The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2022-23 NBA season has come to an end, and now the focus has shifted to the upcoming offseason.
While a recent report indicated that the core of the team, as well as its head coach, are expected to remain with the team heading into the next season, there are some key contributors who could be on the move.
More specifically, it seems that both Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro could end up off the Cavs this offseason. The report came from Sam Amico of Hoops Wire as he was discussing potential moves by the Cavs this summer.
“Hoops Wire sources indicated that the Cavs will be looking to bring back [Caris] LeVert, who has indicated he would like to stay in Cleveland,” he wrote. “Osman, however, very well could be cut loose, sources indicated. Along with that, given that the Cavs are short on draft picks, Isaac Okoro could be floated as a name in trade talks over the summer.”
Osman has spent his entire NBA career with the Cavs and even served as a consistent starter in the two years following LeBron James’ departure in 2018.
In the last two seasons, he’s been a contributor off the bench. He averaged 8.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 season on 45.1 percent shooting. He played in all five of the Cavs’ games versus the New York Knicks in the playoffs, but struggled mightily. He hit just 36.0 percent of his field goals and 30.0 percent of his 3-pointers in the series.
As for Okoro, he took a bit of a step back statistically this past season. After averaging 9.2 points, 3.0 boards and 1.9 assists per game over his first two NBA seasons, he managed just 6.4 points, 2.5 boards and 1.1 assists per game this past season.
One positive note for Okoro was that his percentages shooting from the field (49.4) and 3-point land (36.3) this season were both career-highs. He’d almost surely have some kind of market if he were made available via trade, though it’s not clear what kind of compensation the Cavs could expect in return.
It appears clear that the Cavs will prioritize evaluating options at the wing position this offseason.
As Osman and Okoro were two key contributors at the wing this past season, it makes sense that they’ve been mentioned as players that could soon be on the move. Only time will tell if either, or both, will be in new uniforms by the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
