3 Remaining NBA Free Agents The Cavaliers Should Consider Signing

As many of the top free agents ar eon the move, there are still several that Cleveland can consider

Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield (17) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

NBA free agency has officially begun and there are a number of top flight players on the move. Maybe most notably so far, Paul George has left his hometown Los Angeles Clippers to come back East and team up with Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. It's just the latest move by an eastern conference team to attempt to make a run at the reigning champion Boston Celtics.

Now it's the Cavaliers looking to play a bit of catch up of their own. As things stand right now, Cleveland is slated to be about $17 million over the NBA's soft salary cap, restricting their ability to sign any top flight free agents. What they do have at their disposal as a team that has yet to touch the league's luxury tax figure of $170.8 million is a full, non-tax payer mid-level exception.

That gives the Wine and Gold a little over $12.8 million they can use to sign free agents. They can either use the entire value of the mid-level exception on one player or split it up to use on multiple players.

Cleveland is certainly limited in what they can do at the moment but here are three players that they could pursue in free agency:

1) SG, Buddy Hield

It's no secret that the Cavs need shooters that can help space the floor around Donovan Mitchell and Hield represents one of the better options still available on the market. Splitting time between the Pacers and 76ers last year, Hield averaged 12.1 points per game while shooting 44% from the floor and just under 39% from three.

Hield is usually at his best when he's darting around off-ball screens flash about the arc for a catch-and-shoot three. That's a skillset the Cavaliers could certainly benefit from having. The biggest problem with Hield is whether or not they'd be able to lure him to Cleveland using the mid-level exception. It's likely he can command more money from a team with actual cap space to use.

2) F, Saddiq Bey

Bey is a name that's been linked to the Cavaliers on several occasions over the last year. His numbers aren't going to blow anyone away, he shot just 41% from the floor and a dismal 31-percent from three last year with the Hawks. But he was much better in his first year with Atlanta after being traded there at the traded deadline in 2023.

Unfortunately, Bey tore his ACL late in the season, which will likely leave him sidelined for the start of 2024-25. In spurts he's shown some promise offensively, particularly with attacking a rim and getting to the free throw line. His three-point shooting could certainly use some work. All that said he's only 25 and presence of new head coach Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland could help take his game to the next level, if the team is willing to be patient in waiting for a payoff.

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3) G, Gary Harris

Harris isn't necessarily a "sexy" name but he's a solid option to help space the floor as a shooting guard next to Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland at any given time. Cavs fans should be familiar with his game having seen him throughout the first-round playoff series with Orlando, granted he missed some time with a hamstring injury. Overall he's carved out a nice role for himself in this league as a solid, not elite two-way player.

Harris is a pretty streaky shooter from three, but in the ilk of Max Strus he is ignitable at times. He's particularly effective in transition, creating turnovers for himself and finishing at the other end or knocking down a transition three. During his three-and-a-half years with the Magic he shot 42-percent from the floor and 39-percent from three. Harris doesn't make the Cavs instant title contenders or anything. But he does add another wing scoring option, which can't hurt.