Fear The Sword reported that the Cavaliers gave an injury update on multiple players, and the three names on the list are Sam Merrill, Nae'Qwan Tomlin and Khalifa Diop. The opener is Thursday, October 22 in Philadelphia, and the roster is down to 17.
Who is actually hurt going into Philadelphia?
Three players. Sam Merrill has a right elbow problem, Nae'Qwan Tomlin a back problem, Khalifa Diop a left knee problem. All three are short-term listings with Thursday as the target date, which means the team expects them back for the opener rather than the home stand. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com wrote that Cleveland opens game week with multiple injuries to monitor. Merrill is the one that matters. The other two are depth.
What did the preseason tell us?
Not much good. Cleveland went 1-2: a 113-124 loss to Boston on October 8, a 119-105 win over Orlando on October 11, then a 116-132 loss at Orlando on October 13. From here it is Philadelphia on ESPN Thursday, then Brooklyn on October 24, Minnesota on October 26 and Washington on October 28, all at Rocket Arena. Three straight home games is a soft landing if the defense shows up.
Is James Harden's workload the real problem?
It is the one worth arguing about. Harden is 37 and played 70 games at 34.8 minutes last season, with 23.6 points and 8.0 assists a night. Nobody doubts the production. King James Gospel wrote that he should embrace the role Russell Westbrook resisted in Los Angeles, and separately raised questions about his and Donovan Mitchell's clutch-time numbers. Kenny Atkinson has to find minutes for Harden to give up before April, not during it.
Does Peyton Watson change the ceiling?
He changes the floor. Watson gave Cleveland 14.6 points in 29.6 minutes across 54 games last season and hit 41.1 percent of his threes. His $20.5 million is the fifth-biggest figure on a $209.0 million payroll already past the $200.4 million tax line. Fedor wrote that Watson brings a ruthless mindset the Cavs have been missing. The 54 games is the catch. Availability, not attitude, decides this.
When is the Cavaliers' 2026-27 opener?
Thursday, October 22 at the 76ers, on ESPN. The home opener is October 24 against the Nets at Rocket Arena.
Is Sam Merrill playing in the opener?
He is on a short-term listing with a right elbow problem and October 22 as the target date. No final call has been announced.
