Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 Free Agents Team Must Chase for Next Season

With five more games left in their season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting at a horrendous 20-41, trailing only the Washington Wizards, and the Charlotte Bobcats for the worst record in the NBA. 

After losing LeBron James to the Miami Heat via free agency back in 2010, owner Dan Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to make some splashes in the free agency market over the 2012 NBA offseason.

The Cavaliers' current salary cap of $66 million for the 2011-2012 season will drop considerably to $41 million for the 2012-2013 season.

That $41 million includes the contracts of Anderson Varejao ($8 million), Luke Walton ($6 million), Kyrie Irving ($6 million), Daniel Gibson ($5 million), Tristan Thompson ($4 million), and Omri Casspi ($3 million). 

That opens up plenty of cap space for the 2013-2014 season, when the Cavaliers will still have a solid core of Anderson Varejao ($9 million), Kyrie Irving ($6 million), Tristan Thompson ($4 million), and Omri Casspi ($3 million). 

In recent years the NBA has shifted in terms of star players' leverage to the point that players like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh can decide not only that they'd like to play together but where.

In contrast, Oklahoma City has proved you can avoid the free agency market by drafting and developing players like Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook and surrounding them with role players.

The Cavs won't be able to lure in free agents like Dwight Howard or Deron Williams because top caliber players not only want to win championships and receive max deals but also increase their brand's value in a major market.

Cleveland can only offer one of those incentives: max deals.

However, with rising young star in point guard Kyrie Irving, a high energy double-double machine in Anderson Varejao, and a young developing big man in Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers have the young talent locked up and now just need free agents to come in to make this team a competitor again.

O.J. Mayo to the Cavaliers

The Cavs' free agency decisions will focus heavily on finding a shooting guard, small forward and true center.

They've already got a dominant young scorer and distributor in Kyrie Irving, and now Cleveland must find its go-to wing player.

The Cavaliers could take Eric Gordon here but he has been injured consistently throughout his brief NBA career, missing 20 games in 2009-10, 26 in 2010-11, and already having spent most of 2011-12 on the sidelines.

As a result, Cleveland would be better off with shooting guard O.J. Mayo. Mayo has had some problems off the court, whether it be the improper benefits he received at USC, fighting with teammates over card games, or testing for a banned substance.

However, the dude can flat out score and has proved he can do so as a starter (as in his first three NBA seasons) or coming off the bench (this season).

He's been a key cog in the Memphis Grizzlies' success this season, and looks to really be developing as a basketball player, both on offense (16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds per 36 minutes) and defense.

Mayo is making $5.6 million for the 2011-2012 season and Cleveland will be able to get him for about the same in 2012 NBA free agency.

The Princeton offense run by Cavaliers coach Byron Scott focuses on strong jump shooting and back door cuts, and O.J. Mayo can slash to the basket or spot up for three, making him an excellent fit in Cleveland.

Courtney Lee to the Cavaliers

If Cleveland Cavaliers miss on O.J. Mayo they will look to sign a similar shooting guard with even better jump shooting skills at a discount price: Houston Rockets shooting guard Courtney Lee.

Lee, in four NBA seasons, has a career 44 percent field goal average and a 39 percent three-point average. He is a pure jump shooter which again is vital to have in the Princeton offense.

Moreover, Lee is only making $2.2 million this year, so the Cavs should be able to snag him at a bargain.

Ersan Ilyasova to the Cavaliers

With forward Antawn Jamison also entering free agency and nearing the end of his career, the Cavaliers should look at 6'10'', 235 pound Milwaukee Buck Ersan Ilyasova. Ilyasova is very athletic for a power forward and can bang in the paint as well as shoot from outside.

Ilyasova is averaging career highs this year in terms of scoring (12.9 ppg), field goal shooting (49 percent), three-point shooting percentage (46 percent), and rebounds (8.6 rpg).

The best news is this guy is only making $2.5 million this year. The Cavs shouldn't have to break the bank to land him.

Ilyasova gives the Cavaliers a strong young rebounder and an excellent shooter who will fit well in the Princeton offense and clean the boards on D.

Brook Lopez to the Cavaliers

Now that we have addressed the shooting guard and small forward positions for the Cavs, we turn our attention to the middle.

Both Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson are combo forward/centers, but neither are true seven-footers.

Cavaliers will look to fill that void with a center who has exceptional offensive skill around the paint: New Jersey Nets Center Brook Lopez.

In his first three NBA seasons Lopez played all 82 regular season games, but he will be coming off injury that limited him to only five games in the 2011-2012 season and an a below average 2010-11.

Although Lopez's rebounding percentage has decreased over his four NBA seasons, Lopez thrives on offense, with a near 50 percent career field goal percentage, near 75 percent free throw percentage, and a great ability to avoid foul trouble.

Lopez is making $3.3 million in the 2011-2012 season and you can bet Cleveland will have to compete for his services in free agency, probably offering in excess of $10 million.  

Roy Hibbert to the Cavaliers

If only there was a 7'2'' center who can score, rebound, block shots, pass and has played in the Princeton offense before...

The Cavaliers could find just that in Indiana Pacer Roy Hibbert, set to become a free agent after this year.

Hibbert thrived in Georgetown's Princeton style offense under coach John Thompson III.

More importantly, Hibbert's four seasons in the NBA have seen him increase his per game averages in terms of points, rebounds, field goal percentage and blocks, plus he's always been a consistent 70 percent free-throw shooter.

Hibbert made $2.6 million in the 2011-2012 season and when he enters free agency this summer you can bet that number will double or triple because of his height and ability to do everything.

But the Cavaliers will definitely have the cap room to get an All-Star like Hibbert in 2012. 

Cleveland has a ton of work to do during the 2012 offseason, and that will start with the upcoming 2012 draft.

I am certain Cleveland will not catch lightening in a bottle twice and get the No. 1 pick (Anthony Davis) in the 2012 NBA Draft.

But Cleveland fans should have faith, as you already have a leader in coach Byron Scott, one of the better point guards in the NBA Kyrie Irving and will get your selection of the 2012 free agent class because of all that available cap room.