LeBron James believes Cavaliers are under the most pressure this NBA season

The Cleveland Cavaliers emerged as one of the NBA’s most exciting teams last season, finishing atop the Eastern Conference standings with an impressive 64-18 record.

However, their playoff run fell short of expectations, as they were eliminated by the eventual finalists, the Indiana Pacers, in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Despite the early exit, the Cavaliers’ young core—led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley—has positioned the franchise as one of the league’s rising powers entering the 2025–26 season.

NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James recently weighed in on his former team’s prospects during an episode of his Mind the Game podcast, saying that Cleveland’s success last year has heightened expectations and placed the team under immense internal pressure.

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“I think it’s pressure from within,” LeBron said. “They saw the success they had last year, and they play a great style of basketball. The ball moves, they shoot it well, they pass well. But if I were someone from the outside looking in, they’re putting pressure on themselves to make the next jump. They’re probably thinking, ‘It could have been us vs. OKC in the Finals.’ So we’ll see if the guys have made the next step.”

The Rockets’ front court should feast this year, especially in big lineups.

LeBron and Steve take a look at who the contenders will be this NBA season on a brand new episode. Watch on our YouTube, @PrimeVideo or listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://t.co/6xMmEHWsCT pic.twitter.com/GU6yGfAS1H

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) October 21, 2025

James also highlighted the individual growth and health of key players as the defining factors for Cleveland’s continued success.

“Evan Mobley had a great year last year—does he make another step forward? Darius Garland was hurt—does he come back strong? How much are they going to get out of Lonzo Ball? We know what we’re getting from Donovan, but how will it all come together?” he continued. “At this point, it’s not about the regular season for them. You think about Cleveland with Allen and Mobley—they have to complement each other. I think they’re under the most pressure of any team coming into the season.”

LeBron’s commentary carries weight, given his deep connection to the Cavaliers. The Akron native began his storied NBA career in Cleveland after being selected first overall in the 2003 Draft. He famously led the franchise to its first and only NBA championship in 2016, defeating the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in an unforgettable Finals comeback.

This offseason, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman kept the team’s core intact—retaining Jarrett Allen, Mobley, Garland, and Mitchell—while making calculated roster adjustments. The team traded Isaac Okoro, allowed Ty Jerome to leave in free agency, and added reinforcements in Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., and Thomas Bryant to bolster depth and experience.

As the 2025–26 campaign tips off, all eyes will be on whether the Cavaliers can build on last season’s promise—and prove that their rise in the East was no fluke. With expectations sky-high and LeBron’s words echoing, Cleveland enters the season not just as contenders, but as a team with something to prove.

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