The Cavaliers are expected to bring a few extra bodies to training camp, and the Exhibit 9 route gives them a cheap way to take a longer look at some leftover free-agent talent. The pool has thinned, but there are still a few names that make sense for Cleveland to kick around.
Doug McDermott is the easiest one to understand. If the Cavs go after him, it would be for one thing and one thing only: shooting.
He hit 39.0% of his three-point tries last season in Sacramento and ranked in the 100th percentile among forwards in corner three-point percentage. That kind of floor spacing still matters, especially for an end-of-bench player who might only see the floor when Cleveland is hunting for one more shooter.
He’s not coming in for defense, and nobody should be asking him to create offense off the dribble. He is what he is at this stage, and that’s a specialist who can make teams pay from deep.
Drew Eubanks is a different kind of swing, and one that’s harder to get excited about at first glance. Even so, the big man still brings something useful for teams that need center depth.
The 29-year-old is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 59.6% from the field in about 13.1 minutes per game. His per-36 scoring, though, jumped to 14.3 points, his best mark since the 2021-22 season.
Eubanks has made his name with interior defense, grading out well near the rim in several areas, including rim protection (96th percentile), post defense (99th percentile), and rim disruption (95th percentile).
Gabe Vincent might be the cleanest fit if Cleveland wants experience. He’s still respected around the league for his playoff background, thanks largely to his run with the Miami Heat, even if the last few seasons have been uneven and he’s now three years removed from the postseason stretch that helped land him his Lakers deal.
For the Cavaliers, the appeal is straightforward: a veteran guard who could add 60 games and 30 starts worth of experience to a bench group that doesn’t have much of it. Vincent wouldn’t block the development path for guys like Meleek Thomas or Tyrese Proctor, and he still brings value as a perimeter defender.
He has repeatedly graded in the 74th percentile or better in perimeter isolation defense and has long been strong at navigating screens, both on the ball and off it.
If Bruce Brown isn’t available and Cleveland wants more proven depth on the back end, Vincent is the kind of option that belongs on the list.
In Other News...
Cavaliers May Already Have Their Best Answer For A Thin Frontcourt
The Cavaliers still have an open 14th roster spot, and with cap space tight, the frontcourt is one area that keeps standing out as a practical need. Cleveland has already added wing help in Peyton Watson and Mario Hezonja and drafted Meleek Thomas, but behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the team could still use a low-cost big who can soak up minutes and give the rotation some insurance.
Olivier Sarr fits that search as well as anyone on the current list of possibilities. The 6-foot-10 center has previous two-way experience with Cleveland, and his combination of size and G League production makes him a logical candidate if the Cavaliers decide to use that final opening on a true interior presence rather than another developmental flier. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Still Have One Important Backcourt Job Up For Grabs
The Cavaliers have spent much of the Donovan Mitchell era searching for a reliable backup point guard, and the list of names who have cycled through that spot shows how unsettled it has been. Ty Jerome, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto, Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo Ball and Dennis Schroder have all taken a turn trying to stabilize the second unit, but Cleveland still heads into the season with that reserve backcourt role very much open.
Now the attention shifts to a younger crop, with the Cavaliers using draft capital on Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas and setting up a training camp battle that should be worth watching. Proctor, Thomas and Porter are expected to compete for minutes behind Mitchell, and coach Kenny Atkinson will be looking for a guard who can bring both consistency and versatility to a bench that has not yet found a settled answer. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Still Have A Late Offseason Question Worth Watching
The NBAs offseason shake-up has already changed the leagues balance, and Cleveland is still watching the board with plenty of other teams. Even with the biggest dominoes falling elsewhere, there are roster spots around the league that remain open, and front offices are expected to keep tinkering before the 2026-27 season tips off on Oct. 20. For the Cavaliers, that kind of late-summer movement can matter, especially when the margins in the East are so thin.
What makes this stretch worth following is how many situations are still unresolved. Some players are widely expected to stay put, while others are lingering on unsigned deals or non-guaranteed contracts, leaving clubs room to change course if the right option appears. Cleveland does not need a splash to keep its eyes on this market, but one more quiet addition or a surprise decision elsewhere could still shape the final look of the roster. [Read more 🡒]