The Cavaliers have agreed to sign free agent swingman David Nwaba, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). According to Charania and Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Nwaba and the Cavs are still in the process of finalizing the details of the deal.
A former undrafted free agent, Nwaba had a solid season for the Bulls in 2017/18, averaging 7.9 PPG and 4.7 RPG while playing strong perimeter defense in 70 games (21 starts). He opened the month of July as a restricted free agent, but when Chicago made a series of cost-cutting moves to create the cap room necessary to sign Jabari Parker, rescinding Nwaba’s qualifying offer was one of those moves.
After Nwaba became an unrestricted free agent, Vardon reported that there was mutual interest between the 25-year-old and the Cavaliers. Nwaba also reportedly drew interest from the Lakers and Spurs, and Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that there was “lots of dialogue” with the Timberwolves, but Cleveland was aggressive in its pursuit.
According to Charania (via Twitter), the Cavs were in touch with Nwaba from the very first day of free agency and recruited him hard, meeting last week with the Los Angeles native.
While the terms of Nwaba’s deal with the Cavs aren’t yet known, the team has plenty of options for what it could have offered. Cleveland is over the cap, but still has its full mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available.
Nwaba will only be the 12th Cavaliers player on a fully guaranteed contract for 2018/19, though the club also has decisions to make on Rodney Hood‘s restricted free agency and Okaro White‘s non-guaranteed salary. With approximately $108MM in guaranteed money on their books before signing Nwaba or accounting for Hood or White, the Cavs will have one eye on the $123.73MM tax line as they fill out their roster.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Obviously the only star the Cavs have is Love, and even he’s more of a really good complementary piece unless he starts dominating as the first option again. So let me make it clear that they’re not going too far if they make the playoffs.
But I like some of the pieces that they have, and I like getting a young guy that can defend well. It’s kind of fascinating that in the span of a single offseason they’ve gone from old and top-heavy to the type of young, pesky team that could give someone problems.
I know they’re not the same player, but I wonder if Nwaba spells the end of negotiations with Hood.
Nah Hood can be their starting small forward.
Hood is likely gone with this signing. Reports are that negotiations have stalled. Bargaining chip in the Cavs favor if nothing else to get him to sign lower than asking. Either way Nwaba is undervalued, good move for the Cavs. Still wont make the playoffs IMO.
Cabs have a QO in the table which Hood hasn’t said. Into yet. Cavs will be in the playoffs.
Wow the defense between Sexton and Nwaba on the perimeter is going to be a treat to watch. The Cavs can certainly make the playoffs, I think they are not done making deals either.
I’m looking forward to seeing how good of a coach Tyronn Lue really is now, he’ll have to implement a system and won’t have Lebron to carry the team anymore. Ultimately I feel Lebron held the team back a bit, Nance Jr,Clarkson,Hood, and Hill never looked comfortable on the floor with Lebron. Can you blame them though? Lebron is constantly yelling at his teammates on the floor while he missed his own defensive coverages.
Too true LBJ held the team back, hence that is why they only got to 4 finals in a row & won 1 ring, yeah he really did hold them back, now will see how they do without him… SMH, how can the best player in the last 30 years be detrimental to his team?
Lmao I know Lebron is the GOAT and at one point he did let the team run the offense without him and remained off the ball and George Hill,Jordan Clarkson, and JR were trash so Bron had to take over. I’m just saying for young dudes like Clarkson,Nance, and Rodney it’s super intimidating to be out there with Bron since margin for error is minimal or else he’ll verbally destroy you and make you not want to touch the ball anymore.
Have I gone insane or has Dionis started to become more reasonable? I’ve found myself agreeing with too much of what you say lately…
No you’re not alone in thinking that because I’ve thought he’s seemed more reasonable lately too.
Saying that LeBron was detrimental to the Cavs isn’t a good choice of wording, but the rest of it is accurate. He’s not great with helping young guys find their way, and having him on the team meant getting one-dimensional guys that could complement his skills on the court but who were basically useless when he was off of it.
James was great mentoring Osman– google it– and if anything he over-mentored JJ Hickson previously. If Osman wants a max contract next year, then he over-mentored Osman too, we will see, but IMO Osman will be an asset for years.
Who was/is Irving or Love or anybody else good for since RJ or Eric Snow?
BTW Dionis has been saying that for years so if he sounds different, it is you.
It really aggravates me LeBron took a 4 year contract with no trade clause with the Lakers, and only gave the Cavs 1 year contracts with a no trade clause. To me that tells me he knew he was leaving. He may have been trying to hurt Gilbert, but he was hurting the team by keeping them from getting the best players they could.
Agree with you Mio
George Hill, JR Smith, Osman, Nance, Love and then Hood, Clarkson, Tristan Thompson, Sexton, Nwaba, etc off the bench is a theoretically pretty nice, and versatile rotation, and potentially a relatively strong improvement defensively
Yes
Starting Smith! I wish they would get rid of Smith & Hill. Hill is not a good influence on Sexton and Smith is terrible. Nwaba, Hood, Korver, Clarkson are all better. Why have so many 2Gs in the first place!
BTW BasRef has finally updated their team contracts page.
link to basketball-reference.com