Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 reasons Channing Frye is a good move

1. 2019 free agency flexibility

With this move, the Cleveland Cavaliers maintain the cap space flexibility to sign a top free agent during the 2019 free agency period (should they trade away some of their contracts). Frye’s contract is a one-year deal, meaning the Cavaliers do not get tangled with yet another multi-year contract that takes up a lot of cap space.

By trading away J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson or George Hill, the Cavs can pursue a top-tier free agent like Kemba Walker or Kawhi Leonard next summer.

Additionally, by trading away Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Korver, two players whose contracts are not terrible given their respective contributions on the court, they could even target two max deals, beginning a new era in Cleveland.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

It is no secret that the Cavaliers have some pretty bad contracts like Hill’s, but with the use of a sweetener like a draft pick or a young player, teams are more likely to budge and take the extra salary away from Cleveland.