Key Rotational Player Named Cavs’ ‘No. 1 Offseason Priority’

The Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of issues to address in the offseason.

Not many 64-win teams should’ve considered breaking up their core, but after watching them flame out in three consecutive postseasons, all options might be on the table.

However, given their current financial situation, unless they make a big splash with a blockbuster trade, they won’t be able to make many moves.

That’s why Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes that they should make keeping Ty Jerome around their No. 1 priority:

“Re-sign or replace Ty Jerome,” Favale wrote. “Keeping Ty Jerome is possible for the Cleveland Cavaliers but will be incredibly expensive. Team president Koby Altman—and, of course, managing governor Dan Gilbert—may prefer to go a cheaper route. And even that will be hard. The Cavs will remain inside the second apron without Jerome on the books, precluding them from spending more than the minimum in free agency. Filling the third ball-handler spot with that kind of money verges on a pipe dream.”

Jerome was spectacular in the regular season, but he also struggled in the playoffs.

Even so, he was a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and he had the best year of his career.

Jerome played his way into a big and long-term contract, and it will be hard for him to turn down more money to stay in Cleveland.

Then again, he may not get as long a leash somewhere else, and Kenny Atkinson brought the best out of his game.

The Cavs could explore trading Darius Garland and/or Jarrett Allen to swing for the fences and get a big-time player.

But even if they do so, the financial constraints of the new CBA will make it difficult for them to keep everybody around for the long run, especially with Evan Mobley winning Defensive Player of the Year and taking a big chunk of the salary cap.

They need to figure out ways to get better around the edges, and losing their leading scorer off the bench won’t do much to help with that.