Report: Javonte Green to Sign Cavs Contract After Agreeing to Buyout with Pelicans

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly adding some depth on the wing ahead of the stretch run of the season.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Wednesday that forward Javonte Green agreed to a contract buyout with the New Orleans Pelicans and plans on signing with the Cavaliers after he clears waivers.

Green has been something of a journeyman since he first entered the league during the 2019-20 season and has played for the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls and Pelicans.

He has never been more than a secondary contributor during his career and has averaged 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.7 assists in 245 career games. He appeared in 50 games for the Pelicans with 18 starts this season and put up similar numbers to his career totals at 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds a night.

That Green wasn't able to be more productive on an injury-depleted Pelicans team this season is somewhat concerning, but the Cavaliers aren't going to ask him to carry the offense.

Rather, he can provide shooting and defense on the wing for stretches off the bench and perhaps take advantage of the spacing that comes when Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley draw additional defensive attention.

The defense figures to be important, as he can guard multiple positions and take some of the responsibilities away from Mitchell and others on that end.

Opponents have shot 1.4 percent worse than their normal averages this season when Green defends them, per NBA.com, which suggests he can be an important defensive sub come playoff time for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are looking to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference down the stretch and are 5.5 games ahead of the Celtics. Green might not drastically raise their ceiling, but he gives them more playable depth with home-court advantage hanging in the balance.