The Cleveland Cavaliers had the second-best record in the NBA this season.
They were one of the favorites to get to the NBA Finals, or at least reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
That’s why it was so disappointing to see them lose four out of five games against the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
As much as the Pacers deserve a lot of credit for their impressive postseason run, the fact of the matter is that the Cavs were the better team on paper.
With that in mind, some fans and analysts believe Cavs executive Koby Altman should be held accountable.
Talking on the “Full Court Cleveland” podcast, analyst Nick Pedone defended the president of basketball operations.
“People are kind of wanting Koby Altman on the hot seat for the postseason. That really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I think he did his job. He wasn’t the one missing 3s or not grabbing rebounds out there. I think the team, as constructed, made sense. It won 64 games. It was just when it mattered most, they didn’t show up,” Pedone said.
Blaming Koby Altman for the #Cavs early exit is ridiculous. #LetEmKnow
"He wasn't the one missing 3s or not grabbing rebounds."
Presented by @smartchoicewin_https://t.co/3XVnZLh2HH pic.twitter.com/SwNEOn0Ahg
— Full Court Cleveland (@FullCourtCLE) May 28, 2025
Although Altman’s decision to double down on the core for this season was questionable at the time, he didn’t waver in his vision.
The Cavs needed an athletic 3-and-D wing who could take on opposing stars, and he found the best one available at a decent price.
Altman managed to get under the luxury tax threshold when trading for De’Andre Hunter at the deadline.
Like Pedone said, the former general manager wasn’t the one who struggled against the Pacers’ hunger, speed and physicality.
Altman acknowledged that the Cavs need to add some grit and toughness to get to the next level, and it’s up to the players to bring that to the table.
So, he may deserve the benefit of the doubt for a little longer.
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