Cavs bold predictions for the 2025-26 NBA season

The The Cleveland Cavaliers should have only one thing on their collective mind heading into the 2025-26 campaign — revenge. They were so good throughout last year’s regular season and still couldn’t get past the second round. In fact, they won exactly the same number of playoff games in 2025 as they did in 2024, and that simply won’t be enough for a team with big title ambitions.

Time is ticking on the Cavs; while their players are not old (the oldest member of their four is Donovan Mitchelland he’s only 29), their huge luxury tax as they dive into the second apron means they now have to win and win. As the Boston Celtics showedbeing on another apron carries so many financial penalties that they decided to change the roster this offseason amid Jayson Tatum’s injury just to reset their tax timer.

be that as it may, The Cavs can definitely contend for the title for this upcoming season, no doubt. They returned most of the players from their 64-win team and led the way Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr., among others, to fill the depth lost when Tee Jerome decided to chase greener pastures in free agency. De’Andre Hunter will also be there all season, and he has been excellent with the Cavs during his first few months with the team.

With that said, here are some bold predictions for the Cavs for the 2025-26 campaign.

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Donovan Mitchell is averaging 30 points per game

To start the year, The Cavs will be without Darius Garlandwith the All-Star point guard still on the mend after undergoing toe surgery last summer. Now, the most likely course of action for the Cavs is to be careful with Garland. After all, Garland was far from 100 percent during their nightmare second-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers, with Indiana feeling blood every time Garland was on the floor.

It’s not entirely clear who will start with Mitchell at the start of the year. The The Cavs could be rolling with Lonzo Ballalthough he’s unlikely to be thrown into the fire this early in the year given his injury history. Sam Merrill appears to be the favorite to start in the backfield next to Mitchell, but Merrill is not a ball-handler; he is someone who hunts down opposing ball handlers and specializes in moving the ball and shooting 3-pointers off the catch and on the move offensively.

That means Mitchell could have some of the biggest responsibilities of his career. With the Utah Jazz, he always stood next to Ricky Rubio or Mike Conley. In Cleveland, Garland was almost always by his side. Mitchell isn’t a point guard, but with the Cavs likely starting this year, he’ll have the ball in his hands a lot — leading to plenty of scoring opportunities for the 29-year-old.

In 33 games with the Cavs without Garland, Mitchell average 29.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists on 49/38/83 shooting. Therefore, it’s not too much of a stretch to think that Mitchell could average around 30 points per game, especially with Garland out.

Once Garland returns, Mitchell’s usage will decrease. But even then, one would think the Cavs would take Garland along slowly. Cleveland has already learned that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint, and they’d prefer to be healthy in the postseason.

Assuming Garland misses significant time, Mitchell could be in for a career-high scoring season. Don’t rule out a 30-point season from the six-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA First Team in 2025.

Lonzo Ball plays in 65+ games for the Cavs

Ball made a triumphant return to the hardwood last year after missing two and a half seasons with knee complications. While Ball only played 35 games last year, it was clear in the games he played that he remains a player with strong winning DNA.

The The Cavs identified Ball as someone who could help make a title push, dealing former lottery pick Isaac Okor to the Chicago Bulls just to acquire his services. Considering the Cavs’ need for a defensive stopper in the backcourt, Ball is an ideal addition, with the caveat that his health remains a question mark.

The reality may be that Ball is never 100 percent healthy again and needs to be managed more carefully given his injury history, much like, say, Kawhi Leonard. But Ball is only 27 years old, and with the right handling of his job, he could end up having the healthiest season of his career as he moves further away from the multiple knee surgeries he’s had in the past.

Now you seem to be playing in 65 games stretching for Ball. But this is not a bold prediction in vain. He never played more than 65 games in a season; his single-season best is 63 games, until the 2019-20 season. But maybe playing for a legitimate title contender is what Ball needs to get through the season unscathed.

Jarrett Allen finishes higher in DPOI voting than Evan Mobley

Mobley is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and may not be challenging for the award. Alas, it looks like Victor Wembanyama’s time is coming, and the best most DPOI candidates can do is fight for second place.

Of all the three bold predictions in this piece, this one seems the most unusual. Mobley is a far better defender, as he is more mobile on the perimeter and is actually a better rim protector. But maybe Mobley is just cannibalizing some of them Allen’s defensive impact, which seems to have waned over the years.

Allen, in fact, was constantly challenged by the Pacers in last year’s playoffs, and head coach Kenny Atkinson had to bench him for several stretches. At some point, it might just be the finished product as it is. But Allen is only 27 years old, in the prime of his career, and has been the subject of much criticism for years. For the sake of the Cavs, he better step up and reach his peak defensively.