3 X-Factors For the Cavaliers in the 2026-27 Season

X-factors make all the difference in success. When a team is trying to figure out what will get them the victory, they are the ones who will ultimately have the final say on how the result may go down.

Thinking about the Cavs and 2026-27, there were a few offseason changes. But some things rightly stayed the same. Donovan Mitchell inked a long-term extension. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were kept instead of dealt, giving Cleveland their dynamic 4-5 duo. Plus, James Harden finally got his contract signed.

Let’s talk about the three main X-factors for the Cavs next year.

Sam Merrill

It may be beating the same horse again and again, but one thing stays true when talking about Sam Merrill. The team was nearly unstoppable when he appeared last season. In the 52 regular season games he appeared in, the Cavs went 37-15, as opposed to 15-15 when the Utah State product was out.

An injury to his shooting hand cost him some serious time (and a little efficiency) in 2025-26, but next year, if healthy, Merrill can be the guy. He averaged 13 points per game last time around, and it could be even better this time around. He’ll often be next to Jaylon Tyson off the bench, one of the key remaining contributors on the squad.

He takes charge. He hits threes. His gravity keeps things more open. Merrill is a major X-factor going into next season.

Jarrett Allen

After three straight years of seeing his name in trade rumors, Jarrett Allen still remains in Cleveland. The Fro came through in the postseason, and is now the longest tenured player on the team. Dean Wade bolted for Philly, making Allen, acquired in 2020-21, the guy who has been around the longest.

He gives the team exactly what it needs. A defensive anchor in the paint. A lob threat. And a sensational screener too. One of the league’s most efficient players, an involved Allen will make sure that the Cavs are as dangerous as they can be.

He had fantastic chemistry with Darius Garland previously, and has done well playing with James Harden. A one-time All-Star, Allen is somebody to keep an eye on.

Donovan Mitchell

It goes without saying that Donovan Mitchell makes it to this list. The team’s best scorer and one of the most electrifying players in the league, he seems to get even better with age.

Mitchell’s efficiency shot up last year, as he hit nearly 49% of his shots while averaging just under 30 points per contest. The question isn’t what #45 is doing. It’s more what he is not, and that is nothing. He’s been all over whatever the team has needed, performing solidly in the clutch too.

The new roster construction should enable Mitchell to share the rock a bit more, perhaps upping his assist totals from last year’s marks. This is a serious difference-maker who may well have aspirations to take home the MVP award.

Ignoring how difficult that really is in this league right now, Mitchell should be ready to continue his stellar play. Beware. A major Cavs X-Factor.

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