Ricky Rubio? Tyus Jones? Kyle Anderson? T.J. Warren? Who could Cleveland Cavaliers target in free agency?
Updated: Jun. 30, 2022, 4:11 p.m. | Published: Jun. 30, 2022, 10:28 a.m.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs.Toronto Raptors, December 26, 2021
Will Ricky Rubio return to the Cleveland Cavaliers?Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
By Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NBA free agency is almost here.
At 6 p.m. tonight, the negotiation period will begin. But even with verbal deals permitted, signings can’t become official until July 6.
Following a 44-win season and play-in-tournament appearance, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office has critical decisions to make this offseason. The priority list is straightforward.
Entering free agency, the Cavs only have three available roster spots. There are nine guys with guaranteed deals -- Kevin Love, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Lauri Markkanen, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro, Dylan Windler. There are two others -- Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens -- set to play on non-guarantees. Count them as part of the projected roster. That gives Cleveland 11 players under contract. Rookie sharpshooter Ochai Agbaji, the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, will make 12 upon inking his rookie-scale contract. First-round picks can begin signing their deals Friday. Agbaji is slotted to make around $3.8 million next season and will be under team control for five seasons.
Two other draft picks -- Khalifa Diop and Luke Travers -- will be stashed overseas, keeping them from taking an NBA roster spot. The plan for No. 49 pick Isaiah Mobley is to sign a two-way deal, bouncing between the G League and NBA while allowing the Cavs to keep roster flexibility.
Not including cap holds, the Cavs have about $123.8 million committed to salaries for next season. The latest 2022-23 projections put the salary cap at $123.7 million and the luxury-tax threshold at $150.3 million. As has been the expectation, the Cavs will operate as an over-the-cap team. Because of that, their lone path for external improvement in free agency is with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception worth about $10.4 million annually.
But before the Cavs dive too deep into their free agency options, there are two critical dominoes that must fall first.
All-Star point guard Garland is eligible for a five-year, maximum contract extension worth more than $181 million. Despite the Cavs likely presenting that to him when the free agency bell sounds, don’t be surprised if an agreement takes a bit longer. The general framework -- and overall valuation -- is uncomplicated. Garland is one of the pillars of this rebuild. But the two sides may need more time to work through the intricate details.
A Garland extension is the top item on the offseason agenda. Figuring out the complicated Collin Sexton situation is next. How that plays out will likely determine the steps in free agency. Having already extended a $7.2 million qualifying offer, making Sexton is a restricted free agent, the Cavs can match any offer.
Will offers come? Sexton’s market, which wasn’t expected to be vast coming off a significant meniscus tear, has dissipated in recent days.
Detroit, which added score-first guard Jaden Ivey with the No. 5 pick in the draft, not only took on salary from the New York Knicks in a post-draft trade but is expected to re-sign Marvin Bagley. The Pistons no longer have the cap space to make a lucrative offer that Cleveland would be hesitant to match.
The Wizards addressed their backcourt need by acquiring Will Barton and Monte Morris from Denver.
San Antonio seems to be in full rebuild -- and already added two guards (Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley) last Thursday.
The Pacers have a backcourt logjam.
The Mavericks, primed to lose free agent Jalen Brunson to the Knicks, don’t have the cap space to sign Sexton outright. They also lack any attractive send-back players in a potential sign-and-trade.
Some team could still value Sexton. But he has minimal leverage, something the Cavs predicted when choosing not to give him a contract extension last summer.
Sexton wants to return. The Cavs want him back -- at the right price. Right now, Sexton’s side wants more than what Cleveland is willing to give. Sexton is looking for starting guard money, something north of $20 million annually. The Cavs are more comfortable in the low-to-mid teens. As cleveland.com reported in May, last summer’s negotiations finished with “Bogdan Bogdanovic money ($18 million annually)” being discussed. But both the Cavs and Klutch Sports super agent Rich Paul see this as entirely fresh negotiation window as opposed to a continuation. Many factors have changed.
