Cleveland Cavaliers: ESPN’s Chris Haynes Confirms Jordan McRae’s Contract Guaranteed

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Jordan McRae’s contract is now guaranteed for the rest of the season according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.

According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, shooting guard Jordan McRae‘s contract has become fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.

Yesterday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst speculated on the possibility of McRae being cut but once the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to trade both Mo Williams and Mike Dunleavy Jr. for Kyle Korver, a roster spot opened up for the Cavaliers that gave McRae breathing room more than anybody else.

A buyout would only have been possible if Williams wanted to cooperate with the Cavs front office, which is unlikely. The Cavs could have also waived Williams but would have taken on a tax hit that they were perhaps unwilling to take.

Cutting McRae before his contract became guaranteed would have been the most cost-effective option. However, McRae has shown potential as a scorer thus far in his career and might not have cleared waivers if the team cut him. With good friends in Iman Shumpert and Kyrie Irving on the team, as well as praises from Tyronn Lue and LeBron James, McRae would have been a player the Cavs wanted to return to the team at some point.

McRae, who is shooting 35.6 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three-point range, isn’t having the best season to say the least. Nonetheless, McRae has scored 20 points twice in his last four games.

In those two games, McRae was a combined 15-of-27 (55.6 percent) from the field and 4-of-9 (44.4 percent) from three-point range. The biggest problem for the Cavs is fit as the roster currently stands. McRae’s ball-dominant style doesn’t work well within the offensive flow right now, as McRae consistently misses open men to force tough shots. Hence the reason McRae has an offensive rating of 96 points per 100 possessions this season, a rating that falls between J.R. Smith‘s offensive rating of 99 and DeAndre Liggins offensive rating of 91.

Smith was simply inefficient in a high volume of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts. Liggins has been inefficient in his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts in his last four games (1-of-9) and reluctant to shoot at times. Simply shooting more efficiently in their three-and-D role would improve the offensive rating of Smith and Liggins. For McRae to improve, he has to be a more willing passer while increasing his efficiency.

He’ll get the chance to show he can play within the team concept with his contract guaranteed for the rest of the season.

Related Story: Cleveland Cavaliers: Will Jordan McRae Be Cut? (Updated Story)

What do you think of the Cleveland Cavaliers keeping Jordan McRae for the rest of the season? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.