What Cleveland Cavaliers might do with their free agents
CLEVELAND, Ohio. – The Cleveland Cavaliers will have a busy offseason. From LeBron James to Jordan McRae, the organization has eight players who could potentially hit the open market.
I tried to speculate — given my latest information — to where I think these players will be playing when the 2016-17 campaign rolls around.
LeBron James
Player option: James, 31, has until Wednesday, June 29 to make his decision.
Will he be back? The four-time MVP told our Joe Vardon he is returning to defend the title. All signs point to James opting out of next season’s salary of $24 million for a figure around $30 million with the salary cap hike.
J.R. Smith
Player option: Smith, 30, opted out on June 16 to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1. He turned down a figure of $5.4 million to seek a raise that he’ll most definitely get.
Will he be back? Yes. He has become one of the cornerstones to this championship nucleus. Plus, his new agent is Rich Paul, James’ representative. Expect Smith to ask for more than Iman Shumpert’s $10 million annual compensation.
Mo Williams
Player option: Williams, 33, exercised his $2.2 million player option for the 2016-17 season. He elected to wait until the 2017 free-agent season due to his injury-plagued 2015-16 campaign.
James Jones
Jones, 35, provides leadership and stability in the locker room. When asked to play, he’s still money from downtown. The Cavaliers will bring him back for the veteran’s minimum.
Matthew Dellavedova
Qualifying offer: The team has until June 30 to extend a $1.4 million qualifying offer, making Dellavedova, 25, a restricted free agent. Cleveland will able to match any offer sheet a competitor submits.
Will he be back? If Dellavedova receives an offer of $8 million or more, I could see the Cavaliers allowing him to leave. He has worked hard to put himself in position for a handsome payday, but he might get priced out of Cleveland.
Jordan McRae
Team option: The Cavaliers have a June 29 deadline to issue or revoke a salary of $900,000. The team values the 24-year-old guard and see him as a player that could eventually become a rotation player.
Will he be back? McRae’s representatives would like for the Cavaliers to decline the team option and work out a two-year deal. But it doesn’t work that way. I would anticipate the champions picking up his option.
Richard Jefferson
After the title was secure, the 36-year-old Jefferson announced he was retiring. He has since backtracked. Most league executives expect him to play one more season. If he doesn’t change his mind again, the Cavaliers will lock him up for the vet minimum.
Timofey Mozgov
Mozgov, 29, picked the wrong time for a major slump. In a contact year, he arguably had his worst season. There was talk before the season that he would command the max. It’s highly unlikely Mozgov returns. Cleveland is transitioning into playing smaller and faster. Mozgov is looking for a starting role. I see these two parting ways.
Dahntay Jones
Jones, 35, was added to the roster at the tail end of the regular season. He has shown that he’s still a productive player, but the Cavaliers have other priorities.
Will he be back? The team must decide by Aug. 1 if they want to guarantee Jones’ $1.5 million salary. The chances of doing so are slim.
What Cleveland Cavaliers might do with their free agents
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