The Cleveland Cavaliers won 64 regular-season games, saw both Kenny Atkinson and Evan Mobley win major NBA awards, and secured the top seed ahead of the defending champion Boston Celtics. Yet it took the Indiana Pacers just five games to eliminate the Cavs, ending their postseason journey in the second round for the second straight year.
To say Cleveland wasn’t prepared for Indiana is an understatement. The Cavs held multiple double-digit leads throughout the series, only to watch the Pacers claw back in unexpected ways. In Game 5, Cleveland led by as much as 19 points before a second-half collapse wiped away any remaining hopes.
Credit must be given to the Pacers, who now look to make their second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. As for Cleveland, the offseason starts now. Change isn’t easy to discuss, but it’s necessary when the big picture shows stagnation. Even if they manage to win 74 games next season, this current Cavs roster isn’t built for playoff success.
The front office may not see it the same way, but moving on from these two players might be the only way to build a more sustainable foundation.
2. Ty Jerome
Ty Jerome is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he could be in line for a lucrative contract. However, when Cleveland needed him most, he failed to deliver. After averaging 16.3 points per game in the series against Miami, Jerome’s production dropped to just eight points on 30% shooting and 25% from three against Indiana.
Jerome’s most glaring performance came in Game 2 when he replaced the injured Darius Garland in the starting lineup. Shooting a dismal 1-for-14, Jerome finished with just two points. A single additional field goal could have prevented Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning three-pointer.
While Jerome is a capable point guard, the Cavs might consider letting him walk rather than overpay. More affordable options like Gary Payton II, Russell Westbrook, or Dante Exum could fill the backup role more efficiently.
1. Darius Garland
Darius Garland’s playoff struggles were amplified by a lingering left big toe injury, which kept him out of four games after appearing in Games 1 and 2 against the Heat. Returning to face the Pacers, Garland shot just 34.2 percent from the field and a bleak 16.7 percent from 3. His inability to translate regular-season efficiency into postseason success has become a pattern, with slight dips in scoring and defensive effort when it matters most.
Trading Garland at age 25 is a tough call, but his potential value could attract a higher-caliber point guard. A lottery-bound team eager to make an immediate impact might take the risk, or a swap for Trae Young could reignite both franchises.
Cleveland can’t just make adjustments — they need to make transformative moves that elevate the team beyond their current ceiling. Winning awards and highlighting star performances is great, but it doesn’t change the reality: the Cavs haven’t escaped the shadow left by LeBron James nearly eight years ago. It’s time to build a roster that doesn’t just succeed in the regular season but makes waves in the playoffs.