Despite making a few tweaks to the roster, the Cleveland Cavaliers still have one open spot. Koby Altman could look to add a player from the free agency market or wait until later in the season when teams buy players out of their deals.
According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers are in no rush to fill the final roster spot.
âI just think the Cavs are in no hurry with this kind of situation,â Fedor said via the “Wine and Gold Podcast.” âI think they understand the makeup of this roster, and they understand that guy 14 is really not going to be a consequential member of the Cavs.â
By keeping an open roster spot, Altman is giving the Cavaliers some much-needed flexibility. NBA contracts are pro-rata. That means, the later a player signs to that 15th roster spot, the less it will cost the team in both salary and luxury taxes.
Furthermore, the open spot allows Cleveland to remain fluid in their search for the best possible fit on the roster. You never know who is going to shake loose during the season, and having the room to simply sign them to a deal could be a game-changer.
As such, the Cavaliers front office is playing a smart game as they slowly inch toward training camp and preseason.
Cavaliers Praised For Lonzo Ball Deal
In a recent article for NBA.com, Briant Martin praised the Cavaliers for the addition of Lonzo Ball.
âWhen Cleveland lost Ty Jerome in free agency, the Cavs had a hole in their backcourt bench and acquired Ball from Chicago in exchange for Isaac Okoro,â Martin wrote. âBall returned to the court last season after missing the previous two seasons with a left knee injury that required multiple surgeries to repairâ¦Ballâs return to the court after missing over 1,000 days was a triumph in and of itself. Now, he has an opportunity to continue working his way back to his full potential on a title contender.â
Ball, 27, is one of the best passers and playmakers in the NBA. He’s also a solid perimeter defender who thrives at the point of attack. Not only could he lead the second unit, he may also put pressure on Darius Garland for the starting position next to Donovan Mitchell.
That is, of course, if he can put his injury issues behind him and remain healthy.
Cavaliers Not Expected to Trade Dead Wade
After moving on from Isaac Okoro as part of the deal to bring Ball to Cleveland, the Cavaliers do not expect to pursue a trade to send Dean Wade out of town. In a July 25 livestream for Bleacher Report, NBA Insider Jake Fischer admitted that he does not anticipate the defensive-minded guard being moved ahead of the new season.
âThereâs definitely been conversations about Dean Wade this summer,â Fischer said. âI mean, heâs someone that I think a lot of teams look at as an easy, low-cost, plug-and-play, multiple positional defender, but I think a lot of the Dean Wade conversation was more back when the Cavs were looking at the deal that turned into Lonzo Ball. I think the Cavs were looking at either one of Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade heading out the door at one point in time, and they turned Isaac Okoro into Lonzo Ball.â
Fischer continued.
âSo, I have not admittedly checked in on the Dean Wade trade market up to this minute, but the last I heard was that it was kind of a one or the other situation of Cleveland trading out one of those players and Iâm not sitting here anticipating a Dean Wade trade anytime soon.â
Cleveland is likely going to start the new season with the current roster. That doesn’t mean it won’t make changes as the season progresses. However, the most likely outcome is that Altman will sign a veteran later in the year. After all, Kenny Atkinson’s team already looks stronger. Now they must prove their championship credentials once the new season gets underway.
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