3 free agent targets Cavs should be watching this postseason

3 free agent targets for Cavs to watch: Otto Porter Jr., F, Golden State Warriors

One of the best values in free agency is the player whose value has plummeted due to injury or poor play, but with a pedigree of strong play. These are risky moves as that player may just be who they have been lately, but offer big upside if they return to their former form.

A slightly less valuable option is signing those players the following season. They re-establish their production but still bear something of the stigma of being a minimum player, so they are still a bargain but with much less of the risk.

Otto Porter Jr. would fall into this category. He has had a bounceback year as a key role player for the Golden State Warriors, a team that could make a deep run this postseason. The onetime pure wing has become more of a stretch-4, with the strength to bang with most power forwards. He has even played some small-ball 5 with the Dubs this year.

The Cavs love to play big, and the key to unlocking those lineups are “bigs” who can shoot from outside. Porter could play the Lauri Markkanen role but with better passing and defense; he may not have Markkanen’s pure size, but if the Cavs are comfortable putting him at the 3 he can still offer the switchability across all big positions due to his strength and newfound experience defending bigs this season.

Whether the Cavs look to improve their bench at point guard, wing or forward, they will have options on the market who will be interested in joining a rising team. Watching how these players and more perform in the playoffs can help to weed out the diamonds from the rough.