Pros and cons of Cavs signing T.J. Warren in free agency

Pros and cons of Cavs signing T.J. Warren in free agency: Final Verdict

If someone could leap into the future and let the Cavs know whether T.J. Warren stays healthy or not, that would be great. Ultimately that’s the biggest swing factor here: can Warren regain something close to his previous level of play and sustain it for a reasonable amount of games? Did the time off allow his body to recover, or his skills to atrophy?

If Warren is at least somewhat healthy and mostly back to his former level of play, he fits this roster like a glove. He could start at the 3 and serve as the secondary shot creator alongside Darius Garland, while running bench units with Caris LeVert or Collin Sexton, depending on who starts and if Sexton sticks around.

Deciding on the contract to offer is also tricky. The Taxpayer MLE is unlikely to lure him to Cleveland unless he really likes what the Cavs are building or other teams are incredibly scared off by his medicals. Most likely it will take an offer above that $6.4 million mark. A two-year, $21 million deal with a player option seems like the kind necessary to bring him aboard.

Warren could re-sign in Indiana to get playing time and recoup his value, or sign for the minimum in Golden State or Brooklyn to recoup his value on a contender. If he values finding a real home, however, with a young team needing his firepower, the Cavaliers are an excellent fit, and they should absolutely extend an offer if he is open to accepting it.