The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of, if not the biggest, headline-makers at the 2026 trade deadline with the wave of moves they executed. Now, the league turns to the buyout market phase as players are released and the glorified free-for-all begins. Illusions of high-impact players being obtainable fill social media, only for two weeks to pass, and realizing most of these moves don’t provide serious production for contending teams.
It’s tougher for a team like Cleveland to acquire one of these players, as they are currently over the NBA’s second apron. With the current CBA, teams over the first or second apron will be restricted from signing a player after a buyout (or waiver) whose previous contract was greater than the non-taxpayer midlevel exception for this season.
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Additionally, the Cavs have indicated that they intend to sign Nae’Qwan Tomlin to a standard contract. If they wanted to sign one of these players, they would need to cut someone already on the roster.
Cam Thomas
Role: Heat check scorer
The Cavaliers spent the trade deadline adding backcourt depth and shaking up the deck. Acquiring the likes of James Harden, Denis Schroder, and Keon Ellis has made adding a similar player in Cam Thomas a bit redundant. The name of today’s game is offense. And if you want to out-gun your opponent in a gun fight, you sometimes need a flamethrower.
Cam Thomas, in this analogy, is a self-regulated Gatling gun. The spray and pray mentality is Thomas’s mantra. While his shooting this season has not been up to snuff, it might benefit Thomas to pair himself with a contender like the Cavaliers, who can resurrect his currently diminished value. He is by far the crown jewel of the buyout market, and the Cavaliers will likely have to promise consistent play to Thomas to lure him to their situation.
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Pat Connaughton
Role: Back-end rotation depth
The Cavaliers can never have enough wings. Connaughton could provide spot minutes and can still shoot the ball when given the opportunity to do so. It seems like Charlotte was completely committed to their exciting youth movement, therefore letting Connaughton go. On the Cavaliers, he would provide another wing to a room filled with Dean Wade, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, and Tomlin.
Chris Boucher
Role: Former Cavalier killer
Boucher is someone who, on the right night, can become a single person parade of three pointers. Or, at least he is when he plays the Cavs.
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In Boston, Boucher never got any real runway, only appearing in nine games. That, compiled with awful shooting splits in the minutes he received (13% from three), made it hard for Boston to trudge along with the failed partnership. The Cavaliers wouldn’t be able to provide real minutes to Boucher either, however, with the injury history of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley this season, he could provide some much-needed depth.
Kyle Anderson – Not yet released by Grizzlies
Role: Front court depth
A “slo-mo” acquisition in a similar vein to Connaughton is to bring veteran end-of-the-bench depth. Anderson is a much more capable option for giving the Cavaliers quality forward minutes. However, if released from Memphis, Anderson will have a greater market than Connaughton. Anderson showed this season that there is still gas in the tank, and there is always a need for teams to have options on the wing.
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Anderson has an ability to have on-ball distribution that would complement well with the scoring options around him. If the Cavaliers were to acquire him, it would be a player that could bring use both for the regular season for minutes relief and the post-season to throw different lineups out there.
