Cavaliers’ Core On the Verge Of A Make Or Break Season

The Western Conference offers no mercy, no easy paths, and no expansive open windows of massive opportunity. Seeds one through 10 are usually all playoff contenders alike, and usually, seeds three and after are only games apart from each other. The West is, always has, and will be again, tight this coming season. The same cannot be said for the Eastern Conference, where this season, a window so wide will open that if the usual contenders don’t take advantage of it, the disappointment could lead to significant changes within the franchise. The Cleveland Cavaliers mark the perfect example of a team that has no excuses to make the 2025-26 NBA campaign count, especially considering the circumstances related to superstar injuries and their respective teams.

Cavaliers’ Core On the Verge Of A Make Or Break Season

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland lead Cleveland Cavaliers into a season they must capitalize on

With the absences of Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton this season, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers get a pass. Giving a pass in professional sports is generally frowned upon. Still, in the case of these two teams, they will likely not have their superstars all year. This means the expectation of a deep playoff run or championship appearance from either team is fairly low. The other factor in the East that deserves close attention is what will happen with the Milwaukee Bucks and their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The crystal ball in Milwaukee may foreshadow Giannis leaving the Bucks via trade at some point in the season. For this to happen, the Bucks would truly have to be undergoing an underachieving season. Considering they did not make any championship-altering moves this summer (no disrespect to Myles Turner, who is an excellent player), the vibe around the Bucks is a highly possible future without Giannis.

There is a great deal of unrest and uncertainty in the East. Teams like the New York Knicks and the Cavaliers have to break through. Not only do they have to break through in general, but more specifically, they must break through past the second round and the Conference Finals. This season is Donovan Mitchell‘s and Darius Garland‘s best chance as a top NBA backcourt duo to bring another championship to Cleveland. At the very least, they should represent the East in the finals. Anything less than that is a massive underachievement and a complete loss of a season.

Mitchell’s and other’s futures may depend on this season

Last season, the Cavaliers were the top team in the East, finishing with a 64-18 record. But that record didn’t mean much after they were bounced in the second round by the Pacers in five games. An outstanding regular season, yes, but washed away by their early exit. Since Donovan arrived in Cleveland, the Cavs have not made it past the second round. They have all the talent in the world, and last year, they should have. This year, they have another shot.

With the Knicks likely to be the other top adversary in the East alongside the Cavs, it might be a two-horse race from the get-go. On paper, Cleveland has one of the best lineups in the league. Furthermore, they have a top-five starting lineup. Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Garland, and Mitchell are all considered top players at their position — Mitchell especially. This is the core that needs to get it done for Cleveland this year.

Who knows what another early playoff exit means for Mitchell and the others? Last year, Garland’s name was tossed around in trade rumors. As for Mitchell,  has always carried an aura around him that his time in Cleveland will be limited. If the Cavaliers don’t cash in this season, especially with the Celtics and Pacers out of the picture, this could be the final run for this present Cavaliers core.

 

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