Return or Burn: Whether the Cavaliers should bring back each free agent

Return or Burn: Dylan Windler

It’s a shame that Dylan Windler couldn’t realize his potential in the NBA, but injury after injury finally just sealed his fate with the Cavaliers. He is a great “second-draft” candidate for another team to take a flier on this summer. On the Cavs he won’t get any minutes to try and rebuild his career.

Verdict: Burn

Return or Burn: Isaiah Mobley

The older brother of Evan Mobley, Isaiah has been on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers this season. He has only played 26 minutes with the Cavs, but he has played often for the Cleveland Charge in the G League and absolutely dominated, averaging 22.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and shooting 36.1 percent from deep. He could return on another two-way deal, but he also has a very real chance at making the 15-man roster as the backup center.

Verdict: Return

Return or Burn: Mamadi Diakite

The trickest decision might come down to Mamadi Diakite, the former Virginia big man who will need to either convert into a full contract or leave the team this offseason. He played well when called into duty earlier in the season due to a brief injury to Jarrett Allen, helping to key a big win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Diakite has excellent mobility defensively and is a bouncy rim protector, and his ability to be a “poor man’s Evan Mobley” makes him an interesting fit as his understudy at the back of the rotation. At the same time, he doesn’t offer much upside at this point, and offensively he doesn’t offer any floor spacing. The Cavs could really use more of a stretch-big option to replace Kevin Love as their fifth-big. That’s probably not Diakite.

Verdict: Burn

It’s hard to move on from players, but now that the Cavaliers have their rotation set they can use free agency to fill in behind those players in specific ways. Hopefully, those moves will help the Cavs go from rising stars to blazing suns.