Report: Cavs knew they needed roster infusion after getting ‘punched in the face’

The Cleveland Cavaliers got busy around the trade deadline this season, completing two major deals to bring newcomers James Harden, Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to town.

While the Cavs had to give up key pieces Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter as part of those deals, the organization apparently knew that it was going to need a roster infusion after getting eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 2025 postseason.

“Sources told ESPN that last season’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, spoiling a 64-win season, was devastating, with one saying it felt like ‘getting punched in the face,'” wrote ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It was then that they knew they needed that infusion.”

The Cavs entered the 2025 NBA Playoffs with extremely high hopes after putting together one of the best regular seasons in franchise history. For one round in the playoffs, those hopes appeared valid, as they annihilated the Miami Heat in the opening round.

But in the second round, everything came crashing down for Cleveland. The team ran into a lower-seeded Pacers squad that was on a mission, with the Cavs ultimately losing in five games. The second-round exit was demoralizing for a Cleveland organization that was still trying to advance past the second round for the first time since the LeBron James era.

The Cavs didn’t significantly alter their roster in the ensuing offseason, but they certainly made some splashes at the trade deadline earlier this year. The moves worked enough to get the team to the Eastern Conference Finals this season, but now, the Cavs are being tested after losing Game 1 to the New York Knicks in painful fashion earlier this week.

Reaching the Eastern Conference Finals gives Cleveland something it can be proud of regardless of what happens the rest of the way this season. However, the ultimate goal is to reach and win the NBA Finals at some point, and the Cavs have to constantly evaluate whether or not they feel like their roster is capable of getting there.

They certainly aren’t dead yet this season, but they have work to do after their Game 1 loss to New York. The squad will get a chance to even the series at one game apiece on Thursday on the road.