The Cavs wanted to get back to the version of themselves that made the offense hum: quick ball movement, constant cutting, and enough off-ball action to keep defenses chasing. Instead, five games into the season, that rhythm has vanished.
That was the focus of a breakdown from Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor and Wine and Gold Talk podcast host Ethan Sands, who looked at why Cleveland’s offense has stalled so early. Their answer wasn’t a single issue. It was a mix of personnel changes, defensive counters, and a starting lineup that has been flat-out getting beat.
Sands framed the problem after watching Atlanta run Cleveland’s own style back at it. “Where did the Cavs passing offense go? The stagnation has been apparent for multiple different stretches.”
The numbers from that game backed him up. Cleveland had just one player finish with five or more assists, and it was Evan Mobley.
None of the starting guards reached that mark. Atlanta, on the other hand, had four players get there while moving the ball the way the Cavs wanted to.
Fedor said one offseason change has had a bigger effect than it might seem at first glance.
“I don’t think there’s as much movement within the offense because you lost one of your biggest movers. Max Strus would play 28 to 34 minutes a night at the small forward spot ... he was somebody who brought that movement.
He was somebody who brought that cutting. He was somebody who spaced the floor.
He was somebody who had an element of gravity to him. And he’s been replaced by Peyton Watson.
And Peyton’s just a different type of player with a different kind of skill set.”
Watson brings athleticism and real value off the bench, but he doesn’t replicate the same off-ball pressure Strus created. That matters. Without that kind of constant movement threat, the floor tightens up and defenses have fewer reasons to stay honest away from the ball.
Fedor also said opponents have found a way to make Cleveland uncomfortable. The formula is physical, switch-heavy defense that nudges the Cavs away from their preferred flow and into isolation-heavy possessions and matchup hunting.
Still, the biggest red flag may be the one sitting in the starting lineup. Fedor didn’t sugarcoat it.
“The starting five stinks,” he said bluntly.
“For a five man lineup to have an offensive rating of 99.3 and a net rating of minus-24, you’re gonna see that play itself out within other aspects of the team. Your most used lineup needs to play at a higher level, especially when that is supposed to be the strength of your team coming into the season.”
Cleveland spent the summer building what looked like one of the East’s most talented starting fives. Right now, it hasn’t looked the part. Kenny Atkinson has work to do, and the losses are piling up while the offense searches for the identity it was supposed to have from the start.
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