The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the season with championship aspirations after finishing atop the Eastern Conference last year with a 64-18 record. But with the midway point of the 2025-26 season approaching, the Cavaliers find themselves searching for answers rather than separation. After another frustrating loss on Christmas Day against the New York Knicks, questions about the roster’s direction are growing louder.
Former All-Star John Wall Questions Cavs’ Core After Christmas Day Collapse
Following Cleveland’s 126-124 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the five-time NBA All-Star John Wall delivered a blunt assessment of the Cavaliers’ problems and didn’t mince words about the need for change.
“I think they’ve got to make a big change,” the former All-Star said. “Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are not getting along in that backcourt. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are just too soft. They don’t have that toughness, that grit when going against a team like the Pistons or the Knicks that will give that physicality,” Wall said per NBA Courtside.
The comments came after the Cavs squandered a 17-point lead against New York in what could have been a season-defining win. Instead, the collapse marked Cleveland’s fourth loss in its last six games, continuing a troubling trend of late-game struggles.
The comments reflect a growing belief around the league that Cleveland’s talented core may not be fitting together as seamlessly as hoped.
While Mitchell and Garland remain one of the league’s most gifted offensive backcourts on paper, questions about their chemistry and defensive pairing have persisted. Meanwhile, Allen and Mobley, long viewed as the foundation of the Cavs’ defense, continue to face scrutiny when matched up against more physical frontcourts.
Trade Deadline Pressure Mounts As Cavs Struggle in Close Games
Despite a roster loaded with talent, the Cavaliers have failed to find consistency. After going 26–12 in clutch games last season, Cleveland is just 6–12 in close contests this year, repeatedly letting winnable games slip away late.
Much of the offensive burden continues to fall on Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 30.7 points per game while carrying one of the league’s heaviest usage loads. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley has yet to take the offensive leap many around the league expected, even as he remains central to Cleveland’s defensive identity.
Mobley returned on Christmas Day after missing nearly two weeks with a calf injury and is averaging 18.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, but his presence alone hasn’t solved the Cavaliers’ issues.
With Cleveland sitting at 17-15 and far from the top of the East, the pressure is mounting for the front office to act. Whether that means reshaping the Mitchell-Garland backcourt or altering the frontcourt balance, the trade deadline could ultimately determine whether this Cavaliers season regains momentum or slips further off course.
