Cavs: 3 players still available worth pursuing in free agency
The Cleveland Cavaliers made their most important move early in NBA free agency, agreeing to a new contract with restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen. He will reportedly be returning to the Cavs on a five-year, $100 million contract.
Otherwise the team has been patient in free agency, letting other teams dole out the big bucks and make the noise — noise that often is just clanging cymbals once the games actually start. The Cavs don’t have much to offer free agents, as the combination of bringing back Allen and trading for Ricky Rubio mean they will operate as an over-the-cap team.
That still leaves their mid-level exception and bi-annual exception to offer teams. The Cavs still need to fill holes on the bench, primarily for a wing shooter and a backup center. As teams fill out their rosters, there are still plenty of players out there for the Cavs to make an offer to.
3 players still available the Cavs should pursue in free agency: 1. Kelly Oubre Jr.
Recommending that the Cavs pursue Kelly Oubre Jr. breaks the rules. The Cavaliers need to add shooting, and Oubre is an inconsistent one at best. Last season he shot just 31.6 percent from deep, and is a career 32.6 percent shooter.
That being said, Oubre brings so much more to the table. He is a long and strong defender, able to check opposing guards but also slide down to take on forwards. Pairing he and either Larry Nance Jr. or Evan Mobley at the forward position would be devastating for opposing offenses, and when you add in Isaac Okoro the quartet would be intimidating.
Oubre plays hard 100 percent of the time, loves to cut to the hoop and sprints the court. His putback dunks are thunderous. For a team that really needs help at the 3, Oubre would be an excellent choice for the full mid-level exception. He surely has been expecting more in free agency, but with just two teams available with significant cap space he will likely have to go for either a one-year make-good or a contract at the mid-level. Why not do that in Cleveland, where he might even start?