The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2018.
According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the general feeling is that the Cleveland Cavaliers have to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this year to avoid a substantial shakeup.
The Cavaliers haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2018.
"The general feeling outside of the team is Cleveland has to reach the conference finals to avoid a substantial shakeup," Vardon wrote. "And, by the way, if this sounds like a familiar storyline, that’s because it is. When J.B. Bickerstaff went 0-for-3 in making it past the second round as Cavs coach, he was fired. Would the axe fall on Kenny Atkinson if Cleveland fails again? I’d rather not speculate on any specifics. The changes could be broader than that if the most expensive roster in the NBA can’t win two playoff series."
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have never been to the conference finals. James Harden made the NBA Finals in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hasn't been back since.
Cleveland had the best record in the East last season but lost to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the second round of the playoffs. Many people who cover the NBA believe the Cavaliers' front office could blow up the roster this offseason if the 2026 playoffs aren't kind to Atkinson's group.
The Cavaliers face the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. Some NBA scouts and execs believe the Wine and Gold's defensive struggles and shifting lineups could cost them, per ESPN.
"Harden is a master of offense, and he and Mitchell are an absolute load to handle every night," an East scout said. "But Harden has been in better shape and the referees don't give him as many calls as they used to for some reason. And it shows up on defense; he and Mitchell sometimes get torched out there."
"Allen has missed a bunch of time, and he's a big part of who they are," a scout who saw the Cavaliers recently said. "You'll get a bump because it's the playoffs, and everyone is locked in, but you still have to manage Donovan and James. ... Strus and Wade aren't good enough and Keon Ellis is too small."
"I understand the reasons they made the Harden trade, and I think it did put them in a better spot," an East executive said. "But they are going to have times where they're going to be better off with [Sam] Merrill out there on defense more than Harden. I think they'll go as far as Donovan's scoring can take them, and that's something we've seen before with his teams."
Mitchell is eligible to sign an extension with Cleveland this offseason, while Harden has a player option for next season that he's expected to decline to enter free agency. If the Cavaliers don't perform well in the 2026 playoffs, there is a scenario where Mitchell doesn't sign an extension and becomes a trade candidate and Harden leaves the team in free agency.
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