Cavaliers to Sign Veteran Guard Following Buyout From Pelicans

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to sign guard Javonte Green after he accepted a contract buyout from the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday night. Green needs to clear waivers before officially joining the Cavaliers.
The No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference will get some help from Green, who will add some depth to the wings in Cleveland once he clears waivers.
Green made 18 starts and appeared in 50 games in his first season with the Pelicans. He averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per night. He's coming off a season-high 34 minutes played in the Pelicans' final game before the All-Star break in an overtime win over the Sacramento Kings.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Javonte Green has agreed to a contract buyout and intends to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers upon clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. Additional wing depth for the East-best Cavs. pic.twitter.com/oi21Chsddk
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2025
Green will help provide cover for the Cavaliers, who have been without forward Isaac Okoro since Jan. 16 with a shoulder injury.
The 44-10 Cavaliers are 5.5 games ahead of the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings, and they've shown their willingness to splash out in the buyout market in order to fortify the roster ahead of the stretch run of the regular season.
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Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.
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