Raj Mehta l USA TODAY Sports
David Griffin and company have done a satisfactory job so far this offseason jumpstarted by the re-signing of Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert. While Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, and Matthew Dellavedova have yet to renew their ties with the club, they aren’t reported to be having deep talks with other teams. Outside of these players, the Cavaliers have also looked at other pieces to improve their roster. We selected some of the names that have been connected with the Cavs and discuss how they could contribute to the Wine and Gold’s cause.
5. Caron Butler
Caron Butler is a solid NBA veteran who can be a key addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He can provide further veteran savvy and help take the load off of James’ minutes. He is a 13-year NBA veteran going into his 14th season in the association but still has something left in the tank. He started the recently concluded season as a member of the Detroit Pistons but was eventually traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished the year with averages of 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest. If Cleveland signs the veteran swingman and he gets playing time, look for these numbers to improve a bit by playing alongside LeBron James. This could potentially be a great move by the Cavaliers.
Click ‘Next’ to see the fourth sleeper free agent the Cavs are targeting
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4. Jamario Moon
This is a debatable one. Jamario Moon tweeted yesterday “I would love to crank that defense up and ignite those fans in the Q! I’m ready! Let’s make it happen!” I say why not?! He can come off the bench for a few minutes per game and provide some great defense and a few dunks. He is 35 years old but has hasn’t been out of the action having played overseas. I say the Cavaliers should give him an opportunity. He last played in the 2011-2012 season but LeBron James is known to revitalize players’ careers and extend them. Just ask Mike Miller and James Jones. Let’s see what the Cavaliers do regarding Moon.
Click ‘Next’ to see the third sleeper free agent the Cavs are targeting
Raj Mehta l USA TODAY Sports
3. Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Prince is a 13 year NBA veteran and a member of the 2004 Detroit Pistons championship team. He could also be a solid addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers if they decide to go in this direction. Last season, he averaged a modest 7.7 points per game with the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, and the team he started his career with, the Detroit Pistons. Playing alongside LeBron James could revitalize Prince’s career. The two know each other very well from their head-to-head duels over the years making this a very interesting option to say the least.
Click ‘Next’ to see the second sleeper free agent the Cavs are targeting
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2. Wayne Ellington
Wayne Ellington averaged 10 points and started 36 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2014-2015 NBA season. He’s still a very good role player in the right situation but we’re not too sure if he would be a good fit for the Cavaliers at this time. The Cavs will be heavy at the wing this season. They already re-signed Iman Shumpert and most likely signing J.R. Smith in the next few days – that’s not counting a certain four-time MVP who also dominates the wing. This would make it difficult for Ellington to get minutes even though he could positively contribute to the team.
UPDATE: Ellington has been signed by the Nets.
Click ‘Next’ to see the top sleeper free agent the Cavs are targeting
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1. Ray Allen
Ray Allen would be an excellent pickup for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team thought about signing Allen last season as a free agent but the league’s most prolific three point shooter opted to take his time off. He was a teammate of James in the latter’s the final two seasons in Miami where they won a championship. Allen averaged 9.6 points per game with the Miami Heat in 2013-2014. Even at his age, he could still be a viable three point option for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This should be a great fit if both sides can come to terms because he will get a lot of open looks from LeBron James and the two players play great alongside each other.