The NBA Central Division landscape is shifting rapidly as the 2025-26 season approaches, with the Cleveland Cavaliers emerging as the consensus favorites to capture their second straight division crown. After a dominant 64-18 campaign last year, the Cavs are determined to turn regular-season success into a deeper playoff run, but a host of injuries and roster changes around the division promise plenty of intrigue as tip-off nears.
Second-year Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson has been a man on a mission this offseason. He embarked on a "relationship-building tour" to strengthen bonds with his players, a move he hopes will foster greater resilience and unity as the team seeks redemption from last spring’s disappointing playoff exit. "We’re here with renewed energy because we know the talent we have," Atkinson declared, according to AP. "We know we’re in that group of four to six that have a chance at winning this thing."
But if last season taught the Cavs anything, it’s that talent alone won’t be enough. Despite locking up the East’s No. 1 seed, Cleveland was run off the floor by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, losing the series 4-1. Indiana’s relentless full-court pressure and breakneck pace exposed Cleveland’s conditioning, as the Cavs struggled to match the Pacers’ energy and suffered a string of injuries at the worst possible time. Key contributors like Darius Garland (sprained big toe), Donovan Mitchell (sprained ankle and strained calf), Evan Mobley (sprained ankle), and De’Andre Hunter (dislocated thumb) were all hampered, and Garland is still recovering from offseason toe surgery as the new season dawns.
Indiana’s own fortunes have taken a dramatic turn. The Pacers lost two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The devastating injury will sideline Haliburton for the entirety of 2025-26. Making matters worse, Indiana saw their defensive anchor Myles Turner bolt for the division rival Milwaukee Bucks in free agency. Turner’s move was only possible after the Bucks waived Damian Lillard, who himself is out indefinitely after tearing his Achilles during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff loss to Indiana. Meanwhile, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is also sidelined with a torn Achilles, though he hasn’t been ruled out for the season.
With Haliburton and Turner gone, the Pacers face major obstacles in their bid to repeat last season’s success. Head coach Rick Carlisle, who enters the year just seven wins shy of 1,000 career victories, acknowledged the challenge: "There will be some adjustments as we start and keep moving forward. Tyrese is really such an unusually important player to us on the one hand. On the other hand, our core principles we want to keep the same. Most of it begins with hard play and fast, hard play, so we’ll make adjustments." The Pacers will also be without backup point guard T.J. McConnell for most of the first month due to a hamstring injury, placing even more pressure on Pascal Siakam, who led Indiana in scoring (20.2) and rebounding (6.9) last season.
Indiana’s relentless style last postseason was no fluke. According to The Athletic, Pacers players combined to run 444 miles over 23 playoff games—the most since Second Spectrum began tracking the stat in 2013. They initiated their offense in just 6.1 seconds, leading all playoff teams. The Cavs know they’ll need better conditioning to withstand such a pace, and Atkinson is determined not to repeat last spring’s mistakes. "They can simplify data for you. They keep an eye on the league trends," Atkinson said of the Cavs’ sports science staff. "They give feedback, practice feedback. They determine the loads for each practice. They determine individual loads. Pretty much anything I ask in terms of physical output, they can give me, whether it's a practice situation or game now with all the data we're getting—intensity level, accelerations, decelerations, distance run, whatever we're kind of looking for. And it's a lot. So, we need people that can simplify that message for us. They play a huge role."
Balancing injury prevention with improved conditioning is the Cavs’ top priority. The organization is keenly aware of the risks: Mitchell has finished the past two postseasons with calf issues, and no one wants those problems to linger or worsen. The Cavs will continue to rest their stars, but the timing and methods may be tweaked to better prepare for the playoff grind. "Achieving the goal without increasing soft-tissue injuries is the sweet spot the organization seeks," noted Akron Beacon Journal columnist Nate Ulrich.
On the roster front, Cleveland’s core four—Mitchell, Mobley, Garland, and Jarrett Allen—remains intact, but Garland will be sidelined for at least the first two months, and Max Strus is out for at least a month due to foot surgery. Mobley, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is coming off career highs in points (18.5) and assists (3.2) per game, and he’s expected to take on even more responsibility. The Cavs also shored up their bench by adding Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., and Thomas Bryant. Atkinson praised Ball’s impact, saying he’s been "a valuable resource in discussing some strategies on offense and defense."
The Milwaukee Bucks, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from three consecutive first-round playoff exits. With Turner now alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee hopes to be faster, more athletic, and more versatile on both ends of the floor. Bucks general manager Jon Horst is optimistic: "I think ultimately we’re a faster, more athletic, more versatile offensively and defensively suited team." The plan is to surround Antetokounmpo with shooters and let him orchestrate the offense, especially after the departure of Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Elsewhere in the Central Division, the Detroit Pistons are aiming to build on last year’s surprising turnaround, led by Cade Cunningham. The front office is taking a patient approach, opting not to pursue expensive free agents or trades until they have a clearer sense of their young core’s potential. For the Chicago Bulls, another quiet offseason has left fans frustrated, as the team has now missed the playoffs seven times in eight years. Re-signing Josh Giddey, trading Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro, and drafting Noa Essengue were the main headlines, but executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas is still preaching patience.
As the Cavs wrapped up the preseason with a 118-100 win over the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena—Atkinson’s first exhibition victory in Cleveland—the mood was buoyant. Players doused their coach in a celebratory shower, but Atkinson was quick to clarify: "It’s just water." The real celebration, the Cavs hope, will come next June, when the playoffs are over and the ultimate goal is within reach.
With the regular season set to open October 22 at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, all eyes are on Cleveland. Can the Cavs finally pair elite conditioning with their undeniable talent and health? The journey starts now, and the Central Division is watching.