The nervousness of what happens if the Cleveland Cavaliers fail in the upcoming campaign was inescapable throughout the entire offseason. Cavaliers team president Koby Altman offered a much needed sigh of relief to fans in Cleveland on the subject at a recent press conference for the team.
Altman told the media, "Each year the core four grows. ... We were one of the only teams in the NBA to have three All-Stars, so I'm not breaking that up. This is something you want to stick with and like I said, don't take this for granted. This is a special group, this is a special era."
The Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations highlighted that the core four were still fairly young. Altman was under the impression they were not done growing. That would be the point when the Cavaliers president would consider changes.
Altman also highlighted the comfort that comes with having that much talent under team control. Each of those players are locked up on extensions in Cleveland for the future. The Cavaliers president shifted the onus to the Cavaliers staff to keep building on what they have.
Cleveland’s front office just silenced one of the biggest Cavaliers questions
The entirety of Altman's response can be summed up by highlighting patience and confidence as the two core parts of the message. Despite the restraints of the second apron that have dominated offseason conversations, there was a sense of disinterest in discussing major changes.
Admittedly, it is easy to become a victim of hypothesizing what a doomsday scenario would bring. Quite frankly, even with Altman's reassuring message, those conversations will not be eliminated entirely. However, they will also not be the primary focus for the Cavaliers either.
Media day and training camp will be a period of the offseason that brings hope and renewal. There are so many better subjects to fixate on at this point of the build-up to the regular season.
The conversations surrounding Evan Mobley's anticipated leap have been reignited by Kenny Atkinson. The addition of Thomas Bryant brought much-needed depth to the frontcourt. There is a quiet confidence surrounding Lonzo Ball.
Those wishing to focus on the positives surrounding the Cavaliers will have no shortage of fuel.
If the Cavaliers struggle in the regular season, the idea of change will undoubtedly reemerge. However, the postseason campaign is where Cleveland's season will be judged on its success or failure.
This group that enters the season for the Cavaliers should get a fair crack to make their mark in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Upon its conclusion is when there will be a more definitive answer to how drastic the changes must be in Cleveland.