Can the two close the gap?
If the Cavs stay out of the luxury tax, with full access to the midlevel exception -- the anticipated outcome -- they will have plenty of other options.
Backup point guard, two-way wing upgrade and reserve center are the positional needs of greatest importance. The first two are expected to take priority, sources say.
Point guard
Ricky Rubio -- A Rubio reunion remains highly likely. Cleveland.com has been reporting about mutual interest for about two months. After putting so much of the playmaking burden on Garland over the final stretch of the season, the Cavs want at least one more reliable ball-handler. Preferably, an experienced floor general.
Rubio fits. On and off the court, his imprints were all over the team’s surprising start, which went the other way following his season-ending torn ACL in late December. One of the downsides of the Rubio-LeVert trade: The Cavs no longer have Rubio’s Bird rights. They would need to use the full MLE -- or at least part of it -- to bring him back.
There’s obvious injury concerns. His timeline for ACL recovery likely sidelines him for the season’s first few months. So, what’s the early-season plan? Could the Cavs get by with a combination of Sexton and LeVert? Would they tie up another open roster spot on the position -- a third point guard who would drop out of the rotation when Rubio is healthy? Can they justify using R.J. Nembhard, who finished the season on a two-way deal and is expected to take one of those two-way spots? No matter the trickiness, Rubio returning to the Cavs seems probable.
Tyus Jones -- Sources say the Cavs continue to have interest in Jones, who served as both Ja Morant’s backup and fill-in starter. The belief is Jones wants a starting gig -- and pay day. The Cavs can’t offer either one, making Jones an unrealistic target -- unless there isn’t a destination with both.
Delon Wright -- An unrestricted free agent this summer, Wright made $8.5 million last year. The Hawks hold his Bird rights. But Atlanta just added another guard -- All-Star Dejounte Murray -- to their stable and are expected to continue offseason maneuvering. That could make Wright, who averaged 4.4 points on 45.4% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range to go with 2.4 assists in limited playing time, available.
Now 30, the 6-foot-5 Wright would be a long-limbed, athletic veteran presence who could theoretically play behind -- or alongside -- Garland. He also led Atlanta in steals, having the kind of defensive makeup the Cavs covet. Wright would only be an option if the Cavs don’t take the Rubio path.
Raul Neto -- Given the Wizards’ agreed-to deal with the Nuggets, Neto has been pushed down the depth chart. At this stage of his career, Neto is more of a backup. But he started 19 games last season, so he’s good enough to hold that spot for a brief stretch. Neto is one of Cleveland assistant coach Antonio Lang’s favorite players, with the two having a relationship dating back to their Utah days together. A true pro, Neto averaged 7.5 points and 3.1 assists while shooting a career-worst 29.2% from long range this past season.
Goran Dragic -- Forget it. Dragic seems destined to join National Team buddy Luka Doncic in Dallas after a drama-filled season in Brooklyn.
Kemba Walker -- After being part of the New York-Detroit trade the other night, Walker is expected to secure a buyout, making him an unrestricted free agent. Members of the organization like him. Not only is Walker a strong veteran presence and leader but he can run a team and score at all three levels -- even though he is more of a score-first guard.
Aaron Holiday -- A 2018 first-round pick, Holiday is smaller in stature (6-foot-0 and 185 pounds). That’s part of the reason he hasn’t found an NBA home despite his pedigree and strong sophomore season with Indiana. The Suns opted against making Holiday a restricted free agent, allowing him to explore the possibility of joining his fourth team. Depending on price, Holiday fits as a third point guard.
Jevon Carter -- Tough. Hard-nosed. Feisty. Defensive-minded. Carter is stuck between reliable reserve point guard and depth piece. He’s going to be 27 in September and is still looking for a stable role.
