INDEPENDENCE — The Cavaliers believe they have been building the needed foundation for a few years now. Their hope is that they reach the summit next summer, but it doesn’t mean they’re viewing this upcoming season as their last-ditch effort, either.
The Cavs enter the 2025-26 season with the “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen — three of whom were All-Stars a year ago — intact, along with key contributors De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Sam Merrill and others in tow.
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The NBA is a league of urgency. Contention windows often close much faster than they open. It can be a mental battle to balance urgency with patience when warranted. That’s the intersection in which Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman finds himself in as the Cavs prepare for training camp.
“I think each year, the core four grows,” Altman said Sept. 23, speaking to local reporters a few days before the team’s media day. “That core group [has an average age] of 26.5. If I thought they were done growing, then we would look to do something. But when you have a group that talented, that young and under team control, we hand it off to the coaching staff and say, “continue to grow these guys, continue to believe in their careers.'”
The Cavs were ousted in the second round of the playoffs for the second season in a row, this time by an Indiana Pacers team that went on a surprise run to the NBA Finals. The year prior, the Boston Celtics ended Cleveland’s run in the second round en route to winning the title.
As far as the regular season goes, the Cavs have the third-most wins over the last three seasons combined, behind only the Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder — the last two NBA champions. It hasn’t yet resulted in the playoff success for which the franchise is searching. But bigger than any move the team made this offseason was the decision to keep the core together for another run at it, especially when the Cavs have had some unfortunate timing with injuries.
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“I urge everyone here, and we know this internally: don’t take this run for granted, don’t take this group for granted,” Altman said. “Last year, when those guys were healthy, we still felt like we had a great chance. Even more so this year, after another year of adversity, another year of building.
“We were one of the only teams in the NBA to have three All-Stars, and so I’m not breaking that up. This is something you want to stick with, and like I said, don’t take this for granted. This is a special group, this is a special era, and we hope to encapsulate that with some real playoff success and a championship to come.”
Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) wait along side head coach Kenny Atkinson to enter the game during the first half against the New York Knicks, April 2, 2025, in Cleveland.
Cavs standing in Eastern Conference
This upcoming season does present itself with some advantageous opportunities following a rash of unfortunate injuries across the league, but particularly in the East. Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard all tore their Achilles tendons during the playoffs, which might have ended their 2025-26 seasons entirely.
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It delivered a critical blow to three of the East’s top contenders before the season even opened, possibly clearing the way a bit for the Cavs or the New York Knicks to reach the Finals.
While the injuries were unfortunate, it’s a fact that the Cavs have a better-than-usual opportunity to get through the East. But they’re not viewing next summer as the end-all, be-all chance.
“I feel like we’re going to have multiple bites at this apple, right?” Altman said. “Injuries aside, I hope everyone’s healthy. I hate that we see these injuries happening in the NBA because it happens to us, and it’s not so funny when it’s you.”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs core 4 of Mitchell, Garland, Mobley and Allen prepare for 2025-26