Cleveland Cavaliers Likely to Lose Ty Jerome in NBA Free Agency

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After helping the Cleveland Cavaliers earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Ty Jerome, a 6th Man of the Year finalist, is expected to be a free agent this summer. The news comes on the heels of a report that Cleveland is expected to re-sign Sam Merrill and lose Jerome, according to NBA Correspondent Marc Stein. 

The Cavs are widely expected to re-sign Sam Merrill in free agency but lose Ty Jerome, per @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/Wksqb9GNxo

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 28, 2025

Jerome comes off an outstanding season where he averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. In round one of the NBA Playoffs, Jerome recorded three double-digit performances in the Cavaliers 4-0 sweep of the Miami Heat. Jerome’s best performance was in game four, where he posted 28 points, which included a ⅝ mark from three doing so, while former Virginia teammate DeAndre Hunter scored 19 points on 6/11 shooting to help propel the Cavs to a 121-100 victory. 

During the series, Jerome shot 50% from three along with dishing out 19 assists and earned a +88 plus/minus, the best in the NBA through the opening round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs and the largest margin in a series by a bench player since the stat began to be tracked in 1997. 

With the arrival of Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls in a recent trade, along with the re-signing of Sam Merrill, it seems there’s not enough room for Jerome on the Cavs from a monetary or roster standpoint, forcing Jerome to head for free agency in search of possibly his 5th NBA team. The former Virginia Cavalier is expected to garner a contract similar to Boston’s Payton Pritchard, who is currently on a four-year 30 million dollar deal, a number the Cavs likely cannot afford. 

Atlanta is one potential location Jerome has been linked to, a team that has lit up the news over the last week after the Hawks acquired former NBA All-Star and 2024 NBA Champion Kristaps Porzingis in a blockbuster three-team trade. Porzingis joins a roster led by Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and the 2024 No. 1 draft pick, Zaccharie Risacher. Jerome would provide the Cavs with a strong off-the-bench point guard presence, taking pressure off of Young while helping the Hawks return to the NBA Playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament this past year. 

Another landing spot could be Brooklyn, with D’Angelo Russell set for free agency this summer; the Nets will be in need of a veteran point guard presence, something Jerome could provide. In the 2025 NBA Draft, Brooklyn made three additions to its backcourt: Egor Denim (BYU), Nolan Traoré (France), and Ben Saraf (Israel), which, with a veteran addition in Jerome, could allow for a smooth transition while giving the Nets a reliable point-scorer. With a young roster, the Nets also have plenty of money to afford him. 

Sacramento is another option for Jerome, as the Kings also have a vacancy at point guard, which would give them a solid shooter. The Kings have not had a true point guard since De’Aaron Fox, who was traded to the Spurs in February. 

NBA free agency negotiations officially begin on June 30th at 6 pm, with players then being able to sign contracts on July 6th.