With just a few minor tweaks, the Cleveland Cavaliers could be ready to contend for the 2026 NBA Championship. Kenny Atkinson’s team needs a little fine-tuning over the summer, and perhaps then, Donovan Mitchell and co. can make a big impact in the postseason.
In a May 16 article for ClutchPoints, Enzo Flojo pinpointed Duop Reath as a potential trade target. Reath would give the Cavaliers high-level depth at the big man position, easing the pressure on Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
“The Cavaliers learned the hard way that having two elite bigs (Mobley and Allen) doesn’t mean much if both are off the floor and the bench behind them is barren,” Flojo wrote. “Their backup frontcourt situation was, at times, untenable…The 28-year-old Australian big man flashed legitimate pick-and-pop range during his stints with the Trail Blazers last season. He connected on over 32 percent of his threes in limited action and showed enough mobility to keep up defensively in spurts.”
Reath played in 46 games for the Portland Trail Blazers averaging 4.2 points and 2 rebounds per game. His defensive upside, versatility and size would give Atkinson a reliable back-up who could eat minutes as a spot starter if necessary.
Mitchell Believes Cavaliers “Let The City Down”
The Cavaliers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, May 13. Indiana won four out of five games, making it a “gentleman’s sweep” en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Mitchell made no secret of his disappointment during his postgame news conference. The All-Star guard admitted that he felt like the loss had been a letdown for the city of Cleveland.
“I love playing in that f***’n arena, man,” Mitchell said. “That energy, that crowd. We were 0-3 at home. We let the city down, man. This place is special. This place is really special. We didn’t get it done.”
After such a dominant regular season, the Cavaliers came into the playoffs with high hopes of success.
Pacers Found a Weakness in Cavaliers’ Roster
In a recent episode of the “Wine and Gold Talk Podcast,” host Chris Fedor cited the Cavaliers’ lack of size as an area of weakness against the Pacers.
“The other thing that they did is they just obliterated every single small player in the post,” Fedor said. “They took advantage of those mismatches. They looked for those mismatches in a way that they were not disciplined enough to do in game three. Certainly, Pascal Siakam worked in the post against Max Strus and bullied him. Obi Toppin against Darius Garland. Myles Turner against Max Strus.”
Adding Reath would go a long way to solving that issue. He is skilled enough to fit into Atkinson’s system, but big enough to add legitimate size to the rotation. Therefore, making a move for someone like Reath could make sense. After all, the Cavaliers need to improve if they want to keep pushing forward.
The Pacers found a weak point and exploited it. Now, it’s on the Cavaliers front office to plug that gap and ensure the team comes back stronger next season. Unfortunately, adding height isn’t something a player can focus on in the summer. It’s change that can only come via trade or free agency.
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