Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off of yet another disappointing season in the post-LeBron James era. This past campaign looked quite familiar, starting off promising with the league’s best young player in Kyrie Irving leading them until he again got hurt. Cleveland would go from sneaky playoff contender back to its familiar place near the conference basement at 24-58.
On the bright side, the Cavs hold the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NBA draft and have a suitable option for their small-forward need in Georgetown‘s Otto Porter, with the very realistic possibility of him falling to them. What does or does not occur in the draft will end up altering their strategy in 2013 free agency, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at Cleveland’s restricted and unrestricted free agents heading into this summer.
Omri Casspi (Restricted): Casspi’s unhappy with lack of playing time, but according to the Akron Beacon Journal is unlikely to get bought out by tonight’s deadline for playing with a contender.
Wayne Ellington (Restricted): He’s the most likely to be brought back of the bunch as the team’s highest-percentage three-point shooter last season.
Daniel Gibson (Unrestricted): The 27-year-old provides guard depth on the bench, but early this season the team indicated they would let him walk if they are unable to deal his 5.4 PPG on 34 percent shooting.
Marreese Speights (Unrestricted/Player Option): He’s the highest scorer among free agents at 8.3 PPG along with 4.9 boards on average, but it is rumored that the team may decline his option.
C.J. Miles (Unrestricted/Player Option): He’s in the same situation as Speights according to rumors, except he scored at an 11.2 PPG clip.
Shaun Livingston (Unrestricted)/Luke Walton (Unrestricted): He’s merely expendable offense off the bench.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
