The Cavaliers have signed free agent forward Mamadi Diakite to a contract, per the team’s official website. It’s a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal, Hoops Rumors has learned.
One of several free agents to work out for the Cavaliers earlier this month, Diakite has appeared in a total of 27 regular season games for the Bucks and Thunder since going undrafted out of Virginia in 2020. He spent most of his rookie season on a two-way deal with Milwaukee before being promoted to the standard roster down the stretch. In 2021/22, he signed three separate 10-day contracts with Oklahoma City.
Diakite has averaged 3.7 PPG and 3.4 RPG in his 27 NBA contests (12.2 MPG). He also put up 18.5 PPG and 10.4 RPG in 12 G League appearances (27.7 MPG) for the Lakeland Magic during the truncated 2020/21 season, earning a place on both the All-NBAGL First Team and the league’s All-Defensive Team.
There could be a path for Diakite to earn a regular season roster spot in Cleveland. The Cavs only have 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus Lamar Stevens and Dean Wade on non-guaranteed deals.
The terms of Diakite’s agreement mean he can’t have his contract converted into a two-way deal, since it doesn’t include an Exhibit 10 clause. That absence of Exhibit 10 language also suggests the Cavs don’t anticipate him playing for their G League affiliate – the Cleveland Charge – if he doesn’t make the NBA squad.
The Cavs now have a full 20-man offseason roster. The team has also reportedly agreed to sign guard Sharife Cooper, but will need to trade or waive a player to make room for him.
Diakite is a quiet steal in my book. There are definite minutes available on the Cavs that need to be filled by someone in the invisible middle of it all.
This is guy is perfect for what they are looking for.
I think he could have been an option for several teams that needed help at the 4, but I dont see a spot for him on this roster. There are a few guys like that, where it feels like they’re playing to end up somewhere else at the end of training camps/before the regular season