The first night of NBA free agency brought little noise around the league, and even less for Cleveland. While the opening hour dragged with barely any movement, the Cavaliers watched two rotation players slip away and did nothing to answer back.
Keon Ellis was the first to go, landing a two-year, $18 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Cleveland had acquired Ellis in February as the centerpiece of the De'Andre Hunter trade, and the expectation at the time was that he’d eventually be locked in long term.
That never happened. His fit in Cleveland never really clicked, and the team’s broader plan to keep flexibility for a possible run at LeBron James also played a part.
At 6'4" and 174 pounds, Ellis brought length and mobility, but not nearly enough physical strength. He had trouble holding up against anyone outside of small guards, and even then the results were shaky.
Cleveland clearly decided that limitation was too much to live with, especially with the roster already needing help on the wing defensively. When free agency opened, they let him go without much hesitation.
Dean Wade followed later in the night. For days, the sense around the league was that Wade and the Cavaliers were working hard to hammer out a new contract, and there was at least some belief he might take less to remain with the only team he has ever played for.
That didn’t happen. Wade is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $39 million deal, with later seasons only partially guaranteed.
The fit makes sense for Philadelphia. Wade gives them shooting, defensive versatility, and the kind of frontcourt support that can pair cleanly with Joel Embiid. He can take on the opponent’s toughest frontcourt assignment and add another layer of rim protection to a defense that already has real bite.
For Cleveland, the picture is much less flattering. The Cavaliers still have not finalized a new deal with James Harden, remain a secondary option for LeBron in free agency, and have already seen depth pieces poached away. Two useful players are gone, and the team has yet to replace either one.
Neither Ellis nor Wade was untouchable. But they filled different defensive jobs, and they did it while also bringing enough shooting to matter. Those kinds of players aren’t easy to find, which is exactly why Brooklyn and Philadelphia were willing to pay for them.
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