Cavs Insider

REPORT: Cavaliers Officially Lose Ty Jerome in NBA Free Agency

The key bench player is leaving Cleveland on a three-year deal.
Gavin Dorsey|
May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) reacts during the second half against the Indiana Pacers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) reacts during the second half against the Indiana Pacers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Cavaliers

One of the top contributors from the Cleveland Cavaliers' 64-18 team last season is now headed to the Western Conference.

According to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania, former Cavs guard Ty Jerome has signed a free-agent contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. The deal is reportedly worth $28 million over three years, with a player option for the third season.

The writing for Jerome's departure was on the wall after Cleveland traded for Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball on Saturday. With Ball likely taking the majority of the bench ball-handler minutes behind Darius Garland, Jerome was the odd man out of the Cavaliers' rotation.

Jerome, who turns 28 in July, had a breakout season for the Cavaliers in 2024-25. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged a career-high 12.5 points on 51.6% shooting and 43.9% from deep, also posting 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.

However, Jerome struggled in his first trip to the postseason. His 11.7 points per game came on just 40.2% shooting and 38.9% from three as the Cavaliers lost to the Pacers in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Cleveland is projected to be a second-apron salary team, and many expected that the Cavs would not be able to afford to keep Jerome with extensions kicking in for Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Ball is set to make $10 million in each of the next two seasons if the Cavs pick up his team option, while Jerome's new contract with the Grizzlies averages out to roughly $9.3 million annually.

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Gavin Dorsey
GAVIN DORSEY

Gavin Dorsey is the Lead Writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and assists in covering a handful of other teams in the On SI network, including the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Texans and Ohio State Buckeyes. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.

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