3 budget bigs Cleveland Cavaliers should consider signing this offseason

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ early postseason exit brought attention to Cleveland’s most exploitable faults. Along with the lack of depth at the three spot, the Cavs desperately need a backup big to help Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen when they need to rest.

Though everybody loves Robin Lopez, if the Cavaliers want a trip to the NBA Finals any time soon, President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman will probably upgrade the team’s frontcourt depth this summer.

While Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have undeniable talent at sinking long range jump shots consistently, neither of Cleveland’s frontcourt anchors offer any perimeter scoring. Thus, we are looking at centers that stretch the floor and open the Cavaliers to more offensive diversity. Drawing defenses out to the perimeter opens driving lanes, allowing NBA All-Defensive First Team Forward Evan Mobley another type of center to pair next to himself as he develops his offensive capabilities.

Additionally, as the Cavs’ cap space continues to diminish with more expensive contracts piling up, managing to find the right fit to come off the bench without breaking the bank is crucial to a successful offseason. With that, here are three potential budget bigs the Cavaliers should target this summer.

Budget Big No. 1: Jay Huff, Capital City Go Go

Signing a three-point shooting big allows the Cavaliers to experiment with offensive schemes, but taking a chance should not mortgage the team’s future salary availability. This means the Cavs could look for players with something to prove. If that is the objective, Jay Huff has been a tall defensive juggernaut with dead eye aim at 40.4% from three in the G League with the Capital City Go Go, the Washington Wizards G-League affiliate, on just under two attempts per game. He had flashes with the Wizards as well.

Since Huff is currently on a two-way contract with the Wizards, he is not a traditional free agent; however, players in the G-League can be signed to any NBA main roster for a chance to play for a long term career in the Association. The Cavs have been no stranger to signing G-League talent. Both Dean Wade and Sam Merrill have recently signed multi-year deals with Cleveland after proving themselves on the Cleveland Charge.

Jay Huff not only provides quality interior defense, recording at least four blocks in over half a dozen G-League contests this past season. On the Cavs, Jay Huff would likely be a terrific fit next to Evan Mobley and allow Jarrett Allen to rest without limiting Cleveland’s lineup options. He hustles each play, bullying in the paint to grab each and every missed shot.

Taking a flyer on Jay Huff is a cheap, low risk move for Cleveland to retain agility to bring more talent to the Land rather than spending big on one major free agent choice.

Budget Big No. 2: Thomas Bryant, Denver Nuggets

For the first half of the NBA regular season this go-around, Thomas Bryant showcased his value as a stretch big playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. After 41 games with LA, Bryant was traded to the Denver Nuggets at the trade deadline to play only 18 games for the second half of the season. Next season, Bryant will need to prove his worth again, and helping the Cavaliers achieve new heights in the playoffs as a valuable role player would be an excellent opportunity for Bryant’s future.

The Denver center is more than capable of shouldering the load for the secondary unit of a contending roster. His hustle on both ends of the court makes Bryant a great budget option as free agency approaches, and that’d be a welcomed addition to the Cavs.

Bryant shot 44.1% from range in the regular season in 2022-23, and per-100 possessions, Bryant’s defensive rating was 112 (for reference, the average defensive rating is 110 with anything below being above average).

While Thomas Bryant is not the defensive presence that Mobley and Allen have been, his interior defense is serviceable next to other great defenders. With an average of 18.3 minutes per game, Bryant averaged 5.7 rebounds and half a block.

Budget Big No. 3: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves

This season, Minnesota backup big Naz Reid’s salary was only worth $1.9 million. His grit and determined play over the year will command a substantial pay raise; yet, Minnesota’s already expensive contract obligations to Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert means the Timberwolves might not want to commit even more to Reid with Anthony Edwards’ eventual supermax contract on the horizon.

Among contending teams, the majority will have limited cap space to sign free agents. The Cavaliers, though, are still below the NBA luxury tax and have the full Mid-Level Exception at their disposal. So, they will be able to offer Naz Reid more than many other competitors.

At only 23 years old, a contract with Cleveland means Reid will be a critical piece on a young team with championship aspirations. On 3.2 three-point attempts per game, Reid made 34.6% throughout the season. In 68 games, Reid averaged just under five rebounds and one block per game with just over 18 minutes each contest. His skill set is the perfect match to elevate Cleveland’s postseason success next year.

Going deeper into NBA.com’s statistics tracking, Reid has versatility in his defensive prowess. The backup big from Prince’s hometown defended an average of 2.6 three-point shots per game with an opponent three-point percentage of 34.1. His defensive rating last season was 110, meeting league average.

Coming into the league undrafted, Reid will continually need to prove himself until he solidifies himself with a long-term contract. The Cavaliers are looking for a player that fits their future goals, not just for one or two years.

Signing Reid to three years would give the Cavaliers full Bird Rights to retain Reid on a new contract if he continues to improve each season as he has thus far. If, though, Cleveland is not the right home for Reid’s future, he would be a valuable trade piece in a larger package later in his contract.

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac as of early on during this current season, Reid could potentially agree to a deal worth up to $22 million, starting at $8 million in the first season and descending by eight percent the following two seasons. Though Smith suggested this as an extension to keep Reid in Minnesota, the Cavaliers would be able to sign Reid to the same deal and still have nearly $5 million to offer other free agents and round off their rotation.

In a scenario where Naz Reid ends up in the wine and gold, which seems possible with his now-pending free agency, he would likely be the best free agent signing so far in the post-LeBron era in Cleveland basketball.