Cavaliers Make Major Roster Decisions Before NBA Free Agency

With hours to go until NBA teams can begin negotiating with free agents, the Cavaliers have made decisions regarding three players on their roster.

Mar 24, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Emoni Bates (21) drives to the basket against the Miami Heat during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

With hours to go until NBA teams can begin negotiating with free agents, the Cleveland Cavaliers made roster decisions about two players they've spent time developing and one late addition.

According to Cavaliers on SI's Spencer Davies, the Cavaliers have declined two-way forward Emoni Bates qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

#Cavs have declined Emoni Bates’ qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent, a league source tells @CLECavsOnSI.

— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) June 30, 2025

Bates, who the Cavaliers took 49th in the 2023 NBA Draft, has largely spent his NBA career developing with the Cleveland Charge, the team's NBA G League affiliate.

In 25 NBA appearances, Bates is averaging 3.1 points on 32.2 percent shooting along with 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in only 8.3 minutes per game. In the G League, meanwhile, his numbers are more robust with Bates averaging 19.1 points on 33.8 percent shooting, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

Although Bates is an unrestricted free agent, he could return to the Cavaliers either on a regular contract or another two-way deal. However, if Bates were to sign another two-way deal, it would be his last since players with only less than three years' worth of experience are eligible to be signed to a two-way deal.

Like Bates, the Cavaliers didn't extend a qualifying offer to late-season addition Chume Okeke, making him an unrestricted free agent. However, unlike Bates, fellow two-way forward Luke Travers, meanwhile, was extended a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.

In five somewhat limited appearances between the regular season and playoffs, Okeke's time in Cleveland was quiet. In 7.3 minutes per game the former first-round pick only averaged 1.6 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks.

For Travers, meanwhile, in 12 appearances during his rookie season with the Cavaliers, he didn't earn much playing time. The Australian forward averaged only 1.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 7.3 minutes per game. However, in the G League Travers instead averaged 15.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game.