Cleveland Cavaliers: Free Agency Is Just Beginning

Free agency is just beginning for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have so little cap room to work with, now that the big signings are out of the way.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been rather quiet on the free agency front this summer. It’s not due to the lack of interest in big name free agents, but because they can’t afford any of them.

Cleveland has $3.47 million to spend this summer with all of their cap holds accounted for. That means they couldn’t make a play for free agencies’ prized possession, Kevin Durant.

Durant made a surprising decision by choosing to sign with the Golden State Warriors. In a move that allows him to join a historic team, it differs from when LeBron James left the Cavs to go to Miami.

It couldn’t have been an easy decision for Durant, who said it was difficult leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder because of the relationships. However he raised some eyebrows by saying the Warriors felt like a family in a way he’s never felt it before, as the introductory press conference is transcribed by the Mercury News.

Nonetheless, the NBA’s newest villain is a member of a super team that will have the loftiest goals ever anticipated in the NBA. After the Warriors won the championship in the 2014-15 season, they set a NBA record with 73 wins during the 2015-16 regular season. Now, the expectations are astronomical.

Dwight Howard joined the Atlanta Hawks on a three-year, $70.5 million contract, according to ESPN. He joins his hometown team that has shaken up their roster a little bit. After trading point guard Jeff Teague, the Hawks have entrusted Dennis Shroder as the team’s starting point guard.

Howard is an Atlanta native that has one goal in mind for his future with the Hawks.

“I want to do whatever I can to bring a championship home,” Howard said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Al Horford joined the Boston Celtics, furthering their chances of becoming a serious threat to the Cavs in the East. He was never an option for the Cavaliers, due to his demanding salary. There was one player in free agency, in particular, who the Cavs appeared to have a realistic shot at landing.

Dwyane Wade ultimately decided to join his hometown Chicago Bulls. Wade gave the Cavs a shot, holding a meeting with them in Cleveland. He didn’t want to play his lifelong friend, or at least not for $3.47 million. LeBron James and Wade have an incredible relationship, as ESPN‘s Pablo S. Torre describes, and could likely join forces before their careers are over, but that day is not today.

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Now, the Cavaliers summer can begin. With these four free agents out of the way, among many others, the Cavaliers can focus on bringing in as many players as they can to help their bench.

Of course, they also have to re-sign James and J.R. Smith, who are technically free agents though they have stated their intent to remain in Cleveland. While the Cavs have so much money tied up already, they can still afford to add veterans on a $1.3 veteran minimum contract.

Ray Allen is one veteran who reached out to the Cavs. Allen previously played with LeBron when they were together with the Miami Heat. He has reportedly stayed in great shape, despite not playing since the 2013-14 season.

you could have sat on your hands and I would have approved.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 7, 2016

Perhaps there is a player off of the Cavs’ Summer League roster that garners enough interest by Cleveland’s front office to land a spot on the regular season roster. While it seems like a long shot, the Cavs already have their 2016 draft pick Kay Felder and guard Jordan McRae on NBA contracts.

Cleveland has been busy over the past few days. They signed Richard Jefferson to a two-year, $5 million contract extension. On the same night that that news broke, the Cavs also acquired sharpshooter Mike Dunleavy from the Bulls. All of this came after Wade’s decision, which gave the Cavs an opening to start pursuing their free agent targets.

Next: Bargain Bin Shopping: Realistic FA Targets For The Cleveland Cavaliers

Now free agency truly begins for the Cavaliers, and they must be aggressive in their pursuit of veteran free agents. Since the Cavs have such little cap space, they need to secure meetings and offers with their targets before other teams can offer them more money.