The Cleveland Cavaliers decided to largely run it back with last season’s roster, but so far in the new campaign, they’ve hardly enjoyed a fraction of the success they saw in the 2024-25 regular season. For perspective, through 28 games played a season ago, the Cavs had just four losses. This time around, they already have 13 defeats and are barely above the .500 mark at 15-13.
In recent action, the vibes have only worsened. Not only has Cleveland lost all but one of its last four games, but it’s dropped consecutive games to inferior competition. After losing in overtime to the Charlotte Hornets last weekend, the Cavaliers followed it up with another bad loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. This month, all four of Cleveland’s losses have come to teams below .500.
Now, noise is getting louder. Some recent reporting on the Cavaliers amid their poor start from ESPN’s Shams Charania caught the attention of many fans. Charania noted that Cleveland has been receiving “a ton” of calls around the league on its players, adding that guard Donovan Mitchell and big man Evan Mobley are thought by rivals to be “untouchable.” If those are the Cavs’ only true untouchables, that’s a short list.
REPORT: The Cavs have been getting “a ton” of calls on their players, per @ShamsCharania
Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are considered “untouchable” in trade talks
(h/t @UnderdogNBA) pic.twitter.com/Kd979G9Lv0
— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) December 18, 2025
But let’s take a look at the details. In his full report, Charania noted that the Cavaliers have been hesitant to pull the trigger on a major move to this point because they want to see what they look like at full strength.
“This is a franchise that’s been resistant to making a major move,” he said. “They wanna see as much time at full strength as they can possibly get.”
It’s true that the injury bug has kept a number of Cleveland’s starters sidelined for much of the season to this point, as floor general Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen have both appeared in 17 games or fewer. Meanwhile, sharpshooters Sam Merrill and Max Strus, who are both starting options, have been limited to a combined 12 games, with Strus yet to debut.
Maybe the Cavaliers are simply a clean bill of health away from getting their season back on the right track. Cleveland would run the risk of jumping the gun by making a move before it even got a chance to see the team at full strength.
Charania’s information about the Cavaliers’ hesitancy to make a move falls in line with some other recent reporting from team insider Chris Fedor. Fedor said earlier this month that he does not get the sense that Cleveland is looking to shake up its roster. He added that the Cavaliers seem to believe in their roster as currently constructed and suggested that they want to see the team closer to full strength.
Cavs insider Chris Fedor does NOT sense that the Cavs want to shake up their roster right now
“[I] sense…that they wanna see this thing through, that they believe in this roster. … What does it look like when they’re close to full strength?”
(via @WineGoldTalkPod) pic.twitter.com/jwI8HYDtPo
— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) December 12, 2025
But then there’s this: Charania added that the next month will shape the Cavaliers’ activity at the trade deadline, so Cleveland might be a few more tough stretches away from shaking that hesitancy to alter its roster.
“Depending on how this next month goes for the Cavaliers, that’s gonna shape their activity level at the deadline,” Charania said.
What does that mean exactly? That becomes the question. Let’s say the Cavs decide a trade is needed. Would that simply be a rotation-tweaking trade or something much more monumental that sees maybe one of Allen or Garland changing teams? Trading a “core four” guy midseason would mark one of the more notable in-season moves the Cavaliers have made in a long time.
The waters are murky. But for now, a prediction: Fans shouldn’t expect the Cavaliers to make a major trade before the deadline. Simply put, injuries will prevent Cleveland from seeing its roster fully healthy for any extended period leading up to the deadline, and the Cavaliers will hold onto hope that they still have the personnel to compete for a championship in 2026. The “core four” will remain intact going into the postseason.