Cleveland Cavaliers: 2026-27 roster preview
The roster the team opens 2026-27 with, what each player did in 2025-26, and how many minutes the outlook expects from him. Minutes come from last season, capped at 2,900 and scaled to a season; rookies and players without a rating count at replacement level (-2.1 per 100).
Outlook
+4.2
5th of 30
Projected wins
50
Roster strength: Impact × expected minutes, points per 100 over average
+8.2
Minutes kept: Share of last season's minutes still on the roster
69%
2025-26 net rating
+4.0
Who carries it
What each player adds to the roster's strength: his Impact times his share of the minutes.
- Above average
- Below average
| Status | Injury | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  James HardenG | Returning | – | 17 | 34.9 | 23.6 | 4.8 | 8.0 | +1.8 | +3.1 | -1.3 | 2,441 | +1.13 | – |
| 45 |  Donovan MitchellG | Returning | – | 9 | 33.5 | 27.9 | 4.5 | 5.7 | +4.5 | +4.2 | +0.3 | 2,344 | +2.70 | – |
| 4 |  Evan MobleyF-C | Returning | – | 5 | 31.9 | 18.2 | 9.0 | 3.6 | +2.8 | +1.1 | +1.6 | 2,074 | +1.46 | – |
| 20 |  Jaylon TysonG-F | Returning | – | 2 | 27.0 | 13.2 | 5.1 | 2.2 | +1.5 | +1.2 | +0.3 | 1,779 | +0.68 | – |
| 8 |  Peyton WatsonG | New · from DEN | – | 4 | 29.6 | 14.6 | 4.9 | 2.1 | +1.6 | +2.0 | -0.4 | 1,597 | +0.65 | Probable |
| 31 |  Jarrett AllenC | Returning | – | 9 | 27.2 | 15.4 | 8.5 | 1.8 | +3.8 | +2.3 | +1.5 | 1,523 | +1.45 | – |
| 5 |  Sam MerrillG | Returning | – | 6 | 26.4 | 12.8 | 2.6 | 2.4 | +2.5 | +2.6 | -0.0 | 1,375 | +0.88 | – |
| 9 |  Craig PorterG | Returning | – | – | 17.9 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.2 | +1.4 | +0.8 | +0.6 | 1,146 | +0.41 | – |
| 35 |  Nae'Qwan TomlinF | Returning | – | – | 15.7 | 5.8 | 2.9 | 0.8 | +0.5 | -0.3 | +0.8 | 1,005 | +0.14 | – |
| 3 |  Thomas BryantC | Returning | – | 9 | 12.2 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 0.6 | +0.6 | +0.4 | +0.2 | 731 | +0.11 | – |
| 24 |  Tyrese ProctorG | Returning | – | 1 | 11.0 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 1.5 | -1.2 | -0.7 | -0.6 | 549 | -0.17 | – |
| 1 |  Curtis JonesG | New · from DEN | – | – | 8.9 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | – | – | – | 89 | -0.05 | – |
| 21 | Tristan EnarunaF | Returning | – | – | 9.6 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 0.8 | – | – | – | 86 | -0.05 | – |
 Kadary RichmondG | New · from WAS | – | – | 22.0 | 8.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | – | – | – | 66 | -0.03 | – | |
| 12 | Riley MinixF | Returning | – | – | 6.6 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | – | – | – | 59 | -0.03 | – |
| 33 |  Mario HezonjaF | Did not play in 2025-26 | – | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Zack AustinG | Rookie | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 15 | Meleek ThomasG | Rookie | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 39 | Ernest Udeh, Jr.C | Rookie | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 18 |  Khalifa DiopC | Did not play in 2025-26 | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rashaun Agee | Rookie | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
2,816 minutes nobody on the roster is expected to play go to replacement level.
Gone
Dean Wadeto PHI59 games · 22.3 MPG · +1.7
De'Andre Hunterto SAC43 games · 26.2 MPG · -2.4
Darius Garlandto LAC26 games · 30.3 MPG · +0.7
Lonzo Ballnot on a roster35 games · 20.7 MPG · -0.8
Keon Ellisto BKN29 games · 24.9 MPG · -0.4
Dennis Schroderto CHA30 games · 21.3 MPG · -0.5
Larry Nance Jr.to IND35 games · 12.8 MPG · -1.4
Max Strusto LAC12 games · 24 MPG · -0.4
Luke Traversnot on a roster12 games · 8.8 MPG · –
Olivier Sarrnot on a roster4 games · 9.8 MPG · –
Chris Livingstonto WAS3 games · 5.7 MPG · –- Darius Brownnot on a roster1 games · 3 MPG · –