Wing
Kyle Anderson, Juan Toscano-Anderson
Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson (1) can play multiple positions on the floor and seems to have lost favor in Memphis.AP
Kyle Anderson -- Anderson is arguably the best two-way wing on the market, which speaks more to the leanness of the position. Coming off a season where he was surpassed on the depth chart, averaging just 21 minutes, Anderson could be looking for a fresh start. His unique style isn’t for every team. But he can play multiple positions and does a lot of little things well that often translate to winning, especially on the defensive end. He also has a point guard’s background, able to serve as a secondary playmaker.
While Anderson is capable from the perimeter -- a career 33% bomber -- he is at his best with the ball in his hands, playing in transition or slashing to the basket.
The problem: There doesn’t seem to be a feasible route to signing Rubio and Anderson. But the Cavs are interested in Anderson, seeing him as an upgrade over some of their other wing options.
Joe Ingles -- Like Rubio, Ingles is still recovering from a torn ACL. He fits the description of what the Cavs want. Veteran. Playmaker. Shooter. He also has an abundance of playoff experience and comes from an organization synonymous with defense. But Ingles will turn 35 in October and is expected to miss the first few months of the regular season.
T.J. Warren -- Warren has played just four games in the last two years because of a stress fracture in his left foot. But he’s supposedly healthy now. The Cavs have been in touch with Warren’s camp, sources say. Many other teams have as well. Prior to his injury, Warren likely was headed for a bigger payday. Now? It’s anyone’s guess. Perhaps the Cavs could split the midlevel down the middle, giving half to Rubio and the other half to Warren?
Gary Harris -- Harris is 27 and doesn’t fit the Orlando rebuild timeline following a 2021 trade from Denver. Even though he isn’t the same explosive athlete from his early days, Harris can still get to the rim every now and then, defend multiple positions and shoot from the outside -- 38.4% from 3. More of a shooting guard than small forward, Harris isn’t an ideal positional fit, but brings some of the spot-up shooting and winning intangibles that could be helpful on a team looking to make a playoff push.
Otto Porter Jr. -- Last offseason, Porter prioritized winning over anything else, signing with the Warriors and becoming an integral part of the rotation. Even though he has a lengthy injury history, Porter’s multi-positional versatility and long-range shooting would make him an intriguing target for the midlevel exception. After winning a ring, will he look to cash in on a multiyear deal for a bit more money? If not, other teams further along would make more sense.
Center
Hassan Whiteside -- With Allen and Mobley, the Cavs don’t need much from a backup center. Think Ed Davis last year. Whiteside is 33. He’s an effective backup, with an ability to finish around the rim, pull down rebounds and block shots. He doesn’t have the same switchability as Allen or Mobley, often playing in “drop” coverage. Still, he would likely be amenable to taking a cheap deal.
Serge Ibaka -- Does he have anything left? Returning from back surgery last season, the Bucks acquired Ibaka from the Los Angeles Clippers, thinking he could boost the interior depth. Ibaka never got off the bench. Far removed from his early-career athletic days, Ibaka is not nearly the same rebounder, defender or rim protector. But he can space the floor, catch lobs and if his back heals, perhaps bounce back from what was essentially a lost season.
Robin Lopez -- Lopez signed in Orlando because of his Disney love. But he only played 36 games while the Magic prioritized on-court development for some of their younger guys instead. Lopez showed in Washington the year before that he can still play, making him more than just a strong locker room presence with a positive attitude.
Gorgui Dieng -- Dieng was the Hawks’ third center, appearing in 44 games. He’s smart, can space the floor and provides solid defense.
Dewayne Dedmon -- Even though he logged meaningful minutes during the regular season, Dedmon didn’t see the court during the playoffs. He plays hard and does his best work on the glass. He can start in a pinch and would likely only require the veteran’s minimum.
Bismack Biyombo -- Phoenix signed Biyombo off his couch last season, and he provided quality backup minutes as a pick-and-roll threat with Chris Paul.
https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022...and-cavaliers-target-in-free-agency.html
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