Cavs declined team option for Chuma Okeke
Cleveland currently has three open roster spots.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have opened up an additional roster spot. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Cleveland is declining the $2.55 million option for next season for wing Chuma Okeke. This brings the number of active players on the roster down to 12.
Every dollar counts for the Cavs, considering that they’re a second-apron team and will have a hefty luxury tax bill. Replacing him with a player of one year of service time or less could save them $300k or more.
Okeke joined the Cavs late last season. He only appeared in five games total, two in the regular season and three in the playoffs. The 6’6” soon-to-be 27-year-old averaged 5.9 points and 5.2 assists in the nine games he played last regular season, which included seven with the Philadelphia 76ers.
We’ll see how Koby Altman and the rest of the front office fill out the roster. The Cavaliers have three open roster spots available. They can do so by bringing back Ty Jerome, which doesn’t seem likely at this point, or with minimum contract players. Those are their only options given that their salary exceeds the second apron.
The Cavs have started recent seasons with an open roster spot so that they can maintain flexibility at the trade deadline. There’s no reason to believe they won’t do that again this upcoming season. If they were to do so, they’d likely sign two players to fill those spots in free agency, which begins Monday at 6 P.M.