After the 93-130 disaster against the New York Knicks on Monday at Rocket Arena, the Cavaliers players can now plan for Cancun. It was a brutal 4-0 sweep, and the Cavs looked badly exposed and clueless throughout the series, especially in transition and defensive intensity. With those flaws impossible to ignore, an ex-Cavs player’s father seized the moment to blast the franchise over how they handled his son’s situation, believing he could have helped in exactly those areas.

“Just finished watching the Knicks and Cleveland game. Man, nothing more satisfying,” LaVar Ball said in an Instagram post.

“Man, they got my son Lonzo for this exact moment. Y’all didn’t get him for the season. You got him for this right here. And look how you get blown out. Cause you don’t have no easy transitional buckets. That’s what Lonzo do. Fast break points and defense.”

The Cavs could not match the intensity and composure the Knicks showed from start to finish. The Knicks consistently punished them in transition and outworked them on both ends of the floor.

LaVar feels Lonzo, who was traded to the Jazz in February before later being waived, could have helped settle things down for Cleveland during stretches like that.

“And what did y’all lose on? Fast break points and defense, and no intensity cause no good leadership. That’s what Lonzo does. But y’all gotta learn the hard way. Big Baller knows everything. Trust me when I tell you…” he added.

The Cavs had reason to be skeptical about Lonzo. He missed two and a half NBA seasons after tearing his meniscus in 2022 while playing for the Bulls. He went through a number of surgeries, including even a rare cartilage and meniscus transplant procedure, which allowed him to return to basketball in October 2024, though he no longer looked quite like the explosive guard he once was.

Still, it is understandable why LaVar Ball was frustrated. The Cavaliers never fully used Lonzo for what they brought him in for in 2025: defense, floor leadership, and transition play. Instead, he was used rarely, making just 35 appearances with only three starts. Even in limited minutes, Ball averaged 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

They weren’t staggering numbers, but they showed he had more to offer than what he was allowed to display. Ball could act as a guard who organizes the offense, adds pace, and improves perimeter defense. Against the Knicks, that would have been invaluable.

A Disaster for the Ambitious Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs desperately wanted to win a title. In 2025, they finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record, only to lose 4-1 to the Pacers. So this year felt set up for a redemption story, especially after the arrival of James Harden in February to form a dangerous backcourt alongside Donovan Mitchell.

But after surviving two seven-game series against the Raptors and the Pistons, the Cavs were completely brutalized by the Knicks, who have now reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

The New York Knicks owned the tempo from almost every angle. Game 1 itself exposed all the cracks. New York grabbed 47 rebounds to Cleveland’s 38 and poured in 60 paint points. They forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 28 points. Even with the Cavs recording 23 assists and 11 steals, the Knicks still controlled transition play with 13 fast break points and a stronger 1.03 points per possession.

And that 115-104 overtime loss quietly shifted the entire series energy. And once things started spiralling for the Cavs, they seemed to have no way of turning back.

The Cavs lost Game 2 109-93, followed by two more blowouts: 121-108 and 130-93. It looked like the Cavs forgot how to run, defend, rotate, and respond under pressure all at once.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson feels the Cavaliers may need to head toward a rebuild in the summer to get over the hurdle in the 2026-27 season. “We obviously have to make decisions. It’s probably not going to be the same roster,” he said in the post-game press conference.

At the same time, the former Warriors assistant coach urged patience before fully judging the current group and where exactly things went wrong.

“I think the group we put together, I wouldn’t change it for anything, right? Considering the parameters of what we have. So, yeah, I think I’d love to get a full training camp. Love to get more reps with this group. We’re, you know, like I said, doing things on the fly a little bit. But, yeah, love the group,” he stated.