NBA.com released its 24th annual NBA GM Survey, with league general managers weighing in on 49 different questions asking them about everything from teams and players to coaches and offseason moves.
While Cleveland Cavaliers players were in many cases overshadowed by other league stars, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley still received some love.
The Cavs team as a whole is where league GMs gave the biggest tips of the cap.
Like his players, reigning NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson was overshadowed by his peers in survey responses. Still, he received votes among the top coaches in the league.
So, how exactly did the Cavs fare throughout this year’s NBA GM survey?
Here’s a breakdown of where league GMs think Cleveland makes its mark heading into 2025-26:
NBA GMs overwhelmingly pick Cleveland Cavs to win the Eastern Conference
OK, so perhaps this one shouldn’t be much of a surprise given the Cavs won the Eastern Conference last season by a three-game margin over the Boston Celtics by finishing 64-18 (the organization’s best mark since finishing 66-16 in 2008-09 with LeBron James at the helm).
Still, NBA GMs give the nod to Cleveland to again nab the No. 1 seed in the East, with 63% of first-place votes going to the Cavs. The New York Knicks were second with 30% of first-place votes heading their way.
It stands to reason NBA GMs also believe the Cavs will run the postseason gauntlet to come out of the East and reach the NBA Finals, as they were given a 7% chance to win the title (tied with the Denver Nuggets for the second-best voting return).
However, GMs think the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to run it back, as OKC received 80% of the vote responding to the “Which team will win the 2026 NBA Finals?” query.
As Lloyd Christmas from “Dumb and Dumber” would say, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley regarded among the best at their positions
In the survey, NBA GMs were also asked to pick the “best” player at each position.
At the shooting guard spot, Mitchell finished No. 2 with 13% of votes. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was the top choice with 70% of the vote.
Mobley, meanwhile, was No. 2 for the best power forward in the NBA, but he earned just 7% of the vote. Two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo took the other 93% of the vote, putting Mobley in elite company.
Will Lonzo Ball prove an underrated player acquisition?
When league GMs were asked what was the most underrated player acquisition of the offseason, a fresh face in Cleveland made the cut.
Guard Lonzo Ball earned 7% of the vote here, tying him for fourth with John Collins (LA Clippers), Dorian Finney-Smith (Houston Rockets), Jrue Holiday (Portland Trail Blazers) and Luke Kornet (San Antonio Spurs).
Desmond Bane heading to the Orlando Magic was deemed the most underrated player acquisition overall with 17% of the vote from league GMs.
Ball was a highly-touted prospect coming out of UCLA. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2017 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, but Cleveland is now set to be the fourth organization Ball has played for since getting drafted.
Knee injuries derailed Ball’s career, as he missed the entirety of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons while undergoing multiple surgeries to repair a meniscus tear.
He played 35 games (14 starts) for the Chicago Bulls last season, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest.
Cavs video: Lonzo Ball reflects on resuming NBA career after injuries
After joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in a recent trade, Lonzo Ball reflected in this video on coming back from injuries to resume his NBA career.
If Ball can stay healthy for the first time in a long time, GMs seem to think the UCLA product could be an underrated addition to the Cavs roster.
Evan Mobley recognized among the best defensive players in the NBA
Victor Wembanyama for San Antonio earned 80% of votes asking who is the best defensive player in the NBA.
Perhaps it’s surprising that number isn’t higher, provided the Spurs phenom reportedly continued to grow during the offseason and is now listed at a ridiculous 7-foot-5 and 235 pounds.
But the reigning Defensive Player of the Year was also in the mix. Mobley earned 7% of the vote for the above query, tying him for second behind Wemby with Rudy Gobert of the T-Wolves.
He also received votes for “who is the best interior defender in the NBA?” and “who is the most versatile defender in the NBA?” Wemby and Amen Thompson of the Rockets, respectively, earned the most votes in those categories.
Mobley also was in the mix of players deemed the most versatile overall, not just including defense. He tied for third in that category with Akron native LeBron James and OKC’s Jalen Williams. Giannis and Wemby tied for the top spot with 30% of votes.
Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson overshadowed by veteran coaches in survey
Kenny Atkinson discusses his first full season with Cavaliers: Video
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson talked about his mindset heading into his second year in Cleveland and the process during his first season.
After his COY win in just his first season at the helm in Cleveland, Kenny Atkinson received votes in various coaching categories but was routinely overshadowed.
The survey question, “Which head coach is the best manager/motivator of people?” went to Miami’s Erik Spoelstra (28% of the vote) followed by Houston’s Ime Udoka (24%), Golden State’s Steve Kerr (14%), Boston’s Joe Mazzulla (14%) and Tyronn Lue of the LA Clippers (7%) rounding out the top five. Atkinson also received votes in the category along with former Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who’s now with the Detroit Pistons.
Lue won a leading 40% of the vote in response to which head coach makes the best in-game adjustments, followed by OKC’s Mark Daigneault (23%). Atkinson received votes but didn’t crack the top three.
In terms of “which head coach runs the best offense?” That category was overwhelmingly won by Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle (53% of votes), but Atkinson finished tied for second with Minnesota’s Chris Finch at 10% of votes.
The Cavs finished with the league’s best offensive rating a season ago under Atkinson.
NBA GMs believe the Cavs will have the league’s ‘most efficient’ offense in 2025-26
While GMs believe Carlisle to be the league’s offensive head coaching whiz, Atkinson’s Cavs were picked to have the league’s “most efficient” offense this season.
Cleveland got 40% of the vote, followed by OKC (30%) and Denver (20%) rounding out the top three.
Again, Cleveland finished with the league’s best offensive rating last year under Atkinson, so it makes sense the GM survey reflects they could do it again in 2025-26.
