The Cleveland Cavaliers currently have just 12 players under contract, and they may not be done making moves yet despite being this deep into the offseason. First and foremost, they have to find a resolution in their contract standoff with restricted free agent Isaac Okoro. But this has not prevented the Cavs from eyeing the free-agent market — even scouring international waters — in their attempt to round out the roster.
Cavs reporter Evan Dammarell of ClutchPoints has already reported of the team’s interest in one standout player during the 2024 Paris Olympics in Guerschon Yabusele. But other than Yabusele, the Cavs appear to be interested in giving another former NBA player a new lease in life in the association.
No longer two years away from being two years away, Bruno Caboclo has turned the heads of talent evaluators with the way he played for Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com saying that the Cavs “were taking a look” at the 28-year-old forward. Fedor, however, clarified that this does not mean that they were going to sign him necessarily.
The Cavs are understandably intrigued after Caboclo put up consecutive outings of 30 points or more to end his run in the 2024 Paris Olympics — becoming only the third player in Olympic history to do so.
Caboclo was originally drafted 20th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2014 NBA Draft. He was being labeled as the Brazilian Kevin Durant, with the caveat being that he needed a lot of refinement to his raw game. Caboclo, however, did not pan out in his seven seasons in the NBA, bouncing around with the Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and Houston Rockets.
Since flaming out of the NBA, Caboclo has looked like a much-improved player for both club and country. He has since latched on with Limoges CSP of the French basketball league, Ratiopharm Ulm of Germany, and, this past season, with Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Euroleague.
Cavs go free-agent hunting on international waters
The Olympic Games provided the perfect platform for players looking to capture the attention of talent evaluators to show that they have what it takes to compete at the highest level. The player most likely to have played his way towards another chance in the NBA is Guerschon Yabusele, as he played a starring role for France in their silver-medal run in the Olympics.
Yabusele even functioned as one of France’s primary offensive weapons. He flashed a much-improved jumpshot, and he showcased his defensive versatility as well. He also threw down a memorable poster jam over LeBron James in the gold medal game — a feat worthy of hanging one’s hat on.
Bruno Caboclo might be the player who improved his stock the most other than Yabusele. He thrived as a small-ball five for Brazil, and he was launching three-pointers with confidence. His length remains a deterrent on the defensive end; the Cavs might be able to find a use for a three-and-D forward like Caboclo, especially when he can move up to the five depending on certain matchups.
The Cavs could use another wing or two to bolster the team’s defense, especially amid the uncertainty surrounding the situation of Isaac Okoro. Either Yabusele or Caboclo could help in that regard, provided, of course, that their contributions for their respective national teams can scale down to a smaller role for the Cavs.