 2025. That includes Game 1 and Game 2 against the Pacers, during which Cleveland lost by a combined 10 points and collapsed in the fourth quarter in both outings.
Considering Garland ranked No. 2 on the Cavaliers in fourth-quarter scoring on .504/.387/.911 shooting, it's safe to believe his presence could've helped prevent the aforementioned implosions.
As if Garland's absence weren't enough, Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley missed Game 2—a one-point loss. Mobley tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1, and returned for Game 3 with 18 points and 13 boards in a Cleveland win.
There's no excuse for the Cavaliers losing to the Pacers, but it's also difficult to view playing without two All-Stars as anything other than playing without two All-Stars.
With this in mind, it would behoove the Cavaliers to keep their core together barring an opportunity to complete a sincere upgrade. That list of options is short, with admittedly unlikely Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant trades being among the few worth considering at this stage.
Unless the Cavaliers can make a change that doesn't otherwise equate to a lateral move, then giving up on a 64-win team's core after an injury-plagued postseason would be a remarkable mistake.
So... What is the actual issue, then?
The unfortunate truth to emerge from the Cavaliers' premature postseason exit is that they were run off the court. Indiana scored at least 120 points in three of the five games during the second-round series, shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.
There won't be many series during which nine different opposing players shoot 41.2 percent or better from beyond the arc, but Cleveland's need for improved perimeter defense remains.
The obvious retort to previous points made is that Garland and Mitchell are an undersized backcourt who leave Cleveland exposed defensively. The counterpoint, however, is that Cleveland ranked in the 74th percentile in defensive rating with the five-man lineup of Garland, Mitchell, Max Strus, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
The issue is that Strus averaged just 25.5 minutes per game—and De'Andre Hunter hasn't yet proven that he can get back to the defensive level he once resided at to provide adequate relief.
Furthermore, the Cavaliers have been forced to find significant minutes for breakout reserve Ty Jerome. That not only increases the number of minutes during which Cleveland is playing offensive-minded guards, but arguably crowds a backcourt that already maintains a delicate balance.
Thus, the question must be posed: Should the Cavaliers let Jerome walk in free agency despite the fact that he averaged 22.7 points and 6.1 assists per 36 minutes on .516/.439/.872 shooting?
Ty Jerome, De'Andre Hunter, and the matter of support
Jerome's offensive contributions were essential to team success during the regular season. His ability to come in and provide instant offense in just under 20 minutes per game prevented opposing defenses from catching their breath just because Garland or Mitchell were taken out to rest.
Unfortunately, Jerome averaged just 4.8 points on .233/.250/1.000 shooting between Cleveland's final four postseason games, thus revealing a limited impact when his shot isn't falling.
For a Cavaliers team that's already paying top dollar to its core four players, including substantial raises for Mitchell and Mobley that begin in 2025-26, it may thus make sense to let Jerome walk. It would be a blow to the second unit, but it can be offset if Cleveland prioritizes a different area of weakness.
In desperate need of consistency at small forward, the Cavaliers could instead angle to move a less desirable contract—perhaps Isaac Okoro—to create space to find a full-time starter at the position.
With all of that established, some degree of patience remains the rational choice. Hunter struggled, but he was also in his first few months with a new team. Jerome came up short, as well, but these were his first career postseason minutes—and he was excellent in Round 1.
Regardless of what decision Cleveland lands on, the complexities of its situation epitomize why Koby Altman can't afford to act in a state of panic if he's going to make the necessary decisions to keep the window open.