The Athletic NBA Daily – December 19, 2025 Episode Theme: What is Wrong with the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Overview

In this episode, Dave DuFour, Fred Katz, and Esfandiar Baraheni break down the New York Knicks' recent NBA Cup win and pivot to a deep exploration of the Cleveland Cavaliers' mounting struggles during the 2025 season. The show analyzes what’s not working for the Cavs, the implications of their roster and injury challenges, and how league-wide dynamics—like the Oklahoma City Thunder's dominance—are freezing trade movement across the NBA.

Key Discussion Points

1. Knicks’ NBA Cup Win and Banner Debate

Timestamps: 02:45 – 11:32

• The crew opens with light banter about the NBA Cup, the Knicks’ celebration, and whether a banner for the win should be hung at Madison Square Garden.
• Fred Katz: “At MSG, how are you going to have room? Where’s it going to go, between Harry Styles and Billy Joel?...I don’t think the cup is quite on that level yet.” (05:29)
• Commentary on owner James Dolan refusing to be part of the trophy presentation, stemming from a “beef” with the league.
• Reflection on the emotional toll of the Cup: CARL Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson both suffered from overexertion during the high-intensity game, impacting their availability afterward.
• Fred Katz: “If you put a $530,000 carrot in front of me, I’m going for that thing." (08:01)

Notable Moment: The crew notes the Cup adds a playoff-like energy to the season, but its lingering effects—like injuries and fatigue—raise questions about whether teams are burning themselves out too early.

2. Knicks as Eastern Conference Favorites; Transition to Cavs’ Troubles

Timestamps: 11:36 – 12:45

• The Knicks’ strong play is juxtaposed with skepticism about other East contenders, like the young Pistons and the heavily hyped but struggling Cavaliers.

3. Dissecting the Cavaliers’ Struggles

Timestamps: 12:45 – 18:43

Performance Decline:

• The Cavs’ slide from the league’s best offense in 2024 to “11th in points per possession and 13th in points allowed.” (12:46)
• Dave DuFour: “They’re 15 and 13 right now…Garland’s been completely banged up, Jared Allen and Evan Mobley just don’t feel as good this year…Donovan Mitchell’s been amazing at scoring but that’s about the only bright spot.” (12:28)

Mobley and Allen’s Fit:

• Fred Katz: “Jared Allen is not playing a lot of these fourth quarters…It makes you wonder about the viability of this group long term together. The greatest flaw a basketball team can have is if it can’t reach its best when its best players are on the floor.” (13:18, 14:51)

Regression & Injuries:

• Emphasis on Darius Garland’s absence: “Not having Garland is one of the...not talked about enough...I think that is number one on the list by far.” (14:52)
• Evan Mobley’s offensive regression and waning confidence.
• The domino effect: Garland’s creation was key to last season’s offensive success. Without him, the team’s three-point quality drops off and offensive flow stalls.

Notable Quote:

• Fred Katz: “Mitchell is their best player. And he’s great. But Garland last year was the one who ran the show…and he ran the show for the offense that was the most efficient offense in the NBA in the fourth quarters too.” (17:58–18:08)

4. What’s Next for Cleveland? Trade & Cap Constraints

Timestamps: 23:17 – 26:37

Recent Failures:

• Breaking down the Cavs’ ugly recent losses to struggling teams like the Bulls, Hornets, and Warriors (without their stars).
• Lack of depth exposed following injuries and rotation changes. Ty Jerome’s departure and Lonzo Ball’s underperformance are notable gaps.

Cap Realities:

• Fred Katz: “They’re the only team in the league over the second apron…It becomes incredibly difficult to make these kinds of moves because they’re not allowed to trade more than one player in the same deal…There are all of these restrictions.” (25:00–25:38)
• Trading Jared Allen is discussed, but the crew doubts his return value is enough to improve the team.

Trade Market Outlook:

• Many teams, not just the Cavs, will try to get under the tax, further limiting trade partners and options.
• Significant roster moves for Cleveland are unlikely until the offseason.

5. The Thunder’s Dominance and the “Frozen” Trade Market

Timestamps: 26:54 – 34:36

Psychological Effect:

• Teams are reportedly hesitating to make big moves (“keep the powder dry”) as the Thunder look “maybe unbeatable”—drawing KD Warriors comparisons.
• Fred Katz: “Are the Thunder so good that it’s not really worth going all in...because it won’t make a difference in terms of winning a title?” (27:16)

Thunder’s Assets and Youth:

• Deep dive into OKC’s jaw-dropping stockpile of picks and young talent.
• Fred Katz: “This is a loaded roster which could get even more loaded. So maybe it’s the time to actually go in…this is not the peak for [the Thunder].” (30:35, 31:14)

Opportunity vs. Caution:

• Even with a juggernaut like OKC, playoff series (injuries, upsets) can flip the narrative—referencing the 2019 Raptors as an example.
• Fred Katz: “Scared money don’t make none...Preparation and opportunity—when they meet, it looks a lot like luck.” (34:24–34:36)

Memorable Quotes

• “The greatest flaw a basketball team can have is if it can’t reach its best when its best players are on the floor.” – Fred Katz (14:51)
• “Garland last year was the one who ran the show…for the offense that was the most efficient offense in the NBA in the fourth quarters.” – Fred Katz (17:58)
• “They’re over the second apron…There are all these restrictions…They can’t trade with any team over the first apron. So all those teams are off the table.” – Fred Katz (25:00–25:38)
• “Are the Thunder so good that it’s not really worth going all in with what we have right now?” – Fred Katz (27:16)
• “Scared money don’t make none...Preparation and opportunity—when they meet, it looks a lot like luck.” – Fred Katz (34:24–34:36)

Segment Timestamps

• Knicks’ NBA Cup Win & Banner Debate: 02:45–11:32
• Knicks as Finals Favorites, Cavs Underwhelm: 11:36–12:45
• Cavs’ Performance Breakdown: 12:45–18:43
• Cavs’ Trade & Cap Problems: 23:17–26:37
• Thunder’s Impact on the Market: 26:54–34:36

Conclusion

This episode provides a thorough, candid look at why the Cleveland Cavaliers have faltered: key injuries (especially to Darius Garland), the regression and awkward fit of Evan Mobley and Jared Allen, and limited flexibility due to salary cap constraints. The hosts also frame the league’s lethargic trade outlook by detailing how the Thunder’s rise has dampened other contenders’ appetite for big, midseason moves. Through it all, listeners get both sharp analysis and plenty of humor, making the episode engaging for any NBA fan—especially those wondering what’s truly “wrong” in Cleveland.