The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing brutal restrictions as one of the few NBA franchises stuck in the second apron.
With a top-heavy salary sheet locking in the Cavaliers' top players, filling out the rest of the roster and managing the free agency of both Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome could force the Cavs to sell low on homegrown talent.
In the latest interview with ESPN Cleveland, long-time ESPN insider Brian Windhorst reiterated the Cavaliers' perplexing drama surrounding Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade. Windhorst confirmed that the Cavs have made calls to find trades for both players in salary dump deals, but rival front offices seem unwilling to take them without additional compensation.
Last summer, the Cavaliers gave Okoro a three-year deal worth $11 million this past season. While the contract is fairly team-friendly, the former Auburn prospect is still a poor offensive talent and was played off the court in the postseason. Though Okoro improves his three-point shooting every regular season, his volume has stagnated, and his offensive impact disappears in the playoffs. Rival teams ignore him on the perimeter and seem to dare him to make a shot.
Just one year after signing his new contract, Okoro has become an overpaid wing that the Cavaliers cannot trade away. With an already inflated salary sheet, the lack of interest in Okoro could kill the Cavs' financial maneuvers. The Cavaliers seem to go through a yearly drama with Okoro's future, shopping him at nearly every trade deadline and offseason. Years ago, Okoro was rumored to be included in trade talks to land then-Brooklyn Nets wing Royce O'Neale before the deal fell apart.
Now, back in trade talks, Okoro's trade value has diminished further. Despite his tenacious defense and endless hustle, the Cavaliers have not found a way to utilize Okoro fully. This begs the question, then, if Okoro is entirely to blame for his poor development.
Okoro just does not fit the Cavaliers anymore
At 24 years old, Okoro has put together fifth respectable NBA seasons. While his offense can be questionable, he has remained the Cavs' go-to point-of-attack defender, taking on the assignment of the opposing team's best scorer on a nightly basis.
When the Cavs drafted Okoro in 2020, their timeline looked entirely different from their current win-now contending status. Cleveland knew Okoro was a defensive-minded wing with a need to refine his scoring. Given his raw athleticism, the Cavaliers bet on him. When two years later the Cavs added Donovan Mitchell and began chasing the NBA Finals, Okoro's growth fell to the wayside.
Potential Okoro trade suitors are right to expect compensation to take another chance at a potential bust. Still, the Cavaliers must do right by Okoro and find him a new home that can invest in him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers caused their own problems by holding onto Okoro for too long already. When past trade options could have offloaded Okoro for good value in return, they should have taken it. Cleveland has fumbled every year with Okoro, and it's time to cut ties no matter the cost.