The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed for a loud offseason after a 64-win season yielded uninspiring playoff results. After flaming out in the second round in five games for the second year in a row, the Cavs have some tough decisions to make this summer.
Yes, Cleveland’s core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen are all under contract and they have ten players under contract for next year. The Cavs are a second apron team though, limiting their options when it comes to upgrading their roster.
So what changes can be expected in the Land offseason? Here are the three pathways the Cavaliers can take this summer.
3. Blowing the team up
This is the least likely option, especially after President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman’s press conference on Monday. Nonetheless, this is an avenue the Cavs could explore this offseason.
Mitchell and Mobley would stay in this scenario, but Cleveland could trade Garland and Allen to retool the roster around their two cornerstones. Mobley and Allen’s fit worked this past season, but with Mobley continuing his ascension, is Allen holding him back? Garland’s fit with Mitchell has also been a question, but less so, since we all saw what the Cavs’ offense looked like without Garland’s presence. However, if he were made available, teams would line up for the All-Star’s services. If Altman receives an offer to field a team that best fits Mitchell and Mobley, will he consider?
This pathway is moreso about whether or not Cleveland receives an offer they cannot refuse for either Garland or Allen. It is unlikely we see both of them traded this offseason, which leads to the next pathway.
2. Trading away Jarrett Allen
Allen will once again be the subject of trade rumors this offseason, after finishing the last two games of the Pacers series with a grand total of 11 points and six rebounds. With Mobley’s continued rise and the team’s need for more toughness, Allen could find himself on the way out.
While Altman did imply that the core four would be back, he made comments about not counting out a 23-year old Evan Mobley, a 28-year old Donovan Mitchell, or a 25-year old Darius Garland. He did not mention Allen. Now, he did defend his center by comparing him to Myles Turner and how he battled trade rumors for years and is not an integral part of the Pacers’ conference finals run, but it is something to think about.
Trading Allen would mean shifting Mobley to full-time center duties, which would help his rise to superstardom. The Cavs boasted a +11.9 net rating with Mobley on the court without Allen in the regular season and +3.9 in the playoffs. Even throughout the regular season and playoffs, Kenny Atkinson closed with Mobley as the lone big and put four shooters around him and Cleveland had a lot of success.
The Cavs do not necessarily have to trade Allen, but if the right offer is out there, they have to consider it. This pathway is much more likely than the former, but number one might be what we see happening.
1. Running it back
That is what has been implied by Altman, the players, and every report that has come out since the season ended. With Cleveland being a second apron team, they are restricted in making trades and they knew when they acquired De’Andre Hunter that they would be locked in with this squad for the next three seasons.
Yes, the Cavs failed miserably in the playoffs, but the East will be wide open for the next two years. With Jayson Tatum being out for a year and the Celtics retooling, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future in Milwaukee, and the amount of parity we have seen in the league, Cleveland banking on internal improvement would be a worthy gamble. Another leap to stardom by Mobley, a healthier Garland, a wiser Mitchell, and another year in Atkinson's system are all benefits to consider.
As much as we like to say that this group has gone through adversity, they haven’t. Not at this level. 2023 they were too young. 2024 they were too injured and Boston was a buzzsaw. 2025 was their first year of having championship expectations and failing. Every successful team we see has gone through adversity of this nature. Running it back with a highly motivated group will likely happen and it may not be what fans want to see, but given the state of the East, is not a bad idea.