David Nwaba: ???, ??? (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Free agent David Nwaba has come to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources tell Yahoo. Both sides are still working on final details of deal.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 1, 2018
The amount the Cleveland Cavaliers sign David Nwaba for could end up affecting this grade, but whether it’s for the bi-annual exception ($3.3 million) or part of/the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($8.6 million), this is a good pickup for a rebuilding team that wants to stay competitive.
With LeBron James gone, the Cavs are clearly investing in the future. Collin Sexton is the team’s prized rookie moving forward, while Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. are priorities to re-sign. However, the Kevin Love extension signifies this team wants to stay in the playoff hunt, and adding a wing like Nwaba only helps on that front.
Though he doesn’t have star potential, the 6’4″ guard is still only 25 years old and just proved he belongs in 70 games with the Chicago Bulls last year, averaging 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23.5 minutes a night. Even if he doesn’t significantly improve his 34.6 percent shooting from downtown, Nwaba is a rangy defender and high-energy player who makes the Cavs better for the short-term — and possibly the long-term depending on how long this contract runs and what happens with Hood.
Bourguet Grade: B+
Hoops Habit Grade: B