The Cavs are making a familiar kind of move: shifting one developmental piece to make room for another, and doing it with a player who already knows the building.
Cleveland is waiving Riley Minix to open a two-way spot for Norchad Omier, who had initially agreed to a two-way deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves before changing course and now is set to sign with the Cavs, according to reports. Minix was the odd man out among Cleveland’s three two-way players, with Tristan Enaruna and Ernest Udeh Jr. also on those deals.
Enaruna already got into the action Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Minix was on the bench and Udeh Jr. was listed on assignment with the Cleveland Charge, the team’s G League affiliate. Even with Minix being waived, the door isn’t necessarily closed on his time in the organization. Cleveland still holds his rights, and he could return to the Charge as an affiliate player without taking up one of the NBA club’s three two-way slots.
That path would keep Minix in the system after a strong run with the Charge last season. In 23 regular-season games, he averaged 19.3 points on 54.6% shooting from the field and 43.8% from 3-point range, along with 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Omier’s route back to Cleveland has been a little more unusual, especially after he had already been on Minnesota’s preseason roster. He agreed to a two-way contract with the Timberwolves, but chose not to join the Iowa Wolves because Minnesota had not acquired his returning player rights.
Instead, he went back to the Charge before the G League Draft, staying in a setting he knew well. Because he was not joining Iowa under the conditions needed to receive an Exhibit 10 bonus, he remained on a standard G League contract.
That detail matters. An Exhibit 10 contract is an NBA minimum deal with a built-in bonus if a player joins a team’s G League affiliate and stays there long enough after being waived.
It’s one of the ways teams keep developmental players tied to the organization. Without that contract and bonus setup, Omier was free to look elsewhere, which eventually opened the door for Cleveland.
The whole thing echoes what happened with Jahmi’us Ramsey in 2024. Ramsey signed with the Toronto Raptors, then ended up returning to the Oklahoma City Blue instead of sticking with Raptors 905. It’s another example of how returning player rights and a player’s own preferences can steer movement around the G League.
Omier has already shown Cleveland what he can bring. In 20 regular-season games with the Charge last season, he averaged 20 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Across 27 regular-season appearances between Cleveland and the San Diego Clippers, he finished at 19.3 points and 12.4 rebounds per game while shooting 59.1% from the field. He also played six games with the Clippers and made his official debut on March 2 against the Warriors.
At 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, Omier brings a game built on force, activity and work around the rim. He rebounds, he finishes inside and he creates extra possessions. That gives Cleveland another frontcourt option, and maybe more than that if the opportunity opens up.
The timing isn’t accidental either. Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson have all been dealing with injuries. Allen’s knee issue came during Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City, while Tyson has been dealing with an ankle problem and Watson with a hamstring injury.
That leaves Cleveland needing to stay alert with its frontcourt depth this early in the season. If Allen is out, Evan Mobley would be carrying even more of the load in the middle, and the Cavs would have fewer bodies to soak up minutes in the rotation.
Wednesday’s game showed how fast those needs can surface. Enaruna got on the floor against Oklahoma City, a reminder that injuries can quickly push Cleveland beyond its usual rotation. Omier gives the organization another player who already knows the system, the personnel and the developmental setup.
The two-way structure is built for exactly this kind of flexibility, and Cleveland is using it to add help without touching a standard roster spot.
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