NBA Analyst Sums Up Cleveland Cavaliers' 2026 Offseason in 1 Word

In a story for Bleacher Report called "1 Word to Describe Every Team's 2026 NBA Offseason," NBA analyst Zach Buckley used the word "stagnant" for the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Wine and Gold lost Dean Wade to the Philadelphia 76ers, Keon Ellis to the Brooklyn Nets and Larry Nance Jr. to the Indiana Pacers and franchise legend LeBron James signed with the 76ers instead of coming back home. 

The biggest move the Cavaliers made this summer was signing Donovan Mitchell to a massive extension. Mitchell agreed to a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension with Cleveland.  

"The Cavaliers ethered a lot of outside noise and handled their most important bit of offseason business when Donovan Mitchell put pen to paper on a four-year, $273 million max extension," Buckley wrote. "They also potentially unearthed a hidden gem in the second-round rookie Thomas, who paced all summer-leaguers in scoring.

"Otherwise, though, this felt like a lot of water-treading from a team struggling to break through in the vastly improved East. The Cavs have managed just two total wins across their last three playoff series losses, suggesting they're still a half-tier beneath true elite status. Nothing that happened this summer seems capable of closing that gap."

The Cavaliers did sign Mario Hezonja after LeBron went to the 76ers. The next step is to re-sign James Harden.

Cleveland is also still interested in Jonathan Kuminga. 

The Cavaliers acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in 2022. Mitchell is averaging 26.7 points per game in the regular season and 27.3 points per game in the playoffs in a Cleveland uniform.

A seven-time All-Star, Mitchell led the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. It was the first time Cleveland made the conference finals since 1992 without LeBron, but the New York Knicks swept the Cavaliers en route to winning the championship against the San Antonio Spurs. 

Without LeBron, the Cavaliers' core remains the same: Harden, Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. We'll see if that core can get over the hump next season.

It's too bad we won't get to see LeBron play for Cleveland again. The King said the 76ers will be his last stop in the NBA. 

"This is my last decision," LeBron wrote on social media. "I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.

“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!”