Seven weeks into the NBA’s 2024/25 league yr, there are solely two restricted free brokers who’ve but to succeed in agreements on new contracts, and each gamers ended final season as Cavaliers.
Listed here are the unsigned RFAs:
As our Luke Adams outlined final week, the Pistons are the one group within the NBA with cap room remaining, seemingly leaving little within the type of leverage for Okoro, who was the fifth general choose of the 2020 draft. Detroit has about $10.2MM in area under the cap proper now, and that determine may improve to nearly $18MM if the group launched huge man Paul Reed, who’s on a non-guaranteed deal.
Okoro makes some sense as a goal for the Pistons, given his age (he’s 23), defensive pedigree, and familiarity with new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who coached him in Cleveland. However there haven’t been any hints that the Pistons are contemplating a suggestion sheet for Okoro, they usually’d most likely must waive Reed to place collectively a suggestion robust sufficient to dissuade the Cavs from matching.
You may additionally make the argument that Okoro can be considerably redundant on a roster that includes current lottery picks Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, a few forwards recognized for his or her protection and never their soar photographs. Okoro transformed a career-high 39.1% of his three-point tries in ’23/24, however he’s a reluctant shooter for a wing, solely trying 3.1 per contest in 27.3 MPG. Having two of these three gamers on the courtroom on the similar time would actually cramp offensive spacing, which has been a problem for Detroit for a number of seasons.
The Pistons at present have Jaden Ivey, Simone Fontecchio, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Malik Beasley on the roster as nicely, gamers who determine to be vying for minutes on the two and three. Veteran Tobias Harris is an alternative choice at small ahead, although he sometimes spends extra time at energy ahead. Even when they actually like Okoro, taking part in time definitely wouldn’t be handed to him.
The Cavs have reportedly mentioned a sign-and-trade cope with the Nets involving Okoro and Dorian Finney-Smith, however it appears like these talks didn’t get severe. A reunion with Cleveland nonetheless feels just like the principally probably consequence for Okoro, the query is extra about what sort of contract he would possibly signal.
Given how a lot cash Cleveland has dedicated in extensions this offseason for Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, plus Darius Garland‘s max contract, the group’s wage outlook for ’25/26 and past is wanting fairly costly.
Whereas the Cavs reportedly worth Okoro each on and off the courtroom, it is sensible that they’d be reluctant to supply him a contract within the vary of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for a number of seasons. Nonetheless, even in a “worst case” situation, Okoro may merely settle for his $11.8MM qualifying provide and hit unrestricted free company — maybe opening extra choices — in 2025.
Bates’ state of affairs is extra easy. The Cavaliers have one two-way spot earmarked for JT Thor, however nonetheless have a pair of two-way openings. There’s an expectation that Bates, who spent his rookie season on a two-way cope with Cleveland, will return on one other two-way contract.
