Cavs: 3 most unlikely players to return to the team in 2021-22

The third-most unlikely current Cavs player to return: Cedi Osman

Coming into the 2020-21 season, Cedi Osman was moved to the bench with the drafting of Isaac Okoro. This was a move that made sense seeing as Osman seemed to be the ideal sixth man for the Cavs, having more on-ball opportunities and continuing to be the shooter that the team needed.

Through the team’s first three games, this seemed like a genius move by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. In those games, he averaged 15.7 points per game shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from three-point range.

Osman would start the fourth game of the season due to an injury to Okoro and this would be the start of the downfall for Osman. Osman was putrid this season as he was inconsistent in all areas of his game. He had the worst true shooting percentage in the league at one point (among qualified players) and it had gotten so bad that he had registered five straight DNPs during the second half of April.

To end the season, Cedi was a positive player and took advantage of injuries showing the type of player that he could be and looking like the player that the Wine and Gold thought he was to start the season in some points.

Osman, along with Taurean Prince, was a key Cavs player mentioned in trade rumors near the past deadline, however, Cedi was clearly not dealt, nor was Prince then. And with Osman having three years left on his deal, even with the last year being non-guaranteed if waived by June 29, 2023, at an average of $7.5 million annually, a trade does not seem likely.

Cedi will likely be a Cavalier next season unless a team bites on him and if the team drafts a wing this offseason, his role with the team will lessen even more. My guess is that a trade may have to wait until the next trade deadline.