The Cavaliers’ offseason has shifted into a very different gear after LeBron James chose the Philadelphia 76ers instead of Northeast Ohio, and that leaves Cleveland looking hard at Plan B.
One name that deserves a closer look is DeMar DeRozan. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the veteran scorer is being discussed around the league as a bargain option for teams that came up empty in the James chase.
"Veteran score-first guard DeMar DeRozan has also been viewed leaguewide as a low-cost option for any team that missed out on James," Fedor said.
On paper, the fit is easy to understand. Cleveland needs help at small forward, and DeRozan still brings the kind of scoring punch that can change a second unit or stabilize a starting group. He played 77 games for the Sacramento Kings last season and posted 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 49% from the field.
The catch is that DeRozan’s game comes with some real stylistic baggage. He remains a dangerous scorer, but he is far more comfortable creating off the dribble and working in the midrange than he is stretching defenses with catch-and-shoot threes. Last season, he hit just 32% from beyond the arc, which makes it clear he is not the kind of floor-spacer some lineups need.
That’s where the questions start for Cleveland. DeRozan would give the Cavaliers another proven scorer, but his ball-heavy style may not blend cleanly with every group on the roster. The concern is especially noticeable with the second unit, where rookie Meleek Thomas flashed as a scoring force at the recent NBA Summer League and will want touches of his own.
DeRozan could also be asked to support Thomas and provide another offensive outlet alongside Donovan Mitchell, but the fit still isn’t automatic. He makes sense in a vacuum. Whether he meshes smoothly with Cleveland is a different conversation.
The Cavaliers still have work to do, and after missing on James, it would be a surprise if they simply sat on their hands for the rest of the offseason.
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