After adding two guards and coming to an agreement to re-sign one of their own free agent guards, the Cavaliers will be parting ways with a crucial member of last season’s bench.
Guard Ty Jerome, who was instrumental in the team’s 64-win 2024-25 regular season, is reportedly heading to the Memphis Grizzlies after agreeing to a three-year, $28 million deal that includes a player option. Jerome made $2.5 million last year and will now see an average annual value raise to $7 million.
With the Cavs preparing for life in the NBA’s second apron as they construct the 2025-26 roster, they were unable to keep Jerome as part of those plans.
Jerome enjoyed a breakout season last year, averaging 12.5 points on 51.6% shooting from the floor and 3.4 assists in 19.9 minutes en route to a third-place finish in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Re-signing Jerome would have pushed the Cavs even deeper into the second apron, which is the closest thing the NBA has to a hard salary cap. Cleveland was headed to the second apron regardless, though, after the De’Andre Hunter acquisition and Evan Mobley winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, which included significant salary increases.
To help offset the potential loss of Jerome, the Cavs were active in the days leading up to free agency to secure other backcourt players.
First, they drafted guard Tyrese Proctor of Duke in the second round of the NBA draft June 26. Then, two days later, they traded for former lottery pick Lonzo Ball, sending Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for the veteran point guard. Also on June 28, they came to an agreement to re-sign Sam Merrill, another of their own free agent reserve guards.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Free agent Ty Jerome to sign with Grizzlies, leaving Cavaliers
Reporting by Ryan Lewis, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
