Cavaliers Urged To Re-Sign Isaac Okoro: ‘The Fit Continues To Make Sense’

One NBA analyst has urged the Cleveland Cavaliers to re-sign Isaac Okoro.

Okoro is still a restricted NBA free agent. 

“Enough teams still have their non-taxpayer mid-level exception available that we don’t have to keep Okoro with the Cavaliers. (The Detroit Pistons also have cap space, for what it’s worth.) But the fit between these two parties continues to make sense,” Dan Favale of Bleacher Report wrote. “This fit isn’t as right-on come playoff time. Okoro has shown he can drill wide-open threes in the regular season (38.8 percent last year; 39.7 percent after Jan. 1). But defenses still treat him as a non-threat, his efficiency has yet to translate into best-of-seven settings, and Cleveland doesn’t have the pecking-order flexibility to increase his on-ball possessions.

“That renders Okoro less valuable to the Cavs. It doesn’t make him entirely dispensable. Eating up significant regular-season minutes matters. More than that, Cleveland doesn’t have someone who can readily replace what Okoro does on defense against rival 1s and 2s—unless it’s that confident in rookie Jaylon Tyson.”

Okoro appeared in 69 games for the Cavaliers last season. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks while shooting 49.0% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc and 67.9% from the free-throw line. 

The Cavaliers drafted Okoro with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Auburn. He has career averages of 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks in 279 games. 

“ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that sign-and-trade possibilities will remain on the table into training camp,” Favale wrote. “Okoro could also sign his $11.8 million qualifying offer and roll the dice in unrestricted free agency next summer. It behooves the Cavs to get a deal done independent of the latter route, if only to increase the chances his annual salary doesn’t vault them into the luxury tax next season. (Cleveland has almost $10 million of breathing room to spare.) Okoro does wind up elsewhere, a team like Utah or Brooklyn makes a ton of sense. Charlotte looms as an interesting fit, too.”

As a restricted free agent, Okoro can either re-sign with the Cavaliers or sign an offer sheet with another team.

Cleveland would have 48 hours to match an offer sheet for Okoro.

Okoro’s qualifying offer is worth $11.8 million. He would become an unrestricted free agent next offseason if he signed the qualifying offer.