The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t finish the job this season.
But now that everybody’s on vacation, all teams will get a clean slate.
And judging by the current picture in the Eastern Conference, timing might be perfect for the Cavs to make a run.
With that in mind, team analyst Evan Dammarell predicted that the Cavs could be a championship contender next season:
“Looking ahead, the Eastern Conference is about to be unfortunately wide open next season. The #Cavs have to feel like the trendier favorite but it could be anyone’s chance,” Dammarell posted on X.
Looking ahead, the Eastern Conference is about to be unfortunately wide open next season.
The #Cavs have to feel like the trendier favorite but it could be anyone’s chance.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) June 23, 2025
Unfortunately, that’s not just because of the Cavs.
Multiple Eastern Conference teams will be without their best players, most likely for the year.
The Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks will be without Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, respectively, and there are still rumors about the Bucks potentially trading Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That will leave the New York Knicks and Cavs as the odds-on favorites to go the distance.
Nevertheless, the Knicks still haven’t found a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, so they will continue to be a bit of a question mark for the time being.
Other than that, only the Orlando Magic seem to pose a legitimate threat to the Cavaliers atop of the Eastern Conference.
It should go without saying that no one wishes this to happen, not even to a hated rival.
The game is always better when the best players are on the court, and you have to beat the best to be the best.
But it is what it is, and you have to beat whoever is in front of you, regardless of the condition.
If there’s a silver lining, it is that the Cavs might finally win it all again.
NEXT: Cavs Player Urged To Have 'More Fire' Next Season
