The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly signed Chandler Vaudrin and Jamorko Pickett to training camp deals as the start of the 2022-23 season approaches.
#Cavs are signing Chandler Vaudrin and Jamorko Pickett to training camp deals, sources tell @clevelanddotcom
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) September 9, 2022
After trading for Donovan Mitchell earlier this offseason, the Cavs have an open roster spot they need to fill. Vaudrin or Pickett could end up snagging it.
Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor pointed out earlier this week that the Cavs have a bit of a hole at the small forward position that could be filled by internal players or an outside addition.
“There are some internal options — Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens,” Fedor wrote. “LeVert and Okoro are more 2s than 3s. None of the five are starter-quality small forwards. Even though it’s close to training camp, the Cavs could continue looking for an upgrade. They now have an available roster spot and are about $2.5 million away from the luxury tax, making it possible to sign a free agent for the minimum.”
Vaudrin, who played collegiately at Winthrop University, had a big college season in the 2020-21 campaign and played in the Las Vegas Summer League for Cleveland last year, but he tore his ACL, effectively ending his 2021-22 season.
In his final season at Winthrop, Vaudrin averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. He can really fill up the stat sheet and could be a sneaky bench piece for the Cavs.
It’s clear the Cavs have had Vaudrin on their radar for quite some time.
As for Pickett, he spent time last season with the Detroit Pistons, appearing in 13 games. The Georgetown University product averaged 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game for Detroit. He shot 36.0 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
While neither player has really made a mark at the NBA level, the Cavs will give them chances to prove themselves in training camp and potentially earn the team’s final roster spot heading into the 2022-23 season.
