3 players the Cavs can add this offseason to bolster wing depth

After drafting Ochai Agbaji and passing on players who have been said to have more potential, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made it clear that they are in win-now mode.

Following a season in which the Cavs had a winning record for the first time without LeBron James since 1998, the rebuild is seemingly over. Their focus is now shifted to not only winning games but making playoff runs. Yes, they missed the playoffs in 2022, but their progress was miles better than what the end of the season indicated.

Considering all of this, they still have some holes to fill. Agbaji was a nice two-way addition and should prove to be an impactful plug-and-play rookie, but given his lack of height at 6’5″, he won’t be able to consistently play small forward. In fact, that goes for many of the wing players on the roster.

The only players on the roster that resemble a traditional small forward are Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman, and Okoro is even a little small to play the position. As the offseason continues to ramp up with the free agency period starting on Thursday night, let’s take a look at three players the Cavs can add via trade/free agency to bulk up the wing depth.

#1: Kyle Anderson

If the goal is to have size on the wing, Kyle Anderson is the man for the job. The free agent forward stands at 6’9″ and weighs 230 pounds. He not only looks the part, but he plays it too.

Anderson brings a certain smoothness on offense and has shown the ability to disrupt opponents on defense with his big body and long arms. He also rebounds the ball effectively and knows what to do with it next, excelling at creating fastbreak opportunities with his outlet passes.

Nicknamed “Slo Mo”, Anderson doesn’t need to be the fastest player on the court to make an impact. Similar to Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, he makes the defense adjust to him and not the other way around.

Plugging Kyle Anderson into the Cavaliers rotation would be seamless. He would take over most of Osman’s playing time and serve as a two-way threat who can give you plus minutes on a consistent basis. He’s an efficient scorer, solid defender and rarely turns the ball over. Every time Kyle Anderson steps on the floor, you know what you’re getting out of him.

The 28-year-old is coming off of a down year in terms of scoring. Due to his fluctuating role and lack of opportunities, Anderson might have to settle for a lesser deal than the one he signed with the Grizzlies.

If the Cavs can sign Kyle Anderson to a relatively cheap deal, perhaps with some of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($10.3 million), whether or not it’d be for multiple years at near that rate, and plug him into Cedi Osman’s role, the team would be immediately better.

This move wouldn’t be a home run, but it pushes the win-now agenda the team seems to be on.