NBA veterans Eric Gordon and Royce O’Neale are among the players the Cleveland Cavaliers have shown interest in, according to a report from Matt Moore of Action Network.
According to Moore, the Cavs have also looked at Max Strus and Georges Niang, essentially confirming the team’s interest in those two.
“Cleveland is predictably seeking a wing who can shoot,” wrote Moore. “Max Strus, Georges Niang, Eric Gordon (released by the [Los Angeles] Clippers Wednesday) and Royce O’Neale (currently under contract with the [Brooklyn] Nets) are among the players they’ve targeted.”
Gordon, 34, spent time with the Houston Rockets and Clippers this past season. The 2022-23 season was his 15th at the NBA level.
Across 22 regular season games with the Clippers, he was very productive. He averaged 11.0 points, 2.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game in very efficient fashion, as he shot 46.3 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Gordon’s best NBA days may be behind him, but the former Sixth Man of the Year is still capable of providing quality minutes and perhaps even starting depending on the role he’s asked to play.
O’Neale, meanwhile, just wrapped up his sixth NBA season. Although he isn’t much of a scorer, he has established himself as a solid 3-point shooter, as he holds a career clip of 38.4 percent from beyond the arc. He’s also a capable defender.
This past season, he averaged 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. It was his first season with the Nets after he spent the first five years of his NBA career with the Utah Jazz.
The Cavs can sign Gordon as a free agent, but they’d need to come to some sort of agreement with the Nets in order to acquire O’Neale. It’s unclear what Brooklyn’s asking price would be in such a deal.
It’s no secret that the Cavs need wing help, and they’re clearly taking a good look at the market to see who may be available. Despite a strong showing in the 2022-23 regular season, Cleveland didn’t meet expectations in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, so it’s going to be a key offseason for the team as it looks to get a little bit closer to championship contention.
