3 players the Cleveland Cavaliers missed in day one of free agency
Free agency has officially begun in the NBA, but the Cleveland Cavaliers may have missed the memo.
At the onset of free agency, the Cavaliers have remained absent from breaking news or rumors, patiently watching elite free agents pass to another franchise. The Cavs do not have immense cap room available to offer free agents, so a quiet approach may be their only option for now. Instead of chasing unrealistic targets, the Cavaliers may approach free agency waiting for the undervalued players to emerge, signing them to team-friendly contracts or veteran minimum deals.
Most of Cleveland's offseason will likely be spent arranging their books with their internal needs. Thus far, Cleveland stayed quiet, not even signing the long-awaited Donovan Mitchell extension that has been reportedly on the way for a while. Alongside Mitchell, Evan Mobley is eligible for a rookie max extension, and Isaac Okoro's restricted free agency lingers as a major domino in Cleveland's summer plans.
Jarrett Allen is also extension eligible, but he is still under team control until the 2025-26 season, making his extension less likely to materialize this year. Still, Cleveland spent the first day of free agency as quiet as a mouse in a Christmas Eve carol.
Financially, the Cavs are navigating a new restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which could hinder their avenues for growth if they step over the luxury tax threshold this summer. Cleveland is straddling the line, hardly staying beneath it. Still, refusing to step beyond the luxury tax line will hinder the Cavs' ability to contend for a championship just as much as it can hurt their future financial room.
As the rest of the NBA strikes deals with top free agents, the Cavs sit idly by. These three players have already agreed to a deal, slipping past the Cavaliers before Cleveland ever even had a chance.
1. Naji Marshall
After a career-best season with the New Orleans Pelicans, 26-year-old wing Naji Marshall agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal to join the reigning Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks.
Last year, Marshall contributed 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 19 minutes per game. He recorded a career-best 38.7 percent from three on 2.3 attempts per game. Marshall earned a steady spot in the Pelicans' forward rotation and became one of the highest-touted names entering free agency. With an annual average salary of $9 million, the Cavaliers missed an opportunity to add a low-cost, dynamic forward.
Despite missing out on Marshall, his deal with Dallas may help the Cavs sign another player to a better deal later on. Cleveland's greatest needs are a big wing and a reliable backup center. As the market takes shape, Marshall's contract could serve as the standard for high-end role-player deals. With the Cavs' limited available money, missing out on Marshall could help them negotiate a lower price for another free agent down the line. But, they missed other chances to find an elite contributor already.