The Cavs spent the offseason attacking their biggest soft spot, and that’s the thread running through the whole roster makeover. Cleveland didn’t just tinker around the edges. It went after athleticism, wing production and a different kind of lineup balance, and the result looks a lot different from the group that was projected last September.
Back then, the expected starting five had Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, with Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and either De’Andre Hunter or Dean Wade at small forward. Now the picture has shifted to James Harden and Peyton Watson.
That’s a major swing, especially at point guard. Harden had a rough playoff run, but in that setting he’s preferred over Garland, who was hunted on defense in the postseason and, as the source material puts it, “it was painful to watch.”
Garland still wasn’t fully healthy, and after he was traded to the Clippers during the middle of last season for Harden, the Clippers said Garland’s surgically repaired toe was a problem. Garland finished the year on the floor, but admitted, “I’ve been playing on nine toes.”
There’s also the contract piece. Harden will be 37 on Aug. 26, and the Cavs are giving him a three-year deal worth $97 million.
That’s a clear risk, but it came with a short-term benefit: Harden took less money up front, helped Cleveland land Watson, and waived his no-trade clause to make the move happen. He had a $41 million player option for 2026-27, and the first year of his new deal is supposed to be in the $30 million range.
Cleveland deserves credit for being aggressive here. The front office and ownership saw a weakness - a lack of athleticism and production at small forward - and went after it instead of standing pat. That mattered because the Cavs reached the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, one of the goals from last season, but still had a hole they needed to fix.
The path to Watson opened only after several other pieces moved around. While the Cavs were waiting on LeBron James, they lost Dean Wade to Philadelphia despite making multiple offers.
They also saw Keon Ellis sign with Brooklyn. From there, smaller trades helped set up the Denver deal for Watson, including Dennis Schroder going to Charlotte.
Watson’s arrival also connects to Rich Paul, who represents him. Cleveland negotiated a four-year, $88 million contract with the 23-year-old before the sign-and-trade could go through. If Watson really is the ascending, athletic 6-foot-8 small forward he appears to be, then that’s a meaningful upgrade.
LeBron remains part of the story, too. The source view here is that he never seriously considered Cleveland for a third stint because he is making a documentary about his final NBA seasons, something meant to resemble the “Last Dance” project Michael Jordan helped assemble for ESPN.
Cleveland, the argument goes, lacked national appeal. Rich Paul said LeBron would have “gone to New York” had the Knicks not won a title, and instead he chose Philadelphia, a bigger market whose last championship came in 1983 with Julius Erving.
Paul’s Philadelphia ties matter as well, since he has major clients there in Coach Nick Nurse and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers are trying to build a super team around Joel Embiid, Jalen Brown, Maxey and LeBron, and the idea of winning titles with four different franchises - Cleveland, Miami, the Lakers and possibly Philadelphia - is part of LeBron’s appeal.
While all that was unfolding, the Cavs watched more rotation pieces leave. The list of veterans gone from last season includes Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus, Lonzo Ball, De’Andre Hunter, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder and Dean Wade. Strus, in particular, is a player the source says it likes, but his foot injuries have cost him 112 games over the last two seasons, and he has played only 72 games in that stretch.
Looking ahead, the projected 2026-27 starting lineup is Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Peyton Watson. Behind them, the Cavs have a mix of young players the staff will need to develop.
Sam Merrill and Thomas Bryant are the veterans in that group. Jaylon Tyson is viewed as a young veteran, Mario Hezonja is a 31-year-old small forward from Europe, and the rest include Craig Porter Jr., Tyrese Proctor, Nae’Qwan Tomlin and rookie Meleek Thomas.
Among that group, Merrill stands out as someone who can start or come off the bench thanks to his defense and 3-point shooting. Tyson has starter potential at shooting guard or small forward.
With Schroder gone, the backup point guard job is open for Porter and Thomas, and Proctor could get into that mix as well. Tomlin, meanwhile, could help if he locks in on rebounding.
The big swing factor is Watson, who needs to stay away from hamstring injuries after they knocked him out of the 2026 playoffs. Coach Kenny Atkinson and his staff have already helped younger players such as Tyson, Porter and Tomlin grow up some, and that development matters because the Cavs needed more athleticism, especially on the wing.
If Watson and Tyson keep maturing, the roster looks a lot more balanced. Overall, the feeling here is upbeat about where Cleveland is headed.
In Other News...
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The new building is expected to be significantly larger than the current practice site and come with multiple amenities designed around the needs of a modern NBA operation. Once the Cavs relocate, the Independence facility will take on a new role of its own, serving as the training home for the Cleveland Sirens, the WNBA expansion team set to begin play in 2028. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Latest Roster Upgrade Came From A Twist Fans Didnt Expect
The Cavaliers latest roster shake-up took shape through a chain of events that had less to do with Cleveland than with the wider league market, and it gave the front office a little more room to operate than expected. In the process, the team moved on from Dennis Schroder and brought in Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade with Denver, while Max Strus was sent to the Clippers as part of the same broader shuffle.
What made the opening possible was James Harden declining his player option and then signing a new deal later than anticipated, which created the kind of cap flexibility that can change a summer plan in a hurry. Harden has also reportedly been involved in recruiting Watson and has been active in team workouts, a detail that adds an unusual layer to a move Cleveland fans probably did not see coming when the offseason started. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Have A Real Path To The Easts Top Seed
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What makes the conversation more interesting is how much of this comes down to fit as much as talent. The Cavaliers are not just collecting names, they are trying to stitch together a group that can settle in quickly, build chemistry and avoid the kind of uneven stretches that can cost a team in the standings. If the pieces come together the way Cleveland believes they can, the path to finishing atop the Eastern Conference suddenly looks more real than it did when the summer began. [Read more 🡒]