3 Cleveland Cavaliers Players Who Will Be Gone This Offseason

The Cleveland Cavaliers have now fully emerged themselves in the offseason that should dictate whether they can get back to the NBA Finals or not next season.

There’s going to be a lot of talk regarding the Cavaliers and possible free agents or trade targets they should look into. But one thing most fans haven’t considered is who won’t be returning to Cleveland for the 2026-27 season.

Obviously, we could talk all day about trade scenarios that include current starters on the team, but it’s still too early to make anything certain as to who will be in their starting five.

There aren’t any truly notable players that Cleveland is losing to free agency, but that could depend on who some fans are higher on than others.

Here are the three Cavaliers players that almost certainly won’t be on Cleveland’s roster come October.

Dean Wade

This one is a bit tough, but in all reality, Dean Wade’s time as a Cavalier may be coming to an end respectfully.

Wade has been with the Cavaliers since the summer of 2019 after LeBron James’ decision to head to Los Angeles. He pretty much stepped right in as one of their starting forward options from there. Since then, he never took that step to the next level.

While he has shown some real stinginess on defense and was relied on heavily in the last few seasons, his offense is a true liability for Cleveland. His 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game this season were just not acceptable for the minutes he was playing.

He had signed a three-year, $18.5 million extension back in September of 2022, and hasn’t shown any sign of increased production in his time with the Cavs.

Sure, they could sign Wade to a cheap one-to-two-year deal as a role player, but it’s more than likely Cleveland looks elsewhere.

Larry Nance Jr.

Ah yes, Larry Nance Jr., a Cavaliers legacy piece who followed in his father’s footsteps. Yes, this was Nance Jr.’s second stint in Cleveland, and no, he didn’t help his case to stay here long term.

He was also a player that spent time here during the dark days of Cavaliers basketball following LeBron’s departure and carved out a much more respectable role with the team during that time.

Nance Jr. is now entering his 14th season in the NBA, and while he didn’t see much playing time at all this season, definitely shows signs of aging when he is on the court. His 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and one assist don’t do him much justice on paper either.

Cleveland could look to add another bench piece in his place through free agency, possibly a player who’s younger and more dynamic for a decent price.

Thomas Bryant

The Cavs do like stocking up on big centers who can play valuable minutes especially in the middle of the season barring injuries. Bryant saw plenty of time on the court with Cleveland this season but didn’t quite earn himself any sort of extension.

His last few seasons have been showing a slight decline in production, but hardly a shortage in minutes. He certainly can still be counted on, but it may be time for Cleveland to look for a younger option with Bryant entering his 12th season this fall.

Bryant's 2025-26 season averages included 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and about half an assist per game, which is less than admirable.

With the Cavs signaling a reunion with head coach Kenny Atkinson’s coaching staff and their front office, they may be more inclined than ever to pull the “addition by subtraction” card. Bryant could be a casualty in that scenario.

There are plenty of centers out there that won’t cost any more than the $3.2 million Cleveland paid Bryant this season, and he could be one of the first to be replaced this summer.

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