CLEVELAND — With the Cavaliers swept out of the Eastern Conference Finals with a humiliating 130-93 Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, coach Kenny Atkinson said he “absolutely” considers the 2025-26 Cavs season a success.
All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell rode the fence.
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“Yeah and no,” Mitchell said. “I mean, the ultimate goal is a championship, right? So, in that perspective we failed. But we were 17-16 at one point.
“Seeing the growth from a lot of individuals in this locker room, I’m very proud of the locker room for that. But a lot of the young guys, man, they don’t get enough credit. They held us afloat. We had injuries upon injuries upon adversity.”
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Atkinson’s case?
“That was the task, right?” Atkinson said. “Take another step, and we know the Knicks were in the conference finals last year, right? This is how you have to [progress]. There are barriers, right? And we jumped a barrier that we were stuck on. Second round, second round, second round — stuck on that. You make a jump. It’s hard. Not easy to do in a really competitive East.”
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Hang on. No, no, no, no.
The Cavs advanced beyond the second round and thereby made the conference finals for the first time since 2018 and the first time without LeBron James since 1992. But the Cavs should not be let off the hook for how they squandered the opportunity.
The Cavs did not have a successful season. Don’t let them convince you otherwise. They’re apt to spin this out of self-preservation.
Since the Cavs traded for Mitchell in 2022, they became a team judged on postseason performance. Their record in the 2026 playoffs was 8-10. Remember, the Cavs had the NBA’s most expensive roster this season and were its only team in the second apron.
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And, in February, when the Cavs traded Darius Garland for James Harden, a deal aging the team’s starting point guard spot by 10 years, Cleveland entered NBA Finals-or-bust mode. With a chance to go to the Finals, the Cavs were not competitive with the Knicks.
The Cavs folded toward the end, too. Their 4-0 series defeat was sealed with a 37-point loss in Game 4 on Monday, May 25. It ranks second for the largest margin of defeat in Cavs playoff history. Further twisting the knife into Cleveland sports fans, Knicks enthusiasts invaded Rocket Arena for the second consecutive game and took control as New York dominated.
Mitchell even felt the need to apologize to Cleveland and its fans during his postgame news conference.
Yet, Atkinson, Mitchell and Harden also gave major run-it-back vibes.
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Mitchell and Harden defended Atkinson. His postseason coaching is receiving rampant criticism, giving rise to questions about whether he’ll be fired.
Harden said he wants to return to the Cavs and expects to be back. He has a player option on his contract for next season at $42.3 million, with only $13.3 million guaranteed.
“It’s tough not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something,” Harden said.
Mitchell offered a similar sentiment when he was asked about his contractual situation. He is under contract for next season at $50.1 million, but he will become eligible to sign an extension on July 7. He has a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $53.8 million.
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“I love it here,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know how else to say it. I’ve said it before I signed the other extension [with the Cavs in July 2024]. I love it here, and I have no doubt this group can get there.
“We have unfinished business. It’s great energy to see the city when we got to the conference finals, just to feel that, like, that’s amazing. And that’s why getting swept like this sucks. … The city deserves a ring, and we’ve just got to keep going.”
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The status quo isn’t going to produce the ring Mitchell referenced.
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The Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to 11 games and proved they’re in a different class than the Cavs. The East won’t be weaker next season, either. The Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors are set up for a large degree of continuity. The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers will benefit from Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, respectively, being more than a year removed from torn Achilles tendons.
The Cavs dived deeper into win-now mode with the Harden trade, and they need to double down on it in the offseason.
Trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo or acquire LeBron James in free agency. Who’s saying no to the ultra-aggressive power play of landing both?
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When Mitchell was asked whether he would like to see Akron native James return to the Cavs, Mitchell said he’ll leave the question to president of basketball operations Koby Altman and general manager Mike Gansey.
Well, what about owner Dan Gilbert? Is he eyeing a splash?
Atkinson said he believes ownership and the front office agree with him and Cavs players about the season being a success.
