Setting the Stage: A Disappointing Playoff Exit
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations, finishing with a 64-18 record, the third-best in franchise history, and securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Led by a dynamic core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs boasted the NBA’s top offense (121.9 points per 100 possessions) and a top-10 defense. However, their postseason ended in a shocking second-round loss to the Indiana Pacers in five games, exposing issues with depth, physicality, and playoff resilience. As the 2025 offseason unfolds, Cleveland faces critical decisions to elevate their roster, constrained by the NBA’s second apron salary cap restrictions. This preview explores their offseason priorities and potential moves, optimized for searches like “Cleveland Cavaliers 2025 offseason” and “Cavs trade rumors.”
Roster Strengths: A Talented Core with Long-Term Deals
The Cavaliers’ “Core Four” of Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Allen remains a cornerstone, with all four signed to long-term extensions. Mitchell, who averaged 26.6 points and 6.1 assists in 2024-25, signed a three-year, $150.3 million deal through 2028-29, quashing trade speculation. Mobley, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, inked a five-year max contract, showcasing his elite rim protection (1.4 blocks per game) and growing offensive game. Garland, despite a turf toe injury limiting his playoff impact, contributed 18 points and 6.5 assists per game, while Allen anchored the paint with 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. The addition of De’Andre Hunter via trade in February 2025 bolstered wing defense, and rookie Jaylon Tyson shows promise as a rotational wing. Cleveland’s 15-0 start under coach Kenny Atkinson, who won NBA Coach of the Year, highlights the potential of this group when healthy.
Key Challenges: Second Apron and Roster Fit
Cleveland’s primary obstacle is their $209.6 million projected payroll for 2025-26, $21 million over the second apron threshold, which severely limits roster flexibility. Second apron restrictions prohibit aggregating contracts, trading multiple players in a single deal, sending cash in trades, or using the mid-level exception, forcing the Cavs to rely on minimum contracts or minor trades. The playoff loss to Indiana exposed three weaknesses: lack of frontcourt depth, inconsistent 3-point shooting (29.4% vs. Pacers), and struggles against physical, fast-paced teams. The frontcourt duo of Mobley and Allen, while defensively elite, clogs the paint offensively, as neither is a reliable 3-point shooter, impacting spacing for Mitchell and Garland. Injuries to Garland (turf toe) and Mobley (ankle) further highlighted depth issues, particularly at backup center and guard.
Offseason Priorities: Targeted Upgrades Without Major Overhaul
NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that Cleveland is likely to “largely stand pat” this offseason, focusing on internal development and marginal roster tweaks rather than breaking up the Core Four. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman emphasized continuity, noting the youth of Mobley (23) and Garland (25) and Mitchell’s commitment. However, the Cavs must address specific needs:
- Backup Center with Shooting: The lack of a reliable backup big was evident when Mobley and Allen sat, with aging veterans like Tristan Thompson unable to anchor second units. Duop Reath, a 28-year-old from Portland, is a proposed trade target due to his 32% 3-point shooting and mobility, available for a second-round pick or minor asset.
- Defensive-Minded Wing: Adding a 3-and-D wing like Dorian Finney-Smith, linked to Cleveland via X posts, could improve perimeter defense and spacing, addressing struggles against versatile wings like Indiana’s Pascal Siakam.
- Retaining Key Free Agents: Ty Jerome, an unrestricted free agent who averaged 12.5 points and 43.9% from three, is a priority. Cleveland can offer up to $14.3 million via early Bird rights, but competition from teams like Detroit could complicate retention. Sam Merrill, another sharpshooter, is also a free agent but less critical.
Potential Trade Scenarios: Jarrett Allen on the Block?
Despite Altman’s reluctance to trade the Core Four, Jarrett Allen is the most frequently mentioned trade candidate due to roster fit and financial constraints. His $20 million annual salary is movable, and his skill set—rim protection and efficient finishing—overlaps with Mobley’s. A proposed trade with the New Orleans Pelicans could bring Herb Jones, a premier perimeter defender, Kelly Olynyk (expiring contract), and a first-round pick, addressing Cleveland’s need for wing defense and cap relief. X posts suggest openness to trading Garland, but his playmaking and youth make him less likely to move unless a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available, as speculated by Bill Simmons. Any trade must navigate second apron rules, likely involving salary dumps or draft picks.
Draft and Free Agency Outlook
Cleveland holds the No. 20 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, acquired via trade, but lacks a second-round pick. Prospects like Colorado’s Tristan da Silva, a 6’9” wing with 16 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in college, could add depth and shooting. In free agency, the Cavs are limited to minimum contracts due to cap constraints. Targets like Al Horford or Moritz Wagner could provide veteran presence and shooting at center, while Ben Simmons was floated as a versatile wing option, though his $40.3 million salary is unfeasible without major salary shedding.
Looking Ahead: Refining a Contender
The Cavaliers’ 2025 offseason strategy hinges on refining, not rebuilding, their roster. With a 64-win season and a young core, drastic changes risk derailing progress, especially under Atkinson’s proven system. Internal development—particularly Mobley’s 3-point shooting and Tyson’s growth—will be critical. Strategic additions like Reath or Finney-Smith could address playoff shortcomings without sacrificing the Core Four’s chemistry. However, the second apron’s restrictions and the Pacers’ exposed flaws demand creative roster management. If Cleveland can bolster depth and spacing, they could finally break through the second-round ceiling in 2026, positioning themselves among the East’s elite alongside Boston and Oklahoma City.
