The Cavaliers’ 2016 championship anniversary stretch will start the night after LeBron James is set to come back to Rocket Arena.
Cleveland’s 2026-27 promotional calendar, released Tuesday, puts the first 10th Anniversary Celebration on Nov. 7 against the New York Knicks. The Cavs host Philadelphia on Nov. 6, and James is now with the 76ers.
That Philadelphia game is listed for 7:30 p.m. Eastern under Cavs Cup. The next night’s Knicks game begins at 8 p.m. and carries the anniversary label.
James’ first scheduled return to Cleveland with Philadelphia was already known in August. Tuesday’s schedule announcement simply added the anniversary events around it. The calendar does not say James will take part in any anniversary program, and it does not explain why the celebrations land on these dates.
The anniversary series runs across five weeks. After the Nov. 7 opener, Cleveland will hold another 10th Anniversary Celebration on Nov. 14 against Dallas, with a 2016 championship mini banner giveaway. The final anniversary night is Dec. 12 against Golden State, when the Cavs will hand out a Matthew Dellavedova bobblehead.
That Golden State date is the most obvious nod to the title run. Cleveland beat the Warriors in the 2016 Finals after falling behind 3-1.
The team is also marking that era in another way, following the 2016 Cavs’ reunion video.
Dellavedova is part of more than one giveaway night on the calendar. The Dec.
12 Warriors game features his bobblehead, and the list also includes a Sam Merrill bobblehead against Utah on Dec. 20 and a James Harden bobblehead against Toronto on Feb. 9.
The home opener on Oct. 24 against Brooklyn includes a T-shirt and rally towel. The published entries do not list distribution numbers or eligibility rules.
Here is the Cavs’ promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season, with all games at Rocket Arena and all times Eastern:
Oct. 24, 2026 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. - Home Opener T-Shirt & Rally Towel
Oct. 28, 2026 vs. Washington Wizards, 7 p.m. - Breast Cancer Awareness Night
Nov. 6, 2026 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. - Cavs Cup
Nov. 7, 2026 vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. - 10th Anniversary Celebration
Nov. 14, 2026 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. - 10th Anniversary Celebration & 2016 Championship Mini Banner Giveaway
Nov. 16, 2026 vs. Chicago Bulls, 7 p.m. - Pride Night
Nov. 20, 2026 vs. Indiana Pacers, 7:30 p.m. - Cavs Cup
Nov. 29, 2026 vs. Miami Heat, 6 p.m. - Salute To Service
Dec. 12, 2026 vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m. - 10th Anniversary Celebration & Matthew Dellavedova Bobblehead Giveaway
Dec. 15, 2026 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8 p.m. - Adidas Takeover Night
Dec. 20, 2026 vs. Utah Jazz, 6 p.m. - Sam Merrill Bobblehead Giveaway
Dec. 21, 2026 vs. New York Knicks, 7 p.m. - Marvel Night & Spida Foam Finger Giveaway
Dec. 27, 2026 vs. Washington Wizards, 6 p.m. - Kids Day
Jan. 5, 2027 vs. Toronto Raptors, 7 p.m. - Mental Health Awareness Night
Jan. 18, 2027 vs. Detroit Pistons, Noon - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 27, 2027 vs. Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m. - City Edition Sword Magazine
Jan. 30, 2027 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. - City Edition
Feb. 6, 2027 vs. Orlando Magic, 7:30 p.m. - AAPI Night
Feb. 9, 2027 vs. Toronto Raptors, 7 p.m. - James Harden Bobblehead
Feb. 14, 2027 vs. Phoenix Suns, 1 p.m. - Mascot Day
Feb. 17, 2027 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m. - Black Heritage Celebration
Feb. 25, 2027 vs. Sacramento Kings, 7 p.m. - Black Heritage Celebration
March 4, 2027 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 7 p.m. - City Edition Cap
March 6, 2027 vs. Atlanta Hawks, 5:30 p.m. - Bow Tie Game
March 20, 2027 vs. Chicago Bulls, 7:30 p.m. - Women’s Hoops Night
March 25, 2027 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7 p.m. - City Edition
March 29, 2027 vs. Miami Heat, 7 p.m. - Unidos Por Cleveland
April 1, 2027 vs. Boston Celtics, 7 p.m. - City Edition Mini Water Cooler
April 4, 2027 vs. Charlotte Hornets, 3 p.m. - Autism Awareness Day
In Other News...
Cavs Have An Urgent Two-Way Decision As New Guard Emerges
Ryan Nembhards brief time on the market has quickly become a real point of interest for Cleveland, which is weighing whether the rookie point guard fits one of its two-way openings. After being waived recently, Nembhard has drawn attention for the kind of efficient playmaking teams tend to value in that role, and his showing last season, when he averaged seven points and 5.5 assists per game, gave front offices a clearer look at what he can offer.
For the Cavaliers, the decision is not just about adding a young guard with some traction around the league. A move for Nembhard would require creating room by moving on from Riley Minix, and the clock matters because Cleveland is not alone in monitoring him. With other teams also interested, the Cavs have an immediate roster-choice to sort through before the market closes around a player whose emergence has made him more than a throw-in name. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Season May Come Down To One Chemistry Problem
The Cavaliers spent the offseason reshaping the roster around a core that still has plenty to prove together, and the biggest question is less about talent than timing. James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are the headliners, but last season offered only limited chances for those players to build the kind of rhythm good teams lean on when possessions tighten and the margins get thin.
New faces around them should help, especially if the supporting cast can deliver defensive energy and keep the group deeper over the course of the year. Even so, Clevelands ceiling may end up tied to how quickly its main pieces learn one anothers tendencies, because in a crowded Eastern Conference the difference between a promising lineup and a true contender often comes down to chemistry more than reputation. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Have Found A Low-Risk Answer On The Wing
Mario Hezonja is back in the NBA conversation after three productive seasons in Europe, where his shooting numbers took a clear step forward. Once a fifth overall draft pick, he now arrives with the kind of rsum that looks different than it did when he first entered the league, and for a Cavaliers team always looking for usable wing depth, that makes him an intriguing name to watch.
The comparison that naturally comes to mind is PJ Tucker, who rebuilt his NBA stock overseas by becoming a dependable jumper and a more versatile defender. Hezonja is not there yet, but the path is easy to see: if his improved shooting translates and he can offer enough toughness on the perimeter, he could end up looking like a low-risk addition with a chance to stick. [Read more 🡒]