5 free agents the Cavaliers should avoid at all costs this summer
No. 1 free agent to avoid – Christian Wood, Dallas Mavericks
The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t need another big man. They have two of the best in the league with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. They especially don’t need a defensively challenged big man who couldn’t be relied on by the Dallas Mavericks when they desperately needed someone to step up as their season fell apart. But that doesn’t mean there is no scenario where the Cavs spend their limited exception money this summer on a center.
The first is if they trick themselves into the “value” of such a signing. Christian Wood essentially put up 20 and 10 and 18 and 10 in consecutive seasons before this past year, and that kind of production earns players the money that Allen is earning. If Wood could be signed for half of that, would that trick the Cavs into signing him?
The other scenario is that Cleveland finds a way to trade Jarrett Allen for help on the wing and sign a big to replace him. That’s not an unfathomable situation, but Christian Wood is absolutely not that player. The Cavaliers are built on a defensive identity, and Wood is one of the worst defensive bigs who get significant minutes in the league.
Next. Grade the Trade: Jarrett Allen to Mavs in proposed deal with Cavaliers. dark
The Cavaliers have to find help this offseason, but they also have limited assets. They need to be careful not to spend the money they have on players who won’t actually solve the problems that the Cavs have. They need to avoid these five free agents at all costs.