It has felt like the other contenders in the Eastern Conference have pulled off that one big swing. But not the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs continue to get linked to free agents Peyton Watson and Jonathan Kuminga. But does either player move the team to at least neck-and-neck with the champion New York Knicks and the revamped Philadelphia 76ers?
“Watson is an exciting prospect — long, athletic, a genuine defensive presence with untapped offensive potential,” cleveland.com wrote. “But exciting prospects command big contracts based on projection, not production. And Watson, for all his upside, is not a lottery-pick pedigree player. He’s a guy who still has plenty to prove at the NBA level, on a championship-caliber team, against real playoff competition.”
Watson is young and could develop into one of the NBA’s premier wings. The Cavs might still land him, and he might prove to be a strong addition as soon as next season. But the Cavs are in win-now mode. They have to do something to take that next step in the East.
There’s one high-rish/high-reward player out there that might be worth a shot.
Anthony Davis to the Cavaliers? A Move That Could Swing the Tide in Their Favor
GettySACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 06: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on January 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Washington Wizards star Anthony Davis was linked to the Cavs earlier this offseason when LeBron James was still a free agent. There were some rumblings that James would return to Cleveland if the franchise acquired either Davis or Kyrie Irving, two of his trusted former teammates.
Davis has battled all sorts of injury trouble over his career. But when on the court, almost no one denies he is a top 10 player in basketball. Now would adding someone of that caliber alongside James Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley move the Cavs to a different tier in the East? The answer to that question is a resounding yes.
Here’s a proposed framework that might land Davis in Cleveland.
Cavaliers receive: Anthony Davis
Wizards receive: Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Sam Merrill and a 2031 first round pick
Here’s the important trade off for the Cavs: if Davis enters the playoffs healthy, they are in a three-way tie with Knicks and Sixers as the favorites to win the East; if Davis isn’t available, they are likely considerably worse than they were last season considering they would have no starting center.
The Biggest Point to Consider
Davis could very well be the difference between the Cavs getting bounced in the second round and making the Finals for the first time in franchise history without James.
That makes the risk worth considering.
If Cleveland takes the safer route and sticks with Allen, who is no-doubt a solid center himself, it may have a better floor, but it may also be accepting that a championship run is out of reach.
With Harden still playing at a high level and Mitchell at the peak of his career, is this really the time for Cleveland to play it safe? Or is the potential payoff of a Finals run worth taking the risk?
Sometimes, if a team wants something badly enough — it’s cheesy but true — it has to be willing to accept the risk that comes with chasing it.
When Davis last had some level of stability in his career, he was averaging close to 26 points and 12 rebounds per game playing for a Los Angeles Lakers team expected to contend for a championship.
Davis is 33 and perhaps not as good as he was just two or three years ago. But with Davis instead of Allen, the Cavs would truly contend for a title.
Projected NBA Trade Has Cavaliers Land 10x All-Star PF Next to Donovan Mitchell