The NBA offseason has hit the slowest time of the year. The majority of the main roster moves have been made, and most teams have already made their finishing touches. There are a couple of teams still waiting to re-sign players already on their roster or negotiate with the few uber-talented players left in free agency.
On Wednesday, NBA fans received the biggest offseason news they have had in weeks, with a couple of big moves coming from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They traded for young talents Peyton Watson and Cam Whitmore while also extending James Harden. With all those moves, is it enough for the Cavaliers to become the new kings of the East?
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Did they get much better?Mar 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) after making a basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn ImagesThe Cavaliers had been waiting to re-sign James Harden so they had money to bring in another superstar. That failed to happen this offseason, which led them to offer Harden a three-year, $97 million extension.
The extension keeps the 37-year-old under contract until 2030, when he will be 40. While Harden is a very talented playmaker and scorer in the league, his age is a major concern. We’ve already seen his skills deteriorate. Who knows what kind of player he will be at 37, let alone 40?
Besides re-signing the aging star, the team brought in some young talent in a multi-team trade completed on Thursday. They acquired guard Cam Whitmore from the Washington Wizards. Whitmore is in his third year and is coming off the worst season of his young career.
They also brought in fourth-year forward Peyton Watson from Denver. Watson is coming off the best season of his career, with career highs in every statistical category. He is not a game-changer, but he definitely improves the roster.
All in all, they got a bit better this offseason.
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The competitionJun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates with his teammates after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesThe Eastern Conference is not what it has been the past couple of years. The conference just brought home the NBA championship, and there are many teams on the rise.
First and foremost, they need to get past the reigning champs in New York, a team that has firepower at every position. The Cavaliers don’t stack up well against the Knicks’ depth and star power.
Besides the Knicks, the 76ers are the favorites to come out of the East. They brought in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this offseason and might be the best team in the league. Teams like the Pistons, Heat and Celtics will also be fighting to win the East.
There’s too much competition in the Eastern Conference for the Cavaliers to come out on top. Though Cleveland will be a competitor, they simply don’t have enough talent or depth to compete with the heavy hitters in the East.
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