The Cleveland Cavaliers may be closing in on a solution for their 14th roster spot, and Khalifa Diop has moved to the front of the line.
Cleveland is boxed in by its hard cap at the first apron after giving James Harden a new deal and adding athletic wing Peyton Watson, leaving the club unable to go over the threshold. At the moment, the Cavaliers cannot even fit a veteran minimum salary, which has pushed them to search for another way to complete the roster.
That search has taken on a new shape since the team waived Cam Whitmore. With that move, Cleveland could explore adding a draft-rights player to the official roster, which immediately brought Diop, Ismael Kamagate, and Saliou Niang into the discussion for the final opening.
Diop’s situation appears to be the most advanced. His current club, Baskonia, is preparing for the possibility that he leaves, although there are still a few steps before anything becomes official.
Diop is still under contract there, so Baskonia would need to receive payment for his release clause. He would also have to leave the team’s preseason training camp and go through a physical.
A report in Spanish noted the growing momentum around the move: “Parece que el fichaje de Diop por los @cavs va en serio y el jugador abandona la pretemporada de @Baskonia para comprobar su estado físico. Veremos cuàl es el acuerdo económico ya que dejaría la plantilla con Faried como único 5 y solo 4 cupos...https://t.co/6GzmquXIBg”
If Cleveland gets it done, the plan would be to bring Diop in on the rookie-minimum, which is roughly $1.36 million. It would not be the first time the Cavaliers have brought over a draft-and-stash player, but the timing makes this feel a little different. It would also settle, at least for now, how the team intends to meet the 14-player requirement.
Baskonia would be left dealing with its own problem. Diop’s possible exit would thin out an already shaky front court, even after the addition of NBA veteran Kenneth Faried. If the Senegalese center moves on, Baskonia could wind up needing more than one center.
Diop has been with the club for several seasons after signing a 3-year pact in July of 2023. Last season, he averaged 4.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks while hitting about 67.0% of his shots.
Cleveland has had a limited look at him. He played three games for the team in the 2023 NBA Summer League and was fairly quiet, putting up 4.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in about 17.4 minutes per game before returning overseas. The Cavaliers have tracked his development for years, presumably hoping he would eventually grow into an NBA-ready contributor.
Whether they believe he is there now remains the real question. But with an opening available and a path beginning to clear, Diop may be about to find out fast.
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