The Cavaliers look loaded in a lot of places, but the frontcourt behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen still feels like the one spot that could turn into a real issue.
Mobley and Allen are an established pair and the backbone of Cleveland’s size up front. The problem isn’t them.
It’s everything after them on the depth chart. For the past couple of seasons, that’s been a weak point, and it still hasn’t fully gone away.
Thomas Bryant is the most reliable insurance policy. He’s an experienced backup big with starting reps from his time with the Wizards and Lakers, and he’s also got a championship ring from the Nuggets plus another championship appearance with the Indiana Pacers.
He should be in the rotation most nights, especially after showing some strong stretches late last season. Even so, it was surprising that his playoff minutes were so limited.
After Bryant, the options thin out fast.
Khalifa Diop signed a four-year deal, with one year guaranteed, after being selected four years ago. He didn’t exactly dominate at Baskonia, and at this stage he looks more like a development project than an immediate answer.
Still, he’s got some useful tools. He’s been a solid rebounder and dunker, and if the Cavaliers need a little rim protection, he can give them that.
The expectation, though, is that he won’t see much action early in the season.
Ernest Udeh Jr. is the other name to keep in mind on the big-man side. He’s on a two-way deal and spent last season at Miami, where he averaged nine rebounds, one steal, and 1.4 blocks per game.
The G-League is expected to be his main home, but he’s shown enough to suggest he can handle real minutes if Cleveland needs him. His Summer League numbers backed that up, too, with 2.8 blocks per game.
That could turn into a battle between Udeh and Diop for the final spot by the end of the year.
There are also ways to survive with more small-ball looks. Peyton Watson, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Mario Hezonja can take on more power forward minutes, which helps soften the blow if the frontcourt stays healthy.
And that’s really the key. If Mobley and Allen hold up, and Bryant stays available, Cleveland’s depth problem may never become a headline.
But over the course of a long season, that’s a lot to ask. The Cavaliers may have improved the roster overall, but this remains a weakness worth watching.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Could Soon Regret How Much Talent They Let Go
The Cavaliers have spent recent seasons reshaping the roster in search of a cleaner fit around their core, and the ripple effect from those moves is starting to come into focus. A few former Cleveland connections are now in new places, and the early read is that several of them could land in situations where their strengths are used more clearly than they were in Northeast Ohio.
De'Andre Hunter and Dennis Schroder are among the names to watch as they settle into new roles, while Darius Garland and Keon Ellis also factor into the broader discussion of what Cleveland gave up and what might still linger as a what-if. It is the kind of post-departure evaluation that can take time to fully settle, but if any of these players find a level elsewhere that Cleveland can no longer claim, the Cavaliers may end up looking back at this stretch a little differently. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Fans Face A Big Viewing Change Next Season
Cavaliers fans are about to get a very different way to follow the team next season, with the franchise turning to DAZN as its direct-to-consumer media partner for 2026-27. The partnership will cover preseason and regular-season games, along with additional team content, while keeping the familiar broadcast crew in place. It is also expected to come with a production upgrade, including more cameras and ultra-high-resolution systems.
DAZN will roll out several subscription options, giving fans different price points and feature sets, and local viewers will have some free games available as well as a free seven-day trial. For a fan base used to tuning in a certain way, the change brings both convenience and a few new decisions about how to watch, especially as the team shifts to a more modern streaming model. What remains to be seen is how smoothly that transition fits into the routines of the people who have followed the Cavs the same way for years. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Just Made A Front Office Move That Will Shape This Core
The Cavaliers are making a notable front office move around a core they believe is still very much in place, promoting Brandon Weems to general manager under president Koby Altman. Weems has spent the past decade in the organization, most recently serving as assistant GM, and the promotion gives Cleveland another familiar voice in a key decision-making chair as it looks to shape the next phase of the roster.
For a team trying to keep its footing in a constantly shifting Eastern Conference landscape, continuity in the front office can matter just as much as continuity on the court. Cleveland is planning to open next season with Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Mobley and Allen, and this kind of internal elevation suggests the Cavaliers want the people guiding those pieces to be as steady as the lineup itself. [Read more 🡒]