Brian Windhorst: Cavs In Danger Of Losing Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill

Brian Windhorst of ESPN wrote on Sunday that the Cleveland Cavaliers are in danger of losing Ty Jerome and/or Sam Merrill this offseason. 

Jerome and Merrill become unrestricted free agents this offseason.

The Cavaliers are entering the second apron next season.

“The Cavs are entering the second apron next season with two valued bench players, Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill, headed to unrestricted free agency,” Windhorst wrote. “They are in danger of losing one or both — and could face having to trade another player to re-sign them, even though team president Koby Altman said last week that team ownership has given him the green light to spend to keep the team together.

“Once again, though, the challenge for Cleveland and other second apron teams isn’t just the balance sheet but the punitive penalties that rob the ability to manage rosters. Going deeper into the apron just makes it all that much harder to get out of it, which is guaranteed to be a forced reality at some point.”

Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 million extension with Cleveland last summer. The big man winning the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year Award triggered a clause in his contract that calls for him to increase the first-year salary of his rookie-scale extension from 25 to 30% of the salary cap.

As a result, the Cavaliers are now projected to have $219 million in salary for the 2025-26 season and be over the second apron.

Cleveland had the best record in the East this year. However, the Indiana Pacers beat the Cavaliers in the conference semifinals in five games.