After months of striking out while all their contemporaries were hitting the jackpot, the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally made their big swing of the offseason.
Despite only recently entering the Peyton Watson sweepstakes, the Cavaliers are the ones who have emerged victorious. To make this transaction happen, the Cavaliers had to orchestrate a monster five-team deal involving themselves, the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards. One that completely reshaped Cleveland's roster.
So, here is what the depth chart looks like after this blockbuster deal.
Updated 2026-27 Cleveland Cavaliers depth chart
For the sake of simplicity, we are going to go ahead and assume that the Cavaliers and James Harden are going to quickly negotiate a new deal now that the team has officially made their big swing. With this in mind, this is what their depth chart is projected to look like:
POSITION | FIRST STRING | SECOND STRING | THIRD STRING |
|---|---|---|---|
PG | James Harden | Craig Porter Jr. | Tyrese Proctor |
SG | Donovan Mitchell | Sam Merrill | Meleek Thomas |
SF | Peyton Watson | Jaylon Tyson | Cam Whitmore |
PF | Evan Mobley | Nae'Qwan Tomlin | Mario Hezonja |
C | Jarrett Allen | Thomas Bryant | Ernest Udoh Jr. |
The starting lineup is pretty obvious. Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are widely-considered to be the team's "Big Four," and Watson was brought in to be the connecting piece at the three-spot.
The Cavaliers bench is pretty tricky to put into a clean depth chart, as the team is pretty low on power forwards and centers, which is okay because the Cavaliers are going to stagger Mobley and Allen quite often.
Anyway, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson are going to be the first two guys off the bench. Look for Tyson to handle some more on-ball responsibilites in Year Three (similar to how he did in college). However, when the Cavaliers need a true point guard off the bench (remember, they will also stagger Harden and Mitchell), their best option is probably Craig Porter Jr.
Watson's size and length means that (6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan) he can play some backup power forward in bench lineups, but when he and one of the bigs are resting, Cleveland can turn to Nae'Qwan Tomlin -- a former undrafted player who has made a home for himself with the Cavaliers. Thomas Bryant will be the first big off the bench, if the team decides to sit both Mobley and Allen, or if one of them is hurt.
Meleek Thomas had a spectacular summer league, but he's still a second round rookie on a team with title aspirations. So, minutes will probably be hard for him to come by in Year One. Along with Thomas, Tyrese Proctor, Cam Whitmore, and Mario Hezonja (who is returning to the NBA after a six-year hiatus) all project to be on the fringes of the rotation.
I currently have Ernest Udoh Jr. (an undrafted rookie) as the team's third string center. However, this is very much subject to change, as it is unclear what the team's big man room will look like after Mobley, Allen, and Bryant.
Watson certiantly made this Cavaliers' team better, but, as you can see here, this team is still flawed, particularly when it comes to frontcourt depth.
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