NBA 2K27 has dropped its latest ratings, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are already seeing a few numbers that will get people talking.
The biggest questions come from three players on the roster: Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, and James Harden. Two of them look a touch light. One may be sitting a little too high.
Watson, listed at 79, is the first name that stands out. The new forward is coming off another strong season with the Denver Nuggets, and he’s widely regarded as one of the league’s better three-and-D wings.
Based on what he did in the 2025-26 season, an 81 would have made more sense to start the year. He put up 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, and he has improved every season.
Mobley’s 87 is the other number that feels a bit off. The Cavaliers center posted 18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game, and he has become the defensive anchor for the group.
On production alone, he looks closer to a 90. The one thing working against him is the dip from beyond the arc.
After shooting at least 37 percent from three in each of the previous two years, he dropped to 29.7 percent last season.
Then there’s Harden, who also landed at 87. He still carries plenty of name value, but he is moving deeper into the back end of his career.
After being traded to Cleveland, he averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Even so, he may be closer to an 85 now.
Of the three, he’s the one who seems most likely to have been rated a little too generously, though the Cavaliers probably won’t be upset about it.
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