Cavaliers face huge dilemma after Knicks sweep: Blow it up or go for broke?

The end for the Cleveland Cavaliers was cruel, with Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner celebrating on their court dressed in New York Knicks gear and embracing Knicks’ players like they were part of the win. The Knicks’ blowout put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and sent the Cavaliers into an uncomfortable offseason.

Though Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference finals without LeBron James for the first time in almost 35 years, its unceremonious exit – and how arduous this whole postseason run seemed – has clouded what path the team should take in the weeks and months ahead.

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The Cavaliers took perhaps the biggest swing of any team this year at the NBA trade deadline, flipping oft-injured 26-year-old Darius Garland for durable 36-year-old James Harden to pair with Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. Cleveland had the most expensive roster in the league. Whether it worked – or can work – is up for debate. The final impression this season was a dud.

After blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Knicks, the Cavaliers lost the last three games of the Eastern Conference finals by an average of 22 points.

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Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs to a huge win in double OT. See game highlights

Oklahoma City Thunder fans react during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026.

(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)

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Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs to a huge win in double OT. See game highlights

Oklahoma City Thunder fans react during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026.

(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)

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Terrell Owens cheers during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

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Publish date : 2026-05-26 17:08:00

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