The Cleveland Cavaliers have a salary cap problem.
They might not be able to bring in more talent this offseason because of their financial constraints.
With that in mind, several fans and analysts have pointed to Isaac Okoro as a potential bargaining chip.
Unfortunately, Brian Windhorst isn’t optimistic.
The ESPN insider said that unless the Cavs attach draft picks or something else, it’s hard to envision any team actively trying to absorb Okoro’s contract.
“I would be surprised if they would be able to offload Okoro, especially without incentivizing. What I mean by that is, giving something else because he’s got a fair amount of money left. If you’re not sending anything back, you’re just straight absorbing the contract. I’m not sure that teams would do that,” Windhorst said, via ESPN Cleveland.
"That is definitely something I've heard, the Cavs have investigated that," – @WindhorstESPN on the Cavs shopping Okoro and Wade. pic.twitter.com/TqM1hsTwOR
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 17, 2025
Okoro entered the league with a lot of hype as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Some scouts even compared him to Kawhi Leonard, even on the defensive end of the floor.
To say that Okoro has failed to live up to the expectations would be a huge understatement.
But that doesn’t mean he’s unplayable.
He’s a solid defensive player and took some steps as a floor-spacer this season.
With two years and almost $23 million left in his contract, not that much upside and a streaky jump shot, other teams might not necessarily be interested in trading for him.
As good a defender as he is, teams can’t afford to have an offensive liability on the court.
The Cavs need to figure out how to get better without jeopardizing the future, and that’s not an easy task.
Executive Koby Altman has surprised in the past, but given the current circumstances, it seems like the front office will have to work some actual magic to get the Cavs to the next level.
NEXT: Insider Believes Cavs Could Make Surprise Move In Draft
