Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2025 Free Agents - Craig Porter Jr.
Nobody expected much of Porter coming into the 2023 NBA draft, and he went undrafted before signing a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, which was later converted to a standard contract. However, Porter was one of the most surprising rookies of the '23-'24 season, getting legitimate rotation minutes during stretches of the season, and being effective in those minutes. Porter scored at a reasonably efficient rate: 56% true shooting on 53% from two and 36% from three. He also showed some solid playmaking ability, being poised when making decisions and having a solid assist rate and a low turnover rate. Craig is already 24 years old, and his minutes decreased over the course of the season once the Cavaliers got healthy. He has shown enough that he should stick around for a little while, but probably needs to show more in order to prove he can be a legitimate rotation-level player going forward.
Summary
Porter's $2.2 million salary for 2025-2026 is non- guaranteed, and if he is waived he will become an unrestricted free agent and the Cavaliers will have no form of Bird rights on him. If he is waived, teams could claim him off waivers, but would need to fit his salary within cap space or an exception to do so, as his contract was for more than two years. If Porter becomes a free agent, other teams will have multiple ways to sign him as even teams without cap space could use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. If Porter is waived and clears waivers, his value will likely have dropped low enough that he would only have offers for the minimum.
Cap Considerations
Jose Alvarado (Not waived on non-guaranteed 3rd year of contract, 2023) Caleb Houstan (Not waived on non-guaranteed 3rd year of contract, 2024) Josh Minott (Not waived on non-guaranteed 3rd year of contract, 2024)