The Cleveland Cavaliers certainly made a few key moves as NBA Free Agency began on Friday, June 30 at 6 p.m. This was in order to improve a team that lost disappointingly in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks in five games.
It was first the re-signing of shooting guard Caris LeVert to a two-year contract worth 32 million dollars. Last season, the 28-year-old averaged 12.1 points on 43.1% shooting, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the Cavs. It’s great that the Wine and Gold were able to keep this veteran on the roster for the coming years.
Additionally, free-agent small forward Max Strus has agreed on a four-year, $63 million sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In this three-team deal, the Miami Heat get a second-round pick and the San Antonio Spurs acquire Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens and a second-rounder.
Last season with the Heat, Strus averaged 11.5 points on 41% shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists. This will be a crucial asset likely off the bench for the Cavs in upcoming seasons. Strus also shot 35% from three last year which will also be huge in helping the team stretch the floor.
The Cavs do say goodbye to Cedi Osman, a player that averaged 8.7 points on 45.1% shooting, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Moreover, a three-year deal worth 26 million dollars was reached with sharpshooter Georges Niang who last played on the Philadelphia Sixers averaging 8.2 points on 44.2% shooting, 2.4 rebounds and a single assist a night.
Additionally, in a minor move, the Utah Jazz traded center Damian Jones to Cleveland. Last season, this role player only averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds.
Well, it’s not like the Cavs got drastically better by the moves that were made so far this off-season. At the same time, the additions will at least improve a roster that is on the cusp of winning in the coming years. This should excite fans for what is to come for a basketball team that hasn’t been able to win a championship since its LeBron James days way back in 2016.
Last season, the Cavs went 51-31 and finished 2nd in the Central Division. Along with guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland these new additions are going to make some type of difference in the upcoming season.
As time goes on, the team will look to make some more potential moves that can improve this roster even more in the coming weeks. There are players out there that can be added to increase the chances of competing in the playoffs instead of getting knocked out in the first round like last year to the Knicks.
Welcome to Cleveland, Max Strus, Georges Niang and Damian Jones. Let’s hope that your work here is positive. These are exciting times to be Cavs fans, that’s for sure. It’s simply a matter of putting it all together once this season starts in the winter.
Finally, just remember that everything is a process with this basketball team. It may take even more than these deals to get the Cavs where the team wants to be all together. More moves may be made and the roster improved with other signings as well.
