The Cavaliers are keeping one of their own by reaching an agreement to re-sign backup shooting guard Sam Merrill.
The Cavs struck a new deal June 28 with Merrill on a four-year, $38 million contract. He had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 6. The free-agency negotiating period will be open at 6 p.m. June 30, meaning other teams would have been able to begin talking to Merrill then. Instead, he’s staying put.
ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the deal. A league source confirmed the agreement for the Beacon Journal
Merrill and reserve point guard Ty Jerome were the most notable Cavs players who entered this offseason with contracts set to expire. With the Cavs limited in their financial flexibility as a projected second-apron team, they drafted former Duke guard Tyrese Proctor in the second round (No. 49 overall) on June 26 as a potential contingency for Merrill and/or Jerome leaving. The Cavs then agreed June 28 to trade small forward Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for point guard Lonzo Ball. The developments seem to point to a Jerome departure.
Here is what you need to know about Merrill:
Was Sam Merrill drafted?
The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Merrill out of Utah State in the second round (No. 60 overall) in 2020 and then traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks. Merrill has played for the Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Cavs.
Sam Merrill stats
Merrill’s career averages through five NBA seasons are as follows: 6.5 points on 40.5% shooting from the field (38.6% on 3-pointers), 1.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 16.3 minutes.
Merrill initially joined the Cavs on a 10-day contract in March 2023. He spent the past three seasons with Cleveland. He was a regular rotational player in each of the last two seasons, appearing in 61 games (plus 10 in the playoffs) in 2023-24 and 71 games (plus eight in the playoffs) in 2024-25.
Merrill averaged a career-high 8.0 points in the 2023-24 regular season, shooting 40.2% from the field (40.4% on 3-pointers). He averaged 7.2 points during the 2024-25 regular season, shooting 40.6% from the floor (37.2% on 3s).
Sam Merrill height
Merrill is listed as 6 feet, 4 inches and 205 pounds.
Sam Merrill age
Merrill is 29 years old. He was born on May 15, 1996. He told the Beacon Journal his birthplace is Salt Lake City, Utah.
What is Sam Merrill’s salary?
Merrill’s previous contract with the Cavs lasted for three years and carried a value of $5.01 million. In other words, he has received a substantial raise.
Is Sam Merrill a starter?
Merrill is primarily a backup, not a starter. Of his 173 career regular-season NBA games, he has started seven. He has appeared in 26 playoff games, with three starts, all with the Cavs this past spring as they dealt with injuries. Merrill appeared in eight postseason games with the Bucks in 2021, when they won the NBA title.
What is Sam Merrill known for?
Merrill is best known for his 3-point shooting, though Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson has repeatedly touted Merrill as an underrated defender.
What is the outlook for the Cavs next season?
The Cavs expect to contend next season, but they failed to meet the same expectation this past season.
The Cavs went 64-18 in the 2024-25 regular season, capturing the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. However, they were eliminated from the playoffs with a 4-1 series loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, otherwise known as the second round. The Pacers advanced all the way to the last game of the season, falling in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: NBA free agency player tracker | Sam Merrill re-signs with Cleveland Cavaliers
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
