The Cleveland Cavaliers came into this season with sky-high expectations - and for good reason. After a 64-18 campaign last year, they looked like a team ready to make a serious run through the Eastern Conference.
But nearly halfway into the season, reality has hit hard. The Cavs have lost 14 of their first 29 games, and instead of looking like a title contender, they’re stuck searching for answers.
One of the biggest concerns? Depth - or the lack thereof.
A rival NBA executive put it bluntly: “The Cavs are not as deep as they thought they’d be. They’ve struck out on the margins.”
That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that made some aggressive moves to bolster its roster. Trading for De’Andre Hunter was supposed to be a win-now move, a piece that could help push them into the Conference Finals and beyond.
Instead, Hunter’s now coming off the bench, and the Cavs are still waiting for that move to pay off.
Then there’s the backcourt. Ty Jerome’s departure in free agency left a bigger hole than expected - one that Lonzo Ball hasn’t been able to fill.
Ball, still working his way back from injury setbacks, hasn’t provided the stability or production the Cavs were hoping for. And while Max Strus was a key contributor in his first season, his performance has dipped, adding another layer of concern to a roster that’s already feeling thin.
The Cavaliers also find themselves in a tough spot financially. As a second-apron team under the new CBA, they’re not just dealing with luxury tax penalties - they’re facing real restrictions on how they can improve the roster.
The new rules are designed to limit the flexibility of high-spending teams, and Cleveland is feeling the squeeze. General managers in this tier can’t just make a few savvy trades or sign a mid-level free agent to patch things up.
Their options are severely limited.
That lack of flexibility has forced the Cavs to rely more heavily on their younger players - and while there’s talent in that group, youth rarely wins in the NBA. Jaylon Tyson, Craig Porter Jr., and Nae’Qwan Tomlin have all shown flashes, stepping into bigger roles and doing what they can to fill the gaps. But they’re still developing, and asking them to carry significant minutes on a team with playoff aspirations is a big ask.
The trade of Isaac Okoro in the deal with Chicago was another depth hit, and while it may have made sense at the time, it’s left the rotation thinner than expected. The Cavs were built to contend, but right now, they’re scrambling to stay afloat in a competitive Eastern Conference.
This isn’t a lost season - not yet. But the margin for error is shrinking fast.
If Cleveland wants to get back to where they were a year ago, they’ll need more than just internal growth. They’ll need answers - and fast.