3 free agents the Cavs should have signed this summer

3 free agents the Cavs should have signed this summer: Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo was once a terror in the Cavs’ own Central Division, making an All-NBA team with the Indiana Pacers and thriving as an on-ball star, scoring at a high level while still bringing his trademark defense. Multiple serious injuries waylaid his path, but last season in Miami he got back on the court and showed he has a lot still in the tank.

If Oladipo is simply what he was last year, he’s a tough defender with excellent hands for generating steals who can guard anyone on the perimeter, with a good shot and plenty of ability to attack the basket against a closeout. If he can continue improving as he distances himself from his injury, then suddenly he is a plus-starter and can regain some of his former production.

The Miami Heat brought him back at around $9.1 million; the Cavs could have trumped that with the full Non-Taxpayer MLE, and added a piece who would have made Caris LeVert superfluous and increased the Cavs’ floor and ceiling. The injury concerns are still there, but the upside is tantalizing. It wouldn’t be a safe move, but it could have been richly rewarding.

The Cavs ultimately went a different route this summer, hoping that Markkanen, Dean Wade, rookie Ochai Agbaji and whoever else can fill the small forward position enough to make it worth bolstering other positions. They might be right, but there three free agents they could have signed represent the path not taken.