After lengthy negotiations, the Cleveland Cavaliers and restricted free agent Isaac Okoro have agreed to a three-year, $38 million contract, per ESPN senior insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Restricted free agent F Isaac Okoro has agreed on a three-year, $38 million deal to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael Tellem, Jeff Schwartz and Marcus Monk of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. Okoro — the fifth overall pick in 2020 — averaged 9.4 points a season ago. pic.twitter.com/dFInx3QoMS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 14, 2024
The Cavs drafted Okoro fifth overall in 2020 after an All-Conference season at Auburn. A defensive specialist, the 23-year-old canned a career-high 39.1 percent of his 3-point attempts in 2023-24. However, with the young wing said to be looking for an annual $12-15 million salary, Cleveland balked. They were reportedly willing to pay Okoro $8-10 million per year.
Cavs Resolve Isaac Okoro Restricted Free Agent Saga
Okoro has accepted a contract lower than what he was hoping to get. The Cavaliers have decided to pay him a bit more than they wanted to. As far as negotiations go, a lose-lose in this situation could be a win-win.
Okoro’s defense is a notch above every player on their roster. Capable of guarding all three perimeter positions and even some power forwards, he’s an invaluable addition. He adds intrigue with his finishing in transition, playmaking potential, and now efficient 3-point shooting. Those that watched the Golden State Warriors at their height saw those same traits in Andre Iguodala.
Nonetheless, Okoro hasn’t earned the complete confidence of anyone. In the first half of his career, he made only 31.5 percent of his 3s. If they’re going to rely on him, they can’t have that type of variance in his performance.
Cleveland is 143-136 with Okoro since drafting him. In their 143 wins, Okoro hit just 37.6 percent of his 3-pointers. In the 136 losses, he only managed to convert 31.9 percent of his 3s. With a seven game differential, Okoro’s proficiency beyond the arc may not seem overly significant. However, in a tight playoff race or series, it could make all the difference.
