Overview

• Agreement in principle on a four-year, $38 million deal for Sam Merrill is expected to be finalized before the July 6 free agency deadline
• Merrill has risen from the last pick of the 2020 NBA Draft and a G League stint to a key bench shooter after averaging 7.2 points on 37.2 percent three-point shooting last season
• The team traded swingman Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Lonzo Ball to bolster backcourt depth
• Cleveland’s nearly $240 million in salary commitments places the roster above the league’s second apron and deep into the luxury tax
• The Cavaliers must balance Merrill’s extension with whether to offer Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome a significant pay raise