{"id":95942,"date":"2024-09-15T19:14:06","date_gmt":"2024-09-15T23:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=95942"},"modified":"2024-09-15T19:14:06","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T23:14:06","slug":"nba-rumors-cavs-isaac-okoro-free-agent-sign-trade-suitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/15\/nba-rumors-cavs-isaac-okoro-free-agent-sign-trade-suitors\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Rumors: Cavs Free Agent Had Sign-And-Trade Suitors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Cleveland Cavaliers have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/o\/okorois01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Isaac Okoro<\/a> firmly back in the fold after agreeing to sign him to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/14\/cavs-resolve-isaac-okoro-restricted-free-agent-saga\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">a three-year, $38 million deal<\/a> this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>However, the contract discussions between the Cavs and Okoro were lengthy for a reason. There were never reports about there being any animus between the two. Nonetheless, the two parties had <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/26\/cavs-lowballing-undervalued-free-agent-isaac-okoro-could-cost-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">different opinions about his value<\/a>, Cleveland looking to pay him as low as $8 million per season and Okoro looking for a contract up to $15 million per season.<\/p>\n<p>It only makes sense that the Cavs had a backup plan in place. One option was Okoro playing out the season after signing his qualifying offer, becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Another would\u2019ve been moving him in a sign-and-trade.<\/p>\n<h2>Cavs Free Agent Isaac Okoro Had Sign-And-Trade Suitors<\/h2>\n<p>According to HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto, the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets were among the teams interested in a sign-and-trade for Okoro.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets were among the teams who expressed interest in acquiring restricted free agent Isaac Okoro via sign-and-trade before he agreed to a three-year, $38 million deal to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources told <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hoopshype?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@hoopshype<\/a>. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qE2PUxa6MP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/qE2PUxa6MP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeAScotto\/status\/1835030387740782868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 14, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>So far as Brooklyn is concerned, the Cavs were said <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/06\/26\/cavs-hope-of-dream-nets-trade-could-become-reality\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">to have interest<\/a> in Nets forwards <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/johnsca02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cameron Johnson<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/f\/finnedo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dorian Finney-Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Cleveland has been looking for a dependable 3-and-D player to man the four-spot for them for years. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wadede01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dean Wade<\/a> is streaky and injury-prone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/niangge01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Georges Niang<\/a>\u2019s on-ball defense leaves a lot to be desired. Meanwhile, Johnson and Finney-Smith are reliable outside threats and even better defenders.<\/p>\n<p>With Johnson and Finney-Smith making $22.5 million and $14.9 million respectively next season, the biggest obstacle may have still been finding the right number for Okoro. Nonetheless, at 24 years old, he fits the Nets\u2019 timeline better than either. As more of a wing than a forward, he also provides high-level defense at a position of need.<\/p>\n<p>The Hornets\u2019 interest in Okoro has merit as well. Though they\u2019re further along in their rebuild, they\u2019re another young team. Charlotte also has a sincere desire to improve defensively, which is where Okoro would help them the most. Frankly, he may have even challenged for a starting spot in-between cornerstones <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/ballla01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LaMelo Ball<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/millebr02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brandon Miller<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at the Hornets\u2019 roster, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/greenjo02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Josh Green<\/a> would\u2019ve been the most likely targets. Acquired by Charlotte in an offseason trade with the Dallas Mavericks, he and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gibsota01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Taj Gibson<\/a> are their only veterans who haven\u2019t had a good chance to click with the team. Furthermore, Green will make $12.7 million next season.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, Green is arguably better than Okoro. He\u2019s not as assertive, versatile, or potent as a defender. However, he\u2019s a career 37.5 percent 3-point shooter and a reputable perimeter defender. While he isn\u2019t necessarily elite at either end, he\u2019s consistent.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/willigr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grant Williams<\/a>, who the Hornets traded for last season, is another option. Williams will make $13 million next season.<\/p>\n<p>While he played some small-ball center for Charlotte, he\u2019s a stretch-forward willing to take on tough defensive assignments. Off the court, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/03\/18\/grant-williams-bad-teammate-stars-comes-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">controversial questions about his likability<\/a>. Yet, he\u2019s an individual whose interests and personality would seem to align <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/allenja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jarrett Allen<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mobleev01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Evan Mobley<\/a>\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>If the Cavs engage either team in trade discussions regarding Okoro in the future, these are likely the names to watch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cleveland Cavaliers have Isaac Okoro firmly back in the fold after agreeing to sign him to a three-year, $38 million deal this weekend. However, the contract discussions between the Cavs and Okoro were lengthy for a reason. There were never reports about there being any animus between the two. Nonetheless, the two parties had [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":95966,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,1608,6,7,62,4721],"tags":[1899,2272,1491,2842,1923,4774],"class_list":["post-95942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cavaliers","category-basketball","category-nets","category-hornets","category-nba","category-trade-rumors","tag-cameron-johnson","tag-dorian-finney-smith","tag-grant-williams","tag-isaac-okoro","tag-josh-green","tag-rumors"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95942"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95942\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}