3 Options for Cavaliers To Replace Dean Wade With in Rotation

One of the first Cavs-related free agency moves was Dean Wade inking a new contract. It was a four-year deal worth $39 million. The only problem with that was another team gave it to him and it means that after seven seasons, his time in the 216 is suddenly over.

The Philadelphia 76ers started their busy summer by bringing in the defensive-minded combo forward. And so, this has left a significant void in Cleveland’s lineup. Especially as it relates to size and defense.

Let’s talk about a few candidates who can fill the role, both internally and externally.

Mario Hezonja

Of course, the Cavs only new addition through free agency so far is the first candidate. At 6’8, Mario Hezonja possesses a lot of athletic ability. He is going to be more than capable of playing the power forward spot and guarding bigger guys.

The thing as well too, is that he’s far more athletic than Wade was. The wingspan is only reportedly a few inches, but even still. The way he can soar through the air makes him a fantastic initial option for the job. A few inches taller than his last stint, he’ll be more of a SF/PF now compared to the SG/SF he was the first time.

Look out for a whole of Hezonja highlights during his first season in Cleveland. There will be quite a few of them.

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

Internal candidate Nae’Qwan Tomlin, at your service. While he was not a huge part of the playoff gameplan, this is a guy who possesses game-changing skills. After not even playing basketball in high school, he emerged as a serious player for the Charge before eventually getting a guaranteed deal from the Cavs.

NAE'QWAN TOMLIN STEAL ON LUKA & THE DUNK. 🔥🤯

pic.twitter.com/EUcVqsD15W
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 29, 2026

Tomlin is a high-energy player who can clean the glass and occasionally swat shots away. Like Hezonja, he’s listed at 6’10 and has an impressive vertical. Working on his 3PT shooting in the offseason, the big man hit 38% of his threes during Vegas Summer League. A nice improvement from one of the NBA’s worst percentages last year.

A potential small-ball five option as well, look for a lot more Tomlin opportunities in 2026.

Jonathan Kuminga

After a long and dramatic tenure in Golden State, Jonathan Kuminga landed with the Hawks at the 2026 trade deadline. He played solid ball for the team down the stretch of the season without showing up much in the headlines for negative reasons.

Jonathan Kuminga Hawks debut:

27-7-4-2 (9/12 FG, 6/7 FT), +16 (24 MP) pic.twitter.com/URjmCYxB1s
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) February 25, 2026

As soon as the season ended though, the athletic combo forward did not opt in with Atlanta. The $24 million player option was not being agreed to. And for the past month, a number of teams have discussed trying to add him via sign-and-trade. The Cavs are of course one of them.

Kuminga has proven that he can score at will. When injuries hit Golden State during the 2025 playoffs, he rose to the occasion. Similarly in Atlanta, he made some huge plays when on the floor. Listed at 6’7, 225 lbs, this is the ideal combo forward build for Cleveland to bring in.

It’s far from a sure thing that a deal does happen, but it’s been rumored for weeks now. He would usurp both Hezonja and Tomlin as the primary replacement if brought in.

In Summary

There are options for the Cavs here. Two of the guys will already be on the team and could have their roles altered. Should Kuminga find his way in, a 25-30 minutes per night will be there for the taking.

Losing Dean Wade was tough, and replacing him won’t be easy. But this team has the tools to do it. The right pieces. The right stuff.

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