Cleveland needed just this player.
Why Cavaliers signed Thomas Bryant as crucial backup for NBA title hopes originally appeared on The Sporting News
Most important free agents are accounted for in the NBA by the middle of September, but the Cleveland Cavaliers found themselves a sneaky addition on Tuesday.
The Cavs have signed Thomas Bryant to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Bryant was crucial in the Pacers' run to the NBA Finals, and after rumors that he might be heading overseas for the 2025-26 season, he's staying in the Midwest.
And given the Cavs' depth chart, this might be the perfect signing.
Why did the Cavs sign Thomas Bryant?
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a backup big man.
Jarrett Allen (center) and Evan Mobley (power forward) are top-notch starters in the front court.
But the rest of the size on the current roster was either heavily perimeter-based (Dean Wade), old (Tristan Thompson) or undersized (DeAndre Hunter).
Bryant has lots of starting experience as a center in the NBA, and he's a top-notch backup.
The Rochester, N.Y. native got his start in the NBA with the Lakers after being a second-round pick in 2017.
He played just 15 games in that first stint in Los Angeles, then came back in 2022-23 for 41 more games (including 25 starts). Bryant was on the floor when LeBron James made the shot that broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record.
Bryant only spent the second half of the 2024-25 season with the Pacers, but his clutch outside shooting propelled them past the Knicks and into the NBA Finals.
The 6-foot-10 Bryant has been a solid NBA player through eight seasons. He has career averages of 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, with 34.6% shooting from 3. He was a full-time starter for multiple seasons with the Wizards.
He turned 28 on July 31.
And with the Cavs chasing a title, they clearly felt Bryant could help put them over the top.
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Category: Basketball
