Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted to Lose 3 Key Players

With questions surrounding their roster after another second-round playoff exit, the Cavaliers may have to say goodbye to some familiar faces.

Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) shakes hands with center Jarrett Allen (31) in the second quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

After a stunning second-round exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made it clear that they need to be better heading into next season.

Whether that's through mental toughness, as Cleveland President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman put it, or improving the roster, the Cavaliers have to do their due diligence this summer to finally make it past the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

The first step will come from self reflection and individual work from Cleveland's roster. The second, however, is tricky for the Cavaliers. Due to the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Cleveland is incredibly limited in what moves they could make to improve their roster.

Because of those restrictions, Cleveland could have to make some tough decisions on trimming things down financially to contend.

With that said, according to NBA analyst Matt Moore, the Cavaliers might be at risk of losing three key bench players in Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, and Ty Jerome, who all will be a part of Cleveland's financial calculus this offseason.

“It’s sounding like the Cavs’ bench is going to be pretty dramatically different with Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, and Ty Jerome all potentially not being brought back,” Moore said via his Substack, Harwood Paroxysm.

Jerome and Merrill are both set to be free agents this offseason, and Jerome is expected to receive a hefty payday. Wade, meanwhile, is technically under contract heading into next season. However, the $6.6 million owed to Wade isn't fully guaranteed and if the Cavaliers need financial wiggle room, they could either trade or cut their floor-stretching forward.

Losing all three of Jerome, Merrill, and Wade would be a tough pill for the Cavaliers to swallow. All three were key cogs in Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson's game plan, which relied heavily on strength in numbers. Hopefully, Cleveland can solve this dilemma and not lose all three players. If not, they'll have to look elsewhere to replace the production of anyone they lose.