The Cleveland Cavaliers have had an Interesting start to their 2025. The once white-hot team had their longest losing streak of the season, losing 3 games straight to the Rockets, then the 76ers, and then the Rockets once again at home. This of course sent social media into a frenzy, having fans question if the Cavs just got hot too early or if the Cavs needed to make a trade, amongst other questions. Today, I will cover the Cavaliers’ month of January and help to explain the reason for the losses, as well as the popular trade rumor floating around including the Cavs acquiring Cam Johnson.

Why the Cavs Have Been Losing More Frequently

The short answer as to why the Cavs have been losing more frequently is Injury and Defense. During the 3-game losing streak the Cavs lost multiple key players including defensive juggernauts Evan Mobley and Issac Okoro, as well as key role players Caris Levert and Dean Wade. These injuries only are part of the picture, however. Mobley played during the second Rockets game, which became the 3rd loss in a row for the team. The team has been on a defensive slide as of late, having poor defensive team ratings in 4 of their last 5 matchups before their win against Detroit on Monday night. These defensive ratings had them in the bottom half of the league, even though they are typically top 10 when it comes to defense. The Cavaliers need to return to their defensive identity to get back to the amount of winning they were doing before this slide, regardless of who is hurt.

The Cam Johnson Rumors

Cam Johnson has been a popular name for the Cavaliers to add before the trade deadline as the team looks for post-season glory. Cam is currently averaging 19.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 49.1% shooting for the Brooklyn Nets. His size and scoring ability are a perfect fit for the Cavaliers’ starting lineup, hence why he is an attractive name to add. However, as noted above, the Cavs’ defense has been the thorn in the team’s side as of late. Cam is not a bad defender by any means, but let’s compare him to the other players who tend to start at small-forward for the Cavs. It is to be noted, that the lower the defensive rating the better. Cam Johnson has a defensive rating of has a defensive rating of 118.2 this season, whereas, Dean Wade has a defensive rating of 111.1, Isaac Okoro has a defensive rating of 114.8 and Max Strus has a defensive rating of 115.1 this season. I point this out because I don’t think Cam Johnson will come at a cheap price and I do not want to give up what has been a strong bench for a new player at this point in the season, especially if he does not bring better defense then the players we already have.

The Bottom Line

The Cavaliers got back on track, defeating the Detroit Pistons on Monday, January, 27th, and posting a defensive rating of 95.3 a much better rating than their previous match-up against the Rockets where they had a rating of 136.5. The Cavaliers are going to be fine, they’re coming out of a defensive slump that was spurred by injuries, and any overreactions over a 3-game losing streak goes to show how spoiled we have been by Cavaliers basketball this year. As for the Cam Johnson trade, I am all for it as long as we do not have to give up any key players on the bench, including Dean Wade, Okoro, and Strus. Offer the Nets the first available first-round pick we can trade, young players like Craig Porter Jr. and Jaylon Tyson, and if they turn it down keep it moving with the core we have now. The Cavaliers are a championship-caliber team as constructed now, don’t let a few losses in a row distract you from that.