Cavaliers Exploring Trade Market for 2 Stars: Report

Now, saddled with a payroll that puts them $12.9 million over the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron, Cleveland faces an uncertain summer.

Should the Cavaliers offload an All-Star in a blockbuster deal, or stay the course and make moves around the margins of their roster?

Following a breakout run in 2024-25, Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and seems guaranteed to earn a big raise over his $2.6 million veteran's minimum salary. Will the Cavaliers ditch other role players to prioritize retaining the 27-year-old bench guard?

During a new episode of his "Wine and Gold Talk" podcast alongside co-hosts Ethan Sands, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com revealed that Cleveland has already been actively talking with other teams about trading two of its top rotation players.

"Look, I think this front office is canvassing the NBA right now and figuring out what's possible for them this offseason," Fedor revealed. "From everything that I’m told, they’re having a hard time finding anybody that has legitimate interest in Isaac Okoro unless Isaac also comes with some kind of sweetener from the Cavs, some kinds of assets attached to his contract.”

Both players have notable defensive upside: Wade is a switchy big who can manhandle smaller players when rerouted off picks, while Okoro is an athletic man-to-man perimeter defender.

Okoro finally improved his jumper this year, but has not played up to the level of the three-season, $33 million free agent contract he agreed to with Cleveland last summer.

“From everything that I’ve heard, the Cavs have had discussions about Dean Wade,” Fedor said. “And do they want to see if they can use him and something else to see if they can get assets back, different kinds of assets back, or different kinds of players back in return." 

Wade, on a $6.6 million non-guaranteed deal next year, averaged the eighth-most minutes on Cleveland this year (21.2), notching 5.4 points on a .413/.360/.533 slash line, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists. The 6-foot-9 power forward is talented, but replaceable.

“So I think they’re trying to figure out what is possible for us. And if we move off of Isaac Okoro’s money if we move off Dean Wade’s money, does that make it easier to justify a Ty Jerome contract? Does that make it easier to justify a Sam Merrill contract?” Fedor wondered.

Like Jerome, the 29-year-old Merrill is also an unrestricted free agent shooting guard looking for a raise from his own minimum deal. Can Cleveland afford to keep them both, with a brutal tax bill looming already?