The Cleveland Cavaliers trimmed their roster Saturday, waiving Rashaun Agee, Zack Austin, Tre’Von Spillers and Noam Yaacov ahead of the regular season.
Keith Smith of Spotrac reported the four cuts, citing a league source. The moves narrow Cleveland’s group as Kenny Atkinson continues working through his rotation combinations.
The Cleveland Cavaliers waived Rashaun Agee, Zack Austin, Tre'von Spillers and Noam Yaavoc, a league source told @spotrac.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 17, 2026
The roster now includes 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. All four waived players had Exhibit 10 contracts.
That distinction matters when evaluating the moves. Cleveland has reduced its camp roster, but the departures do not amount to four vacancies on the regular-season team.
Which players did the Cavs waive?
The four departures are Agee, Austin, Spillers and Yaacov. Their cuts follow an earlier round of changes involving Cleveland’s camp invitees.
In a separate Oct. 11 report, Smith said Cleveland had signed Jaxson Robinson and Yaacov to Exhibit 10 deals after waiving Curtis Jones and Kadary Richmond.
The sequence shows why a training-camp signing should not automatically be treated as evidence that a player is headed for a regular-season role. Yaacov joined during that roster turnover and was among the players waived Saturday.
For Cleveland, the next question is how Atkinson uses the players still available to him. The four departures alone do not establish a reserve pecking order or guarantee anyone additional playing time.
Cavs still have rotation decisions to make
Saturday’s Wine & Gold scrimmage offered a separate look at those decisions. Atkinson discussed developing a pairing of rookie Meleek Thomas and Donovan Mitchell.
Atkinson envisioned Thomas taking on responsibilities similar to those Dennis Schroder handled alongside Mitchell last season, giving Mitchell opportunities to operate without the ball.
“He’s really good on the ball,” Atkinson said of Thomas. “We’re just trying to find that right balance.”
That is a more specific basketball question than whether Cleveland has completed its roster cuts: Which guard can organize possessions while allowing Mitchell to attack in a different way?
Cavaliers Nation previously examined Craig Porter Jr.’s pursuit of the backup role, with Tyrese Proctor and Thomas also part of that discussion.
Atkinson’s latest comments describe a combination he wants to develop, not a promise of minutes for Thomas.
Saturday’s transactions clarify who is leaving; the coach’s lineup choices will determine how the remaining opportunities are distributed.
