Cleveland Cavaliers fans won’t need DAZN to catch every game on the schedule this season. Thanks to a new move, 31 of the team’s 82 games will be available without the service, either for free or through a less expensive streaming option.
That split matters because the DAZN setup brings a much bigger price tag than what many fans were used to. The subscription is now listed at $25 to watch on more than one device in the home, up from nearly $10 before. For plenty of viewers, that’s a steep jump just to keep up with a regular season.
Of those 31 games, 15 will be free through DAZN or available on local Gray Media Networks in Ohio. In all, close to 40% of Cleveland’s season can be seen through cable TV or on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, giving fans more ways to follow the team without committing to a full season of streaming costs.
The setup fits a growing pattern around the league. Some NBA teams are moving more games to local television and limiting the number of subscriptions fans need to juggle. Memphis has already become one of the latest teams to go through a DAZN deal that includes free games.
For the postseason, the viewing picture changes again. Fans would need NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ABC, and Prime Video to follow the NBA Playoffs if the Cavaliers get there.
That leaves the rest of the regular season in DAZN’s hands. Fans in Ohio can weigh whether $20-$25 a month is worth it for the remaining 51 games, while Cavaliers fans outside the state have another option in NBA League Pass, which is cheaper and covers the Cavs against any opponent.
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Cavaliers Brought Back A Familiar Shooter For A Reason
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McNeils deal also lands in the same lane as a few other recent transactions around the league, with New Orleans signing and waiving Johnny ONeil and Golden State using Exhibit 10 contracts on Chance McMillian and Deivon Smith to steer them toward G League affiliates. For the Cavaliers, the immediate interest is less about the headline and more about why a player like McNeil was brought back into the fold now, and what that says about the spot he could carve out if the shot keeps showing up. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Contract Raises One Big Cavs Question
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Donovan Mitchells contract also naturally raises the question that follows every deal of this size: what, exactly, is the best version of the Cavs built around him? The extension includes a $75.5 million player option for 2030-31, which only adds to the sense that Cleveland is betting heavily on Mitchells prime and whatever comes next. For now, the organization has its answer at the top of the roster, but the bigger issue is how far that answer can carry the rest of the group. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Future Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
ESPNs latest NBA Future Power Rankings offered a reminder that the Cavaliers are still viewed as a legitimate long-term team, but not quite in the tier they occupied a year ago. Cleveland landed 10th overall in the projection covering the 2026-27 through 2028-29 windows, a notable drop from fourth last season, even as the roster continues to draw praise for its top-end talent.
The Cavaliers scored well in player quality, but the broader picture was less flattering when it came to draft assets, money and market-related factors. With a core that includes James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the concern now is less about whether Cleveland has enough talent to compete and more about how much flexibility it will have to keep that group together and improve around it. [Read more 🡒]