As the Cleveland Cavaliers head into the offseason, Koby Altman will be looking at ways to improve the current roster.
While Darius Garland has dominated trade rumors in recent weeks, the franchise is more likely to look to make improvements on the fringes. That could mean parting ways with a rotation forward such as Isaac Okoro.
However, according to Chris Fedor, via his “Wine & Gold Talk” podcast, the Cavaliers are struggling to find a buyer for the three-and-d forward.
“This front office is canvassing the NBA right now and figuring out what’s possible for them this offseason,” Fedor said. “From everything that I’m told, they’re having a hard time finding anybody that has a legitimate interest in Isaac Okoro, unless Isaac also comes with some kind of sweetener from the Cavs, some kind of assets attached to his contract.”
Fedor continued.
“…Because I think there are teams out there that are looking at Isaac, and they’re saying, ‘We’d be doing you a favor by taking on his contract. So make it worth our time to do that. Make it worthwhile for us to do that. Give us future second-round picks. Go find a first-round pick somehow that you can trade to us, along with [Okoro]. Then we’ll help you out,” Fedor stated.”
Okoro played in 55 games this past season. He averaged 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists, shooting 46.4% from deep and 37.1% from 3-point range.
Okoro is Still an Enticing Prospect
While Okoro has failed to live up to his billing as an elite three-and-d threat since entering the league, there’s still plenty of time for him to figure things out. The Auburn product is still only 24 years old and has already amassed over 230 regular-season NBA games.
He is a proven defender, capable of operating at the point-of-attack or as a help defender. Interestingly, Okoro’s perimeter shooting has been limited in terms of the attempts he’s afforded. If he can land on a team in need of a shooting threat, he could quickly make a bigger impact on the offensive end.
Nevertheless, Okoro will struggle to be more than a role player on the Cavaliers’ roster. Therefore, a fresh start could be in the best interests of both the player and the team.
Cavaliers Also Have Ty Jerome Headache
Outside of trying to find a new home for Okoro, the Cavaliers also need to figure out how to approach Ty Jerome‘s impending free agency. The veteran guard was a standout performer for Kenny Atkinson’s team this past season. However, re-signing him could become expensive.
That’s why Tommy Wild of “Cavaliers on SI” pinpointed Malcolm Brogdon as a potential replacement for Jerome, should he leave this summer.
“The front office should absolutely be exploring the free agent market for a backup guard,” Wild wrote. “However, with Cleveland currently being a second-apron team, they can only offer veteran minimum deals. One player the Cavaliers should have on their radar is former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon.”
Brogdon would be a strong addition. He’s only two seasons removed from winning the Sixth Man of the Year award for his work with the Boston Celtics. However, he would come with significant injury concerns. Nevertheless, if the Cavaliers need a proven contributor and Jerome looks unlikely to return, Brogdon could be a strong addition.
If Altman can either re-sign or replace Jerome and find a new home for Okoro, Cleveland’s offseason will be off to a good start.
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