Cavaliers Tease Sept. 15 Announcement With Mysterious Graphic

The Cleveland Cavaliers posted a graphic to X on Wednesday morning. The date reads 9.15.2026. Something new is coming, the caption said, with the #LetEmKnow hashtag below. The Cavaliers didn't specify the announcement.

Wine and gold streak across a black background in a textured, stippled pattern. The date appears in white at the bottom. The lower left corner features the NBA and Nike logos, with a Cavaliers emblem opposite.

Nike has supplied the league's on-court uniforms since the 2017-18 season.

Cleveland's current core set dates to July 18, 2022. Cavaliers creative director Daniel Arsham designed the Association, Icon, and Statement uniforms with Nike, in white, wine, and black. Arsham called the look "a very clean, reductive, modern design" in the team's release that day. It was the organization's first major rebrand since 2010.

Two additions arrived last season. On Oct. 15, the Cavaliers unveiled a navy Classic Edition uniform, a replica of their 2005-2010 alternates. "Cleveland" is in an early-2000s throwback font with gold outline, and the shorts feature the throwback "C" logo with a sword. The jersey debuted Nov. 5 against the 76ers and was worn in 11 games, including Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden.

On Nov. 11, the City Edition, a remix of the 2022-23 set, was released. Cleveland created it with Metroparks, inspired by fall foliage on park trails.

Neither the wine Icon Edition nor the orange City Edition appeared in the 2026 playoffs. Cleveland wore navy twice against Toronto in the first round and went black for Games 6 and 7. The Cavaliers stayed in black for the second round against the Detroit Pistons. The season ended in black at Rocket Arena on May 25, a 130-93 loss to the Knicks that finished a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference finals.

Aug. 19 brought the last of Cleveland's major offseason business. The Cavaliers acquired Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a five-team sign-and-trade that sent Max Strus to the LA Clippers and Dennis Schroder to the Charlotte Hornets. Watson's new contract runs four years and $88 million, with a player option and a trade kicker. Going to Denver were an unprotected 2031 Cavaliers first-round pick and a 2032 Sacramento Kings second-round pick. Cleveland is hard-capped at the first apron as a result, a line that sits at $209,015,000.

James Harden agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract the following day. ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the agreement, which includes a player option for 2028-29 and a trade kicker. Harden declined a $42.3 million player option in June, waited for the Watson trade, and in 26 games after the Clippers deal for Darius Garland, averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists.

Donovan Mitchell agreed to a four-year, $273 million maximum extension earlier in the offseason. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson is expected to open next season with Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

The Cavaliers open the 2026-27 season on Oct. 22 against Philadelphia.