The Cleveland Cavaliers' front office, coaching staff, and star players believe that "running it back" with the same core in 2026-27 is a great idea. Many fans do not. Many analysts and writers (myself included) do not. But Cleveland is sprinting full throttle ahead with the mindset that the same core we just watched in 2025-26 is good enough to win a championship next season. Okie dokie.
When president of basketball operations Koby Altman gave his exit interview a few days after the Cavs' elimination, he fully hinted at the plan to keep the team's core four intact. Head coach Kenny Atkinson communicated the same sentiment in his interviews. Despite Cavs owner Dan Gilbert tweeting out a post-elimination message hinting at big moves, it appears Cleveland's decision-makers aren't interested in such a splash. In their eyes, such drastic measures aren't needed. In their eyes, the Cavs are plenty good enough to contend.
They're not. And it's borderline insulting that Altman and Cleveland's front office thinks that fans who watched the Cavs get embarrassed in the Eastern Conference Finals by the New York Knicks will also embrace a "run it back" movement. The Cavs have some massive flaws as currently constructed, starting with the fact that their backcourt (Donovan Mitchell and James Harden) doesn't play a lick of defense.
The Cavaliers aren't real contenders if they keep the same core intact
But it isn't so much about the Cavs as it is about the competition. The Knicks, as well as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, are very clearly a level or two above the Cavaliers. This is apparent when you're watching the NBA Finals, and it was also apparent when you were watching the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder. Cleveland.com's Cavs writer Chris Fedor summed things up nicely in a tweet this week:
NY is that good. Spurs are that good. OKC is that good. There are always levels to this. The key point is the Cavs aren’t that good and need to improve substantially to get on the same level. If anything, the last few weeks should be a window into how far away they are. https://t.co/FnGH628mc3
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) June 9, 2026
The Cavaliers' front office is being delusional and unproductive right now
You mean to tell me that after a postseason in which the Cavs needed seven games in both the first and second rounds to advance, and after getting swept by the Knicks, Cleveland's front office isn't even going to consider a massive shakeup?
The best way you could brand this mentality is optimistically cautious, but it's much closer to pure delusion. Yes, Harden is about to experience a full season with the Cavs, and since Cleveland's brass and Atkinson seem to think this is going to make such a stark difference, I'm here to remind them that Harden is also getting a year older, and thus a year further away from his prime.
This team is not a true contender as constructed, and they'll be incredibly fortunate to get back to the ECF in 2026-27. An earlier exit is far likelier if the front office keeps moving in this fashion.
Add us as a preferred source on Google