It is not yet clear how Cavaliers intend to fill final roster spot

The Cavaliers currently have 13 players on standard contracts and it’s not yet clear how they intend to fill their 14th roster spot, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only mailbag article.

As Fedor explains, head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s switch-heavy defensive system means another versatile wing will always be an option for the Cavs, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise if the team adds another ball-handler.

Darius Garland will be coming off toe surgery, Lonzo Ball has only played in 35 games over the past three seasons for health reasons (mostly knee-related), and it remains to be seen whether the club is comfortable using Craig Porter Jr. in a major role, Fedor writes. While Donovan Mitchell is another ball-handling option, Cleveland won’t want to lean on him too heavily early in the season.

One free agent guard who is at least on the Cavs’ radar is two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo. A member of the front office attended Oladipo’s recent workout in Las Vegas, according to Fedor, who says Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has long been a fan of the former No. 2 overall pick. In fact, Fedor describes Gilbert as having been “eager” to use the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 on Oladipo until David Griffin, then an assistant general manager, lobbied for Anthony Bennett.

Here’s more on the Cavs from Fedor:

• There was a good deal of “chatter” in Las Vegas about the possibility of the Cavaliers trading forward Dean Wade, says Fedor. Wade is on an expiring $6.6MM contract in 2025/26 and there’s a sense that he may not be a priority for a cap-strapped Cleveland team beyond the coming season. Sources tell Cleveland.com that contending teams from each conference have expressed interest in Wade, with Fedor adding that the Mavericks are among the clubs believed to be fans of him.
• If Wade were to be moved, it could create an opportunity for two-way forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who made just five NBA appearances as a rookie last season. The 24-year-old “continues to turn heads” after averaging 20.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on .582/.409/.800 shooting in four Summer League outings, Fedor notes, and could compete for rotation minutes this fall.
• Former Cleveland State wing Tristan Enaruna, who had a good Summer League for the Cavs (13.3 PPG, .568/.429/.500 shooting), is among the players the club is considering for its open two-way slot alongside Tomlin and Luke Travers, per Fedor.
• Fedor observes that improving the defense was a priority for the Cavaliers this summer after the unit struggled in the club’s second-round series loss to Indiana. That’s one reason why the front office prioritized retaining Sam Merrill over Ty Jerome. The belief in Cleveland, Fedor writes, is that Merrill and new additions Ball and Larry Nance Jr. won’t get played off the court in the postseason.