NBA Exec Thinks Cavaliers Should ‘Blow Up The Roster’ If They Can’t Reach NBA Finals Next Season

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the heavy favorite to reach the NBA Finals next season since Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton won’t play and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum could miss the entire campaign as well. 

The Cavaliers were the No. 1 seed in the East last season. They swept the Miami Heat in the first round of the postseason but lost to the Pacers in the second round in five games. 

The East is Cleveland’s to lose next season with Haliburton and Tatum sidelined. If the Cavaliers don’t win the conference, one NBA exec believes Koby Altman should “blow up the roster.”

“If they can’t win the East while Tyrese and Tatum are out, just blow up the roster,” the exec said. “Because if they can’t win the conference with those two guys out, they won’t win it the following season when they’re back. Next season is do-or-die for this core.”

The Cavaliers’ core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland is talented, but they haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs together. If Cleveland doesn’t make the NBA Finals next season, big changes could be coming, per the exec. 

“They have to make the NBA Finals next year,” the exec said. “There are no excuses. I don’t see one team in the East better than them with Tyrese and Tatum out. I think they’re better than New York. If they don’t win the East next season, Koby and Dan (Gilbert) should blow it up and start over because Tyrese and Tatum will be back in 2026.

“They can get a huge haul for Donovan and Jarrett and just build for the future around Evan. They’ll probably get expiring contracts for Darius.”

The Cavaliers traded Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for Lonzo Ball, re-signed Sam Merrill and signed Larry Nance Jr. this offseason. Ty Jerome left Cleveland for the Memphis Grizzlies. 

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