The speed of players agreeing to deals in NBA free agency is enough to give fans and teams whiplash, and after just a few days most prominent players found their landing place. The Cavs decided to sit out this whirlwind, bringing back Jarrett Allen but otherwise not adding any new faces.
Now over a week into free agency, the landing spots for any remaining players are drying up, which means there are bargains to be had for teams willing to make offers. The Cleveland Cavaliers can find value in filling out the last couple of spots on their roster with players still available.
They could also make a misstep, discarding their patience because of the allure of a player still out there. Yesterday we highlighted free agent point guard Dennis Schroder as a player to avoid, and thankfully the Boston Celtics scooped him up a few hours later. Perhaps we can have the same effect a second time.
Chicago Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen is still available, but the Cavs should not pursue him in free agency.
Lauri Markkanen is a talented player, a 7-footer who hit 40.2 percent of his 3-pointers last season. That is conceptually a great player to add to a team’s frontcourt rotation, providing high-level spacing from the big position, unlocking lineup versatility at other positions.
Some team that signs Markkanen will get a good player, but it will also be a player with some drawbacks. While the Finnish native is an excellent shooter and solid rebounder, he isn’t a rim protector, making it difficult to play him at the 5 defensively. Markkanen is currently drawing interest from teams around the league, including the Dallas Mavericks.
While the Cavaliers could get starry-eyed looking at adding Markkanen to a big man rotation with Allen and Evan Mobley, they need to take a deep breath and go elsewhere in free agency. Here are two primary reasons the Cavs should not pursue Lauri Markkanen in free agency.